Author Spotlight: Allison Garcia

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Allison Garcia! Everyone, say hello to Allison! Without further ado, let's get to know Allison and her book Finding Amor.

 

 

Author Bio:
Allison K. Garcia is a Licensed Professional Counselor, but she has wanted to be a writer ever since she could hold a pencil. She is a member of Shenandoah Valley Writers, Author Transformation Alliance, Virginia Writers Club, and is Municipal Liaison for Shenandoah Valley NaNoWriMo.

Allison’s short story, “At Heart,” was published in the Winter 2013 edition of From the Depths literary magazine, along with her flash fiction. Her work, “You Shall Receive,” was published in GrayHaven Comics’s 2014 All Women’s anthology. Winning an honorary mention in the ACFW Virginia 2015 short story contest, “Just Another Navidad” was published in A bit of Christmas. Allison’s novel Vivir el Dream has finaled in 4 awards: the 2016 ACFW Genesis Contest, 2018 Eric J. Hoffer Montaigne Medal, 2018 Eric J. Hoffer Ebook Honorable Mention, 2018 IAN Book of the Year Award in the Christian/Religious Fiction category, and 1st place in the 2018 Royal Dragonfly Awards Ebook Cultural Fiction category. Her highly-anticipated novel, Finding Amor, was released in September 2018. Her novella “Navidad & Familia” was also featured in the 2018 boxed set A Merry Navidad.

Latina at heart, Allison has been featured in local newspapers for her connections in the Latino community in Harrisonburg, Virginia. A member of cultural competency committees for work and a participant in several pro-immigrant rallies and other events in her region, she also sings on the worship team at church and enjoys spending time with her girlfriend, Melissa, and her son, Miguel.



Here's Allison!

1) In the final product of your books, is there a scene that got edited out that you wish could have stayed?
Well, Sally, since almost all my writing happens during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) where you write one 50k book in 30 days, I usually ADD scenes. I added about 20k words to my book since its first draft. I think most of the scenes made it into the final draft and like 50 more that weren't there in the first draft too!

2) What was your hardest scene to write?
Because I have a history of emotional abuse, I find it very challenging to step into Carlos' mindset sometimes. Also because I have experienced harm from my past church and some of the characters/situations are based on that church, it often brings up negative emotions.

3) How long on average does it take you to write a book?
30 days! At least for the first draft. Then I usually take another 6 months to a year to do the edits.

4) How many hours a day do you write?
Since my writing hiatus 2 yrs ago, I haven't had a super regular schedule, but when I'm working hard on an edit, usually 1-2 hrs per day plus long stretches of hours on weekends and when I'm doing NaNoWriMo it is closer to 3 hours per day. Then there is marketing which usually I spend a half hour on every day.

5) If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Don't give up. Just keep writing. You WILL see your name on a bookshelf one day! But also, don't get too excited about being the youngest writer ever to appear on Oprah. That ain't gonna happen.

6) Tell us about your books and why the theme of immigration, deportation, etc? Are any of the characters based on real people?
As a counselor, I have worked with countless undocumented people and I also have had numerous friends and acquaintances who are undocumented and documented immigrants. So, the characters are sometimes loosely based on people I know but are more an amalgamation of many people whom I've met in my life or read about or learned about through books or movies. For me, I feel immigration is something that comes in and out of the public eye and is very important. Just a few weeks ago, they talked about numerous sexual assaults on children in deportation centers and just last week, a nurse came forward and said they were doing forced hysterectomies on women in deportation centers. That is some Nazi stuff right there. This is a serious crisis that, as a nation, we continue to turn a blind eye too. Systemic racism is also something that is in and out of the public eye. These things don't go away once the next exciting thing happens on the news. They are always there in the background so they need to be highlighted and talked about so we have ways to work on solutions. And I just heard a quote today from Ashlee Mari Preston: "Acknowledgment without action is aiding and abetting." For me, my action is writing my books. I hope that by shining a light on some of the injustices and some of the stories, people who read my books will either see themselves in the book or see something for the first time and be touched or shocked by it and want to do something different, want to take action. I hope to empower people to take action to make positive changes and to love more, just like Jesus taught us to love. For me, this is showing people what love means.

Finding Amor Book Summary

How do you feel safe when chaos is ever-present?

Eight-year old Emanuel and his mother, Ana, had finally begun to understand what it meant to be a family when a domestic violence situation caused them to flee their home. Now they need to start over, this time with things more dangerous than ever.

Carlos’ life, as he knew it, was ripped away from him in an instant. Furious about his arrest yet longing for the familiar, he has to choose between winning Ana back and taking revenge.

As Lauren and Peter begin their awakening to systemic racism, their world is shattered and replaced with doubt. Questions about what is real versus what lies they’ve been told lead them to ponder how their faith fits into their new reality.

In this time of grief and loss, who will they turn to for support and safety?

 

 

Other books by Allison:

 

 

 

Purchase Links and to Contact Allison:

Preorder link for Finding Seguridad: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GSM9ZQY
Finding Amor: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G78VBC8
Vivir el Dream: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0716N9D47
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/allisonkgarciaauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/allisonkgarciaauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/athewriter


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Allison Garcia and Finding Amor.



Thank you so much for joining us, Allison!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
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