#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with D. C. Gomez

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I’d like to welcome author, D.C. Gomez, back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: a cozy blanket. I’m extremely comfy when I write, so blankets and pillows are a most.

Things that distract you from writing: having the TV on. While I can write in a public space if necessary, having the TV on completely throws me off.

Hardest thing about being a writer: promoting the books online. It feels like the market is always changing and we are playing catch-up all the time.

Easiest thing about being a writer: for me is creating the plot. I have a blast thinking of the twist and turns my characters are going to face in the story.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online: I actually bought an extra large comfy blanket from a TikTok shop that blew me away. It quickly got relocated to my hubby’s office.

The thing you wished you’d never bought: I accidentally bought a case (24 cans) of stuffed olives with salmon. I was curious and wanted to tried them. Not my proudest moment.

Favorite snacks: chips and salsa- I could live on this.

Things that make you want to gag: anything with eggplants.

Something you’re really good at: dancing comes really natural to me and I can get lost in the music.

Something you’re really bad at: most organized sports. Really don’t enjoy the competitiveness of it. Strange because I can be really competitive in other areas.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: a doctor, but I’m sure it was because of my family since I can’t stand the sight of an open wound.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: I never imagined being a soldier, but grateful I joined.

Favorite places you’ve been: a few years ago I went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Absolutely amazing.

Places you never want to go to again: any amusement park. Terrified of heights so I skipped all the rides.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: getting to meet readers and talk about books is officially the best part of my writing life. It’s amazing when they love my characters.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: learn how to market my books better from the beginning.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “I haven’t slept in two days because I couldn’t put the book down.” To this day, that makes my day.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “Have you been following me around, because this is my life.” I was told that when Death’s Intern came out and all I could do was smile.

Recommendations for curing writer’s block: stop thinking about the book and do something physical. Go for a walk, ride a book or play music. Getting yourself moving has a way of unlocking ideas.

Things you do to avoid writing: housework. If I’m procrastinating, my house gets really clean before I start to write.

About D.C.:

D.C. Gomez is an award-winning USA Today Bestselling Author who writes in multiple genres. While she started her publishing journey writing Urban Fantasy and Children’s Book, she expanded her books into women’s contemporary literature and non-fiction. Her non-fiction books include a collection of devotionals books, as well as a motivational one.

While publishing full time and managing her small business, D.C. proudly severs as an Army Civilian in Texarkana, Texas. A career she embarked shortly after her enlistment in the U.S. Army ended. She served for four years, culminating her career as a Sergeant with the 101st Field Support Battalion in the First Infantry Division. That included a year deployment to Iraq at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

D.C. has an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from New York University in Film and Televisions. In May 2007, D.C. was awarded a master degree in Science Administration from Central Michigan University. In 2013 she was also awarded a second master degree in Science in Adult Education from Texas A&M University- Texarkana.

A believer of life-learning and a self-proclaimed professional student, D.C. continues to look for ways to improved and grow. That journey led to her certification as a Meditation Instructor from the Chopra Center. It also motivated her to become a certified public speaker and coach from The John Maxwell Team. D.C. serves as a certified Sexual Assault Advocate for the Department of Defense.

After years of searching for balance between all her different passions, D.C. found harmony in the organized chaos. By understanding and embracing the need for both a corporate career as well as a creative business, she has found the perfect mix of creativity and efficiency. This has allowed for true enjoyment in her life.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: http://www.dcgomez-author.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dcgomez.author

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dc.gomez


#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with D. C. Gomez

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I’d like to welcome back D. C. Gomez to the blog for more on her latest work.

Favorite thing that you always make time for:

One of my favorite things that I always make time for is reading. With my crazy schedule sometimes reading is more like a reward, but still makes everything better.

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid:

I still hate vacuuming. It’s seriously one of those necessary evils since I suffer from allergies. But I procrastinate as much as possible before doing it.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:

When I’m writing, I need my space to be as comfy as possible. I normally have candles on, a blanket over my legs, and lots of water easily available. On the practical side, since I write Urban Fantasy, Goggle Earth is the one app I allowed myself to have on all the time.

