Christina Diaz Gonzalez & RETURN FIRE

I met Christina Diaz Gonzalez the year that both of our debuts launched, 2010. Hers, THE RED UMBRELLA, is a stunning historical novel that I adored. Now she’s working in new territory, with books that blend fantasy with elements of mysteries and thrillers. Her latest, RETURN FIRE, is out now!

Please give readers a brief synopsis of your sequel to MOVING TARGET (which I’m just finishing now – it’s a can’t-put-down thrill ride set in Italy), the newly released RETURN FIRE .return-fire

Cassie Arroyo must set out to once again find the spear of destiny, but this time it’s not enough just to find it: Cassie realizes that when she used the spear in MOVING TARGET, she set the world down a path that could eventually lead to serious trouble. Now she and Asher must stop the terrible chain of events that she accidentally set into motion. Their search for the spear takes them on a breathless adventure across Italy, leading her to a forest outside Rome, a Caravaggio painting full of clues, and a villa by the sea. There, in the ultimate showdown, Cassie has to decide who she can truly trust. And when the chance to use the spear presents itself again, she has to figure out if she can even trust herself.

You are a master craftsman of historical fiction for young readers (I loved THE RED UMBRELLA!) What draws you to the genre?

I love reading about the existence of little-known, historical events (or legendary artifacts such as the spear of destiny) when they are woven into exciting adventures. History seems to come to life! So it makes sense that I write what I, as a reader, enjoy.author_highres

What’s next on your novel-writing plate?

Next up for me is…. the seventh book in the series Spirit Animals: Fall of the Beasts! I am so very excited to be a part of this New York Times best-selling series and can’t wait to wreak havoc on some of the characters.

What piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?

I think writers sometimes approach the art of writing with too much concern about what a book is supposed to be. I believe you should write from your heart and not your head. Chances are that if you love your story, then others will too.

If you had a super power, it would be……………………

to be able to understand/speak every language, that way I could travel the world and feel like a local wherever I go.