2021 Mentee Interviews

Tell us a little about yourself. Who are you, what do you write, and what are you working on right now?

My name is Carla G Garcia. I’m from Tenerife, a small island in the Atlantic. I write YA, almost always fantasy though I have a romcom outline chilling in my Scrivener files. While revising THE CIRCUS OF SOULS (my WTMP manuscript), I am also working on a YA Urban Fantasy set in Tenerife featuring mermaids with legs, volcano demons, a polyamorous love triangle, and an energy corporation threatening to destroy the underwater ecosystem in their search for a power source.

What kind of stories are you interested in exploring in your career as an author?

First and foremost, I write stories about girls who aren’t afraid to take up space in the world. Themes about the importance of having freedom to make choices (including the wrong ones!), especially when you’re a teen, resonate strongly with me. I also like writing fantasy that brings myths from the Canaries to life. I don’t think we’ve ever seen that in mainstream YA fantasy books and I’d love to be the one to fill that gap. I am also a sucker for romance, so there’s always a romantic subplot in there somewhere.

What's the best thing about you as an author?

I think that I am unapologetically myself and that shows in my writing, specifically through my MCs. Some people don’t vibe with it - my girls, like me, have been called ‘too angry’, ‘too much’, ‘too loud’, ‘too intense’, ‘too extra’, you name it - and that’s fine, but I won’t change so other people are comfortable and neither will my girls.

How have you developed as an author during this mentorship period? Is there anything that you didn't think before about the craft that you think now?

Emily has taught me so much about the expectations for the genre and just how publishing works in general. Having a great story, or even a strong voice, isn’t enough - there are certain things you need to keep in mind, especially when you’re trying to break in. When we were discussing the changes we wanted to make to THE CIRCUS OF SOULS, she shared so much insight that I don’t think I would have gotten if she hadn’t picked me for the mentorship.

I have also learned to believe in myself more - imposter syndrome runs rampant in this industry, but working with Emily has been great. Her love for my story and my characters has helped me build a bit more confidence. I still have bad days, but they’re definitely less bad than they were before.

If every book is a book baby, then it takes a village to raise a book. Are there any people who stand out to you as people who helped you in your writing journey?

If THE CIRCUS OF SOULS gets published, I will have the longest acknowledgment page ever seen!! There are so many people who have helped me, cheered me on, shared feedback, etc. I am incredibly lucky to be part of a huge community (family, really) of writers. That said, there are definitely a few people that stand out when I think about my journey writing THE CIRCUS OF SOULS in particular. Emily Varga, my amazing WTMP mentor and ultimate hype woman in sidebar comments; Sami Ellis, who has talked me off a ledge on a few occasions and became captain of a ship every single reader has since loved; Nicole Wolverton and Cat Novara, my two brilliant CPs who read very early drafts of the manuscript; Jenny Perinovic, who lets me cry and vent in her DMs at any time of the day no matter what; Sarah T Dubb, who goes around telling people she’s a Carla superfan and making me cry; Risa Edwards, the first person to binge read THE CIRCUS OF SOULS in one sitting; and Andrea Rinaldi-Perez, who found the perfect song for the book’s OTP and is our official Kel bus driver (if you know, you know). 

What do you think is the biggest necessity for a group of writing friends?

A Slack server where they feel safe to talk about the ups and downs of being part of the publishing industry for sure. But I think trust is the key thing. You need to have full confidence that your writing friends won’t air any of your secrets - and you will have them. You need to trust that if you vent about a rejection in private, it’ll stay private, or that if you have an important call coming up, they won’t tell anyone about it.

Any parting words for young writers looking for guidance, or a community?

Don’t quit. It’s going to get very tough, and you’re going to feel like you won’t make it, but that will only come true if you stop trying.

What about your own craft, interests, and abilities drew you to your mentee and their work?

I feel like Carla’s book had the fresh readability quality that I am always drawn to in a manuscript and also has flashes of humor that made me laugh out loud even in the middle of a tense scene. I also love contemporary fantasy and fantasy set in high school, and I found Carla’s interesting because it was almost opposite of what we expect from that type of trope--usually it is the protagonist from the human world thrust into the magical. But In The Circus of Souls, Marisa is a part of a magical world and is desperate to leave and be a ‘normal’ teenager. I love when dynamics are flipped on their head like that, and I think it makes it incredibly refreshing. I also loved the pace of Carla’s writing--I prefer fast paced books where action and emotions are all intertwined and you are often on the edge of your seat. Kind of like ‘running with feelings’, and I really felt that with Carla’s writing. It had the energy that I always look for when picking up a new book.

Do you have a message for anyone interested in your mentee's work?

If you are looking for a fresh take on contemporary fantasy, this is the book for you. Carla also deftly weaves in her characters’ marginalized identities so they are just part of who they are while they are on this magical adventure. Carla also has the remarkable ability to write humor as well as tension and threads them together so well it feels seamless. If you want a fresh contemporary fantasy that will make you laugh out loud and keep you at the edge of your seat, then Carla’s work is for you!