Welcome back to the blog, Cynthia. I’m so excited to have you join us again, this time as a PUBLISHED author!! (Still cheering over here!) šŸ™‚

Youā€™ve just gone through the busy season of launching your first book baby DURING the holidays. What was that like? Can you share a favorite moment from that experience?

Actually, I blogged about this very thing. šŸ˜Š

For a dĆ©but novelist, launching a book at the holiday season is a bit like birthing a baby on a roller coaster surrounded by sugar-plum fairies and candy canesā€¦and wondering if anyoneā€™s watching.

Think: elation meets sheer panic.

While an authorā€™s first (published) book is a triumphant accomplishment, itā€™s also a season of utter exhaustion and terror.

Weā€™re excited for the world to finally meet our ā€œfirst-born,ā€ but we worry, too, will people think sheā€™s beautiful?

Will they like her? Love her? See her with the same adoring eyes as I?

The questions that plague a new author arenā€™t so different from those of multi-published novelists except for the fact that other than family and our social media friends, we donā€™t yet have an established fan base.

We donā€™t yet have readers who will gladly climb the highest mountain and sail the deepest sea (*insert melodramatic eye-roll*) to lay hands on our shiny, brand new baby, despite her newness and maybe a dimple. Because being new isnā€™t bad, and dimples are cute, right?

Itā€™s a poignant thought. One that kick-starts myriad emotions and induces wave after wave of roilingā€¦nausea. (With a twist.) We like it!

We like that our babyā€™s finally arrived and ready to view.

Weā€™re proud that our hard workā€™s come to fruition.

We pray that, maybeā€”just maybeā€”sheā€™ll add joy to someoneā€™s less than stellar day.

Still, we wonder if our book baby is worthy of theĀ oohsĀ andĀ aahsĀ that friends and family utter upon first glanceā€”if their praise, after having glimpsed our heart beyond the pretty cover, is truly warranted. (You can read more here, but Iā€™m thrilled to say initial reviews of Her Hope Discovered are very positive!)

My favorite moment during this book launch season would have to be opening the big box of books (my books!) that arrived on Christmas Eve. Seeing my book in print (beyond the ARC) for the very first time was magicalā€¦and surreal.

As my husband captured the moment on video, all I could think wasā€¦ But God. If not for God, Her Hope Discovered and the Welcome to Ruby series would have languished on my laptop, continuing to draw virtual cobwebs. God coordinated the timing of my publication journey even when it seemed stalled and heading nowhere.

Pssstā€¦ For those who missed it, readers can catch my big ā€œbook baby unveilingā€ in my Instagram or Twitter feed. (Scroll back to the date of 12/24/18.) Yes, there were tears! But they were happy ones. šŸ˜Š

What a roller-coaster of emotions, for sure. So delighted to see your dream come true! I LOVED this book! (Watch for my review coming soon, friends) Can you tell us who was the most memorable character to write in Her Hope Discovered and why?

Oh, goodness. I loved them all, but a favorite would be Deputy Horace Sapp, whoā€”as Iā€™ve often saidā€”dispenses wit and wisdom with about as much finesse as a bull in a china closet, but his heartā€™s in the right place.

Another favorite (colorful) character is Ida Mae Hoscutt, owner of the local Come and Get It Diner, confidante to many and friend to all. Ida Mae draws us in with her larger-than-life personality and down-home charm. Like many people, she also carries a little extra baggage and harbors a secretā€¦or two. Look for Ida Maeā€™s very own story in His Love Revealed, book two of my Welcome to Ruby series!

Oh, I can’t wait to see where her story goes from here! šŸ™‚

What is your favorite part of writing?

I think my favorite part of writing is the creative process. Taking a completely blank slate and transforming it from the ground up into a story worthy of reading is the ultimate kick. When somethingā€”say, a pivotal scene or story arcā€”starts to flow and everything gels together (with no lumps), thatā€™s gravy!

What upcoming book(s) are you excited to read this year?

You ask tough questions, Savanna! šŸ˜Š There are so many books Iā€™m excited about, but I cannot wait to read The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings. We were 2016 ACFW Genesis finalists together, and I absolutely love the premise of this story. Another book Iā€™m looking forward to is Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner. I loved her debut novel and her fun, unconventional writing style. This story intrigues me, too.

I will definitely be adding those to my TBR list!

What are you working on now? Whatā€™s next? šŸ™‚

Currently, Iā€™m continuing to work on books in my Welcome to Ruby series. His Love Revealed, book two in the series, releases next year.

Love the title! Can’t wait, Cynthia. It’s such a joy to have you here today. Wishing you a blessed 2019 in every way!

Thank you so much for having me as your guest today, Savanna! Iā€™m delighted to join you and your awesome readers!

GIVEAWAY!!

Cynthia has graciously offered to give away a print copy of Her Hope Discovered. Enter below and it could be YOU! šŸ˜‰

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering!Ā Contest is open only in the U.S. and ends January 22, 2019Ā  The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody!