Connie: Hello and welcome, Cindy (aka Cynthianna)! Thanks for taking the time to visit with me. Before I start throwing questions your way, would you tell me and the readers a bit about yourself, and maybe what your working on now for their enjoyment? What’s coming out next?

Cindy: A little about myself: I enjoy writing funny, sexy, romantic fiction and have done so for about decade now. I live with my husband, two teenage daughters and one very bossy cat in the suburbs of a large Midwestern city where I’m afraid to drive because the roads are actually slow moving parking lots. I like to sing barbershop harmony when I’m not writing. I like to read just about everything (except maybe straight horror) and watch movies on DVD when I’m not writing or singing. I have an incredibly dry, somewhat off-the-wall sense of humor. I rarely take myself seriously. I hope others think I’m as funny as I’d like to think I am.

Coming out very soon is my "vampire erotic-romance" (written under my pen name Celine Chatillon) Help! I’m Falling for the Vampire Next Door from Liquid Silver Books. It has a fantastic cover—check it out online at http://www.celinechatillon.com I love the full moon and the Gateway Arch in the background. I mix a little levity into the story of "Mel" (Melynda), an artist striking out on her own who falls for her sexy neighbor who happens to be a night owl photographer with a fridge full of red meat. "Val" (Valentine) is kind, talented and gorgeous and that’s all that really matters, right? The ability to transform into a bat is just a plus!

I’m also continuing to write more chapters in my "sf-comedy-erotic-romance saga" Brandi Whyne and Her Incredibly Erotic Adventures (eXtasy Books). If I have some time this summer, I plan on start on a sequel to Vampire Next Door staring Mel’s cousin Shelby and a yet unnamed time-traveler. I’m calling it the "Paranormal Lovers of St. Louis" series.

Connie: You’re very versatile with your writing. By that I mean you’ve got your fingers in several different writing pots as with the various writing projects you just mentioned. Inspirational, Romantic Comedy, and Children’s fiction to name a few. Was this planned or did it happen here and there as opportunities came along?

Cindy: Planned? Not really! Why would anyone choose to be as scattered brained as I am at times? I’m definitely an opportunist. When someone says, "Have you ever thought of writing such-and-such?" it gets me thinking, "Why, no, I haven’t. Maybe I ought to look into that. Thanks." I always keep my ears open and my mind as well.

Connie: Keeping your ears open, being an opportunist when it comes to ideas and so forth, do you believe this is a way to keep fresh with your writing?

Cindy: Definitely. You can’t become too bored when you’re writing all over the map. And it’s amazing that good writing is always good writing—no matter what genre or market you’re targeting.

Connie: Cindy, it would probably be a hard pick, but let’s say out of those genres (mentioned above) you write for, the publishing powers that be said (pretending now...) "You’re spreading yourself too thin. Pick one genre to write for from now on." Which would you pick to write and why?

Cindy: That’s a tough call. I would say I’d continue writing romantic-comedy in some form. It’s what I enjoy writing the most as far as novel-length fiction goes. And it covers sub-genres like "erotic romantic comedy" and "paranormal romantic comedy", too.

Connie: A-ha. Finding a way to keep the fingers in the pots!

Lots of authors, as you do, say their stories are character driven. For someone who is unsure exactly what that may mean please explain from both an author and reader’s point of view.

Cindy: From an author’s point of view, character driven means the plot (the story) derives from the characters themselves. You begin drafting the novel with the characters personas in mind, and you put them on the page and let them figure out the exact story line as you go along.

From a reader’s point of view, it means that the author delves deep into the heart and soul of the main characters. (In romance, this means the hero and heroine.) You really get to "crawl around inside" the heads of the characters in a character driven novel as opposed to the characters in a plot driven novel. Most women readers find character driven stories more emotionally satisfying, too.

Connie: That’s me; I want to connect somehow with the characters and what they’re going through. In that desire to connect, what about you? Out of your character driven stories, which character(s) would you like most to spend some one on one quality time with, get to know them better?

Cindy: Hmmm… all of them? I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface for many of them. I’d say that Brandi in Brandi Whyne and Her Incredibly Erotic Adventures is one of my more surprising characters in recent times. You just never know what that girl will do next! I mean, throw her into a room full of men and she just gets up to all kinds of… activities. I have to admit, I have no idea how I came up with such an "open-minded, sexually confident" character.

Connie: I’ll leave you to figure that one out...Editing can be added to your resume, too, Cindy. If one is truly interested, and has the gift, how can someone go about becoming an editor, either to offer their services or through an e-publisher?

Cindy: I’d start with editing for your writing buddies. Offer to copy-edit a friend’s contest submission or first chapter. You’ll learn a lot about editing by reading other’s writing. It’s hard to learn anything by reading/editing your own stuff because writers hate to cut out words, scenes, chapters and sub-plots they’ve slaved over for days and days. I know I do! But to do editorial work for a publisher, you’ll need to be ready to take a test and prove that you possess the skills. Believe me, they won’t take your word alone for it.

Connie: Thanks for the input. I’ve often wondered how an editor becomes an editor.

You’re a reviewer, too, another thing for the resume. I can see where it could, so I’ll ask...has reviewing helped hone any of your writing skills?

