Cynthia, describe yourself for our visitors.
Describe myself, huh? I live with two of my seven children. Three step-children, one birth child, and three adopted children. I am the Detention Monitor at the local elementary school, which thankfully, gives me some writing time. I’m a goof, as you’ll discover when you read my book! Although younger, Summer Meadows is alot like me. I’ve been making up stories since I learned to read.
How do you find time to connect with God?
I believe in the pray without ceasing. And having a large family, prayer is a necessity!
Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
My favorite book of all time is Gone With the Wind. I also love Diana Gabaldon’s outlander series. In the Christian market, it would have to be Brandilyn Collins and Colleen Coble, although there are so many others. The only genre I don’t read is science fiction.
Tell us about your journey to publication.
I had three pod books published. I call that my practice period. When Barbour annouced they were starting a cozy mystery line, a friend of mine dared me to write one. I didn’t even know what a cozy was! So, I did some research and wrote Buried Beneath the Midnight Blue, which was later changed to Fudge-Laced Felonies. The book won first place in the inspirational category of the RWA Great Expectations contest. From this contest I acquired my agent, Kelly Mortimer, who presented the book to Barbour. At last year’s ACFW conference, Susan Downs of Barbour presented me with a contract during Friday’s lunch. It’s been a roller coaster ride ever since.
Tell us about your current book?
Fudge-Laced Felonies is a humorous cozy mystery. Summer Meadows, the heroine, is selfish, clumsy, and hopelessly in love with Ethan Banning. When he inadvertently kills her prize-winning rosebush, Ethan promises to plant another. He and Summer discover diamonds, a rusty can full of cash, and a pouch of diamonds. Summer is determined to find out who the diamonds belong to so everyone will stop looking at her like an empty-headed Barbie doll. She gets into one misadventure after another.
How did you come up with ideas for this book?
I zoned out to my happy place, came up with a crime, then started listing things to happen to my heroine. It was great fun!
List your three most recent books.
Fudge-Laced Felonies is being released in July 2008, and books two and three in the Summer Meadows series, Candy-Coated Secrets and Chocolate-Covered Crime are due out in 2009.
What’s next for you?
I’m writing a romantic suspense and working on another cozy series.
Where can visitors find you online?
Recent Comments