Hello and Welcome back after our Memorial Day weekend celebration! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Today I have Cindy Keen Reynders with me and I have asked her to share some insight into not only her book, but herself as well. This is what she had to say:
How old were you when you first
realized you wanted to write?
I remember
I was ten years old. I’d been writing poetry, and I was crazy in love with the
paper boy. Every night before I went to bed I’d dream up all sorts of scenarios
where we’d grow up and get married and have like five kids and live happily
ever aver. My plotting abilities were formed back them.
Tell us a little bit about the book.
Novice
witch Miranda Rose is completing her seventh and final task for the Supreme
Witch’s Council in order to become a high which. Tasked to find the Philosopher’s Stone, she
travels to Merry Olde England in 1877 to confront the wizard who is holding it
for evil purposes. This is where she
runs into the very handsome Duke of Pellamshire, Maxwell Chadwick. Because
she’s afflicted with the 7 year witch disease, she must make love with the duke
seven times in order to break the spell so she can continue on with her
mission. Magical sparks fly!
What made you choose this genre?
I started
out writing romance and this is where my true writing roots come from. I wrote
all kinds of romance in the beginning; contemporary, historical, time-travel,
paranormal—you name it. I sold none of it.
Most authors have an unusual story
or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?
’ve had
all kinds of experiences that help me determine what my story plots will be.
For 7 Year Witch, I had a dream about seven beautiful witch sisters, and it
just really intrigued me. I couldn’t let go of it. Since I’m the youngest of
four sisters, I naturally started with the youngest one of the Rose sisters,
Miranda, and developed her story.
What is the key element in your
character creation?
My main
characters must have a problem that seriously needs resolving, but they aren’t
completely dramatic and hysterical about it. They look at it pragmatically,
then begin the story trying to take care of the issue. Because I adore humor,
my characters typically have some fun while trying to deal with troubles,
though they always get down to business and take care of things. I give them emotional
and physical attributes as well as quirky habits, just like real people. In one
of my books, my main character develops severe hiccoughs when she’s anxious,
and sometimes that makes for some tense situations, especially when she’s being
chased by the bad guy. In 7 Year Witch, since Miranda is the youngest sibling,
she deals with emotional issues of how she believes her older sisters got all
attention from her parents. She is constantly trying to measure up to their
accomplishments and tries to be as successful as she perceives her sisters are.
What was your biggest influence that
steered you towards writing?
I have always been a huge reader. As a child, I was
the weird wall flower kid and my family moved around a lot for my dad’s job, so
I was also typically the new kid. Classmates teased me a lot, wouldn’t let me
have a seat on the bus—that sort of thing. So I found a fantastic world of
acceptance in books. I fell in love with it so much, at a certain point; I
wanted to create those worlds for other readers. I’ve fallen in love with that,
too.
I have to ask, what are the hardest scenes for you to write?
The first words of a book, including the first line
and the first paragraph and the first page are the most difficult for me to
agree with myself on. So much rides on
that initial hook to draw in the reader, whether it’s an editor, an agent or
whoever. I sweat blood and tears making it absolutely the best it can be. I
work just as hard throughout the rest of the book to make it polished, but
seriously, I’ve tossed out a lot of beginnings of books in my lifetime. Once I
get past that, I’m good to go throughout the rest of the manuscript.
Are sex scenes difficult for you to word?
Actually, they aren’t all that difficult for me
since the first writing group I belonged to was a Romance Writers of America
chapter. I cut my teeth on writing romance and developing solid, but
entertaining sex scenes. There’s a fair amount of logistical maneuvering that
must be incorporated, as well as excellent word choice. That’s where a writer
needs to experiment with language in order to find appropriate descriptions for
the action. I like to make it somewhat poetic and flowing, as well as anatomically
correct. Also, for Pete’s sake, we all want to have fun with sex! Check out the
vanilla pudding scene in 7 Year Witch, for example. In the words of my
publisher, it is ooh, la, la!
Do you see yourself writing in another genre?
Lordy, I have written in so many genres it makes my
head spin. Not all of these books have been published, of course, but it’s
given me a good overview of different genres and has taught me specifics about
my writing abilities. I’ve written fantasy science fiction, historical fiction,
and I have three mystery novels published. Amazingly, after all those years of
writing romance and selling nothing, I finally had success when I penned some
lighthearted, cozy mysteries. I love, love, love those books, too! I also tried
my hand at a darker, more suspenseful mystery with a serial killer in it, but I
scared the blankety-blank out of myself, so I finally let it go. It’s still on
a jump drive, lurking like a criminal in hiding. I take it out from time to
time and peek at it. I think it’s good, but I can’t seem to handle writing
about that killer guy. He’s pretty awful.
Has your family been supportive?
First husband was oh, so jealous. I’m sure he would
never admit it, but I’m pretty certain that was a big problem for him, and I
think he feared I might succeed at writing. He always had to be the big kahuna,
you know? That’s not why we divorced, but once I dumped those 250 pounds of abusive
jerk along the wayside, my writing began to soar. As far as my kids are
concerned, they’re like, “Yah, so what mom. You’re a writer. Big whoop.” My current
husband is very supportive and doesn’t mind that I get up at 4 a.m. to write
each day before work. My sister, Shauna, is my rock. She reads my work, offers
great suggestions and gives me awesome encouragement.
Are any of your characters reflective of you?
