Writer Cynthia Hickey On Christmas Reading

Cynthia Hickey, welcome to my Christmas series of Writers on Reading. I’ve been looking forward to these interviews like—well, excuse the cliché—but a kid at Christmas! So with your recent Christmas story, A Christmas Stamp, having released this August, what is your favorite part about a Christmas-themed story?

Love, romance, and Christ in Christmas!

What do you look for when selecting a Christmassy novel or novella to cozy up with this month?

A message of the true meaning of Christmas with a sweet romance to go along with it. I also enjoy stories of something lost, something precious found.

That’s fun to know. I don’t know about you, but many of us associate this season with traditional baking. I don’t think a Christmas novel would be complete without those special scents floating around in your head. What are your favorite Christmas goodies to read or write about?

If a Christmas story features a dish that means something to the characters, it’s nice to

have the recipe included in the book.

Is there an element of these books that you’d feel cheated if it wasn’t there? Or something special you like to add to your Christmas stories?

If there wasn’t a Happily Ever After with a gift that is special only to the characters, I’d be sorely disappointed. In my Handcarved Christmas, a family heirloom is accidentally destroyed, and the hero’s actions to make Christmas memorable, despite the heartbreak, will warm the reader’s heart.

How very special, Cynthia! As far back as you remember, what was the first Christmas-related fiction story you read or had read to you? Is there a Christmas book you like to share with your children or grandchildren? Do you have any other special Christmas reading memories?

When the children were small, my husband would read to them The Night Before Christmas and from the book of Luke. Precious memories.

Indeed precious memories! Over the years, has any Christmas novel or novella really stuck with you that you’d like to share with our readers?

 

Being Scot-Irish, I read An Irish Country Christmas by Alice Taylor. It’s an older book, but the simple traditions of the Irish always warms my heart.

Special! Thank you for sharing, Cynthia. Folks, you can continue to connect with Cynthia—and find out more about her books—at the link below.

Multi-published and Amazon Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release in 2013, 2014, 2015 through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold half a million copies of her works. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference. She is active on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. Her and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs and one cat. She has seven grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”. Visit her website at www.cynthiahickey.com

Two Fantastic Christmas Box sets. Check out My other Writers On Readings Christmas Interviews on these authors!

Writer Cynthia Hickey On Reading

Cynthia, welcome to Writers on Reading! With so many titles to your name it seems you’ve written almost every genre, but one abiding theme remains consistent: romance! So… I’m betting you read romance too. But I’d love to know if you find one theme more repeatedly snags your attention as a read? Is there something special you seek when selecting your next reading adventure?

 

I absolutely love romantic suspense. I love men who are real men, although flawed, and a story where true love is found regardless of danger.

Sounds like great reading to me! As a writer, you should know better, but as a reader, you know we all do it…so, when did you last “judge a book by the cover”? How did it work out?

If I don’t like the cover, I don’t pick up the book. If I do like the cover, I read the blurb, then flip through the pages to make my decision.

I think we all do that. Fun to hear you do too. Having published so many books do you find time to read during the months you spend writing or with deadlines ahead is it either/or for you? If so, what did you read while working on your last book? If not, what did you read when you finished this one?

I read every night before going to bed. To me…reading is as important as writing. The latest book I’m reading is a cozy mystery as I mentally prepare myself to write my final

book in the Nosy Neighbor series and begin a new series.

It looks like such a fun series! Did a book recently make you laugh/cry/sigh/shiver?

Staying true to my favorite genre, the last book that really made me gasp and recommend to others who like suspense was This Time You Lose by Chris Stralyn. On a sweeter note, I read everything Karen Witemeyer writes. She makes me laugh.

Hah! She is a hoot, no denying that! Were you the kind of kid/teen who loved reading?

Which novel do you first remember reading? The Black Stallion was my all time favorite. I have a signed letter and photograph from Walter Farley. After that, I owned the entire Nancy Drew series

After the interviews I've done, I think can say we all loved Nancy Drew---especially the suspense writers. With a cozy fall coming up, what is on your to-read list? And what is your ideal autumn reading experience?

I love curling up on the sofa, good book in hand, diet coke nearby, and silence to read.

Is there a book you are looking forward to rereading?

I have read all of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series multiple times. Not inspirational, but her characters are the best I’ve read.

If heroine in your Nosy Neighbor series were to pick a book from today’s shelves, what do you think it would be?

My Nosy Neighbor, heroine, Stormi Nelson, would be sure to pick up anything by James Patterson. Especially his Michael Bennett series.

How fun! Thanks so much for visiting and letting us get to know you better as a reader, Cynthia! Folks, you can continue to connect with Cynthia—and find out more about her many, many, many romance books!—at the links below.

BIO:

Multi-published and Amazon Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon's ebooks for their genre. She has several historical romances releasing in 2013, 2014, 2015 through Harlequin's Heartsong Presents, and has sold more than 350,000 copies of her works.

PURCHASE AND CONNECTION LINKS:

www.cynthiahickey.com www.forgetmenotromances.com  www.takemeawaybooks.com Winged Publications - Where Your Stories Take Flight Amazon Bestselling Author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cynthia-Hickey-151333448227549/

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