Things that distract you from writing:

My biggest distraction is social media. I honestly have to set a timer when I’m working on a book to make sure I don’t fall down the social media hole and get nothing done.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online:

I have an obsession with kitchen appliances. This is something all my family makes fun of me for. The coolest thing I bought online was a panini press. It’s truly so much fun, if you like sandwiches of courses.

The thing you wished you’d never bought.

One crazy thing I recently purchased was a case of stuffed olives. The packaging said they were delicious stuffed with salmon. Not the best purchased I made, especially since I had 24 cans of these things. Now I’m working on paying more attention to item descriptions.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life:

The one thing I will most remember in my writing journey, is being able to meet and connect with readers at live events. This has been the most unexpected and fun part of this journey. It has been a true blessing to meet as many people as I have throughout the years.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over:

If I could do something over, it would be to invest in ads from the beginning. I feel like I wasted a lot of time and money trying to learn how to market my books without ads.

Something you’re really good at:

I’m actually great at cooking. It’s also one of my favorite things to do to relax. Lately I don’t have as much time to cook as I would like, so I cherish the time that I do.

Something you never learned how to do:

This is probably the most shocking thing for most people to learn since I grew up in an island. I never learned to swim. It’s on my bucket list now.

Your best recipe:

I have an awesome recipe for a Flan. The Latin desert is something I grew up making since I was little. I have a crazy sweet tooth, so I enjoy how easy it is to make.

Something that didn’t turn out like you planned when you made it:

I tried once to make tiramisu and failed miserably. There was a terrible mess in my kitchen and the poor thing tasted nasty.

Things you always put in your books:

I didn’t realize how much food is in my books. I have reader mentioned that my books make them hungry, because I’m always describing what my characters are eating all the time.

Things you never put in your books:

This one is hard. Since I write in multiple genres I get to play with my different things. Probably the one thing you wouldn’t see in many of my books is a graphic sex scene. The books that might sex in them usually fade to black.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

To this day, joining the military was the most daring thing I ever done. Nobody in my family had ever been in the armed forces, so this was a leap of faith with very little information.

Something you chickened out from doing:

I learned later in life that I’m terrified of heights. Things that I chickened out is rock climbing. While it sounds very exciting, that is something I can absolutely live without.

The coolest person you’ve ever met:

To this day, Elizabeth Gilbert is the coolest person I have ever met. She is absolutely charming and personable. Officially the kind person you just want to chill with.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video:

I had the opportunity to meet Mark Anthony at a previous job. He is truly a sweetheart, but I was not aware how small he is.

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

One of the nicest things a reader has told me, is that they read my devotionals every morning. The fact they made those books part of their daily routine just made my day.

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

I had a reader who truly loves my Urban Fantasy books. One of the funniest and wildest things he told me was that the books were like a documentary on his life.

About D. C.:

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. To learn more about her books and her passion, you can find her at www.dcgomez-author.com.

Let’s Be Social:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/dcgomez.author

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dc.gomez

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dcgomez_author

Website: http://dcgomez-author.com

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with D. C. Gomez

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I’d like to welcome author, D. C. Gomez, back to the blog.

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: When I have free time, my favorite thing to do is read. Getting lost in a book for a couple of hours is truly a luxury to me.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: The thing I would move to the bottom of my list is probably a tied between running the vacuum and cutting the grass. While they are both equally necessary in many of our homes, neither is something that I remotely enjoy.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: During my writing process, I usually make brief notes to myself. A necessary for me is a post-it note. On any giving period, I would have the small square or the 5 by 7 ones scattered all over my house.

Things that distract you from writing: Because I write in my living room, having the TV on is very distracting to me. Instead of writing, I would get lost in what is going on the screen. It’s also a reason I don’t have white noise in the house while I write.

Hardest thing about being a writer: The hardest thing about being a write is managing my time. With so many things that we handled, it's overwhelming to get everything done on time. Being very aware of our commitments and learning when to ask for help are crucial for any author.

The easiest thing about being a writer: For me, the easiest thing about being a writer is starting a new project. Working on developing the situation and experimenting with the voices of the characters is the most exciting thing for me.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online: I’m addicted to the online store Uncommon Goods. They have unique gifts for every occasion. I recently bought my best friend a kit for making flaming drinks. Super exciting.

