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Friday, February 13, 2015

Happy Valentine's Day ~ Meet Author Cecilia Corona

Happy Valentine's Day


My name is Cecilia Corona. 
I’m a massage therapist out in Redlands, and I love it. To make people feel better is an amazing accomplishment. When I’m not massaging I love to sing. It’s one of the things I miss most about high school. I sang a lot and we performed at different places throughout the year.

Writing has opened up my mind a lot, and I enjoy losing myself in those places I’ve made up. It helps on those days that aren’t going quite right and you just need to get your mind off it. It has definitely been a safe haven for me.

I’ve only just begun my writing journey, but I would have to say my most recent novella, At First Snowfall, is my favorite story. I got to make up my own little world. Funny story about that is it all came to me in a dream. I woke up and immediately wrote everything down. My favorite character in the book is actually my heroine’s love interest Mauricio. He’s a man's man, loyal, and very much in love with Xiomara. That’s what I love about him. Also he’s a werewolf. How can you not like that? 
[At First Snowfall is featured in the 2014 Christmas Collection from Victory Tales Press]

My writing process is crazy. I dream of things, write them down, and then think that would be a great story, and just go with it. So I guess you can say I fly by the seat of my pants, and roll with it. I also throw ideas at my family and see how they like it. I ask them: Does it make sense? Does it sound boring? Things like that. Sometimes, I get lost in my head and it makes sense, but when I get the idea out sometimes things don’t add up. So I have to bounce ideas off people. Then it all comes together.



I am very excited to say I have two projects I’m going back and forth on. One is a fantasy novel about a mermaid and a vampire and the other is about a psychic medium that is a massage therapist. That is all I can say for now. I am looking forward to bringing you a full novel soon.
  
The most important part (of my writing journey) is also the hardest part, criticism. I am a very sensitive person and it was hard to take any type of criticism, but in the end it makes you a better writer. So I can't complain. All I can do is take it with a grain of salt and move on. 


When I’m not writing I love spending time with not only my best friends and family but also snuggling with my three fur babies: GaGa, Papi and Boe, and watch all my fantasy TV shows and movies. My favorite all time movie has to be The Little Mermaid. When I’m not dreaming of swimming with the dolphins, I love to read Dean Koontz novels or J.R. Wards' Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Their characters are amazing. My new favorite author is Gena Showalter. I've read her White Rabbit Chronicles and fell in love. From book 1 to 3 she had me laughing, crying, even angry. It's those rollercoasters of emotion that I enjoy riding on.

Hilary Duff - 2009

I would love to meet Hilary Duff. I grew up watching her first on Casper meets Wendy and then she went on to star on a poplar Disney TV show called Lizzie McGuire. Then later, she had a music career. Through all that she has been a roll model for me. She is kind and does a lot of charity work whether it’s for kids or for animals. If I ever had the opportunity to give like that, I would. Also she was born about three weeks after me, which is also pretty awesome to see how much she's accomplished in such a short time.



Description and Brief Excerpt from At First Snowfall:



May all your dreams come true, takes on a whole new meaning when Xiomara finds out she's an Oracle with Fae witch powers, and her boyfriend is a werewolf from another realm.
When her half-brother shows up on her doorstep with his prophecy, the true nightmare begins. She must stand beside him in the battle of Galant or the evil Queen will destroy the kingdom.
Some faerytales are all too real, but if she can unleash her powers and learn to control them before the first snowfall, she just might find her happily ever after.



"When do you expect the first snowfall?" Mara asked. "Will we have enough time to get an army together to fight these things?"

"We have a week," Jayce said. "Unlike the human realm, weather is predictable here."
"My birthday..." she murmured before she looked at them, each in turn. "Chaos would be unleashed on my birthday? Christmas!" Mara shook her head as if she couldn't take anymore. 
"I don't want to hear this. Not yet... not now... Just…just stop talking about me and what I need to do." She started ahead of them as if she wanted to be as far away from them as possible.
"Xiomara, wait!" Adelaide yelled after her daughter.
 
Available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PRQ5PUM
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/494101
and most online book retailers. Also available in print.

Ms. Corona also has a story featured in the 2014 Autumn Collection titled
Day of the Dead ~ (Dia de los Muertos)

The Day of the Dead takes on a new meaning, when the dead don't stay dead. Dr. Valentina Bellmonte, a cancer survivor, is the new coroner at Hope Memorial. Her faith is put to the test when a body arrives at the morgue drained of blood and the man responsible for the crime is sporting fangs. Could vampires be real?
Her good friend, Dr. Xander Carlisle seems to know the truth, but he's unwilling to confide in her. He has a secret of his own and it's not just how he feels about her, but something else entirely, something he's forbidden to reveal.

