Wednesday Wonders/Saturday Stars with Cynthia Meyers-Hanson

karensdifferentcorners ♦ June 30, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

Let’s all welcome Cindy to the “Wednesday Wonders/ Saturday Stars addition!

Hi Cindy I am so glad that you could join us today. Now I heard that your favorite question on an interview is, “How did you get started writing?” So tell us, “How did you get started writing?” 🙂

My writing started after a major life change or trauma!

The short answer is in 1991 my mother died. Some people dream of being authors; my writing began as what could be described as a nightmare! HOWEVER- as she died, mom experienced what would be called a Christian Near Death Experience (NDE) or miracles. My nonfiction witness became ‘Mom’s on the Roof and I can’t Get Her Down’ by Cynthia Meyers-Hanson.

Since then, I diversified into the other books and genres; I continue to toy with writing

In fact, I’ve produced five picture books for children. In the past twenty-one years, I’ve, also, compiled collections of true short stories from Divine to holidays including some humorous tales for adults. PLUS, I’ve co-authored or compiled seven Divinely inspirational tales. Meanwhile, I have ghostwritten four novels under the pen name Sydney S. Song. I use a pseudonym so that people know when my books are telling the truth and when I am fibbing!

1. Many people don’t like the name they were given at birth. Do you like your given name?

If not, what would you rather have been named?

I didn’t like my name growing up because Cynthia was shortened to CYN and pronounced SIN; some peers even spelled it aloud that way when they taunted or bullied me. They’d laugh, “Cyn Sin spelled S I N!” For a good Catholic girl that teasing was very harmful to my psyche. As an adult, I am okay with my name and am no longer ‘a crybaby’ worrying about what other people think of me. Plus, I heard there is not a Saint Cynthia, yet! WINK!

Having said that, I always liked my middle name and gave it to my firstborn daughter. She’s Julie.

2. Do you write under your given name or a pseudonym?

Yes and No.

I started writing with my maiden and married name hyphenated as Cynthia Meyers-Hanson. My true books or nonfictions are all under that name. When I moved into children’s picture books I kept that name because it is easy to know an inspirational and true tale from a children’s picture book story.

However, to keep the truths sorted from my fibs, when I write novels and fictions, I use the penname Sydney S. Song. Sydney is Cindy mispronounced. The ‘S.’ is a possessive situation. Then, I played with letters from my real name CHanson, a French word chanson which means song. I am part French and speak it like an infant or poorly. What little I knew well helped me establish that pseudonym for myself.

3. Is there a routine you go through before you begin writing?

I purge and cleanup the last story, leftover ideas, or book material.

I pull out old notes and ideas sorting and ranking them while grouping them for possible links in one complete story.

I set up a very loose outline into a file with the possible book title.

Then, I write more about the topics I think are related to the story and cut and paste them to their possible chapter.

Next, I write the linking or smaller parts to make the topics or short stories blend and flow into one book.

Finally, If the book idea is not shaping up, I put it on the back burner and do something else related or unrelated. That story idea may wander through my mind until the time is ripe to write it right. I edit, proof read, reset, cut and paste some more, delete, change my mind, change my ending, rework my into paragraphs, delete the whole book on purpose or- sometimes- by mistake.

Sometimes, I get a call from a co-writer or input for a true story, then I just write their tale until I hit the end. Then, I edit and proofread the finished product as does the co-author or person that story is about.

4. Is there anyone you admire?

I admire God. He sends me such Divine Stories and great new friends for my nonfiction line of books.

YES-I am a Christian but I am nonjudgmental. I try not to be, anyway. My true stories though Christian based have been enjoyed by atheists as well as people of faith backgrounds other than mine.

5. What do you like to read?

I read Christian novels and nonfiction stories of inspiration.

6. Do you have a favorite author?

Hemmingway- I write like him but without all the cussing, swearing, and sex. I’m not a heavy drinker like he was. I have no intention of ending my life his way, either.

However, our style is similar because I was into journalism although less time than he worked at it. What I mean is my writing is straightforward even in novels; I write very few flowery paragraphs that completely depict scenes and situations; I leave many details to the reader’s imagination. This was done by mistake but people like it because it pulls them deeper into my tales as they picture the story through their own eyes, set of memories, thoughts, and life experiences. It makes my prose very relatable; some have told me my style feels to them as if ‘I am sitting in their living room chatting directly with them.’

7. Does it have to be quiet when you write or do you like background noise? TV, music, etc.

I get self-involved but I think quiet helps me stay that way! I have written with music playing but not with conversation in the background because I might start adding that dialog into my books.

8. Beach or mountains?

Having been in Florida all my life, I am accustom to the beach. I’d say mountains. However, I really love mountains racing towards the shoreline of a beach.

9. What inspires you?

Life inspires me; my fictions have some real life in them, too.

10. Favorite snack food?

Strawberries! I’d love them even more if they came prewashed and cut up for the same price as the ones I have to prepare!

11. Doesn’t matter who we are, man, woman, child, all of us get freaked out by something. Spiders, mice, snakes, bugs, geese, etc. What freaks you out?

I have been chased and harmed by the unseen phantoms of life. The evil forces of the other side taunt me at times! When they do, I find myself deep in prayer asking for God’s shield of protection! Yes, I am afraid of the ‘boogie man’ especially if he is a ghost as an evil spirit. However, I know the secret formula to get away from his nonsense.

12. What is the most unusual job you’ve ever had?

Writer.

13. I read on another blog, that a writer was working on 10 novels at once. Confusing! Do you work on one or multiple novels at a time?

I set up notes to other books- often.

I start and stop some books but do not actively work on them during work on another title.

I delete some things that I am working on (have even done it by mistake, too).

However, once I am on a roll, I finish a book. I am driven.

14. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I love to be with my family. We go boating, to the beach, on vacations, to get ice cream, etc. I really like my kids and grandchildren. I like them more than my first family especially my siblings and one of my parents. I came from a dysfunctional childhood and worked hard to overcome and break those chains. I think the fact that my current family is my entertainment reveals the fact that I did move out of dysfunction- for the most part. I even wrote a book or two describing how I got to this point of appreciating life.

15. And last question…Do you have anything new coming out that you’d like to share with us?

I have a wicked sense of humor; it is born of my dysfunctional childhood. My humor was one of my coping mechanisms- “if this were a sitcom it might be funny…”

My newest series is going to be a 3 book trilogy- I think. I am in the middle of editing the rough draft of “My Warped Tours,” which is about my many vacations gone wrong. I hope to write about being a girl majoring and then working in a ‘good ole boys’ field or computers and telephony; my tentative title is “Work’s Out.” I think the third book in the series should be entitled “The Knot;” I see it as a book about coping with men and marriage.

Author Page: http://mchanson714.weebly.com/

Blog: http://mchanson714.blogspot.com/

Use keyword mchanson714 to find me on various online sites or use the links below:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mchanson714

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mchanson714too

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mchanson+714&sa=X&spell=1&search=Search&oi=spell

You can also find ‘Mom’s on the Roof and I can’t Get Her Down’ by Cynthia Meyers-Hanson on Amazon here

http://www.amazon.com/Moms-Roof-Cant-Down-ebook/dp/B004TY0MAG

Cindy, Thank you so much for being here today. We look forward to your new series.

Please keep us updated on your progress! And I wish you a wonderful Weekend!