About Cindy Blackburn:
Cindy Blackburn is living the dream! She spends her days sitting around in her pajamas, thinking up unlikely plot twists and ironing out the quirks and kinks of lovable characters. In other words, Cindy’s a writer.
When she’s not typing on her laptop or feeding her fat cat Betty, Cindy enjoys taking long walks with her cute hubby John. A native Vermonter who hates snow, Cindy divides her time between the south and the north. Most of the year you’ll find her in South Carolina. But come summer she’ll be on the porch of her lakeside shack in Vermont. Yep, it’s a place very similar to Lake Elizabeth–the setting of the Cassie Baxter Mysteries..
Cindy’s favorite travel destinations are all in Europe, her favorite TV show is The Big Bang Theory, her favorite movie is Moonstruck, and her favorite color is orange. Cindy dislikes vacuuming, traffic, and lima beans.
What inspires you to write?
Five Spot, my latest Cue Ball Mystery, recently got a review that said “Put your silly hat on and go with the flow.” Now there’s a reader who gets it! I like to make people laugh. I hope my books give readers a fun escape from their daily stresses.
Tell us about your writing process.
I’m mostly a pantser, but I always know the beginning, middle and end of my story as I begin. Then I do a little bit of outlining on a whiteboard as I get going and along the way. I don’t always write the book from beginning to end, but as scenes and snippets of conversation come to me, I’ll get it down while my muse is cooperating. I never do character sketches—I get to know my characters by their words and actions within the story. I love it when they surprise me. For instance, I didn’t know Jessie Hewitt was a pool shark until that first night Wilson Rye challenged her to a game!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I definitely listen to my characters. I see and hear their conversations and pay close attention to type it in accurately. I’m lazy—I let my characters do all the hard work and I just take down the notes. As I’m typing, I find that I’m making the faces and gestures that they are. I mimic them. Anyone spying me from a window would think I’m crazy. Oh well. My neighbors think that anyway!
What advice would you give other writers?
Write every day. If possible, write first thing in the morning when no other voices or noise has disturbed your muse. It’s also fun to write last thing at night. It’s a great way to get the subconscious working while you sleep.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to self-publish when I had trouble getting the notice of an agent. I decided life’s too short, and I knew I had written books that would make a lot of people happy. Soooo, I took the plunge into self-publishing. My advise to new authors would be to do what seems right to you. But don’t jump into anything, self-publishing or signing a book contract, until really studying the issues.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I have no idea! But I hope the e-book world continues to thrive and grow.
What do you use?: Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Cozy mysteries with a lot of humor and a little romance.
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Cindy Blackburn Home Page Link
Link To Cindy Blackburn Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit, to allow you, the reader, to hear the author in their own voice.
