Silfida ”Sil” D.C. Gomez

age: 39 | Author, Instructor, Speaker, Life Coach | Self-employed

Silfida, who goes only by D.C. Gomez in literary circles, is a Wake Village resident and Army veteran who channels her life experiences into fantasy novels set in Texarkana. Her young novel series, The Intern Series, follows a female protagonist who returned to Texarkana after serving in the Army and encounters paranormal beings and events, including a zombie apocalypse. In D.C.’s fantasy world, Texarkana is anything but boring.

But it’s not just in her imagination that her community is compelling. When she’s not writing, Silfida can be found working with Altrusa International of Texarkana, which she led last year as president. She is also a member of the Texarkana International Rotary Club. “Both organizations have a fantastic history in Texarkana and are both part of incredible international entities,” she said. “I love the fact that both organizations have a focus on service and giving back to the community. Sometimes it is hard to see how our individual actions can make a difference in the world, but through local organizations, we can change our communities, and it will ripple.” 

Best advice you’ve ever received:

“[LIFE] IS 50% GOOD AND 50% BAD. YOUR ATTITUDE WILL DE- TERMINE WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO BE.” –SIL’S ARMY RECRUITER

Silfida is also the Youth Minister at St. Edward’s Church, where she works with the youth group on a regular basis. Through fund-raising and organizing efforts, she helped eight students make the pilgrimage to Israel, a feat she considers one of her proudest accomplishments.

In the future, she would like further to serve Texarkana with her skills as a life coach and personal development leader. “I’m a John Maxwell Certified [leadership and management] instructor and would love to bring his teaching to our community,” she said. “I have learned that self-development and investing in ourselves makes us better prepared for the future. I’m excited to be able to share those tools with our community.”

Ultimately, Silfida’s aim is to inspire others to pursue their dreams, especially when they seem larger than life. “I’m originally from the Dominican Republic, and English is not my first language,” she explained. “It has taken me a lot of work to overcome my fears and embrace my passion as a writer. I figure, if I can do it, so many others can do the same.” 

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I’m extremely sentimental and attach a lot of emotional value to gifts people have given me. I still have the first teddy bear my uncle gave me when we first came to the U.S. over 25 years ago. That bear has traveled with me from Salem, MA, to college and even the Army.”