AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH CINDY JACKS

Kiki: What is your favorite genre to read in, and what is it about that genre that attracts you to it? If you like a specific mix of genres, please state that particular combination.

Cindy: Usually I read chick lit, thrillers, or romance. Chick lit appeals to me because I enjoy the strength of the heroines and I'm okay with an ending that isn't neat and tidy. I've always loved mysteries and thrillers, I think because when I was a kid, I started reading Agatha Christie and couldn't stop. Romance for is like a vacation from the everyday, especially romantic comedies since in general life is neither romantic nor comedic, lol.

Kiki: What is your favorite author to read in that genre, and why? Also, please tell me a little about the best book by that author you have read.

Cindy: In chick lit, I'm a huge fan of Marian Keyes. My favorite book by her is titled Watermelon. The work really spoke to me because she very much captured the way I felt after I'd had my son. It was like I had to get to know my body all over again. Nothing was in the place it used to be and was much heavier than I'd ever been in my entire life. It was nice to know I wasn't alone in that feeling that my body was suddenly foreign to me.

Kiki: Do you have a Favorite Book of All Time? Of course, please tell us what about that book makes it your favorite.

Cindy: My favorite book of all time has to be The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. Usually I can see a twist coming from a mile away, but this book took me completely by surprise. Not to mention the mystery aspect of it so it combined my two favorite genres—chick lit and suspense.

Kiki: What is the best book you read last month, and would you recommend it to a friend?

Cindy: The best book I read last month was Waiting for Wednesday by Mari Carr. The series is fantastic and yes, I've recommended it to all my friends. I love the exploits of the Wild Irish Collins family. Mari has such a talent for the sensual and she knows how to grab a reader and not let go.

Kiki: What are your reading habits like? For example, how many books do you read on average in a week, what format do you prefer to read in, what time of day do you read, and what setting is ideal for you to get lost in that book?

Cindy: I usually only get through a couple books a week. I wish I could read more, but my writing, promo, and personal schedule just doesn't allow for much downtime.

My favorite place to read is in bed. I read every night before I go to sleep, but during that rare moment of privacy during the day, I've been known to slip back into bed and read for a couple hours. I think the peace, quiet, and comfort allows me to focus on the world the author has created.

Kiki: If pressed, could you chose a favorite from the books you have written? Why is it your favorite?

Cindy: I think my latest release, All the Good Men, is shaping up to be my favorite book, though it didn't start out that way. It came from an off-handed idea that I thought would turn out 'fluffier' than the book actually did. It's was also a struggle to get to know the characters and to get the right balance of romance, comedy, and drama. But I think because the book was difficult to get right, it means more now that it's out in the world for public consumption. I feel like I earned the success.

Kiki: How do you become inspired to write?

Cindy: I've always loved to write, but I never considered doing it professionally until a couple years ago. My ex-husband had heard about an e-publisher that was looking for submissions. I subbed a short story, fully expecting rejection, and to my surprise, the story was contracted! Since then, little by little, I've developed what was once my hobby into my career.

Kiki: What part of the story do you think is your strength to write?

Cindy: I think I'm very good at nailing the emotional aspect of any story. I feel like I'm very in touch with human nature and realistic reactions to dramatic situations. I also try very hard to keep my ideas fresh. If it's a little quirky and off the beaten path, then I know I'm on the right track for me.

Kiki: Please share with ABA readers something I did not think to ask you about.

Cindy: For me, as a reader, I always love to know a writer's motives. What motivates me not only to write, but to publish my work is that I want to entertain my audience to the fullest extent possible. Especially in this economy, I know the trust that a reader is placing in me by spending her hard earned money on one of my books. I want nothing more than for that reader to be able to lose herself, if only for a little while, in a world of my creation. I want to provide that respite from the stress and struggle of everyday life. Alexandre Dumas described himself not as a writer, but a storyteller. I like to think of myself in the same way.

Cindy Jacks

Fiction for the Bad Girl in Every Woman

http://cindyjacks.com/

http://facebook.com/author.cindy.jacks/

http://moongypsypress.com/jacks.php/

Author Bio:

Prior to becoming a writer of romantic and erotic fiction, Cindy was a 'jacks' of all trades. Besides obtaining a BFA in sculpture, interning as a pastry-chef, and learning the art of furniture restoration, she worked for ten years in the corporate arena, but now happily spends her days as a full time author. Her first published work--"The Point of Distraction Series"--was inspired by a collection of short stories she wrote to entertain her best friend. Since then she's explored her inner bad girl and penchant for love stories by producing books full of humor and packed with real emotion. When not chained to her laptop, she enjoys belly dancing, international cooking, and making jewelry. She and her family call the Washington, DC area home.

All the Good Men Blurb:

Dahlia is sure the hackneyed platitude is true: After a certain age, all the good men are married or gay. She feels her thirty-eight years put her well past that 'certain age.' Her best friend and her sisters dare her to put her fate where her mouth is. The terms of the challenge? During the month of October, she has to end her five-year-long man fast and go on dates with men of their choosing. Oh, and she also has to go out with anyone else who asks.

As the date disasters pile up, the vindication almost makes the torturous evenings bearable for Dahlia. But a handsome new neighbor, Jackson Carmichael, moves in, changing the rules of the game. Retired after twenty-six years as a pro firefighter in Boston, he volunteers with the local fire department, coaches a youth hockey team, and appears for all the world to be the perfect man. He just might throw a wrench into Dahlia's plan to die lonely and single...that is if she doesn't scare him away first.