07 | January | 2014

Thanks SSLY for allowing me this quick blog post. I’m the Author of the Week for Secret Cravings Publishing and trying to squeeze in some blog time. So, again, thanks a lot ladies! I’ve done a little interview to get to know me and followed by my most recent release information. I’ll be doing a sweepstakes, picking a winner by random from all the commenters over the next three days on this and the other blogs I’ll be a guest on. The winner will receive a $10 Gift Certificate to Secret Cravings Publishing. Good Luck!!!
Interview:
Everyone has a story about how they became a writer, how did you become a writer and what made you decide to write erotic romance?

It came quite by accident. My husband had been writing for a while and I began reading some of his stories, giving pointers and proofreading them. Then, my daughter and I attended a Southern Women’s Convention and the local RWA had a booth. She bought a few books, I read them, and came to the conclusion I could write. I broke out my old laptop (the family desktop my husband used) and began to write. Three years later, I’ve had the opportunity to publish fourteen titles.
I chose erotic romance because, well, I liked it.

Do you have a favorite character you’ve written or one that is still in your imaginations that you haven’t put down yet?

I love all my characters, even the villains. They are such a part of me, I hate to play favorites. The ones I’m still formulating in my head for a new series are quickly taking front and center though. Dark demons and fallen angels, real bad boys. What’s not to love?

How often do you write and do you have a routine or item to help your creativity flow (Music, coffee, etc.)

I write primarily at night, late night and early morning. The house is quiet and I put on Smooth Jazz channel on the television and type away.

Paper or ebook, what is your preference and why?

Love reading paperbacks. I still have my books from eighth grade forward. I do have ebooks, but my favorite is the paper book.

What is your favorite book of all time?

That is a very hard one. I love the classics I read in school. I still have them! Turning a little yellow, and the bindings loose, but I’ve every now and then pick one up and read. Last one was Brave New World.

What is your favorite book this month?

The most recent book I read totally unlike anything I’ve read before was James Rollins, Blood Line. Read it in about three days. Considering it is 632 pages, I’d say I liked it.

Who is your best/favorite fictional heroine and why?

I’d have to say the one I’m writing now, Lindsay Markham known as Trouble for her stage name. She’s a stripper but not by choice. She’s running from a very bad vampire and is hanging out at a strip club. Of course, the hunky cowboy vamp comes to rescue her in the end. Oops! Shouldn’t have given a spoiler. Their love/hate relationship is interesting to write and I’m enjoying writing how the hate fades away leaving only the love.

If you went on the TV Show Survivor, what would be the 1 personal item you would bring?

Oh my! That is one of my all-time favorite shows! I’d bring a moisturizer with a high SPF. I’m prone to skin cancer (I’ve had several cancer and pre-cancer growths removed), so I’d need protection. Everything else personal can survive for thirty-nine days.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Another toss-up, coconut and cheesecake. Love going to Coldstone Creamery once in a blue moon for a special treat.

We know you have books in the works, do you want to share a little about them…just a teaser?

Well, I kind of hinted above. I’m working on Born Trouble and I have a few others. The tag line for Born Trouble is: A Cowboy and an Exotic Dancer are roped into a world of trouble. Of course, it is a vampire story and takes place in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Cynthia has a new release,

TAG LINE: Vampires, Zombies, Voodoo and a possible UFO sighting…take a wild ride with the computer geek on an impossible mission not to lose of his humanity.
BLURB:
Dick Grewcock is a computer geek wanting more out of life. Yearning for a girlfriend, he takes steps to make his dream come true. Vampires are handsome, powerful, and have women falling over them—everything he’s not. Becoming one wasn’t an easy task and he had to find a real vampire willing to turn him.
Christmas Eve, he begins an impossible mission for his boss. Before he starts, a cute spitfire woman just as geeky as him walks into Vampires ‘R Us and life changes. He could have everything he wanted—a pretty girlfriend and a great job—if he could just convince her.
Noelle St. Nicholas is on a mission to save her home and won’t take no for an answer. The only one who can help her is Dick, the nerd staring at her and looking really weird.
Follow the adventures of Dick Grewcock to find true love without losing his humanity.

