Ramblings of a Rainbow Unicorn: Author Interview: May Torres

Interview with Author May Torres

May Torres is a self published indie author with a flair for the dark side. Her first novel entitled "Enchanted Island" will take you on a whirlwind ride of love, friendship and best of all Karma as we follow the trials and tribulations of a young Latina and her three friends. Below is a Q&A that I had with this feisty indie author to find out about her book and also a little about her.

How many books have you published?

I have one book, Enchanted Island, published so far and working on a second.

Tell me about that book?

Enchanted Island in simplest terms is all about Karma. I'm such a firm believer in Karma so you'll be dealt a healthy serving when reading the book. The story centers around a young Puerto Rican girl from New York City. She's shunned by her peers and pretty much a social outcast. By the end of the story she proves to be a pretty badass hero. The book has been described as a coming-of-age story with supernatural elements. It's about love, friendship and Karma. The book also has a historical fiction quality to it as it deals with the first natives of Puerto Rico, the Taino Indians.

Enchanted Island Book Trailer

What inspired you to write this book?

My teenage daughter was the inspiration. I wanted her to have at least one book that allowed her to identify with the main character. She's a huge bookworm and not one of her books had a Latina protagonist. It was my mission to go about changing this for her and countless other Latina girls. I wanted to showcase my specific heritage because often times the media paints all Latinos with the same brush. Yes, we are all Latinos but we have so many different cultures among us.

While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?

Absolutely! I put a lot of my qualities and life experiences into the main character, Gabby.

Which of the characters is your favorite and why?

I love Gabby she is me and I am her. I do however love the character of Juan. I've had several people express the same sentiment. Juan is the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. I like him because he's not afraid to go after what he wants even if it means it's the unpopular thing to do. He's passionate and has dimples. What's not to like?

Where can this book be purchased?

Enchanted Island is available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon.com. The Barnes & Noble website also carries the paperback edition.

Purchase on Amazon CLICK HERE

Purchase on Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

Are you on any social media outlets?

Yes. I love interacting with people on social media. I'm on Facebook, Twitter mostly, Pinterest and Instagram. I have a Google + account but rarely use it. I also have blogs on Wordpress.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I write the way I like to read. I like things to get to the point. My impatient nature won't allow me to be extra wordy because I wouldn't want to read something that takes an entire paragraph to say when one sentence would do.

Do you ever experience writer's block?

Yes. I experienced it shortly after I released my first book. I saw that the people I was close to didn't really take an interest in what I had created. I know I shouldn't have let it get to me but it did. I'm happy to say that I'm working through it now.

What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

When I run out of creativity I go outside. I sit and just watch the world around me. I people watch. I observe nature. Sometimes listening to music stirs something inside.

A song lyric can spark a new story idea. When all else fails, I read a book. Usually a few pages in, I'm ready to return to creating my own story.

What's the best thing about being an author?

The best thing about being an author is being able to get my frustrations out through my writings. I have always expressed myself much better through the written word. For some reason I choke when it comes to verbally expressing myself. People who are close with me will laugh their butts off but, I am very shy. I don't particularly like the spotlight.

You know the author threat "I'm going to write you into my book and kill you off"...If you were to do this to someone how would you kill them off?

I've already done this in two of my short stories. I killed off a former lover by hitting him with a car. Several of my friends and some family members died a gruesome death in my short story titled, The Invitation. One reader commented that they wouldn't want to get on my bad side.

What are you working on now?

I'm working on a short story collection for a Halloween release. This is a collection of stories I started writing to feature on my blog. They just started picking up steam and my friend and fellow writer thought I should continue them and get them published. All the stories can pretty much stand alone ,yet are intertwined to form one bigger story. Hope that makes sense. The stories are of a dark nature and include murder and paranormal elements.

Let's get to know you a little better...

Describe yourself in three words.

Feisty little thing.

What is your favorite movie?

I love movies and it's so hard to pick just one. I'll narrow it down to The Matrix and Avatar.

Who do you have a crush on?

That's an easy one! I have been crushing on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for over a decade. He's badass. Handsome and funny!

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

The first thing that comes to mind because I'm working so hard at it now is, Don't Stop Believing.

Are you a morning or night person?

I'm definitely nocturnal.I love everything about the night.

What's your pet peeve?

I have so many! But it really works my nerves when I'm trying to watch a movie in the theater and people talk.They talk as if they're sitting in their living room. I've had several

"Can you shut the hell up!" moments at the movie theater lately.

If you could be a Disney character, who would you be?

I would most want to be Mulan. I'm not the princess type of girl at all. I have very few girly traits. I'd love to be a skilled warrior and badass hero.

And lastly...what came first, the chicken or the egg?

Who cares? As long as they both came ;-)