Where have you spent most of your childhood?
My childhood was spent in Cuba. I was born in a province in the center of the country called Ciego de Ávila. I grew up between the city and the countryside, had a very happy childhood. Then, I am Cuban by birth and Mexican by choice.
Do you remember the first book you ever read or was ever read to you?
The first book I read was “The Blue Coachman”. It’s a beautiful book by Dora Alonso. She was a Cuban author.
What was one piece of literature that spoke to you and made you realise that language had power?
That book that showed me the power of the written word was “Corazon”, by Edmundo de Amici. You read it and feel the need to acquire the human values and sensitivity that you read in it.
If you weren't an author, what would be your dream career?
In fact, I share my passion for writing with my dream career. I studied marketing and public relations. I love the world of sales and social relations.
Do ideas for books usually pop into your head unannounced at random moments or do you have to sit down and think about it?
Ideas for my novels come to me when I least expect them. They are motivated by events in my life or a couple fall in loves that I meet on the street. My head fills with ideas as I listen to my friends complain about love; also, the best ideas appear in my dreams.
How did you come up with the idea for "CONQUISTARTE"?
‘Conquering you’ was born as a challenge. My Spanish publicist asked me to write a more erotic and less romantic novel. I was writing ‘Surrender the Story of Ximena’, the second novel in the Marks of the Past saga. A minor character in that novel, Dante Sartori, took over my imagination. I was just coming out of a critical moment in my life, and I said to myself, why not? I brought together experiences from my youth with elements of fiction and I let myself be carried away by the Sartori twins, to the point that I have already outlined the novels ‘Loving you’ and ‘Desiring you’; they are the other two novels who belong to Los Sartori saga.
How much research went into the making of "Einar & Freya" so that the "science" behind it seemed believable and real?
So it was, I did a lot of research for ‘Viking loves’ bilogy. ‘Einar & Freya’ and ‘Einar & Astrid’, belong to it. I am fascinated by Norse mythology and everything related to Vikings and Normans. In the special edition of these novels, you can better appreciate the historical sequence and the research to write them. There is a lot of fiction mixed with historical events of that time. They will be available in English very soon.
Do you think publishing your books in Spanish Edition will restrict your audience?
Totally agree. My plan from the beginning has been to publish in Spanish and English. They are languages with a great potential of readers.
How often do you write daily? What's the longest you've ever written without any breaks?
I write between four and five hours at a day. When I wrote ‘Einar & Astrid’ I spent 16 hours without getting up from my laptop.
Besides being a talented author, what are some other hobbies you have?
I have many hobbies reading, crafts; specifically the making of bags. I like to play with my children on the play station, help organizations that protect abandoned animals...
Are you signed to a publishing house? What is your stance on the traditional publishing vs. self-publishing debacle?
I am totally self-published. I like to be my own boss. Plan my strategies; take the time I think is necessary to bring out a new book. I think there are now all the tools to be a best-selling author, even we are self-publishing.
What kind of change do you hope to bring with your books?
When I decided to write, I did it out of necessity. I lived two years of hell after an experience that changed my life. About to give up, the idea of writing the Marks of the Past saga invaded my mind. There are five stories of five women who suffered some manifestations of gender violence. In the novels, they overcome that stage and turn their lives around for the better. They are the survivors, the ones who did not give up, the ones who, no matter how hard their past was, channeled their lives and achieved their happy ending. I want readers to see that message when they read the novels. A message of hope, strength and, mostly, overcoming.
In the case of ‘Conquer you’; I think I was driven by the endless debate about submission as a synonym for weakness. I advocate respect for women and the eradication of gender violence, but the radical opinion on this matter bothers me. I can't be a feminist if that means judging all men equally and depriving me of the pleasure of a tremendous spank.
It is up to us to recognize what kind of relationship we want to get involved in. The relationship between master and submissive is based on consensus and respect for limits. I know marriages in real life that look like the perfect couple and behind the doors of their house physical and psychological violence are the orders of the day. Submission is a choice, abuse disguised as love is not. It is against that, that we must fight and protect its victims.
Luciana and Dante, the protagonists of my novel, ‘Conquer you', are, above all, human beings. They have doubts, fears, they make mistakes... The love between them led their relationship as master and submissive to a marriage that lived through everything before consolidating. It looks pretty much like real life. Don't you? I wish that all couples would live the passion that consumes Dante and Luciana
What were some of your biggest fears as a new author and how did you manage to get over them?
My biggest fear was leaving anonymity. I wrote under a pseudonym because I was afraid that someone would find the common point between all my novels and associate it with me. It was a mistake. Anonymity, in my personal case, seemed like cowardice. The struggles and the contribution that we can make to help those who have suffered the same experience, must be in front of and with our heads held high. Hiding discredits the fight.
What are you currently working on?
I am working simultaneously on ‘Loving you’, the second novel in the Los Sartori saga, and on the final details for the publication of ‘Surrender The history of Ximena’, the second novel of the Marks of the Past saga.
How would you rate your experience with AllAuthor?
I am very happy to belong to AllAuthor. The experience has been better than I expected. They have given visibility to my work and I have met countless authors from various countries.
