Welcome back, Cindy. What
has drawn you to writing for children?
I have worked with kid since I was a kid literally. I
started teaching children's church when I was 13 years old. I love how kids
think and interact and I seem to relate well with kids.
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
Hmm, well in regard to children, I guess it would be
dressing up and doing crazy skits for kids at special events, my husband and I
do a skit called Bobby Joe, where he is a hillbilly and I basically quiz him
about what he is doing? Kids love Bobby Joe.
When did you first
discover that you were a writer?
I have always written things down, since I was a kid, I used
to take a book to church and write down my notes on the sermons my daddy
preached, I journaled a lot as a kid, and I have been reviewing books for about
7 years now. It just kind of happened. But now it is more of a driving force,
with stories I need to tell that rattle around in my head.
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I love mystery and suspense, and I enjoy Amish books too,
and if you combine them, I really enjoy them.
What other books have
you written, whether published or not?
Oh dear, I have story after story that I have written for
children, with one of my favorites being The
Adventure of Dayzee, I hope to see it come to life this year. I have more stories ready to go in The
Parables of Trevor Turtle Series, the next one will be about a squirrel named
Foxxy Squirrel. I also have a series called Timmy and Tessa stories, these are
stories that are based on some of the funny events that happen to my cousin's
children. I haven't decided if they will be published or not, they may just be
a private thing I do for my family.
Those are the children's stories. I have plans to publish a
devotional in late January for tweens, I have been working on it for about a
year and I think it is time to go forward with it. I also was looking through
some memory sticks and I found another non fiction work, that I had been doing
about infertility, I tagged it to pray and study some more about finishing it
up. So I have tons of books and stories that I have written, I just need to
work on getting them published.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
Wow, we do live in a busy, busy world, and since I work from
home, besides writing, I often find myself snowballed with commitments. I just
have to step back and take a deep breath and prioritize. I find that some of
those pressing things aren't near as important as I thought.
What is the accomplishment
that you are most proud of, besides family?
I have to say it is the publication of Dianna's Wings and my
co-authored book Swept Away, Quilts
of Love. There is nothing to compare holding a book you wrote in your hands and
seeing that work in a finalized presentation. Awesome, awesome feeling!
If you were an
animal, which one would you be, and why?
Oh, this one is easy, a cat. And if you have ever owned a
cat (well been owned by a cat) you understand, they rule.
What is your favorite
food?
Chicken, I could eat it every day, I love it. I haven't ever
had it prepared in any way that I did not like it.
Is it hard to break
into the children’s market?
I think it is hard to break into any writing market, and
publishing has changed in many ways over the years, I am sure you too know
this. I chose to self-publish this story. The artist I worked with teaches
creative writing on the college level, and he edited my story as well as drew
the pictures, which are awesome by the way. I didn't choose to self-publish on
a whim. We, my illustrator and I, both prayed about this story, how it was best
suited to be marketed. And we worked hard to present a professional book.
That’s the best kind
of self-publishing. What advice would you give to an author wanting to do that?
Edit, edit, edit. Work with a critique team, ones who will
be honest with you. Also I have to say be patient, Dianna's Wings was 2 and
half years in the making. It didn't happen overnight, it was revised,
rewritten, nearly scrapped, and finally we started with the original. Also be
sure when you work with a critique team to take advice seriously but don't let
it change your story line, have your mind made up what your story is saying.
What would you like
to tell us about the featured book?
I think Dianna's Wings is a book that all children
need to read or hear. It teaches us that God creates us perfectly and
wonderfully. We don't need to look like everyone else. We are unique to God.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
I am on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorcindyloven
I also blog at www.cindylovenwrites.blogspot.com
I also have an Amazon page, where you can also find Dianna's
Wings.
My pleasure and great blessing, Cindy.
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