Ask the Author: Cynthia Wright
Answered Questions (31)
Cynthia Wright
Hi JayGlo,
Yes, I wrote Crimson Intrigue under the pseudonym Devon Lindsay about 40 (!) years ago. My editor at Ballantine Books, left to go with a new publisher and she wanted to keep working with me, but because of my contract with Ballantine, I had to use a pen name. Of course, I hoped that my readers would realize Devon Lindsay was me! lol
Crimson Intrigue is set during the War of 1812 in Washington, DC.
I was writing Spring Fires at the same time, however, and I discovered that I wasn't very good at working on two books at once. It took me extra time to finish them both.
I have the rights to Crimson Intrigue and I have thought about republishing it but I'm not sure it's up to my current standards.
Do you belong to my Rakes & Readers Group on FB? Maybe I'll have a contest there and give away one of my old copies...
Thanks for reaching out! Cynthia
Yes, I wrote Crimson Intrigue under the pseudonym Devon Lindsay about 40 (!) years ago. My editor at Ballantine Books, left to go with a new publisher and she wanted to keep working with me, but because of my contract with Ballantine, I had to use a pen name. Of course, I hoped that my readers would realize Devon Lindsay was me! lol
Crimson Intrigue is set during the War of 1812 in Washington, DC.
I was writing Spring Fires at the same time, however, and I discovered that I wasn't very good at working on two books at once. It took me extra time to finish them both.
I have the rights to Crimson Intrigue and I have thought about republishing it but I'm not sure it's up to my current standards.
Do you belong to my Rakes & Readers Group on FB? Maybe I'll have a contest there and give away one of my old copies...
Thanks for reaching out! Cynthia
Cynthia Wright
Hi Pat,
My books are currently exclusive to Amazon, though that could change again. You can order ebooks of all 5 Crowns and Kilts titles on Amazon, and the last 3 are available in book form.
You & No Other and Of One Heart were published in the 1980's by Ballantine Books,and I think you can order those on Amazon, too. I will look into having them published in trade paperback form.
I hope that answers your question! Thanks so much for your interest.
Cynthia
My books are currently exclusive to Amazon, though that could change again. You can order ebooks of all 5 Crowns and Kilts titles on Amazon, and the last 3 are available in book form.
You & No Other and Of One Heart were published in the 1980's by Ballantine Books,and I think you can order those on Amazon, too. I will look into having them published in trade paperback form.
I hope that answers your question! Thanks so much for your interest.
Cynthia
Cynthia Wright
I'm not sure, Patricia. After this book, I am going to start a series set in 16th century Scotland. That said, I feel a tug to write about some of the children you'll meet in His Make-Believe Bride, so we'll see...!
Cynthia Wright
Penny, I hope you feel that you are "traveling" when you read a good novel. :-) I love being able to seek out locations that I can write about, hopefully in a way that allows my readers to feel as if they've been there, too. The process of inspiration is kind of magical, I think. I can be in a place (like Cornwall, where it's easy to feel that I'm back in time) or hear a story, and I just know that I'm meant to write about it. I'm lucky now to be able to take so many photographs on my phone, to refresh my memory.
Cynthia Wright
I was a reader of historical romances, Peggy, and in the 1970's, there just weren't enough to read! I read Barbara Cartland and Georgette Heyer, then Kathleen Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers, and because I already loved history, I decided to write my own novel.
Cynthia Wright
Thanks for asking, Theresa. It depends on a lot of factors, but if I am able to work every day, it takes about 4 months.
Cynthia Wright
Doris, you may know that when I began to write (in 1976), there were no series. It just happened that readers asked for more stories about the Raveneau and Beauvisage families, and so I wrote them over the years. And when I began to publish these titles as ebooks, I put them together in series. Now, I'm beginning a new series set in Scotland and I am going to construct a plan for 3-4 books - in advance - which should improve the experience for me and for my readers!