Miranda
is like me in that she has serious youngest-sibling-syndrome going on. She
tries so desperately to gain acceptance
among her family and the witch’s council, and she never feels she can measure
up to their expectations. Lexie Lightfoot, the heroine in my Saucy Lucy mystery
series, is a lot like me in that her husband was messing around on her and she
divorces him then returns home with her teenage daughter to pick up the pieces
of a shattered life. She starts a little café with her sister and helps solve
murders in their small town. I do not solve murders in real life, but I’m a big
fan of Cheyenne’s Citizens Police Academy. When the officers see me, they
probably roll their eyes and think to themselves, “Lord have mercy, she-e-e-e’s
ba-a-a-ck!”
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to read novels my writer friends have
written, as well as magazines. I’m a magazine-a-holic, and I like them in my
hands, not on a computer screen. Very un-green, but I like to read in the bath
tub, and I seriously do not want to ruin one of those expensive electronic
e-readers. I also love to keep my house clean, do occasional hobbies like
crocheting, love to attend garage sales always looking for antiques, and I love
to cook, though working full time prohibits much experimentation and I
occasionally burn tomato soup because I’m always in a hurry. Scorched tomato
really reeks, by the way. Oh, and I get a kick of out walking my little doggie.
She’s too little to go far, but she gets so excited it’s sweet.
Who is your favorite book heroine?
Scarlet O’Hara! Lord, that woman is so spoiled and
runs into so much bad luck, a lot of it through her own boneheaded mistakes,
but she holds her head proudly and keeps on trucking. I like that she’s a
flawed character, but she keeps on surviving. After my divorce, that was my
mantra. S-U-R-V-I-V-E.
Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?
Ah, hem. Yes. My little doggie, Ewok, comes down
with me each morning. She expects me to have a snack for her, then I must pour
a splash of water into her dish and a smattering of dog food into another dish for
her breakfast. I am a virtual slave to this routine. Then, and this is really
embarrassing, when I’m finished with my writing shift, I must kiss my jump
drive for good luck before I place it in my desk drawer. Freaky, huh? I don’t
know where that even came from, but now I’m stuck with it!
What is your favorite mystical creature?
The
phoenix bird. It is supposed to be good luck, and it never dies. It rises from
the ashes and survives again. Awesome!
What were some of your
biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?
So many to name! I
think the biggest one, however, was determining whether my writing was any damn
good, and if I should even continue to churn out all those words and stories.
You are your own worst critic, and it’s difficult to distance yourself enough
from your work to have good perspective about the quality.
How do you feel about reader comments?
I love it when people like my work. When they don’t,
I try to tell myself they must be having a bad hair day, or maybe they don’t
like the genre I’m writing in, or maybe they don’t like my kooky humor. I try
not to think it’s a reflection of my writing abilities, though it’s difficult
not to. Not everything I write is everyone’s cup of tea. That’s okay. We’re all
free to choose what rolls our socks up and down, right?
Do you have any advice for new authors?
You must love reading like it’s your child, then you
must equally love writing like it’s another of your children. You’ve got to be patient with it and be
willing to sign on for the long haul. Some writers’ journeys are easier than
others. Everyone has a different experience. Writers must also sink their teeth
into the business, immerse themselves in all aspects of the process so they can
develop valuable. Most of all, write, write, write. Challenge yourself to do
better and learn at all times. Then hang on tight because it’s a wild ride, but
it’s the best ride you’ll ever take.
Where are your books available?
Amazon and Barnes and Noble; both e-books and
paperback version. Other places have them like Overstock.com, but the first two
are the biggest and most commonly known.
What can we expect from you in the
future?
Three more witch books will be published by Angelic
Knight Press in the Wysteria Hedge Haven Clan series starting early in 2013
with A Witch at Midnight. After that I’d love to do something with vampires,
but it would most likely be lighthearted and quirky. That’s how I roll.
Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?
My
blog contains my most updated information, http://saucylucywisdom.blogspot.com/
and
you can also go to my website: www.cindykeenreynders.com
Also
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1711549310#!/
And Twitter:
@littlewing1
Now Let's Take a look at the book details:
7 Year Witch
By Cindy Keen Reynders
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Angelic Knight Press
Release Date: April 12, 2012
Blurb:
Novice witch Miranda Rose’s
seventh and final task for the Supreme Witch’s Council is to find the legendary
Philosopher’s Stone. Once completed, she’ll reach her lifelong dream—High Witch
of Wysteria Hedge Haven. In a last ditch effort to locate the precious gem; she
travels through time to 1877. In a dilapidated castle a powerful wizard refuses
to relinquish the stone. In a fit of pique, the wizard, Balthazar, zaps her in
a field outside of Merry Olde London.
Sir Maxwell Chadwick is the
sole witness to a fiery ball of light streak across the midnight sky. Curious,
he investigates. Surprised to find a beautiful young woman among the smoldering
ashes, he cannot deny his instant attraction to the alluring stranger. While
Miranda appreciates the handsome duke’s assistance, she finds him annoying as
his well-intentioned interference delays her mission.
It doesn’t take Miranda
long to realize the handsome duke holds the key to her heart, as well as her
future. Fate, magic and the Seven-Year Witch disease takes the lovers on a
rollicking, star-crossed adventure!
Just fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win!! Good Luck and a big thank you to Cindy for stopping by!!
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