Meet Cynthia Hickey

If you haven't read Cynthia Hickey's books, you're missing out! Come along, and meet Cynthia.

Here's a bit about her before we get started:

Multi-published and Amazon Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold over half a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference. You can find her on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. She and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, two cats, three box turtles, and two Sulcata tortoises. She has seven grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.

 

Joi:  Why did you start writing? How did you start writing?
Cynthia: I’ve been making up stories since I was a kid. I started writing to give voices to the characters in my head. My first book was written as a dare and I haven’t looked back.

Joi:  How did you select your genre?
Cynthia: I write romantic suspense because it’s what I like to read. I write historical romance because life then was simpler, but my cozy mysteries are the best! Having grown up on Nancy Drew, it was only fitting that I take an ordinary gal and turn her into a fighter for justice.

Joi: What is your writing day like?
Cynthia:I work 8 hours a day, six days a week, combining my own writing and working on the authors in my small press.

Joi:  How do you organize your writing? (outlines/note cards/post-its)
Cynthia: Post it notes everywhere! And a sheet of notebook paper with a one line outline of each chapter.

Joi: What's the most surprising thing a character has “told you”?
Cynthia: They don’t often tell me much, but they do like to take the story off in their own direction!

Joi: Do you have a list of characters that you're saving for future use? What kind of information do you keep on these characters

Cynthia: If I have future characters, I usually only have a name, genre, and a possible title.

Joi:  What does your work space/office look like?
Cynthia:I’ve attached a picture J
 WHERE I WORK
This cute little place holds everything I need, and almost everything means something personal. I have a dry erase board to schedule my next writing project, keep tabs on other writing jobs, and to list what I need to do at home.
The bulletin board holds websites addresses I visit on a regular basis and holds my favorite quote. It’s by Erma Bombeck and says, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.”
There is a silk rose given to me by a student of the elementary school I used to work at. It sits in a mug that says, “What deadline?” Next to that is a frog tape dispenser, which to me means, Fully Rely On God. Holding an assortment of fun pencils and ink pens is a ceramic mug brought to me from Mexico by a cafeteria worker at the same elementary school. I have a pink fuzzy bird holding a plaque that states, “Do not start with me–you will not win” and a fuzzy angel flamingo pen, because who doesn’t want one of those?
On the wall is a framed Life magazine focusing on “Gone With the Wind” and a Newsweek “Elvis” edition. These are the two categories I collect. I love anything Elvis or Gone With the Wind.

To the left of the desk is a glass tank that holds two Sulcata tortoise hatchlings. On the floor at my feet are two dogs. Behind me is a wall of books: fiction, non-fiction, research. This is my world and I love it.
Joi: Love it!

 

Joi: What is your go-to snack when writing?

Cynthia: Dark chocolate M&Ms

Joi:  If you could only recommend one NOVEL, what would it be? Why?
Cynthia: Gone With the Wind. My favorite. The characterization was way ahead of its time.

Joi:  If you could only recommend one CRAFT book (writing, no crocheting), what would it be? Why?
Cynthia:Donald Maas – Writing the Breakout Novel. It covers everything!

Joi:Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Cynthia: If you want to pursue the writing career, never give up, work hard, be diligent, be disciplined.
Joi: Thanks for joining us, Cynthia!

Cynthia has graciously offered to do a giveaway of her newest book, Beware of the Orchids! Leave a comment below about one thing you noticed in her office space, and we'll do a giveaway!