Talkshow Thursday: Meet Cindy Thomson
I'm a bit of an Anglophile. Included in that is an interest in Ireland and Scotland, so when I discovered author Cindy Thomson's books I knew I had to "meet" her. She was gracious enough to take time from her busy schedule to answer my questions. I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I did.
Linda: Cindy, thanks for joining me today. You have two
fictional book series. One is set in the 5th Century and the other
in the early 1900s. What prompted you to write in such different eras?
Cindy: My first book
is set in ancient Ireland. I had trouble selling any more to publishers so my
agent at the time suggested I write about Irish immigrants at Ellis Island. We
sold that and then after that I went back to the 5th-6th
century. That’s how it happened, but I enjoy history in general.
LM: You write fiction
and non-fiction. How is the writing process different for each one?
Cindy: Fiction
for me is more creative. It takes more out of me and takes longer to write.
Non-fiction is reporting, hopefully in a story-telling manner. More
documentation is required for non-fiction, but since everything I write is
history-based, I enjoy it all.
LM: The age-old
question for writers – are you a planner or a “panster,” and what is your
favorite part of the writing process?
Cindy: I’m a pantser
who wishes she was more of a planner. I think if I was I wouldn’t write myself
into quite as many corners. That has been a learning process for me. I learned
that I could not change it, that is how stories come to me, but I also learned
that a certain amount of plotting is critical and necessary. My favorite part
of the process is after I’ve written the first draft. Getting the story down is
hard, but once I have it I love going back and fixing it and making it better.
LM: Writing about
a different era and culture requires lots of research. What tidbit did you
discover during that phase of writing that created an “aha” moment for you?
Cindy: There
certainly wasn’t just one so I’ll just pick one. My latest book, Pages of Ireland, is about the value a
book had in ancient Ireland. I read about a story that was recorded in the 17th
century about a man named Conal Mac Geoghegan of Lismoyne who recorded in the
Annals of Clonmacnoise, "I have seen myself part of that book which is at
Durrow in the Kings County in the custody of an ignorant man. When sickness
came upon cattle, for their remedy put water on the book and suffered it to the
rest there a while and saw also cattle return thereby to their former or
pristine state and the book to receive no loss." A man dunked the ancient
book into a cattle trough! According to The
Ancient Books of Ireland by Michael Slavin, The Book of Durrow does show
signs of water damage and "a hole in the top right-hand corner of the
leaves indicates that they could have been suspended by a thong in the 'cure'
process." This “tidbit” led to me writing Pages of Ireland and to include a scene like that.
LM: That is fascinating! What’s the
quirkiest thing you’ve ever done?
Cindy: Ever? I guess
you mean in the process of writing a book. When on a research visit to New York
City, I attended a cocktail party held at the Police Museum, given by the Irish
American Historical Society. There was no cost so I went simply because I was
writing about a policeman in NYC in 1900. My husband and I knew no one there
and had no idea why were invited or what the purpose was. They were recognizing
someone for his contribution to something. But novelists go to all kinds of
places in the name of research.
LM: What is your
next project?
Cindy: I am finishing up the third in my Daughters
of Ireland series. It should be out by mid-2018. The title is Enya’s Son and like the others in the
series it’s based on legends. This one is about St. Columcille and his mother
and the quest to hold on to things that enviably will slip away from you, and
the discovery of what is really eternal.
LM: What advice
can you give to not-yet-published writers?
Cindy: Don’t
rush. It’s so easy now to rush to publication, but a professional takes his/her
time, researches the industry and the process, and does not cut corners,
especially not with editing. Find a writers group. That will be the most
valuable thing you do because you can learn so much from other writers and make
good contacts.
LM: Where can
folks find you on the web?
Cindy:
Website: http://www.cindyswriting.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cindyswriting
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cindyswriting
Group blog: http://www.novelpastimes.com
Thanks for having me today, Linda!
LM: It has been a pleasure! You can purchase Pages of Ireland on Amazon.
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