Cynthia Wright
I have, yes, Deb! The biggest "block" for me is my own life, when lots of things are going on. Last spring, we sold our house and bought a new one, then had renovations done. All of that made it very hard for me to mentally travel into the world of His Make-Believe Bride. :-)
Cynthia Wright
YES, Tara! I'm so excited about this. Tim Campbell, who has narrated several books of mine over the past year, will start work on His Make-Believe Bride tomorrow (October 10th) and I have my fingers crossed that it may be available for sale by the end of the month. Tim did such an amazing job with The Secret of Love... sometimes, when I was writing HMBB and I wanted to connect with Justin, I would listen to some of the chapters Tim recorded for The Secret of Love. :-)
Cynthia Wright
Hi Jodi! We have a few traditions we've carried on through the years. My daughter and I make a Yule Log, which is lovely and so much fun. We have ornaments that date back before my childhood - one or two were made by my father when he was a little boy. And I love to attend a midnight service on Christmas Eve. What are your favorite traditions?
Cynthia Wright
That's a perfect question! Daphne Du Maurier is one of my very favorite authors. When I first read her Cornwall-set novels in my teens, I wasn't even sure where Cornwall was. Now, I've had the privilege of walking where she walked and even exploring the same tidal creeks she loved in a little boat, just as she did. I've attended services in the church where she was married. I've seen her son, who lives at Ferryside, her family home in Bodinnick. And I've walked on her Menabilly estate and visited the chapel, though her house is hidden behind trees. It's all so magical for me! That corner of Cornwall truly is a place out of time.
Cynthia Wright
Hi Stephanie! I have thought about it, but haven't attempted a children's book. My older grandson, Noah, is a talented artist and I've suggested to him that together we might be able to write a book - even just for fun. So far, he hasn't taken me up on it, but maybe this will be the year!
Cynthia Wright
HIS MAKE-BELIEVE BRIDE followed (for me) THE SECRET OF LOVE, in which Justin and Mouette meet at the very end of the book. I am especially excited about HIS MAKE-BELIEVE BRIDE because it's my first "older" couple, both of whom have a lot of defenses built up around their hearts.
Cynthia Wright
I have always been a reader, and often a book I read and love has inspired me to work on one of my own. For example, after reading Gone With the Wind twice in 8th grade, I wrote my own 200-page sequel. :-)
Cynthia Wright
I've just started research on a new series set in 16th century Scotland! I'm very excited about it.
Cynthia Wright
Write what you like to read and try not to compare yourself to other writers.
Cynthia Wright
Thanks for asking! I have two young grandsons (ages 10 and 6) and now we live in their neighborhood, so I hope to spend part of Halloween with them. This week, they told me that they are going to the Zombie Brothers for Halloween, complete with scars, torn clothing, etc. Haha!
Cynthia Wright
Wow. What a great question! I think I would say that it was believing in myself. I started writing my first book,CAROLINE, at 21. I had no idea then how hard it was to sell a novel to a New York publisher - and I wasn't at all sure I would even get that far. When I finished the book, some people I knew (like my own dad!) reminded me that the odds were against me. They were afraid I'd be hurt & disappointed by rejection. But I decided I had nothing to lose, and that I'd written the kind of book I wanted to read. CAROLINE was rejected by several publishers - and I was submitting it without an agent, which was very tough in those days - but eventually an editor at Ballantine Books read it and took a chance on me. CAROLINE went on to be their bestselling title in December of 1977. :-)
Cynthia Wright
That is such a tough question, Rita! Lately, I've loved Kate Morton's novels. I am a huge fan of Kristen Hannah (who is also a friend). Georgette Heyer and Daphne Du Maurier have been favorites since I was very young. And among the current crop of HR authors, I enjoy Eloisa James, Kerrigan Byrne, Lisa Kleypas, and many more.
Cynthia Wright
Good question, Victoria! Wherever I go, even if it doesn't seem like a likely location for a novel, I am on the look-out for historical inspiration. So, I would say it's the history first, though atmosphere is definitely a big component of that. When I first visited Cornwall in 1994, and stayed in a National Trust cottage (on the property where I have now placed Trevarre Hall), the atmosphere really captivated me. And the more I learned of the history, the more spellbound I was.
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