[AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT] C. I. Jerez, author of AT THE ISLAND'S EDGE

 

by Cyrus Webb

         C. I., it is a pleasure to have you join us for Conversations Magazine’s #BooksYouNeedtoRead issue. Congratulations on the response to AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE. What has it been like for you to see the way readers are responding to the story?

I want to describe this experience in a way that doesn’t lean on a cliché, but I can’t seem to get past ‘a dream come true.’ Writing a book that pulled out some of my deepest emotions and parts of my soul in a way that felt artistic and engaging for readers has been something I’ve closed my eyes and dreamed about since I was a very young girl. I’ve spent years tormented by stories that I was too afraid to tell because I wasn’t sure I could be trusted to tell them correctly. I’m so glad I got over that!

 I also feel very blessed to be releasing a book during a time in our history when an author can connect with readers all over the world very easily, and they can share pictures of the book and their experiences reading it with only a few clicks.

 Connecting with my readers and hearing about how my book has touched their hearts and opened up new worlds for them has been one of the most beautiful experiences. You write the book, and you hope and pray readers will connect to the story. When it actually does…Well, for me, it’s a moment to look up at the sky and simply say, “Thank you.”

·         Did you always know that storytelling in some form was something you wanted to do?

Oh yes. I would read books by Judy Blume, R.L. Stein, Francine Pascal, and more when I was in the second, third, and fourth grade, and I was fully immersed in the idea that I was practicing and studying for the day I would grow up and write them myself. I have always believed I was born to be a writer. I also knew I would lean toward fiction. I’ve read and enjoyed non-fiction, but, for me, there’s no greater joy than getting lost in the artistry, magic, and creativity of a story.

·         The book AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE has so many layers, with fights on a battlefield and figuratively as well. How did the story come about?

After reading The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni, I was inspired to write something with a strong message. I’ve always dreamed of writing books that would transcend generations with powerful messages of humanity. Not a tall order or anything (laughing). When I dream, I tend to dream big, and after reading Dugoni’s novel, I was inspired to do something that would leave readers with the same feeling I had after closing his book, and I knew there would be a precocious and intelligent little boy at the heart of my first book. I’ve proudly raised three beautiful daughters, so the mystery of raising a little boy still fascinates me, and writing would allow me to explore that relationship.

 As I began to develop my character, 9-year-old Matteo “Teó” Salvador, I realized the story was actually about his mom, Lina, who served in the Army.

 One morning, after a week or so of thinking about Teó, I woke up with an idea. What if his mom, Lina, an Army medic and a self-proclaimed saver of lives, was forced to take a life on the battlefield, and the combatant she confronted was a young man who reminded her deeply of her son back home? Immediately, I understood the complexities of her identity as a mother, a soldier, and how the cultural aspects of being a Latina would all plague her in different ways. I knew what it was to be a young mother in uniform during this tenuous time in our nation’s history, which empowered this idea that I could create Lina’s journey with the depth and intimacy it deserved.

 Everything flowed from there.

 Lina is such a relatable character. We’re able to see her struggles as well as her quest to do better and be better. Do you see parts of yourself in her?

I do! Lina is a dreamer, and she’s proven to herself that she can be fearless in pursuit of her dreams. She also loves her child deeply and sacrificially. Those are two areas where I connected with her the most. I will admit that I chose very distinct and different flaws for her than the ones I battle in myself because I didn’t want her to be me, and as a debut author, that’s a very real risk. By making Lina different enough, I was able to get to know her as her own person and didn’t just sit down to write a character who thinks, acts, and feels the way I do. It was an enlightening experience to create that distance and see how, through it, I gained a profound and genuine understanding of her as well.

  Truth is also a big part of this book. Living with the truth and realizing what has been kept from you. Lina experiences this with her own mother. Did you know this was going to be a big part of the story when you started writing it?

No, not at all. When I wrote the scene where Lina discovers her family has been hiding something from her “for her own good,” I had no idea the story was going to go in the direction it did. Looking back, I know undoubtedly that it was organic and true to the story, so I’m glad that when the idea flowed fresh from my mind onto the page, I didn’t fight it.

I think writers who write their books or, in my case, parts of their books, by the seat of their pants (a.k.a. “pantsers”) experience an internal affirmation, at times, that what has just uncovered itself was meant to be there all along. We simply didn’t know it yet.

 This subplot in Lina’s story was that kind of case. Writing this book, in fact, introduced me to many magical moments like that, where I understood that as a writer, our responsibility when writing our first draft is to be spiritually and creatively open. It’s only in the openness that the story will easily flow through your fingers, just as it was meant to be all along.

  You’ve talked online, C.I., about the writing and publishing journey. What keeps you inspired, even through the challenges?

Some days I call it inspired, other days I call it tormented [Laughing], but it’s the important stories swirling around in my head that I want to share with the world. I’m very lucky to have lived such an eclectic and interesting experience so far.

 I’ve traveled and lived in so many different parts of the U.S. and abroad. My family background is a diverse mix of cultures, blending Irish, Spanish, and Caribbean influences, made more unique after being raised on the Mexican border. I’ve worked in many different industries, in different places, in many different roles. I believe all of this has been with a purpose. I’ve had a direct eye view of so many unique people and their experiences that my brain’s idea bucket is filled with characters, topics, and stories that I’m dying to share with the world.

 I am a true student of humanity and the human experience. I love to discover people, and the way I process their journey and experiences is through story. Writing is part of my existence, who I am, and I’m happiest when I’m behind the keyboard bringing a new story to life. I think there’s a reason God made me this way and allowed me the journey I’ve been on. Writing is where I fulfill my end of the deal in this agreement called life.

 Speaking of social media, that is one of the ways you’re able to connect to your readers. What has that experience been like for you?

Overwhelming, most days, because I’m not sure if I’m doing it right.

I’m a strong Type-A personality, and I want to master everything I dedicate a concerted effort to. So, I often remind myself that I’m not trying to be a social media influencer; I want to be an author. This means I need to spend my time and energy accordingly on the efforts that have my heart, like writing books! I don’t dive in and study how to make beautiful reels or drive virality. My goal is to be present and available for my readers, using social media to connect with them, let them know what's coming next, and hopefully inspire new readers to join me on the journey. I really like social media as a tool for connection in ways that actors, musicians, and authors couldn’t connect before. I just ask for grace when the story cuts off mid-sentence, or the book title looks backwards. I’m still learning!

 Any advice you have for aspiring writers that you want to share?

I have three pieces of advice that I think changed the tide for me and put me on a path to publishing:

1. Read at least three or four good craft-related novels. I recommend Sol Stein, Tiffany Yates Martin, and Lisa Cron’s books on craft.

2. Join a writer’s group where most of the writers have professional experience and LISTEN to their feedback. Even if you don’t take it, learn from it. Be open and pay attention to their first reactions to your book, and don’t take it personally. This is where we learn.

3. Lastly, read your work out loud and record yourself. Then play it back and listen to it. Different parts of your brain engage each time, and you will connect with the flow. Don’t do this until you’ve finished your first draft and let it sit, without touching it, for at least two to three weeks.

 Thanks again for your time, C.I. How can our readers stay connected with you?

I’ve surprised myself at how engaged I’ve become on social media! You’ll find me on Facebook as C.I. Jerez, on Instagram, and on Threads as @c.i._jerez. And on TikTok at CIJerez. And I love when readers connect with me on my website. I do have a monthly newsletter I send out at www.cijerezbooks.com .