The thing you wished you’d never bought: As an Amazon love, I buy tons of things online. One out of ten is usually a failed purchased. I recently bought a pair of “business” dress pants that turned out to be a little see-though. I was not happy with that purchased at all.

Favorite snacks: Fresh tropical fruits are my favorite snacks. If that means slices of mango or other kind is amazing. I also have seasonal fruits easily available in my kitchen.

Things that make you want to gag: To this day, I cannot stand eggplants or okra. I can almost tolerate fried okra, since it’s covered in batter and deep friend, but not all the time.

Favorite places you’ve been:: I love traveling. Discovering new locations and things to do is one of my passions. To this day, New York City is one of my favorite places to be. I love the energy of the city and how accessible everything is.

Places you never want to go to again: After several experiences in the desert, I’m crossing them out of my locations to explore. After a long exposure to the sun, I break out. So anytime I can avoid it, I do.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Six years ago, I coordinated a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for my youth group and a few adults. To this day, people are talking about that trip and all the fun they had and how much it moved them.

Biggest mistake: Biggest mistake was probably signing up for the military airborne school. In my twenties, I thought the idea of jumping out of planes was amazing. Unfortunately, I found out quickly that I’m seriously terrified of heights. That was a very short dream of mine.

The coolest person you’ve ever met. The coolest person I have met is Deepak Chopra. He is currently the founder of the Chopra Center. Reading Deepak’s books is a transforming experience but being able to listen to him speak live is just mind blowing. I highly recommend it to everyone.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Back when I was in college, I had the opportunity to meet Mark Anthony, the Latin Salsa singer. As a huge fan of his music, it thrilled me to meet him. They did not prepare me to see that I was taller than he was. That was very shocking.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: The nicest thing a reader said to me recently is that they read my devotionals every day. As a multi-genre author, is fun that my readership is connecting to my non-fiction books and my fictions.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: During my first convention, I was promoting Death’s Intern. This is the story of Isis, who is an army veteran, and at the beginning of the book, she knows nothing about magic. As the story progress they introduced her to all sorts of magical elements and beings. A reader came up to me after reading the book and asked me if I was following him around taking notes, because the book was truly his life.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: To this day, being able to connect with readers during live events is still one of the most exciting things in my writing life. Being able to answer questions or just heard how they feel about the characters is still mind blowing.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: The one thing I wish I could do over is learn about ads and promotion sooner. I allowed my fears to get in the way and waited too long to market my books.

About D. C.

D. C. Gomez is an award winner, USA Today Best-selling Author, public speaker, mentor and podcaster. She writes in multiple genres from Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Lit, YA, Children’s Books, and Devotionals. She has a quirky and at times dark sense of humor that comes across her different books.

When D.C. is not creating her stories, she works with Authors and Aspiring Authors to create their own books. Her passion is to help others achieved their dreams in their writing journey.

D.C. has an undergraduate degree in Film and Television from NYU.  After college, she joined the US Army, where she proudly served for four years. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New England, she now calls Texas her new adoptive home.

Let’s Be Social

www.dcgomez-author.com

www.facebook.com/dcgomez.author

www.instagram.com/dc.gomez

www.tiktok.com/@dcgomez_author

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with D. C. Gomez

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I’d like to welcome author, D. C. Gomez, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite summer treat: Narrowing down my favorite summer treat is such a hard question. I’m a fruit fanatic, so summer is my season to indulge. Some of my favorites are Rainier cherries, watermelons, frozen grapes, and persimmons.

A summer treat that makes you gag: Summer is the season for crawfish in Texas. We have tons of local vendors selling them around my town. I’m the weird kid that can’t stand the textures of it and would gag trying to eat them.

Favorite summer beverage: I’m crazy about Horchata. It’s a traditional Mexican drink made with rice. To me, this is just a perfect summer drink.

A drink that gives you a pickle face: Regardless of how many times I tried it, I still can’t stand sparkling water.

Best thing you ever grilled in spring: The best thing I have ever grilled was chicken and beef kabob. I spend a summer during high school making/selling them as a fundraiser for a club at school. By the end of the summer, my best friend and I were pros. To this day, my family loves it when I make it. Too bad it takes a bit to prep.

