Wednesday, December 17, 2008

An Interview with L.M. Gonzalez and A Contest!


Please welcome L.M. Gonzalez to my blog today.

Alisha: Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood? Favorite memories?

L.M.: My favorite memories from childhood are ones where we were together as a family, my parents and four sisters (no brothers). We would go to the park at Easter and spend the whole day there. At Christmas we opened our presents at midnight and ate dinner later on in the day. Then, there were the ordinary days when we would all pile in to the family station wagon and go to the grocery store. In the little town where I grew up that was an adventure in itself.

Alisha: Wow! Presents at midnight! Tell us about the hero and heroine in your latest release.

L.M.: My hero, Matt Cerda, is a hard-working family man, who was betrayed in love and my heroine, Gloria Amaya, doesn’t think anything is missing in her life except a rose garden until the day Matt walks into her life.

Alisha: I already like the sounds of this...betrayal, rose gardens and a man walking into an unsuspecting woman's life. If you were granted three wishes by a genie, what would they be?

L.M.: Endless money. A library in my home with enough shelves to display all my books. And my own rose garden in my back yard.

Alisha: Okay, can I steal your wishes? I laughed out loud at the first one. Let's all be honest. We ALL want that, even if we say world peace first...lol. If you could go anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?

L.M.: Big Spring, my dusty little West Texas hometown – I go there every chance I get. It’s a good place to get away, spend time with family – and write.

Alisha: There's no place like home. If you could see anyone tomorrow (dead or alive), who would it be?

L.M.: My mom – she left me too soon and I have so much I want to share with her, e.g., my first published book.

Alisha: Oh, Lupe! You know she knows about your book and how I wish you could see her and tell her yourself. If you could choose six people to spend one week on a desert island, who would it be and why?

L.M.: I’m very family oriented so maybe the six people could be my mom, dad and 4 sisters together again as a family. Of course, Alisha, you didn’t specify whether they had to be alive now, or not. Or maybe, going on with the theme of ‘people rising from the dead’, I’d like to talk to my grandfathers and ask them questions about their lives – for family history purposes. Or – maybe have a writer’s weekend with some of my favorite writers like Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Debbie Macomber, Ralph McInerny (writes the Father Dowling mysteries, he’s also a philosopher), Caridad Scordato (she’s a very interesting lady and writer), and umm…let me see…maybe another male to back Ralph up – Victor Villasenor (who has written family historicals, my favorite is BURRO GENIUS).

Alisha: That would be some week! I'd love to be there to hear those conversations! What word or phrase tingles in all the right places for you?

L.M.: Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas) love this time of year!

Alisha: What would you do if you had one day to spoil yourself?

L.M. I would work on my scrapbooking and family history projects. I never have time to do them justice. At least if I had one full day, maybe I could organize myself and be able to keep going from then on.

Alisha: If you could change one incident in your life, what would it be and how would you change it?

L.M.: I wouldn’t have eloped. I would have planned my wedding with my mom and sisters and made my dad even more harassed than he already was living with 5 women! LOL

Alisha: What’s the sexiest thing a man has ever done for you or said to you or both?

L.M.: Well… Alisha, this is why I write romance. My experience with real life men hasn’t been sexy or romantic. There’s a scene where Matt massages Gloria’s feet in my book TOO LATE FOR ROMANCE?. I think this may be one of my secret fantasies. I’ve never had a man do that for me.

Alisha: Well, dang it! You deserve it! I'm ordering some cabana boys to your house to give you a foot rub!

CONTEST: LEAVE L.M. A COMMENT AND YOU'LL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR AN EBOOK OF TOO LATE FOR ROMANCE?!!!

Excerpt from Too Late for Romance?
Gloria watched his smooth brown throat. “Do you want another one? Though I don't think you should drink it so fast,” Gloria could have bitten her tongue out for sounding like a mother hen. “No, thanks. Maybe later.” Matt's dark chocolate eyes twinkled at her, as if he knew her thoughts and strolled back to labor in her yard. He turned to look at her. “So, did she die?” “No, I divorced her, or, I divorced her son, my ex.” “Ah.” Matt smiled and went back to work. What did that smile mean, Gloria wondered? And “Ah”. What did that mean? She busied herself in the kitchen, getting the chicken ready. Where was Gordy? Surely, taking a class off his schedule didn't take so long. Did it? Well, he had said the line to see the counselor was long. Once she put the chicken in the oven to bake, Gloria grabbed a novel she had been trying to finish reading. The author wrote long boring speeches about the universe and the duties of a woman. She was ready to throw the book against the nearest wall. Still, she hated to stop reading a book before she finished it. However boring the book might have been in parts, soon, engrossed in it, she almost missed Matt's knock. “Gloria?” Matt called and rapped on the patio door again. She jumped to her feet, laying the book on the coffee table. Without thinking, her hands went up to smooth her hair and gather it up more tightly in the gold clip she wore. She opened the door and stepped outside. “So, what do you want to do about these roses? Mow ‘em down, too?” Matt asked.

Look for a short story coming soon from The Wild Rose Press titled A LOVE FOR ETERNITY.

You can order TOO LATE FOR ROMANCE?

The Wild Rose Press

Barnes and Noble Booksellers

Amazon

Readers can contact L.M. at L.M.'s My Space

12 comments:

Asylumgirl said...

L.M., five girls in your house, I can't imagine what it was like to get to use the bathroom. LOL

Like you, I would fill my home with bookshelves, given enough money. There are never enough books around.

Deidre

L M Gonzalez said...

Hi Deidre,
Yes, getting to the bathroom was a hassle! LOL

There's always another book to buy and a good way to run out of shelf space. :)

Thanks for coming to visit.

LM Gonzalez

Skhye said...

I have one 3 yr-old daughter. It's just as difficult to get bathroom time! My husband complains it's a conspiracy to take over the house in my having a girl... Great interview. Happy Holidays!

PAC PR said...

I have had the pleasure of spending a day with Victor Villasenor--one of the most fascinating days of my life! Ensure you have plenty of top shelf tequila!!

MJFredrick said...

Your poor dad :) But as someone who has no sisters, I'm intrigued by the relationships of sisters. It's so nice that you're so close.

I already have and love the book, so you don't have to enter me in the drawing!

Tara said...

Never had a foot massage, Lupe? Hunny, there are real good men out there. As soon as your life settles down, you'll find one.

T.

L M Gonzalez said...

Hello everyone,
Thanks for stopping by.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

LM Gonzalez

L M Gonzalez said...

Thanks for stopping by, Vince.

Hey, Victor and I are on the same page. I could use a tequila shot right about now. LOL

LM Gonzalez

L M Gonzalez said...

Hi Mary!
Yes, my sisters and I are pretty close. A blessing.

Imagine my surprise when I had two sons! I've had to learn to communicate with them. :)

Thanks for liking my book and for your support.

LM Gonzalez

L M Gonzalez said...

Hi Tamra,

Thanks for stopping by!

Ummm...a man? Yeah, maybe later! LOL

LM Gonzalez

Alisha said...

Drumroll please.....the winner of a copy of L.M.'s Too Late for Romance is Skhye Moncrief! Congrats, sis!

Thanks for being my guest today, Lupe! It was truly an honor!

Amelia said...

L.M., I enjoyed reading your comments and insights. It seems that you are a person that has always been surrounded with love. This gives you the depth and emotion to write wonderful romance. I can't wait to read many, many books by you!