Author Cynthia Hickey |
WHY I BECAME A WRITER
Funny how this roller-coaster business can tug on someone
until it’s either write or die. A bit dramatic, yes, but that’s how most
writers feel. Writing is like breathing, or eating.
I started reading at the young age of five and became hooked
on words and stories. Being a shy child, I would make up stories to act out,
but it wasn’t until Junior High and an English teacher assigned a writing
project that I realized how much I loved putting the story to paper. I began
writing short stories in which my younger brother was featured as the hero or
I’d write a romance featuring me and whatever boy I had a crush on at the time.
When I turned fifteen, I wrote my first “real story” about
terrorists taking over a high school. Funny how I have now seen that very plot
made into a movie. I couldn’t be stopped after that first “book”. I kept
writing, keeping my stories in a notebook, which I unfortunately lost when I
married and moved out of state. Then, life happened and I didn’t take up writing
again until the age of forty when my children were older and I had time to
devote to the art.
In 2007, I published my first cozy mystery, Fudge-Laced
Felonies, with Barbour Publishing and haven’t slowed down since. Fifty plus
books later, and several genres added to the mix, I have no intentions of
stopping this crazy career any time soon. In May of 2013, I left behind the day
job and became a full time writer. Scary, but worth every busy minute.
My husband and I now own a small press with over seventy authors
on our roster. How do I do it is a question I’m asked over and over. Post it
notes and lists! Add that to God’s grace and I can’t see myself slowing down
any time soon.
(CFP: One of the Forget Me Not Romance collections is O' Little Town of Christmas which Carrie Fancett Pagels' novella, The Substitute Bride is included as well as Cynthia's lovely Christmas Stamp is, and four other novellas by Debra E. Marvin, Becca Witham, Teresa Ives Lilly, and Linda Baten Johnson!)
(CFP: One of the Forget Me Not Romance collections is O' Little Town of Christmas which Carrie Fancett Pagels' novella, The Substitute Bride is included as well as Cynthia's lovely Christmas Stamp is, and four other novellas by Debra E. Marvin, Becca Witham, Teresa Ives Lilly, and Linda Baten Johnson!)
Watch for Poison Foliage, book three in the Shady Acres
mystery series.
Website at www.cynthiahickey.com
Bio: 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”.
Giveaway: An ebook copy of O' Little Town of Christmas Collection. Leave a comment.
Giveaway: An ebook copy of O' Little Town of Christmas Collection. Leave a comment.
I would be delighted to read O' Little Town of Christmas Collection.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lot of fun to write :)
DeleteCongrats, Kaye Whitney! Per random.org you are our ebook winner for a copy of O' Little Town of Christmas!
DeleteCynthia, I'm in awe of all you have accomplished. 7 children, 50 books and 7 grandchildren? You're a Duracell bunny. This was a great interview.
ReplyDeleteThey definitely keep me busy :)
DeleteDon't enter my name. I just wanted to say Thank you for all you do! I have this little collection and loved all the stories in it.I read one story per week, to make it last. I also have enjoyed several of your other collections.
ReplyDeleteCynthia, thank you so much for sharing your writing journey with us on OWG! We are delighted to have you and wish you continued blessings on your writing! I wrote a short story in high school and you just don't want to know what the teacher said about my writing! So I became a reviewer instead and let y'all do the writing. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt was my Junior High teacher that set me on this crazy path. She told me I wrote with "action". Not exactly sure what she meant, but I took it as a compliment
DeleteEnjoyed hearing your story, Cynthia, and I'm so happy to be a part of Forget Me Not.
ReplyDeleteWe are happy to have you!
DeleteYou know what they say about busy people. Thank you for not slowing down. I've appreciated how accessible you are to your stable of writers.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Glad you're part of the family
DeleteI wish I had that drive to write but I don't and that's how I know I'm not a born writer like yourself! I admire you for it though and love your books, Cynthia!! I do have some amazing dreams that could be epic stories/movies, lol. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou should share those dreams with a writer :)
DeleteThank you for sharing your journey in writing. I for one am glad you write and enjoy your books.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Tina
Don't enter me, I have the book.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed, Cynthia! Your life sounds wonderful and exhausting! Haha I'm grateful that you and your husband are bringing us such wonderful stories, though! Thank you!
ReplyDeletemylittlebirdie (at) yahoo (dot) com
We'll keep them coming as long as we can :)
DeleteAlways interesting to follow the writing journey thank you.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Cynthia, you truly are a great example & an inspiration. What a life and what a ministry!
ReplyDeletecarol.nemeth.cn@gmail.com
When is your next book going to be finished? hint hint
DeleteWelcome Cynthia and loved reading about your writing journey.Guess it is getting close to Christmas, huh? yet seems to me its only been a short time ago. My, how fast times goes by for me. I have you beat on the grandkids with 12. But also have 19 greats and in May a great-great coming. But, I will admit I also have MANY years over you. Would love to win your book. GOD bless all of my OWG girls. Love you all. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <
ReplyDeleteWow! You're an inspiration
DeleteThanks for sharing about your writing journey, Cynthia. It is so interesting to learn how an author gets started and now you are a publisher as well. Definitely sounds like a full-time job...lol. Thank you for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletebettimace(at)gmail(dot)com
Definitely a full time job but I love it!
DeleteLove the interview. I'm amazed by your personal productivity and your work on behalf of all your authors. No need to enter me in the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteLinda Baten Johnson
Thank you. My authors are family!
DeleteWhen I met Cynthia this past August at a conference, I was beyond AMAZED at all she does! I asked her HOW she managed to get everything done - - and smiled when she mentioned using post-it notes (I use post-it notes, but then I misplace them, LOL). ;) She must be the Queen of Organization! Thanks for sharing this interview - - Cynthia is an inspiration. Blessings, Patti Jo :)
ReplyDeleteMy desk and wall are full of different colored...squares :)
DeleteThank you for sharing your writing story. Always love to hear how people started their journey.
ReplyDeleteWhich you are well on your way to being great!
DeleteCYNTHIA, thank you for sharing your writing journey! I LOVE your cover designs! Blessings to you!
ReplyDeletepsalm103and138 at gmail dot com
Thank you. I work hard on them
Delete