Introducing Author, Nicole Garcia!

Introducing Nicole Garcia, the author of Noelle's Wish (A Christmas Tale) and the upcoming novella, Cupid's Heart!

Where are you from?
I am from Brooklyn, New York. Born and raised.

What inspired you to write your first book? What genre is it?
I actually started on a book that is currently halfway done. It's called Return to Willow Lake, which will be out later this year. It is a New Adult Romance. A very traumatic experience inspired me to write. It was my only outlet to express my emotions. I do have a published novella which was released in December. That would technically be my fist book, which is also a New Adult Romance.

Do you write full-time or part-time? How do you balance your writing life with your family/work life?
I write whenever and wherever I can. I always have a notebook and notepad on hand. Being a full-time mom of four takes up most of my time, and having two special needs children makes writing a challenge. Both my boys have Autism.

How did you come up with the title?

Well, for Christmas I wanted to write a short novella. I just started to think of all the words associated with Christmas and Noelle's Wish was born. There will be more novellas in A Christmas Tale series.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes, definitely.  I want readers to feel that no matter how difficult life can be, never give up hope because everyone can have a happy ending.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I always put a piece of myself in every book I write. Whether it be my love for chocolate or my distaste of coffee, or even my favorite color.  My upcoming release Return to Willow Lake is based on a real life experience of mine.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Wow, I don't think I can choose certain books. But I do have authors who inspire me every day like Claudy Conn, Tina Folsom, Sharon Hamilton, Kerrianne Coombes, Krystal Shannan, Deborah Gafford  and CL Pardington, and E.L.R. Jones.  They are all really good friends and would not be who I am without their guidance.

What book are you reading now?

Right now I'm finishing up my Valentine's Day novella but I have just finished Sleeping Beauty and the Damned Demon by Kerrianne Coombes. After I finish my novella I will finish Claudy Conn's Prince Prelude-Legend.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Yes Kerrianne Coombes. Her Demon Tale series is amazing.

What are your current projects?

Right now I am writing a Valentine's Day novella called Cupid's Heart which should be released by February 1st. I also have two half-written books Taming Lacey and Return to Willow Lake. I am also working on a paranormal romance series. I am planning to release the first book of the series and the other two books this year, so I will be very busy.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

I went over it a lot and also had my best friend and critique partner Dawn Sullivan read through it. We were happy with the way it came out. My beta group was also a big help to the book.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I would love to. Here is an excerpt from my upcoming Valentine’s Day release called Cupid’s Heart:

    Cupid sat on a cloud looking down on Valentina Hart.  He had been watching her for a few years now.  He was in love from the first time he laid eyes on her sitting on a park bench.  Her long red hair sweeping across her face as the warm summer breeze blew.  He knew then she was meant for him. The only problem, he was a God, and she was a human.  The two of them could never be together.    

    This wasn't a law amongst the Gods. It was Cupid's choice and the number one rule in his book. A rule that could never be broken. Humans were frail, mortal, and being in love with one caused too many problematic situations. Sure he could just shoot her with a golden arrow and she would love him. But after his disastrous mistake, he never forgave himself and thought he deserved to be alone for eternity.     

     The tragedy had occurred 25 years ago, but the memory was still fresh in his mind as if it happened just yesterday.  Every day he thought about the pain he caused that girl and everyday he punished himself for his carelessness. Cupid had given up on creating love. He wouldn't be able to handle another mistake. He hadn't shot an arrow in 25 years and he wasn't going to any time soon.     

     "Why don't you just go down and talk to her already?" Somnus the god of sleep suggested as he sat next to Cupid. Somnus was Cupid's best friend and they had spent most of their time together getting into trouble. Well Somnus always got himself into some sort of predicament that Cupid had to bail him out of. Especially with the ladies. Somnus was growing tired of Cupid's infatuation with Valentina. He couldn't understand what the big deal was. So Cupid made a mistake. So what. Everyone made mistakes and God's were no exception.    

     "You know why I can't go down there and talk to her."   

     "Cue, you are making too big a deal of what happened. When are you going to get over it and forgive yourself? It wasn't your fault."  

     "How can you say that Somnus? Of course it was my fault, who else can be blamed for what happened to that girl? I will never forgive myself. Ever."     

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Oh yes, the love scenes. It is very difficult for me to put into words what I really want to say. My critique partner helps me out with those parts. I will explain to her what it is I want to say, and she will polish it up so it is better understood by the reader.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part about writing Noelle’s Wish was probably the abuse scene. I really wanted to cry for her.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Oh my goodness yes. No long run-on sentences. I love to talk and sometimes I tend to write the same way. I could go on forever in one sentence. I also learned from my characters that it’s okay not to be perfect because somewhere in the world there will be someone who loves you despite all your imperfections.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

No matter how hard it seems, if writing is truly your dream, never give up.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Yes, I would like to thank each and every one of them for supporting me and my writing. I appreciate all who have helped me.

Do you have an agent or publisher? How did you go about finding one?
No I don't have an agent. I am strictly an independent author.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Alaska. I love the cold and would love to at least visit there once in my lifetime.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Hmmm, that's a hard one. I guess I would have to choose either the ability to time travel, or super strength. Having Fibromyalgia makes me weak at times and having unlimited strength would be awesome.

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Nicole Garcia Bio:

Happily married and mother of four. We have two daughters and two sons. Both my sons have special needs since they are Autistic. I have a degree in Nursing, but have been a stay at home mom for the past 8 years. I have a few hobbies such as gardening and rescuing exotic pets. We have so many I could probably charge admission to our small petting zoo. But I have to say my absolute passion is reading. So after spending so much time at home, I decided to make a career out of sharing my love for books. Writing and promoting has become a full time job for me now. There are so many unknown authors out there that deserve to have their books read by many. So after promoting for authors for two years, I decided to follow my dreams and start writing my own books. I started writing poetry when I was just a little girl and have always loved the feeling it gave me. Currently I am working on a New Adult Contemporary Romance, but later I plan to write other genres. Hope you will join me in all the fun ahead.