Cornelia Allen was raised in rural New Mexico and became a woman of many talents and adventures from time spent in various occupations including farm fieldworker, national park ranger, biology teacher, medical practitioner, and eventually the Dean of Education at two colleges. She is now an author who loves writing about characters inspired by the interesting people she has met in her journeys. Cornelia’s debut release, Then Came July (The Rick Mora Novels Book 1, August 2023), is an action-adventure romance set in The Land of Enchantment. Look for Cornelia on Facebook and her Amazon author page.

What is your elevator pitch for Then Came July?
When her clinic is firebombed, the severely injured young doctor clashes culturally, philosophically, even physically with the hard-nosed investigator. But as they begin to see themselves through each other’s eyes, they learn what real love means.

What makes this novel unique in the romantic action/adventure/suspense market?
These are real people, very successful, conflicted and wounded, with a dark side in his case, but strong enough to change, to take the opportunity when offered. Shakespeare said that there is a tide in the affairs of man that when taken at the flood leads to victory. My characters grab that flood tide.

Tell us how the book came together.
I always had heroes. From Horatio Hornblower of fiction to our own Elfego Baca. But I have been feeling a lack of real, relatable heroic characters in current fiction. Not superheroes, but those who struggle to reach some shining star. Hence, my Enrique (Rick) and July. They strive and fail and try again. I wanted a book cover that showed their conflicting views, but with some give to it. I was incapable of pulling that off, so I hired an illustrator from Outskirts Press, and liked their idea. I used an editor who ran through the book twice, but I did most of it for lack of funds. Initially, I thought that traditional publishing would not work for me because I had been very ill, and did not expect to live long enough to see the book hit the shelves. But I have zero interest in marketing, so self-publishing doesn’t work either. Damn! I’m stuck! Ah, well!

Who are your main protagonists? Did they surprise you as you wrote their story?
Rick and July came to me. I didn’t have to seek them. Like with other friends, I learned more about them over time. And there is still more to learn. I sort of point them in a direction, and they run with it. The one thing that remains steady with them now is that they have each other and their joint family. They will do anything to maintain the relationship. Not that they don’t fight with each other, get exasperated, misunderstand each other. They do, but it never changes their love for each other.

What is the main setting for the book, and how does it impact the story?
I am a New Mexican. My stories are set in the deserts and mountains, the cities and countryside that I know. Urban or wilderness, they are a part of the story. The very first scene is of July impatiently waiting at a stoplight on Lohman in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and daydreaming about getting her toes into some cool water at Dripping Springs in the Organ Mountains just east of town.

Is there a scene in Then Came July that you’d love to see play out in a movie?
There are many! One in particular is just after Rick and July, hesitatingly reaching a new and unexpected relationship, have had a major fight and are struggling with a new level of understanding. They are sitting in the dirt of a little road in a meadow, watching the night coming on, and there is a coyote family nearby watching also, watching them in silence. It is poignant because Rick is sometimes called the coyote cop, in recognition of his prowess as a hunter of the bad guys. And it fits because he is also a silent observer, a woodsman in his natural environment, and it relates to a life-changing incident when he was a child. This scene touches my soul. The two coyotes in spiritual harmony, so to speak.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
How I would wake up with some new knowledge of what July and Rick were doing that day. I laughed a lot.

According to Amazon, this is a second edition of Then Came July. What changes did you make to the original book? Also, Then Came July looks like it’s the first of a series. Do you plan second editions of these books as well?
I did not, initially, write for the market, just for my own and my family’s entertainment. So, I tried out different endings. There really have never been first editions, only potential editions sent to friends via Kindle. I think of those as drafts, and had no idea that Amazon would not let me remove them.

In my very diverse family, there are cowboys and farmers, lawyers and various medical folks, military and preachers, scientists and engineers. In one way or another, they have all contributed to the characters and their stories. All I have to do is listen, and imagine.

What inspired you to become a writer?
Spring of 2024, I decided to become a writer, not just a storyteller for friends and family. I realized that I had a chance when an award-winning screenwriter, who has a new movie coming out this Fall, offered to write (in his spare time) a TV pilot based on Then Came July. I am collaborating, and it is lots of fun.

It appears you began your writing/publishing career later in life. What has your mature self brought to the writing table that your younger self never could have?
Patience with myself. I have the attention span of a gnat, so focus is a lifelong challenge.

What’s the best encouragement or advice you’ve received in your writing journey?
Michael McGarrity and Craig Johnson both said, in one way or another, to keep on trying. Standard advice to the admiring masses, I suppose. Nevertheless, I took it to heart.

What writing projects are you working on now?
A YA coming of age story that incorporates some of my own adventures growing up in the mountains of New Mexico in the 40s and 50s. For a few years, I taught college freshmen, and it was a revelation to me how little they knew, and a revelation to them that we ancients were not quite as backwards as they thought. I loved that job and made some good friends. One youngster’s great-grandfather had been a lieutenant in Pancho Villa’s Army. My dad rode as a hunter with Pershing’s troops, chasing Villa’s Army into Mexico. We bonded over the differences. Oh, wait! I think I may hear a manuscript approaching!

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Age really is not so much a barrier as it is an opportunity. I am only 80. There is still much to do.

KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has worked as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.