Author Cynthia Hickey - FUDGE-LACED FELONIES - Free Book

I usually have the interview loaded earlier in the day, but I'm catching up from being on a two-day trip to The Woodlands for an author event. Here's another Heartsong Mystery book.

Welcome, Cynthia. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Not normally. :-) But in my cozy mystery series, the heroine, Summer Meadows, is a clutzy ditz. There’s a lot of me in her. Growing up, people told me I was a blond at heart. Some of the things Summer does is so odd, I had to ask friends and relatives whether they thought someone would actually do so. Like in book two where she is walking an elephant down Highway 64. All my relatives said they would in a heartbeat!

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I eat my M & M’s one at a time, crunching off the candy shell then letting the chocolate middle melt.

That's not quirky. It tastes good that way. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In junior high school. I kept making up stories for my little brother in which he was always the hero.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Everything! I’d have to say my least favorite is science fiction, but I read everything.

A woman after my own heart. What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I have three pod’s out. Two of them are romantic suspense and one is historical. Readers love them. I would love to take them back and start from scratch. I have some other romantic suspense written, two actually, but am focusing on cozy mystery for now.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Okay, don’t laugh. I play the Sims on the PC. It’s nice to rule someone else’s world.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Baby name books. I flip through until I find a definition that matches who I want the character to be.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Having more than one book inside my crazy head.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

An eagle. Beautiful, graceful, and free.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate!

It's brain food for writers, right? What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Wow. A hard one. Finding that niche that got me picked up by an agent. Perseverance, and prayer, is the only way to succeed in this business.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Keep learning your craft. I know everyone says this, but it’s true. And keep a file of every story idea that pops into your head no matter how silly it may seem at the time. You never know when you’ll need it. And don’t turn down a dare to write something that isn’t what you normally write.

That’s how I acquired my agent and publisher. A friend pretty much dared me to write a first person cozy mystery. Being an Irish and not one to turn down most dares, I did and the rest is history.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

I absolutely love Summer Meadows, and her Aunt Eunice is a real hoot. There is a lot of me and my relatives in these two characters.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.cynthiahickey.com or www.cynthiahickey.blogspot.com

Thank you, Cynthia, for spending time with us today.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of Fudge-laced Felonies. What a fun name for a book!

Check out Cynthia's web site and her blog.

Also, I just posted the August Newsletter on my web site: www.lenanelsondooley.com . Come over and read it. I always write reviews of the books I read the last month. There are some good ones this month. Also, you'll find a list of new books releasing in August.