08/03/2023
An Award Winner,
USA Today Best-Selling Author
D.C. GOMEZ
Star Interview
D. C. Gomez is an award-winning USA Today Bestselling Author, Podcaster, motivational speaker, and coach. Born in the Dominican Republic, she grew up in Salem, Massachusetts. D. C. studied film and television at New York University. After college, she joined the US Army, and proudly served for four years.
D. C. has a master’s degree in Science Administration from the Central Michigan University, as well as a Master in Adult Education from Texas A&M- Texarkana University. She is a certified John Maxwell Team speaker and coach, and a certified meditation instructor from the Chopra Center.
One of D. C. passions is helping those around her overcome their self-limiting beliefs. She writes both non-fiction as well as fiction books, ranging from Urban Fantasy to Children’s Books.
What’s the last great book you read?
I finally had the great pleasure of reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I’m very grateful that I read the book after finishing my series. My Intern Diaries Series is based on the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. After enjoying this incredible book, I’m pretty sure my imposter syndrome would not have let me finish mine.
What’s your favorite book no one else has heard of?
One of my favorite books is The Green Rider by Kristen Britain. When I started reading this series, none of my friends or anyone I knew had ever heard of it. The book came out in November 1998, and for anyone who enjoys Epic Fantasy, this is a must read. I’m recently met several people who are just as hooked on this series as I am. I just wish more people were raving about it like I’m.
You’re organizing a party. Which two authors, dead or alive, do you invite?
Oh, this is a really hard question. If I could only invite two people, I would invite Juan Bosch and Stephen King. Mr. Juan Bosch was a former Dominican politician, historian, writer, essayist, educator and president. His writing and works have influenced the way I write my stories. He believed people should create stories for everyone to enjoy at all levels of society. That made a tremendous impact on me when I was growing up.
For a living author, it would blow away me to invite Mr. Stephen King. The ability to sit with the master and just discuss his views on writing and storytelling would be a dream come true. His writing style and just the way he sees the world is just incredible to me.
Which writers — working today do you admire most?
Right now I’m going through a giant obsession with Neil Gaiman. His writing style is absolutely captivating, and his stories are so much fun. With conventions and book signings starting back up, I have been doing lots of driving and listening to audiobooks while on the road. I’m hooked on all the books Neil narrates. I just want to listen to him tell me stories.
Another writer that I absolutely adore is the fabulous Ms. Kim Harrison. The reason I am in love with urban Fantasy is because of her series, The Hallows. Her new book came out this year and I can wait to just get lost in it. Her strong female leads and fun characters are addicting.
Who are your favorite writers? Are there any who aren’t as widely known as they should be, whom you’d recommend in particular?
As an avid reader, I have tons of authors that I just adored their works. I’m not normally a person who re-reads many books, but the books of Paulo Coelho and Deepak Chopra are some of my exceptions. Both writers have been around for decades, and their works just keeps getting better.
Paulo’s classic, The Alchemist, is still my all-time favorite. For everyone who is familiar with Deepak’s books, he has a lot of non-fiction works that are amazing. I would also recommend his fictions books for anyone who has never had an opportunity to read.
What do you read when you’re working on a book? And what kind of reading do you avoid while writing?
While I’m working on a book, I usually aim to read something very different from the genre I’m working on. I tried to avoid things that are very similar to mine to ensure it doesn’t accidentally end on my page.
Reading is still my favorite form of relaxation, but I have to limit myself to the time I allotted myself for it. It is really easy to get lost in a book and not work on my own.
What genres do you especially enjoy reading?
I have multiple genres that are my go-to, urban fantasy and cozy mysteries. I’m always open to reading anything in the fantasy or Sci-fi realm. The way writers can transport us to another world is mind-blown. But urban fantasy just stole my heart. Having the crossover between the supernatural world and the real one is incredible.
Back during my time being deployed, the options for books were very limited. They had a series of cozy mysteries. They were clean, fun, and a breath of fresh air from the high-tension environment we were in. I bought the entire series, and just felt in love with the genre. Having amateur sleuths running around solving crimes was such a refreshing alternative to my everyday life. Situations were always neatly resolved, and our heroes had nice little happy endings. Still love escaping into a good cozy mystery, and if they have a good recipe in them, even better.
Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine?
This might be a little broad, but I have an obsession with the Grim Reaper in books. I might be a little bias since I write about Death and her Reapers, but the concept of Reapers just fascinates me. I’m always on the search for books that feature Reapers, or a form a Death. Reading the way other writers portray this classic character, and how it interacts with others in the book, has become a passion of mine. At signings with other authors, I will go home with all the books featuring Reapers.
What kind of reader were you as a child?
Growing up, I was not a fast reader. As an immigrant, English was my second language, and it took me a while to become fluent in it. In the beginning, reading gave me an opportunity to see the language without feeling judge or confused. Once I could truly understand it, books became my escape from everything else going on around me.
Have you ever changed your opinion of a book based on information about the author, or anything else?
I think I grew up during a time where a lot of information about authors was not as easily accessible as it is now. The only information I knew about many of my favorite writers was the stuff that was written on the jackets of the books. I never did a lot of research regarding the lives of authors. Now that I’m in the writing community, I’m more aware of it, but it still doesn’t influence my book selections. I’m more likely to change my opinion on a writer if they killed off their main characters without a fantastic reason. That is probably one way to get me to stop reading books from that author.
Which writer would you want to write your life story?
A dream come true would be to have Elizabeth Gilbert write my life story. Her memoir, Eat, Love, Pray, is such a beautiful description of the human experience. She captured her pain, her sufferings, as well as her joys so passionately. The book is raw and yet relatable in so many ways. It would be an honor to have her creative genius put my life into paper.
What books do you find yourself returning to again and again?
Another one of the few books that I read every year is Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go! I give this book to every high school graduate in my family. They all looked at me crazy for giving them a children’s book, but the message is absolutely amazing. As we aged, the meaning becomes more personal as well. The first time I read it, I found myself terrified I would get stuck in the waiting place. As an adult, I found myself several times there, and have to laugh at how wise Dr. Seuss was with this book. I keep reading this book to remind myself of the beautiful journey we are all on. As long as we allowed yourself the opportunity to take the leap.
What books are you embarrassed not to have read yet?
This is such a horrible confession, but I have not read the Great Gatsby. The time period the novel takes place is truly one of my favorites (the Jazz Age) and the setting is so much fun. I’m just not fond of tragedies. For my leisure reading, this would not be the first genre I picked or horror. My imagination is too wild and vivid. I would spend days or even weeks re-imagining portions of a book, and just getting sad all over.
What do you plan to read next?
I’m patiently waiting for the next book in the series, Keepers of the Lost City. A young lady who couldn’t stop bragging about it introduced me to the series. This middle school series by Shannon Messenger takes us on a great fantasy story, while exploring the themes of coming of age and first love. You cheer for the main character, while cringing every time horrible things happen to them.
The Reader’s House presented
Editor’s Awards of Excellence
to D.C. Gomez
Leave a Reply