13 August 2014

CINDY NORD INTERVIEW


Please join me in welcoming the amazing Cindy Nord to the blog!
 

Have you always had a passion for writing?
My passion for writing began many years ago.  As a young divorcee completely disillusioned by romance, I sought enjoyment in reading. Then, finally, on a lonely New Year’s Eve, I tucked my two young son’s into bed, poured myself a glass of wine, then pulled out my old Tower typewriter. With a strong belief in a ‘happily-ever-after’ I began to craft a love story which would contain all the elements I felt a true hero should possess. THAT was the night I gave birth to a Civil War love story, NO GREATER GLORY, which ultimately became a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist, which landed me my fabulous agent. Lo and behold, my journey toward publication began.

Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favorite authors/books?
I love historical romance.  The elements I look for in a novel that I read for pleasure are a captivating love story, characters who I can fall in love with, and detailing that sweeps me right straight back into the time period.  I have many romance novels on my keeper shelf, but as I glance at them several stand out to me, and are as timely & moving as they were when I first them:  THE OUTSIDER by Penelope Williamson.  GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell.  LOVE & WAR by Patricia Hagan. Good heavens, the list goes on and on.

What are your biggest inspirations?
People.  So many people inspire me to do better, strive harder, and reach farther.  Their successes are what inspires me to continue in my quest every day.

Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings?
Some of my characters have been born in my mind before I even start writing a book.  And others only after I’m in the process of creating.  They literally ‘talk to me’…lol. For example, Dillon [the hero of my third novel & sidekick of Jackson Neale] just would not take a back seat in my second novel [With Open Arms…the love story of Callie Cutteridge and Jackson Neale] until I promised him he could have his own dang book!! And I always place my characters in settings that I love myself.

Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces?
 Absolutely…especially when I crafting a love scene or writing involved conflict. And my music choices vary so greatly from Enya to Garth Brooks to The Eagles to Beethoven.  See? I’m a writer, so my mood changes with the wind.  

What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block?
I always run things past my husband and we’ll sit down & discuss upcoming scenes and potential plot twists.  Oh, and bottles of wine….lots and lots of organic Pinot Noir…lol. ♥ 

How has becoming a published author changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be?
 I didn’t realize how extremely busy my life would become upon being published.  I find myself with less time to actually write, so I must be even more focused than ever before and follow guidelines that I have set for myself.  I love the opportunities and ‘opened doors’ that being a historical romance writer has presented to me. From interacting with so many amazingly wonderful authors that I have admired for years, to meeting incredibly supportive bloggers, readers, and leaders in the publishing industry, I cannot ask for a better ‘career’ than this one. 
 
What are your biggest challenges as an author?
Balancing my time and attention between writing, social media, my family and my friends…and, of course, finding just that perfect word to use in a sentence…after all, it’s all about the emotions.  

Do you have any pets?
Two spoiled-rotten Shetland Sheepdogs….Shelties, of course.  Our oldest boy’s AKC name is Charleston’s Own Captain Rhett Butler Nord, but we just call him Buddy.  And our little girl is Atlanta’s Own Katy Scarlett O’Hara Nord, otherwise affectionately called Katy. 

What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing?
Gardening. RV camping and traveling. Hiking. Bicycling. And going on luxurious cruises with the hubster.

Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world?
Too numerous to pick just one…from the Mayan Ruins deep in Mexico’s core to the beauty and splendor of the Grand Canyon to the hauntingly poignant monuments of the bloodstained Civil War battlefields across this nation, each and every place has burned a spot inside our heart.

Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work…
I am currently writing AN UNLIKELY HERO, Book Three of my Four-book THE CUTTERIDGE SERIES for Samhain Publishing. Book One, NO GREATER GLORY, was the #1 Civil War Romance at Amazon for nearly a year.  And Book Two, WITH OPEN ARMS, just debuted on August 5th, and is currently the #1 Bestselling Historical Western at Samhain. 









My webpage:  www.cindynord.com
Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Nord/e/B008VJZSPE/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1407793476&sr=1-2-ent
Amazon link (With Open Arms):  http://amzn.com/B00KT23WO0
Amazon link (No Greater Glory):   http://amzn.com/B008GWOI9S
Barnes & Noble NOOK link (With Open Arms):  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/with-open-arms-cindy-nord/1119742281?ean=9781619225435
Barnes & Noble NOOK link (No Greater Glory):   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-greater-glory-cindy-nord/1112120177?ean=9781619212435
Cindy’s Facebook ‘Coffee Klatch’:  https://www.facebook.com/cindy.nord.9
Cindy’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnord2
Goodreads (With Open Arms):  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22441708-with-open-arms