Interview with Cristina Garcia

When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I first thought about it when I was around nine and reading two Nancy Drew books a day.

Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?

The road was filled with detours! I went from studying political science to working in business and journalism and finally started to write fiction in my thirties. My first novel, DREAMING IN CUBAN, has a teenaged character named Pilar who’s a kind of alter ego for me.

Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?

The main character of I WANNA BE YOUR SHOEBOX, Yumi Ruiz-Hirsch, is a poster child for the twenty-first century. She’s a blend of cultures (Cuban, Jewish, Japanese) and interests (surfing, music, travel) and in many ways represents the future of identity.

What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?

My daughter definitely played a huge role, directly and indirectly. Watching her navigate middle school was an education in itself!

Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!

I was born in Havana, Cuba and grew up in New York as the daughter of exiles. These facts inform everything I write about in one way or another. But my family can be wary about having a writer in their midst. I can’t count the times they’ve said to me: ‘Don’t write about this!”

Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?

Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate.

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?

I’m nearly always comatose till noon so it’s not that exciting (at least I can’t remember much!).

If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?

The flamenco skirt and shoes (I don’t dance flamenco and wishing it doesn’t make it so!)

Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?

Green because it’s the color of plant life and they put oxygen into the atmosphere.

Who is your favorite cartoon character?

The road runner (for his eternal optimism).

Which cartoon character is most like you?

Belle from Beauty and the Beast because she loves to read.

If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?

The Tropicana nightclub in 1950s Havana. For the dancing and the floor shows.

So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?

I listen to a little bit of everything—from classical (Mahler) to salsa (Celia Cruz) with punk in-between (Ramones, Sex Pistols, the Clash). I can’t multi-task so I write in silence.

Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?

I don’t watch television and rarely see movies more than once or twice but my favorites include AMARCORD (Fellini) and anything by Pedro Almódovar, a Spanish director. I took my parents to see MAMMA MIA last week.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?

Keep reading!

One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?

I’m planning another book set in a Swiss boarding school in the 1970s featuring characters from the U.S., Iran, and Canada.

Again, thanks so much for joining us at http://www.teensreadtoo.com/!

Thank you!