Scherry: Hi Cynthia!
I was so excited to hear that you will once again be at the Coastal
Magic Convention in Daytona Beach in February as one of Coastal Magic’s
Featured Authors.
Cynthia: ME TOO!!
Scherry: Can you tell us a little about yourself and
your background? Your family? Oh! And tell us about your parrot!
Cynthia: Oh man! That
parrot! Panama. He thinks this entire interview should be about him. Panama is
40 years old, so he will probably live another 10-20 years (if I don’t make
parrot pie before then!) He owns 4 different cages! He has two LARGE cages in
our house, a travel cage when he goes on the road with us, and a large cage at
our winter house in Florida. He’s spoiled rotten. Loves my husband and
considers me the interloper since I’ve only been with my husband for 36 years.
He doesn’t let me forget that he was here first.
I was born and
raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where we live now. I have an older sister who
is married with three grown children, all of whom are married. I have 2
great-nieces and 1 great-nephew. My parents are still living here too. I’ll
tell their ages as long as no one tells Mom! Mom is 88. Dad is 89. They are
doing pretty good. They still live in their house.
Scherry: Shhh! We'll keep your secret!
Cynthia: My husband and
I don’t have children, other than our four-legged furry kids! We have had a
number of dogs over our married life. Currently we only have Maggie, the Border
Collie (picture attached.) Maggie is seven years old and maybe the smartest dog
we have ever owned.
Scherry: Maggie is so sweet! I've heard that Border Collies are really smart dogs.
I understand that you are leaving for a fantastic vacation in Alaska and won't be back until around the time this interview is posted on my blog. I'm wondering if Alaska might inspire you to maybe write about a hunky lumberjack or some muscular guy living in the Alaskan wilderness. That could be prettty cool, ya' know.
Cynthia: Even though I
haven't been on the trip yet, YES, there will be book written about our trip.
Lumberjack? Don’t know but I love the idea. I should probably do some of the
writing while I’m there!
But I think my favorite so far is TEXAS TWO STEP. I fell in love with the characters Mitch Landry and Olivia Montgomery. Do you have a favorite book or a favorite character you’ve created?
BUT what do you
know!! There was a falling out in the family years ago and a sister left home
and never returned. AND she had three children. She told her children the truth
about her background and family in Texas. AND what do you know? One of her sons
MOVED to Whispering Springs, Texas to spy on the Montgomerys! So there will be
three more Montgomery books.
Scherry: That is great news for me! I would love to read more about the Montgomerys!
Scherry: That is great news for me! I would love to read more about the Montgomerys!
Scherry: We will definitely have to be on the look out for those books in October! Have you ever based your book or characters
on actual events or people from your own life?
Cynthia: NEVER real
people. Really, I can’t think of any actual events I’ve used. I’ve used places
I’ve been (like Montana for Hot SEAL, Black Coffee) but other than settings,
no. Everything else is totally out of my head (which is kind of scary knowing
all those people live there!)
Cynthia: My office is quite decorated with hats, books and western keepsakes. However, I write in my living room, so not really. However, I do like to have a scented candle burning when I’m writing.
Scherry: Ever go on writing retreats with a few
writing buddies? If so, where would you
go and who would you be with?
Cynthia: YES!! I’m been on one this year (with Becca Jameson and Parker Kincade) back in April. I have one in July every year with Parker Kincade, Mandy Harbin, Elle James and Delilah Devlin. I love writing retreats. I can get so much done with the right people.
Scherry: What’s the funniest typo you’ve ever
written?
Cynthia: Oh yeah.
What I meant to
write was… He put her hands on the concrete balcony.
What I wrote was… He put her hands on the concrete baloney!
What I wrote was… He put her hands on the concrete baloney!
HAHA Totally
two different things!
Scherry: Glad you caught that one before it went to print! Concrete baloney? Ha!
How long did it take you to write your first book? Did the second and third go more quickly or did they take longer?
How long did it take you to write your first book? Did the second and third go more quickly or did they take longer?
Cynthia: YEARS for book one, TEXAS TWO STEP. About 18 months for TEXAS TANGO. Now, it depends on when I need the book done. I write best to deadlines.
Cynthia: Besides reading? I love to read, so I try to set aside time to read every day.
But I love embroidery. I have two machines. One is a single-needle embroidery/sewing machine. The other is a 10-needle embroidery machine.
One of the
things I love to do is make personalize prizes for readers.
