SEELIE KAY: Postcards from The Ledge: This week in The Loft: Author Cynthianna!

Joining me today in The Loft is romance author Cindy Matthews, who writes under the pen names Cynthianna and Celine Chatillon. As Cynthianna, she has authored multiple contemporary romances and fantasy romantic comedies. As Celine Chatillon, she has written science fiction, paranormal, and vampire erotic romance stories. She has also written books with her husband, author Adrian J. Matthews. By day, Cindy works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and enjoys attending historical re-enactments and science fiction cons.

Cynthianna

S: Welcome to The Loft, Cynthianna!

Tell me, what's your favorite thing about writing romance?

C: It's such a wide open genre--you can write a historical setting story or a futuristic story or a contemporary story. You can place your story in any time period, physical setting, ethnicity-culture. Nowadays, it doesn't even have to be a male/female romance and that is very freeing for writers. Not everyone in the world loves the same type of person, you know?

S: (Nods.) Love comes in all shapes and sizes. I think it's wonderful that romance writers can acknowledge that. It encourages tolerance and that's a good thing.

How do you define romance?

C: My definition of romance is sort of along the lines of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) definition. I see romance novels as "relationship novels" in which the author explores how people relate to each other and develop in the relationship as well as developing and growing by themselves. Of course, a very common way people develop a "relationship" with each other and grow as a person is by falling in love. So a relationship novel will explore how two unique individuals come together and build a lasting relationship, oftentimes ending in a "happily ever after" or at least "happy for now" scene. The hero/heroine grows as a human being and develops a healthy relationship with another or others.

S: What is your perfect romantic evening?

C: My perfect romantic evening is one where I don't have to do all the cooking--and none of the dishwashing! I'm an infinitely practical person and have never had much money, so spending lots of money trying to impress me with a fancy restaurant or expensive date would have quite the opposite effect on me. It would be a turnoff. I much prefer my "hero" feed me and entertain me by using his own unique gifts. Then sing me a song, read me a poem or story he's written, paint me picture, sketch me reclining on a sofa, do a slow strip tease...I'm very easy to please. I just want him to let me know that I'm more important than flaunting status symbols. That he likes me for just being me.

S: (Giggles.) I think most of us would be happy with a slow strip tease!

Do you believe in love at first sight? Has it ever happened to you?

C: Yes and no. Yes, I believe that you can be instantly attracted to another person the first time you meet them. It has happened to me many times and will probably keep happening to me as long as I'm breathing. But no, that's not love in the real sense of the word. Love requires genuine respect and compassion, and a commitment to another person. It doesn't just happen instantly. You have to work hard at it. True love is getting up at three o'clock in the morning on a cold winter's day to take care of the person you are in a relationship with because they are terribly sick or in need of comfort after a horrible event. It can even mean you're willing to give them a ride to the ER, a ride home from jail, the party gone wrong, or work in several feet of snow because you care about them more than you do your own self. Instant attraction won't motivate you to keep loving a person through the hard times. That's why I enjoy writing relationship novels and stories. Sometimes, that instant attraction can grow and develop into true and lasting love. It's what makes the happily ever after ending feel so good. You know it's possible if you work at it.

S: (Smiles.) No matter how you meet, no matter how and why you fall in love, it's important to understand that relationships take work. Without hard work, no relationship will thrive.

What would you like people to know about you?

C: (Laughs.) I'd like people to know that I'm really quite harmless. Just because I have an overactive imagination doesn't mean that I'm up to no good. In fact, I try to do as much good as I can. I enjoy entertaining people with a good love story now and then.

S: Tell me about your book, "The Gift of the Songbird."

C: Sure, here's the blurb--

Hannah Cummings has big plans for her future. An invitation to sing at the mansion of the dashing Elisha Spielman on Thanksgiving Day promises to launch her music career and help her raise funds to receive further vocal training. It’s a most fortuitous invitation, and Hannah is grateful and excited to accept. However, one man seems to stand in her way.

Daniel March won’t have it. Hannah has always sung for their village’s Thanksgiving festival to support the orphanage, and this year should be no different.

Friends since long before the terrible war separated them, Hannah feels there is more to Daniel’s determination to change her mind than simply his need to get his own way.

Can a songbird help them count their blessings and come to see each other in a different light?