Meet Rossana Corniel | Author | Brand Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rossana Corniel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rossana, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have always been a creative person, I just didn’t give myself enough credit for it. I drew well at a young age, but I never pursued it. When I graduated High School, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I didn’t have the grades for college and I just wasn’t ready for it anyway. But I had the desire to do something greater than myself. I knew I was a hard worker, and I wanted to be useful; I wanted to belong somewhere, and I wanted to be of service to others. So, I joined the U.S. Air Force. What’s interesting is that they gave me the entrance exam, which identifies the best career fields a cadet would be eligible for, and for me they chose photography as my career field. This should have been another clue that I was creative, but again, I ignored it. I left the military and sought the safety and security of work in the corporate world. I got a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Miami and held PR and Marketing roles at companies for several years. It was the right blend of business and creativity for that time of my life, although the creativity I delivered was always based on the brands I represented. I had an itch for a creative outlet that would allow me to express myself in my own way. When I began to listen to that quiet inner voice within, I knew that I had to begin writing my books.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I love where I am today because it’s the perfect intersection of the different career fields that got me here. I’m a businesswoman that appreciates creativity in all forms, but I’m also an author. I’ve published six novels and have written several others just sitting in my hard drive. But before I discovered how absolutely cathartic it is to write and publish books, I racked up two decades of professional experience spanning everything from being a photographer in the U.S. Air Force, to corporate jobs at public-facing companies like DHL and General Motors, and I even completed several rounds of higher education. Yet, I’ve always had a profound appreciation for writing in all forms, and I wanted to grow my skills in that area.

As a young girl I would get swept away in the magical worlds of J.R. Tolkien, I loved Alice in Wonderland and all the classic fantasies. I wouldn’t go anywhere without a book in my hand, mesmerized by the landscapes created with the right combination of letters inside the pages of books.

But because I initially pursued a career in business, I didn’t know what to do with all the vampires, shapeshifters, and magic systems that swam around in my head. The trouble began when those magical creatures in my mind got louder. They needed a place to settle down and call home.

As someone who had built a career in the business world, I was clueless about how to write a novel let alone publish one. But I learned. I took creative writing classes and courses on self-publishing. And now that I’m on the other side, I’ve realized how much my business experience translates to the world of fiction publishing and vice versa.

I overcame the challenge of building my author brand by implementing a sustainable workflow through the newsletters, social media, and digital advertising strategies that I had used for the brands I represented in my business roles. That part was easy. The harder part was learning how to find my audience and create content that would give them what they wanted while allowing me the creative freedom to tell the story I wanted to tell. This part of the process of book writing is called “writing to market” and it is still a work in progress for me. I’m enjoying the journey as I continue to refine, learn and evolve in this aspect of being a fiction author.

Author’s use pen names in order to engage and connect with readers. This is important because of the way that fiction books are categorized. Readers get used to a certain style of writing and will always look to a specific author to write in the genre that they are interested in reading. I personally like to write different kinds of stories, so I’ll be needing different pen names. Right now, if someone is looking for my edgy fantasy and romance books, they will search for the author R.C. Luna. And if they want the middle-grade books I’m starting to write, they will to go my real name, Rossana Corniel. If, someday, I decide to write in a totally different genre, I will create a new pen name for those readers as well. This is very common industry practice and a very effective approach to positioning books.

My path is constantly evolving and now I’m at a stage where I completed my first series of books called the Warrior Shifter series. I’m very proud to announce that this March 2023 I will release the final book in the series. The series is a coming-of-age story about a Miami-raised Latina that overcomes her own demons to step into her power as a nagual from Mesoamerican mythology. The nagual are jaguar-shapeshifters and in my stories you’ll experience her growth as she falls in love with her worst enemy, faces off with vampires and other monsters, all while rising to power as Queen of the Fae in Zodiac Throne, the final book.

Now that this series is complete, I can begin new projects that I’m very excited about. I’ve merged my creative writing skills with my business skills and I’m offering brand-driven storytelling services for companies. I guide businesses through the use of narrative and literary techniques to make their communication strategies more impactful. While offering writing and communications services to them as well.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Miami is such an amazing place. There’s so much to see and do no matter what you’re into. I’ve lived in Miami for over eighteen years and I’m still discovering new things. Many of my friends have kids, so we would start by taking the kids to Matheson Hammock beach to have a picnic, enjoy the salt air, paddleboard, and kayak in the waterways or take a hike in the treelined park surrounding the water. That evening we could enjoy a casual pizza dinner and drinks for the adults at Spris on Sunset Drive. The next day we would drive down to Key Largo and rent a boat for a sunny day of offshore fishing. We would have a casual dinner with an ocean view at Senor Frijoles. On the third day, after we’ve had enough outdoor adventuring, we would shop and dine in the lovely Merrick Park shopping center in Coral Gables. Dinner would be at Sawa, for delicious Mediterranean & Japanese dishes along with a pitcher of their Sangria. The fourth day we would visit the splash pad and beach at Miami Beach’s South Pointe park and enjoy a late lunch at the oceanside restaurant, Smith & Wolensky. Of course, the week wouldn’t be complete without an evening of adult fun! Me and my bestie would head out for a night of dancing and drinks at the Gramercy in Coral Gables. For the final day of Miami fun, I would show my guests an amazing time at the Wynwood Walls art exhibit, with plans to dine at the lively Mexican restaurant, Bakan.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I like to live my life from a place of gratitude. When I doubt myself or feel like the creative direction, I want to take I’m doing is silly or illogical, I make a conscious effort to switch my mindset to a place of gratitude. I appreciate those that help me get out of my rut, those that believe in me and give me positive reinforcement for all of my wild, imaginative ideas. I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my amazing husband and the father of my children. Also, my children, who always believe in me no matter what. There are my friends, Carla Curiel Castro and Maria Alejandra Fonduer for listening to my book idea in our monthly Mastermind calls during COVID and telling me to go for it. I’m eternally grateful to everyone that supported the launch of my first book with love, energy, and positivity. And for the organization that helped me learn everything I needed to know to kick off my writing journey, Self-Publishing.com.

Website: www.rossanacorniel.com

Instagram: @author_r.c.luna

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossanacorniel/

Twitter: @rcorniel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorrcluna/

Image Credits
Jeff Budnechy