Your worst kitchen or grilling disaster: I love experimenting in the kitchen. One year I tried to make making a tiramisu from scratch. My kitchen looked like a tornado hit it. I had a messed everywhere, and somehow, I could not make the crazy dessert taste right. After that, I had a new respect for the dessert.

Best summer vacation memory: The summer before getting deployed to Iraq, my then boyfriend and I took a cruise. It was a four-day cruise to that stopped in Playa Del Carmen. I had never been on a cruise before, so that vacation was full of first-time experiences.

A summer vacation disaster that you’d rather forget: A vacation disaster happened a few years ago. I had the brilliant idea of taking my parents on a road trip from my town in East Texas down to Galveston. Somehow, I manage to forget how much my parents hated road-trips. I was so excited to take them to a beach that underestimated the six-hour drive in a tight vehicle. We will drive nowhere for long periods of time again.

Most favorite place to write/edit in the summer: Favorite place to write in the summer is my local bookstore. There is an energy of excitement in the air that is contagious. I enjoyed sitting with my laptop at the café and watching people shop around and just browse the books.

The worst place to write in the summer because of all the distractions: This might sound odd, since I enjoy writing in busy places. I have a hard time concentrating when I visit my family during the summer. Every year, I take all my notes with me to work on my books, but it never happens. I’m distracted by the things my family has going on.

Favorite thing to do on a summer evening: Summers in Texas can be murderous with our heat index. The evenings, on the other hand, are the perfect time to take long walks around the park. This is a fun way for me to relax and let go.

Least favorite thing about summer: The humidity in Texas is probably my least favorite thing. When all you have to do is step outside just to sweat, you know it’s too hot and sticky.

The thing you like most about being a writer: What I love the most about being a writer is being able to create new characters. The initial process of developing a story is so much fun for me. I enjoy playing with scenarios and new characters.

The thing you like least about being a writer: The marketing side of being a writer is probably the hardest for me, and my least favorite. It’s the part that pushes me out of my comfort zone. While not my favorite, it is still part of the process and I take it seriously.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life: The one thing I would remember more about my writing journey is the amazing community of readers and writers that I have met. It has blessed me to connect with incredible people who love books and have embraced my works. I’m extremely grateful for this community.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over: If I could do something over in my journey, I would have started sooner. It took me a while to conquer my fears and take the leap to publish.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: To this day, joining the U.S. Army is probably the most daring thing I have ever done. I was a junior in college when I enlisted. To this day, my family is in shock that I joined. I was the first person in my family to do it.

Something you chickened out from doing: While I joined the Army and had an incredible experience. I discovered I’m terrified of heights. Information that would have been useful prior to enlisted in Airborne School. During the training, we practiced jumping out of a 34-foot tower. I learned quickly that jumping out of a plane was not in my future. That was the first program I was happy I did not complete.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: The nicest thing a reader has ever told me was that my books helped them during difficult times. They could escape the tension of their everyday life and laughed along with the adventures of my characters. Their words humbled me.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: A reader once asked me if I was following them around and capturing their life story on the page. Considering they were referring to my book Death’s Intern, an urban fantasy tale based on the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, I had to blink. I really wasn’t sure if this person was serious about the claim or just messing with me.

The best summer job you ever had: The best summer job I ever had was a program sponsored by the city of Salem. They hired me to work at the local access TV station that was newly opened in the city. It was the place I felt in love with storytelling. That was the summer between my freshman and sophomore year.

The worst summer job you ever had: The city of Salem also sponsored the worst job summer job I ever had, ironic. They hired a group of high school students to do manual labor at an alternative school that was being renovated. I learned how to set sheet-walls and even ceiling tiles. After that summer I appreciated the hard-work it took to renovate a building and working in hot painful conditions. It made me realized I did not want to do that when I graduated high school.

About D. C.:

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 U.S. Army, and proudly served for four years.

D. C. has a master’s degree in Science Administration from Central Michigan University, as well as a Master's 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 and fiction books, ranging from Urban Fantasy to Children’s Books.