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