Scherry: I've seen some of those personalized prizes and they are WONDERFUL! Such unique gifts!
Scherry: Cynthia, which writers inspire you?
Scherry: Cynthia, which writers inspire you?
Cynthia: I write because of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Before I starting writing, I remember finishing one of her books, a huge grin on my face. I had enjoyed that book so much. I remember thinking…I’d love to be able to make other people feel like I do right now.
So that’s why I started writing.
Scherry: Well, you certainly accomplished that with ME! Every book I've read of yours has left me with a huge grin on my face!
Are there any nuggets of wisdom you can impart to aspiring writers?
Cynthia:
Are there any nuggets of wisdom you can impart to aspiring writers?
Cynthia:
1. Write, write,
write.
2. Erase, erase,
erase
3. Rewrite,
rewrite
4. FIND AN
EDITOR!!! So many newbie writers will give their work to friends to read.
Friends will “love” it but that’s not what you need. You need a PROFESSIONAL
eye to look at it. It is obvious who used a friend (or no one!) and who paid
for a professional editor.
Scherry: Great advice!
So, say you got arrested. What’s the most likely reason the cops are carting you off to jail? And who would be with you?
So, say you got arrested. What’s the most likely reason the cops are carting you off to jail? And who would be with you?
Cynthia: I was! HAHA
When I was a
senior in high school, we had a bonfire in the middle of nowhere. And OF COURSE
you know there was beer. “EVERYONE” was there. By that, I mean cheerleaders,
dance/drill team, football team starting line-up and so forth. All the cars had
to park at the end of a deadend dirt road and WALK to the middle of the field
for the party. When I was leaving (riding out in someone’s car who’d driven
through the field), I remember seeing bouncing lights coming toward us. It was
the Sheriff’s Department! Some woman called them because there were too many cars
driving down her road!
SO the girls were tossed into the backseat of the deputy’s car and the boys were put in another.
SO the girls were tossed into the backseat of the deputy’s car and the boys were put in another.
One of the
deputies was a newbie. The other was a long-timer. The long-timer was letting
kids WHO HAD NOT BEEN DRINKING go. I hadn’t been, so he took me from his car. I
jumped into my friend Vicki’s car and we left.
Later, we were
at Burger Chef when the patrol cars went by stuffed with the other kids!
Nobody got
“arrested.” They took the drunk kids to the main Sheriff’s Department and
called the parents to come get them. THAT was their punishment! LOL
Besides, if you
understand football in the south, we had the leading high school football team
in Arkansas and nobody was going to mess with that!
I’m still hearing stories from those who were there about where they hid or how they got away.
I’m still hearing stories from those who were there about where they hid or how they got away.
Scherry: Ah! The memories of high school days! It's a good thing social media wasn't around back then to record all of our little mishaps!
What type of books do you enjoy in your
downtime?
Cynthia: Romance, if I’m reading. Almost ANY genre of romance!
Suspense,
Thriller if I’m doing audiobooks. This to keep me from reading the ending
first! LOL Yes. I’m THAT person!
Scherry: Cynthia, thank you so much for joining us here at The Novel Lady! What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming book
signings, releases or works in progress?
For 2018
Booksigning
Naughty in
Nashville, Oct 6
New Releases
for 2018
Hot SEAL, Cold
Beer (Oct 9)
Hot SEAL, Black
Coffee (Oct. 23)
Million Dollar
SEAL ( Date TBD)
Re-Releases for
2018 – all dates are TBD
Cadillac Cowboy
Texas Ranger
Rescue
Texas Marine
Mayhem
Four signings
in 2019
Coastal Magic
in Daytona Beach, FL (March 2)
Book Obsessed
Babes in St. Augustine, FL (March 9)
Signing with
the Spirits in Eureka Springs, AR (March 30)
Readers and
Rebels in West. Virginia (Nov. 2)
How can fans contact you/learn more about
you?
Email:
cynthiadalba@gmail.com
Website: https://www.cynthiadalba.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.dalba
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/CynthiaDAlba
Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cynthia-d-alba
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/author/cynthiadalba
I will definitely be looking forward to seeing Cynthia D'Alba at #CMCon19 in February 2019 in Daytona Beach. Join us there and you can meet Cynthia in person!
2 comments:
Thank you, Scherry! Looking forward to seeing you in Florida!
Can't wait! Looking forward to reading your upcoming new books in October too!
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