Excerpt:

Vlad’s voice shifted to a more officious timbre. “Things have changed since our last meeting. Seems the self-proclaimed Zombie King has refused to cooperate. I’m afraid his mush-brain doesn’t understand the consequences for his and the hundreds of zombie followers’ actions. They will ultimately have a horrific impact on all our existences.”
“Now you see why they’re called mush-heads. They can’t think beyond their base needs of craving sugar. You’ve seen those tiny piss ants, haven’t you? They line up one behind the other to serve their leader,” Dominic said, snickering.
“Which leaves us what alternatives, Sir Vlad?” Pete piped in, cutting his eyes toward the hulking mass to the right of Dick.
“I’d hoped for an amicable resolution. I offered to rehabilitate those not completely affected, but he informed me he and his minions didn’t need a cure. They enjoyed their new found way of life. I tried to reason with him, stating their survival necessitated change. They couldn’t subsist on pastries, frozen yogurt, or candy bars. They will eventually have an appetite for other things and digress into a reality of disgusting behavior.” Vlad shuddered and thinned his lips giving him a strange look.
“How serious, sir?” Dick asked, almost afraid to know the answer. How bad could it get? Would Noelle become one of them? Those thoughts made him cringe.
“I haven’t seen such ghastly and sickening behavior in hundreds of years. The last time I witnessed a catastrophe of this magnitude occurred in the year 1252. The infestation wiped out an entire village in my homeland. Disastrous mess, it was.” Vlad shook his head and laced his fingers in a contemplative manner. “I will not tolerate another annihilation of innocent humans. I may be an abomination to most morts, but I’m not heartless. I want to save any viable mush-heads we can. The others, sadly we’ll have to dispose of.”
“You mean really kill them?” Dick swallowed hard. What if Noelle couldn’t be protected from whatever this malady was? Would he be put in the horrible position of having to end her life? His heart stopped beating, and he felt faint.
“As I said, we do not want any of them dead, but if we are able to place them into a cryogenic state identical to your Noelle, we can buy some time. We can’t let this infestation filter into the unwary human population. If any get out, we’ll have a bigger problem on our hands.”
Pete squirmed in his chair. “You’re talking hundreds of these mush-heads. Do you have a large enough facility to house them, sir?”
Dick could see this wasn’t something Pete wanted to do. A pencil pusher at VRU, Dick never had figured out what the guy did there except stir up shit and flirt with Chandra, Vlad’s voluptuous assistant. Dick couldn’t blame Pete. The curvy blonde knew how to show off her assets in the red or black latex bodysuits, the mainstays of her office wardrobe. Most of the male vamps who frequented the Vamps ‘R Us headquarters did so mainly to get a glimpse of her. Pete had tried his charms on Tina when she stood in for Chandra. The temporary assistant slapped him down real quick. Pete was lucky he still existed after she laid into him. Dick found the incident comical after Vlad had warned everyone about her short-fuse temper. Fortunately, for the rest of them, Tina moved to another division of VRU.
“Don’t worry, my boy. I can handle the influx of bodies.”
“How do you expect us to roundup these malfunctioning, walking dead freaks?” Dominic asked gruffly.
“I have a plan.”
“Okay and…?” Dick asked, jumping into the conversation before Dominic could question their boss.
“Dick, my boy, you need to exercise patience. Here’s what I’m thinking. The poor souls are confused and are being led blindly, driven by their insatiable desire to consume sweets. Let’s set a trap for them, one where their needs will be met at the same time we bunker them inside the freezers we strategically place in my yogurt stores. I’ve already arranged for the retrofitting to start. That’s where you boys come in.”
“You want us to lure them in?” Dick hesitated to ask but was sure his contribution to the plan involved the hard part.
“Yes. You’re such a smart guy. I’m absolutely delighted I hired you to work for me, Dick. Your involvement is easy, really. I’m making up flyers, and you’ll distribute them to all the known places the infected are making camp. We’ll also put them up in known places they frequent. All those who show up will be placed in refrigeration. They won’t put up a fight, not with the creamy desserts offered for free.” Vlad paused and smiled, a wicked upturn of his lips making Dick question his master’s thought process.
“Why would these zombies think getting free frozen yogurt at a known vampire establishment would be safe? No offense, sir. Your plan has a few holes.” Dominic’s condescending tone drew a scowl from Vlad.
Dick pushed back from the table, speechless. Dominic daring to question Vlad’s plan was suicidal, although he might have done the same in the past. The plan was flawed. Regardless, the way Dominic broached his argument wasn’t the best. Surely, he knew Vlad didn’t take kindly to anyone doubting his ideas. If someone dared make the mistake, the tongue lashing, or worse, wouldn’t be pleasant.
“Well, then, you’ll make sure it works, won’t you?” Vlad’s tone was unmistakably firm. “As a matter of fact, you’ll take the shops in Kissimmee—all four of them.”
“But—”
“Are you saying no to me, Dominic?”
The disagreeable vamp righted his posture in the chair. “No, sir. I thought your plan seemed too simple to work. I guess I was wrong. Sorry, sir. I shouldn’t mistrust your wise judgment.”