Also available at Amazon, Smashwords, and most online book retailers.


To learn more about Cecilia Corona and her works in progress, please visit her at these locations:
http://authorceciliacorona.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.facebook.com/cecilia.corona007
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12754654-cecilia-corona

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet Ms. Cecilia Corona...
 

19 comments:

  1. Hi Cecilia, and thank you so much for sharing info about yourself with us. I was surprised to learn that your novella 'At First Snowfall' came to you in a dream. I thought that only happened to me. LOL Love your fur babies. Please keep writing and I think you do look a bit like Hilary's photo here. Best wishes for a long writing career.

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    1. Thank you so much. I am such super happy to be featured on here. This journey has been so much fun I don't think I ever want to stop. I love that I know someone else who dreams amazing things and then makes them into a book. I thought I was weird. LOL.

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  2. Cecilia, what an informative blog post!!! Great info! I'm a HUGE Disney fan as well. We watch many of their TV series, and I love the movies. I'm all about "FROZEN" right now. I also sing. I wish I could've been in the choir in school, but my dad wouldn't let me do it. I got to be in the Flag Corp in Band instead (it's called Color Guard now). Like Becca said, keep writing! Your mermaid/vamp story sounds very interesting. I'm sure it'll be a huge hit! *g*

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    1. Thank you. I too am huge in the Disney scene. Thanks to my parents my life is all about Disney. I too was in colorguard in High School. I also did drum line my senior year. I loved every second of both. I hope to be able to share my vampire mermaid story sometime this year.

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  3. Hi Cecilia,
    Great post. In high school, I did some performing. Loved it, but now days I'm content to let my characters do the talking. I'm so glad to see you here.
    Nan O'Berry

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    1. Yes, I feel the same. Now I can live through my characters. Thank you for stopping by.

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  4. Hi Cecilia,
    It is so nice to meet you and learn about your writing. I'm one of the authors who share the 2014 Christmas Collection with you. I'd like to reassure you regarding your sensitivity to "criticism" of your work. Try to think of it as a "critique" of it and know that the rejections and corrections are all part of becoming an even better writer. I promise you will grow a thick skin in time! Welcome to the family.

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    1. Thank you for that. Being new to the game is has been hard. Your advice will definitely help me in the end. So happy to be apart of the family!

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  5. Welcome, Cecilia--Congratulations on your new venture of writing romances. You could not be in better hands than Rebecca's. Consider us all your family--and Happy Valentine's Day. My valentine--my dear husband--brought flowers to me--after all these years.
    Celia Yeary

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    1. How sweet! It is always nice to get flowers no matter the occasion. Thank you for stopping by. So happy to be apart of an amazing family here.

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  6. I Cecilia

    I loved your story "Day of the Dead" in our Autumn collection. A romantic story that begins in a morgue? You're my type of writer. Hope to see many more of your flights of fantasy in print!

    Gerald Costlow

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    1. My mom when she starting reading it was worried it wasn't going to be a romance but she quickly found out there was some romance hidden under all the gloom. I love the dark and weird. What can I say I used to love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Thank you for the compliment. I do hold a special place in my heart for that story.

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  8. Cecilia,
    Loved both of your tales-- At First Snowfall and Day of the Dead! What an imagination you have. I love that one of the stories came to you in a dream. Wow! Your creative mind works as you sleep.

    I have to agree with Gerald, you're my kind of writer! Love the paranormal!

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    1. Thank you Karen. I've always had vivid dreams and I'm not sure why but I'm glad I do!

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  9. I loved meeting you through your blog, Cecilia. Thanks for giving us some insight into how your mind works and how stories come to you. I especially loved your statement about 'dreaming of swimming with the dolphins'. I also always wanted to swim with dolphins, finally got to in Cabo San Lucas a few years ago. My first book, Loving Luc, that Rebecca so kindly published has two scenes in it of my characters swimming with dolphins, and they were such fun to write!!

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    1. How awesome! One day I will get to do that. Now I am going to have to check out your book. Thank you for stopping by.

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  10. You've probably heard this a zillion times, but I see your name and the song "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel goes off in my brain. You chose a good, sound publisher with Rebecca. You should feel good that you've by-passed many not so good ones. That's a big plus at the beginning of a career. I loved Buffy The Vampire Slayer, too. The witty dialogue was so typical Whedon. I wish you continued success in your writing career. Happy Valentine's Day! Love the picture of you fur children.

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    1. I am glad I am apart of this publishing company. Everything has been smooth sailing and I love it. I love Josh Whedon, plus who didn't love Buffy!? It took me forever to get them to stay posed for the picture lol. Thanks for stopping by,

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