Between a Book & a Real Place with Author Leslie Garcia

Welcome to Monday! I know usually Monday's do kinda suck but not this one. Today, Leslie Garcia, author of Unattainable, is with us. ·        Tell me, what do you like to write, and why?  I like virtually anything—scathing opinion, romance, mainstream, poetry, children’s stories.  For the moment, I’m sticking to romance and mainstream, because the scathing opinions cause more trouble than they’re worth.·        When offered your first publishing contract did you

A) Scream

B) Jump out of your seat and run around flailing your arms chanting OMG    OMG OMG

C) Pee your pants

D) B & C

E) None of the Above You’re lying if your answer isn’t number 2 If not A-D , what was your reaction? E.  I was shaking too hard to do most of the others and had taken my medication, so C was a non-starter.

·        After how many published titles do you think it’s appropriate to write your own autobiography? I think your autobiography should be written as soon as the right title comes to you.  I started mine when the song “Bobby McGee” was popular—“Me and a Life Named Boo.” Of course, I forgot the lyrics and now I can’t write an autobiography until a new title comes to me, regardless of how many books I publish.

·        How important to you are the names of your characters? Very. 

·        How do you go about nabbing that perfect title for your books? Usually, I have no problems with titles.  With Unattainable, however, editors wouldn’t let me keep the Spanish, which I preferred.  It meant the same thing, though, so I sold out. 

·         What are the occupational hazards of being a writer?  Besides being broke, stressed out, an airhead, and misunderstood?  None.

·        Do you have a quote or slogan you try to live by?  Nope.

·        Have you ever taken the writing to the bathroom with you? Sometimes for me it’s the only place I can find that elusive peace and quiet. Until my 5 year old sniffs me out. Reading, yes.  Writing no.  I’d like to say it’s too sacred, but it’s just that I don’t have a device I can write on in the bathroom yet.

·        Pantser or Plotter? I’ll have you know how proud I am that I just used these terms. Since I’ve just recently learned what they meant. Go me. Always keepin’ up with the author slang.  See, I knew those words years ago.  They just never helped me with anything.  Pantster.  I didn’t even make an outline for my masters’ dissertation—I can’t work from outlines.

·        What do you like to write in? (i.e PJ’s and stompeez, a prom dress or perhaps a bathtub?)   The imaginary me writes in elegant, floor length nightgowns at a neat desk surrounded by roses.  The real me in old tee-shirts, surrounded by clutter.  I like the imaginary me better, but have you priced nightgowns, new houses, desks and roses lately?

·        How do you react to a bad review? So far, I only had one—some yokel wrote ‘B’ on a review for La Llorona (The Wailing Woman), my anthology, at B&N.  I threw a hissy fit.  I know I’ll be homicidal when bad reviews come again.  I just wish I had reviews, you know?

·        Do you feel like a complete dumbo (like I do) when people ask for your autograph? I tend to get stuck on stupid and fumblerooski all my words when someone asks me for mine because its absolutely silly to ask me for mine…

 Sigh.  No one’s asked me for mine yet, except the school librarian.  I misspelled her name.  Maybe I will feel like you, come to think of it.

·        Have you ever been a character in one of your books? I honestly think most of us have, so—yes!

·        Would you ever play yourself in a movie or TV production of one of your books? No. I want folks to enjoy my work.

·        Have you ever gone a little REDRUM after a few days shacked up in the ol’ writing hole? I decline to answer, because I think I know what you mean, but I’m not sure, and it might be something much worse than what I think it is.

·        What do you think is your biggest accomplishment in writing? Your biggest failure?  I pride myself on having a couple of writers and a reviewer call Unattainable “emotional”—that’s what I needed to hear.  My biggest failure is that while I’ve written since I was six, I haven’t gotten where I wanted to yet.  And then there’s the story Playboy rejected when I was thirteen.  Cutting edge, really—The Shakedown. 

·        Do you do research for your novel?  Me... I could totally walk into the Bio Buzz pick up a bong and be like..It’s for research dude! Lol  LOL.  Yes to the research, but I’m kind of strait-laced. I generally use anecdotal and cyber research. 

·        Speaking of bongs. Have you ever written anything while high on the weed, drunk on the wine or chill from the pill? I have...I’m on bottle number two. No.  The one time my now husband poisoned my Coke (a Cola) with beer, I wandered naked around the horse pasture at the dude ranch where we both worked.  My writing career wouldn’t survive me drinking. 

·        Do you laugh at yourself ever?  A lot.  Which makes people stop and stare sometimes, but still...I also shake my head at myself after laughing.

·        How much of your childhood reflects upon your musings? Check out my mainstream (coming in a year or two, hopefully)—it’s all there!

·        How do you like these questions so far? Anything striking your fancy?  Ok, moving along… Having a blast.  Laughing.  Wishing I were cool.  Moving right along...

·        How do you feel about being interviewed?  So far, I’m enjoying this second of...two interviews.

·        How do you feel about global warming? ...Hmm...can’t answer that. 

·        How do you feel about Antonio Sabato Jr.? I’ll Google him, I promise.

·        Are you jealous of other writers?  Honestly?  Yes.  But no one knows.

·        What makes you laugh? Cry? I laugh at funny situations or lines, but not silly stuff.  There’s a difference.  Cry?  I’m one of those despicable people who can’t help crying.  I cry when I’m happy, sad, angry.  I once cried over a Kleenex commercial.  In my defense, it was very moving.

·        Vacation or staycation?  Staycation until my writing takes off. 

·        Fancy Schmancy wedding or a Vegas wedding?  Am I writing it, or doing it?  If I’m doing it, then Vegas—‘cause I wouldn’t my husband of thirty years or my kids to find out.

·        Favorite season? Mine’s football :P I’ll go with football—I like it, and both my sons coach it.  Also love the Triple Crown but we don’t get much local racing coverage.

·        Who were some of your inspirations for writing? For your characters? I have many, but I love the way Jean Brashear’s work makes me cry and reread so I can cry all over again.  Her series about the MacAllisters will stay with me forever.

·        Did you enjoy this interview? Very much.  The questions were unique, fun, and made me laugh.  Thanks for your time, HJ!

Thanks for showin' up Leslie and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!