Cindy: Oh, yes, definitely. I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of genres and writing styles by reading and reviewing books. You learn to look for what makes a book "work" and to look for what detracts from its overall message. Constructive criticism is one of the hardest things to give at times, but you can learn to do it effectively. A reviewer (or an editor) can’t say "This part of the book just doesn’t work for me" without giving concrete reason as to why it doesn’t work. The editor then goes on to give the author suggestions on how to fix the weak spot. The reviewer makes note of it for readers.

Connie: You’re right, it’s hard to put into words what doesn’t work or why keeping in mind the resulting book is somebody’s baby. But I can see where reviewing could be of great help when honing the writing skills.

With all the writing you do in different venues do you ever have multiple projects going at once? If so, how do you re-immerse yourself into the characters without bringing over the tone of the other project as you shuffle them?

Cindy: Good question! Yes, I can have multiple projects going at once, but generally I’ll try to have only one fiction piece going at any given time. That helps me keep the tone and the characters straight in my mind. But it can be a challenge getting back into a piece after putting it aside for a while (usually because "real world" projects that pay the bills have to take precedence). I generally start re-reading from the beginning of the story or perhaps the beginning of a chapter or section to get a "feel" for the tone and what I was writing previously before plunging boldly forward.

Connie: One last author question, Cindy, then we want to know more about you, the non-author. With life’s experiences and knowing what you know now (as a writer) is there anything you wish you could go back and re-do or do differently?

Cindy: Sure there are things I wish I’d done differently. Million of things! But I honestly believe God has a purpose for all those crazy curves and mazes we sometimes have to wander through in life before we get to where we’re heading. The one thing I would go back and do (if I had a time machine) would be to go back and tell my younger self, "It’s all right to try and fail." That’s a lesson most of us have to learn over and over again until it sinks in. Perfectionism freezes us in place. But if we don’t try, we’ll never know what it’s like to succeed.

So I always encourage other wannabe writers (or wannabe anything!) to not be afraid to try and not to give up if after the first or fiftieth time you don’t succeed. The only difference between a published author and a non-published writer is the first one didn’t give up. Never surrender your dream!

Connie: Gosh, that perfectionism in me freezes me all the time. Something is never good enough and I just have to let go.

Ok, you’re stranded on a desert island...who would be best at finding/building shelter and foraging for food? You or your husband?

Cindy: Neither of us? At least I was a Girl Scout… I learned how to build a camp fire, and I may remember what things you can and can’t eat in the forest. But I can’t hook up a monitor to the back of a computer, and that’s why I married my guy!

Connie: Knowing what you can’t eat, well, that’s a good thing!

You sing, you tutor English as a second language students, you write write write. What’s self-indulgence time like for you?

Cindy: Writing something I really want to write (not something assigned to me) is self-indulgence. Singing is a pretty self-indulgent act, too. And I enjoy chatting with "new Americans", as we call our ESL students. So, it’s all self-indulgence time. I’m truly one of those people who does what she likes the majority of the time.

Connie: I can think of a lot of qualities I’d want my fictional Prince Charming to have. When you’re reading a book, what qualities do you want your fictional Prince Charming to have? What draws you the most to the hero (or even secondary male character)?

Cindy: His kindness. Yeah, I’m not big on the violent "alpha male, brooding type" that is still popular with many readers. I want a hero to be a man I’d be happy for the heroine to hook up with forever and ever. He’s got to be loving, sincere, considerate and compassionate. Good looks and "tough guy" tactics may seem sexy on the outside, but in the long run, you want Prince Charming to be a man you know will be there for you when times get tough.

Connie: I like your fictional Prince Charming requirements.

You believe it’s important to laugh. What is something that’s sure to make you laugh? How about cry?

Cindy: Pointing out the absurdities of life—that makes me laugh. There are just so many absurd things in the world. Truth is always stranger than fiction. You can either go crazy trying to reconcile the ridiculousness or you can laugh about things. It’s probably why I’m such a big Monty Python fan.

Cry? Whenever I see/hear about children hurting anywhere in the world, it makes me cry. I don’t like to cry, so I want to be a part of the solution and not the problem.

Connie: Cindy, what would be your dream vacation?

Cindy: Vacation? Whazzat?

It’s been so long since we’ve been able to go on a vacation, I’m not sure what I’d like to do anymore. I know my husband wants to go on a Caribbean cruise, however. I really would like to take him on one before we both get too old to enjoy all the fun in the sun. That’s my dream—to be able to afford to take hubby on a cruise—before (or on) our 25th wedding anniversary. That’s a good dream vacation, don’t you think?

Connie: Very good. With that I’ll say thanks and good-bye. I so appreciate your time. Before you go, though, is there anything I forgot to ask that you want the readers and fans to know?

Cindy: I’m a nice person once you get to know me. I don’t bite (much).

And feel free to visit my web sites and to join my electronic newsletters. That way you’ll know when my next book is coming out and where to buy it.

My monthly e-newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cindyappelnewsletter

Cynthianna Appel (romantic-comedy) http://www.cynthianna.com

Celine Chatillon (erotic-romance) http://www.celinechatillon.com

Celine’s Dreams newsletter (adults only): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celinesdreams

Cindy Appel (non-fiction, writer’s helps and children’s fiction) http://www.cindyappel.com

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