Author Interview: Yadhira Gonzalez-Taylor: Beauty Fades and Dumb is Forever

Her favorite genres are Children Books and Memoir. She is a public attorney serving in New York City starting her career after attaining her law degree from prestigious New York Law School and Masters Degrees from John Jay College of Justice, City University of New York. Her debutant book is released in 2013 titled … (oops you will get to know below in her own word! J), a children’s book about an interesting Caribbean folktale. The giveaway of which is running at Goodreads until Nov 29th. She has been greatly influenced by Maya Angelou and Isabelle Allende. The trailer of this beautiful book from Yadhira Gonzalez-Taylor can be found here. Welcome Yadhira on my blog and thanks for giving your valuable time for this interaction with a motive to know you a little more. Your real name and pen name? My name is Yadhira Gonzalez-Taylor. I have also adopted the pen name: E.G. Friday, under which I write a blog about several topics, including child abuse, domestic abuse and other lighter topics like living in the big city and humorous things I observe in my walk through life. The blog can be found at www.eggshellgalfriday.blogspot.com. Please share some of the best memories of your childhood I lived between NYC and Puerto Rico for long stretches of time during my childhood. In Puerto Rico, I lived with my maternal grandparents in a mountainous location in the island.  I was part of a very small community. The population of my immediate area was around 700 people most people knew each other. My grandparents and I sold AVON products door to door. Some of my best memories are of helping my grandmother run her business and playing and running around with my friends in the river, and climbing the steep hills to get to hidden pockets where we could swim in the river and enjoy hidden waterfalls. About your education I have a law degree from New York Law School and a Bachelors (magna cum laude) and Masters in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice from the City Univ. of NY. The BS and MA are in Criminal Justice with a focus on deviance and social control. What career did you plan during your education days? I started out wanting to be a police officer for the city of NY. When that didn’t work out I continued studying, went to law school, and became a prosecutor in Bronx County. What is your biggest source of inspiration in life? As far as writing, my memories. Both good and bad. I write about bad and good memories in my journey for self-healing and self-discovery.
What hurts you most in this world The abuse and oppression that is perpetrated against women and children throughout the world. What is the biggest challenge you have faced? Were you able to overcome it? How? I am a child abuse survivor.  When I lived in NYC I was abused and witnessed violent domestic violence between my parents.  I also lived in a very dilapidated and blighted neighborhood that was drug infested.  I watched how prostitutes serviced men and how drug dealers sold drugs to all kinds of people.  My education and hard work helped me to change my living environment. The trauma of Child abuse is something that is very difficult to overcome. I still struggle but I am a survivor not a victim. I try to stay positive but sometimes it is difficult so I channel it into my writing or by helping other people. It helps to express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If you had to live a day of your life as one of the living or dead personality, who would it be and why? If I could live the life of a “dead” person it would be Anacaona, an Arawak Taina Chief in the island of Haiti. She was a celebrated Chief but also a composer of songs and poems.  She is one of the first people to have met and fought against the newly arrived Spaniards.   Haiti is the original Arawak name of the island also known as Hispaniola as renamed by the Spaniards. Today it is known as the island shared by two countries, Haiti and Dominican Republic. Anacaona was a fierce leader who fought for her people. She was murdered by the Spaniards. I would like to live a day in her life as a Taina Casica (Chief), and experience the dynamics of native families, villages, and day to day politics through her eyes.
What is your favorite genre and why? Literary fiction, particularly ones with settings in the long distant past or ones that have accurate historical facts in them. I like to combine reading for pleasure with actual learning. What is the purpose of your writing? Mostly for the sake healing from past traumas. Which of your work published so far? I just independently published Martina Finds a Shiny Coin © 2013, available through Amazon.com in soft cover and e-book. It is an illustrated children’s book. It is about a little cockroach that plays the cello. She finds a coin one day and goes on a shopping trip which just sets her off on a much more important journey. What are your forthcoming writings? I am currently working on more adventures for Martina and I am trying to also work on finishing my memoir. What are your future plans? To keep writing and inspire others to do the same. Your dream destination on Earth? Puerto Rico, my home. I miss it every day, especially during hard winters in New York. Your origin of birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. What best things you liked in these countries around the globe? I was born in New York City to parents who migrated from Puerto Rico in the 70s. I have travelled to Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, London and Panama.
Your favorite celebrity and why? Tom Hanks for his comedic style and I love his acting. I loved him in Forrest Gump which is an awesome movie. Some quickies: Sun or Moon, Laughter or Smile, Morning or Evening, Coffee or Tea, Mountain or Sea, Long Drive or Short Drive, Silence or Conversation Sun, Smile, Evening, Coffee, Tea, Mountain, Long Drive, Silence. State your signature line/ tagline/  Best quote—Beauty Fades and Dumb is Forever by an American who everyone knows as Judge Judy.  She wrote a book with this title to empower women during divorce and other issues. Basically to me this quote means that we can be very beautiful but one day we will age and wrinkled and if we are not intellectually prepared there is not much we can offer ourselves or the world. Also! J Please like her book’s FB page follow Martina on twitter at @martinascoin and Yadhira at @ygonzaleztaylor J