Cindy Kay Stewart, a retired high school social studies teacher and current church pianist, writes stories of hope, steeped in love, and anchored in faith. Her manuscripts have won the Touched by Love Award, the First Impressions contest, and the Sandra Robbins Inspirational Writing Award. They've also finaled in the Maggie Award of Excellence and the Cascade Awards, and semi-finaled in the Genesis contest. Cindy is passionate about revealing God’s handiwork in history. She resides in North Georgia with her college sweetheart and husband of forty-two years. Her daughter, son-in-law, and four adorable grandchildren live nearby. Cindy’s currently writing the Circle of Hope series set in WWII Europe.
LBL: I first met Cindy at the 2022 ACFW conference in St. Louis. She and her group of ladies from Georgia were so gracious and welcoming that even though I live all the way down in south Florida, I joined the ACFW Georgia chapter. And they continue to be a blessing. But enough about me. Let's hear from Cindy.
LBL: To start off, how about a little non-writing trivia about you. Which do you prefer?
LBL: For your physical location, a country or an urban setting?
CKS: Country – it’s beautiful and peaceful
LBL: I TOTALLY agree.
Sweet or salty snacks?
CKS: Both together – they balance each other out
LBL: For your personal enjoyment, paper, digital, or audio books?
CKS: Digital – I can read after “lights out.” 😊
LBL: LOL. Yes!
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
CKS: A night owl
LBL: Pets or no pets?
CKS: No pets
LBL: Tell us a little about your family.
CKS: My husband and I met in college. We attended a Christian university, and our first meetup was on a blind date. We married a little over a year later, right after graduation, and that was 42 years ago. We adopted our only child when she was only three days old. She is our gift from God, so we named her Joy. She’s married and has given us four grandchildren to love on.
LBL: Four! That's great. :)
What is your primary genre, and why did you choose it?
CKS: WWII Romance is my favorite genre to read and write. I love to learn about actual historical events through authentic fiction, and I love stories where couples fall in love. Romance also cushions the hard events in life, which is certainly true during WWII.
WWII is a fascinating time period to study because so many miracles took place in the midst of great tragedy. There never has been a time in history when so many people sacrificed so much to save the world from evil. Romance adds soft and intriguing elements to stories about such a difficult time in history, and, of course, romances have a “happily ever after” ending.
LBL: I love that line, that romance cushions the hard events in life.
You're a debut author, so asking how many books you have published and which is your favorite was a dumb set of questions on my part, but since I asked, I'm leaving your answer here. It gives us a little characterization insight into Cindy Kay Stewart. lol.
CKS: Since Abounding Hope is my first published novel, it’s my favorite. 😊
LBL: Loved that quirky answer. :)
What is your writing space like?
CKS: I have a lovely room with a writing desk and comfortable office chair on the second floor of our new house. Before we moved in June, I wrote at the dining room table.
LBL: Tell us a little about your debut release, Abounding Hope, and how you came up with the idea.
CKS: Abounding Hope is set in Poland and Hungary at the beginning of WWII. The main characters are Americans who’ve lived in Europe most of their lives. They’re also civilians who learn to surrender their expectations and trust the Lord through their harrowing experiences. In the end, they also find love.
I’ve read and re-read Bodie & Brock Thoene’s WWII series, The Zion Covenant. The sixth book ends in Warsaw during the beginning days of WWII. The main characters escaped by boat on a river, but how they managed their liberation was left to the reader’s imagination. I had to find the answer and started researching. I discovered a wealth of interesting escapee stories, which eventually led to the writing of Abounding Hope.
LBL: Do you have a new project in the works? Can you tell us a little about it?
CKS: Yes, I have three projects in the works. I can tell you about two of them. Lord willing, a prequel novel set in 1938 Berlin will release in early spring of 2024, and the sequel to Abounding Hope, set in 1940 Norway and France, will release in the fall of 2024. All of these books are part of the Circle of Hope Series, so many of the characters from Abounding Hope will reappear in the other books.
LBL: Do you have a particular go-to Bible verse you’d like to share with us? Why is it special to you?
CKS: Isaiah 40:31 – “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
This verse is very special to me because it has sustained me during the most difficult times of my life.
LBL: How can we pray for you?
CKS: Please pray for the Lord’s guidance as I complete the first draft of the sequel in November and December. Then I will set the sequel aside and complete edits and rewrites for the prequel novella.
For more information about Cindy and her book, please visit her website at https://cindykaystewart.com. If you sign up for her newsletter, you'll receive a wonderful gift in the form of a collecion of WWII escape stories, so don't miss out on that opportunity.
You can also find Cindy on the following social media sites:
Cindy is giving away an e-book copy of her book, so be sure to leave a message including your email.
