We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Noemi Guzman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Noemi , thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

In January 2021, I took a master’s class on creative writing. It changed my life. As a writer from a marginalized population, I wasn’t sure if there was a space for me to write and market my debut dark fantasy romance centered around women of color. As a Dominican American writer born in New York City, Noemi spent many summers falling in love with the warm sandy beaches and Mangú of the Dominican Republic. All while reading exquisite fantasy romance novels. Those experiences inspire worldbuilding in her novels. Graduating with two master’s degrees in counseling and human services drives how she brings her characters to life.

Growing up in Washington Heights, I spent most of my time reading, writing, and watching some of the most beautiful epic fantasy shows with my brother. Those shows captivated me and took me on a faraway adventure that revealed who the main character could be. Those shows changed how I viewed the world and myself. With that inspiration, I wrote my first novel, which was released on 11/15/22.

What those stories didn’t do was expose me to racial mirrors. So, I want to create that space for my readers where they can connect to the compelling story of loss, triumph, and love.

That’s why I created my main character, Sole of Mosa.

“When Sole is healed from the darkness, a terrifying plague that killed her family, she awakens with the one thing she never wanted…magic. She soon discovers her unique powers can save Transea by curing the traitorous King of Sundom. In the land of her enemy, Sole soon finds herself navigating a dark web of politics, alluring power, desire, and great evil.”

Noemi , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an Afro-Latina author, writing fantasy diverse & inclusive books filled with romance & magic. You can learn more about me on my Instagram or TikTok. You will find exclusive book boxes, links to purchase novels, and free book merch on my website.

Instagram: @lygiawrites
TikTok: @lygiawrites
Website: https://lnguzman.com/

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

My business partner happens to be my husband. We are both artists in our own right, he’s a designer, and I’m a writer. Together we cultivate a strong brand with great content and visuals to draw in my readers. I come up with a vision, and he brings that vision to life. For example, once I described what I wanted my book boxes to look like, he went above and beyond to make it even better than I could have imagined.

There are many benefits to having started my business with my life partner:

1. We share the highs and lows together. One of the best parts about starting a business with your spouse is that you get to share in all of it, not just the good stuff.

2. Our bond: Through this business, we have created a connection that is hard to find anywhere else. Together we grow in love and creative passion, which is beautiful.

3. Invest in the business. Having a partner who is invested in the success of your business as you are is the number one reason our business partnership works.

How did you build your audience on social media?

As an indie author, you are taking on your novel’s writing, publishing, and marketing. To build a great brand, people have to know about it. So, I knew the very first thing I needed was social media accounts dedicated to my debut novel. After I built those sites, I joined every indie author support group I could find. I belong to four groups, and together we support each other and share each other’s work. The most important part of building my brand and getting my story into the hands of the right readers was to build and grow my email subscriber list.

I did this by
1. Driving traffic to my social media channels,
2. I created consistent content that was engaging and helpful.
3. I offered free downloadable content to my subscribers

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lnguzman.com/mosachronicles-rise
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CibvW4TgZQf/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lygiawrites?lang=en

Image Credits
Images of book illustrations were commissioned. The artist is 𝑲𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒚𝒂 𝑩𝒐𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒂