October 19, 2007
Jaunty interviews Cindi Myers
Written by Jaunty Quills in Jaunty Guests
Today we’re welcoming category superstar, Cindi Myers, who writes for nearly as many lines as I have quills. I’ve been told she’s going to tell us all about trying new things. I, myself, try new things all the time, why just yesterday…Alright, alright, not need to pinch me. Evidently this interview isn’t about me. *clears throat* Welcome, Cindi.
Thank you, Jaunty, for inviting me to be a guest blog today. It’s an honor to meet such an esteemed personage (porcupinage?) as yourself.
Glad you see my worth, some people around here fail to see my virtues. Please tell us about your upcoming book.
Marriage On Her Mind represents something new for me – my first Harlequin American Romance. It’s also something familiar for me – a return to romantic comedy. After writing a number of books for Harlequin Blaze, I wanted to tell a warm, humorous story similar to the ones I wrote for Flipside and Temptation. As an added bonus – for me and I hope for readers – Marriage On Her Mind is the start of a series of books set in Crested Butte, Colorado, featuring a cast of recurring characters. I looked at it sort of like writing a romantic sit-com, with the focus on a different couple each ‘episode’ or book.
Recurring characters, you say? Do you have any porcupines in this series?
Marriage On Her Mind is the story of a Chicago socialite, Casey Jernigan, who leaves her fiancee at the altar and arrives in Crested Butte, Colorado with a designer wedding dress and a determination to start her life over on her own terms. Her landlord and neighbor, Max Overbridge, is a self-described black sheep who prides himself on marching to his own beat and steering clear of marriage. In a town where each month brings a new off-beat celebration, and where everyone knows everyone else’s business, this former socialite and stubborn mountain man learn what a person wants in life, and what they get, isn’t always the same thing.
Black sheep? But no room for a porcupine. Interesting lesson though for your characters. What made you decide to set the book in such an interesting place?
While most of my books have been set in made-up towns or big cities, I took a chance here and set these books in a real place. Crested Butte is a quirky former mining town full of local characters and tourists. The town has a festival or party for everything under the sun, from Flauschink in April to ‘flush out’ winter, to Vinotok in the fall to say good-bye to summer. There are Arts and Film Festivals, a huge Wildflower Festival, Mardi Gras, events to celebrate skiing and the town’s mining heritage and many more. Every month and during some months every week has its own celebration complete with a theme, costumes, dances and parades. Of course I had to include those festivals in the book. I also use many real businesses as backdrops for the story, though all the people are purely from my imagination.
How have the people of Crested Butte taken to being in the limelight?
I haven’t gotten a lot of feedback from locals yet. The Gunnison County paper ran a nice article which was complimentary. One reviewer did say the setting was too over the top to be real. I guess this is one case of truth being stranger than fiction.
You’ve written for so many lines for Harlequin and you have more in the pipeline. Can you tell us a little about what’s coming up next for you?
While I’m still writing for Blaze (I’m putting the finishing touches on one now and my next Blaze, Wild Child, goes on sale in November.) it’s nice to branch out. I’m also writing for Super Romance now, which gives me a chance to tell a bigger, emotional story. I think one of the real challenges for me throughout my career is to stay fresh. One way to do that is by trying something new. Plus, I have so many different kinds of story ideas running through my head. Not all of them are right for one single type of book. I like to experiment with different things, though not all of them are successful. I recall a mystery I tried that I never could get right. One day I’d like to get back to writing historicals (my first seven books were western historicals written as Cynthia Sterling.) And I’d like to write more women’s fiction.
You say you have lots of ideas, any chance you’ll write a book with a porcupine hero?
Right now, I’m looking forward to my second Harlequin American, also set in Crested Butte. The Right Mr. Wrong goes on sale February 12, 2008.
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Shana Says:
Welcome, Cindi! Thanks for putting up with Jaunty. I think he’s auditioning to be on your next cover
Jenna Petersen Says:
I like Jaunty’s goggles, but I do wonder where he stores these things…
Anyway, welcome Cindi! I love your weekly market report.
JennaP
AndreaW Says:
Great interview, Cindi and Jaunty! Jaunty, you’re so naughty!
Robyn DeHart Says:
Cindi, welcome and like Shana said, thanks for putting up with Jaunty. He’s so bad. Can you tell us a little bit about how you manage to juggle so many different lines?
Rainy Says:
Fun interview! Cindi, do you live in Colorado or did you spend some time there? I am wondering if you want to realistically write about a place whether it is vital to actually have been there.
Margo Maguire Says:
The new series sounds great, Cindi! Thanks for coming to tell us about it today.
Cindi Myers Says:
Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. I love Jaunty and think he looks quite fetching with my book cover. Funny story — on one of our visits to Crested Butte last fall, we came across an absolutely enormous porcupine while we were out hiking — think it was Jaunty?
Cindi Myers Says:
Robyn,
I really like writing for different lines. Writing different types and lengths of stories keeps me from getting bored or burnt out on one thing. The toughest part is juggling multiple deadlines, but so far that hasn’t been a problem. (Yet!) My editor and agent help a lot with scheduling.
Cindi Myers Says:
Rainy,
I’ve lived in Colorado for the past 8 years. I visit Crested Butte four or five times a year — mostly in the winter for skiing, but sometimes in the fall for hiking. I have written about big cities I’ve never visited — it’s fairly easy to get information from friends who are locals and online. A small town might be tougher if you hadn’t actually hung out there a lot.
Shirley Karr Says:
Welcome, Cindi! The new book series sounds like a lot of fun.
I spent my teen years in a small rural town, and I can attest that often truth really is stranger than fact.
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