Why did you become a writer? Was it a dream of yours since you were younger or did the desire to write happen later in your life?
AS A YOUNG CHILD I USED TO ENJOY WRITING SHORT STORIES. I REALLY ENJOYED CREATING THESE WORLDS AND CHARACTERS EVEN WAY BACK THEN. I REMEMBER BACK IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEY WERE ASKING EVERYONE WHAT THEY WANTED TO BE WHEN THEY GREW UP, I SAID I WANTED TO BE AN AUTHOR…THE TEACHER COMENDED ME. IT WASN’T UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL THAT I REALLY TOOK A DECIDED INTEREST IN ACTUALLY PERSUING THAT PASSION. READING DEAN KOONTZ WORK REALLY INSPIRED ME TO GO AFTER MY DREAMS.
What do you love about being an author? Is there anything you dislike?
I’M A CREATIVE SOUL BY NATURE. I LOVE DEVELOPING CHARACTERS DOWN TO THEIR BLOOD AND MARROW. I NEVER OUTLINE SO WHEN I’M WRITING A STORY TO ME IT IS EXACTLY AS THOUGH I AM READING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. WHEN YOU’VE GOT A REALLY GOOD STORY THAT COMES ALIVE INSIDE YOU, YOU KNOW IT BECAUSE IT STAYS WITH YOU ALL DAY…YEAR UPON YEAR EVEN. FINISHING A NOVEL IS ONE OF THE GREATEST FEELINGS A WRITER CAN HAVE; IT’S A REAL SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. COUPLE THAT WITH READER FEEDBACK AS WHAT I LOVE MOST. I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT TICKLES ME TO HEAR SOMEONE SPEAK HOW THEY LOVED THIS CHARACTER, OR HATED THAT ONE, AND COULDN’T WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE END. THAT’S WHY I DO WHAT I DO.
I SUPPOSE WHAT I DISLIKE IS THE LONELY WORK, THOSE UNGLAMOROUS TASKS THAT NO ONE WILL NOTICE. IT’S IN THE EDITING AND MARKETING PROCESS…THE OTHER HALF OF BEING A WRITER IS GETTING YOUR WORK OUT THERE IN TOP FORM TO BE READ. BUT IT’S NOT FUN OR EXCITING BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
How do you balance your personal and writing time?
I’VE LEARNED TO JUGGLE! IT’S DIFFICULT, IT REALLY IS. I HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME WHETHER ITS WORKING TO PAY THE BILLS, HITTING THE GYM, HAVING TIME FOR MY FRIENDS AND ALSO ALONE TIME FOR MYSELF, ALL WHILE WORKING ON THE NEXT PROJECT, IT CAN GET OVERWHELMING. WHEN I WAS COMPETING IN FITNESS IT WAS EVEN MORE STRESSFUL! BUT NOW I TRY TO PRIORITIZE. I’LL DEVOTE FULL DAYS TO ONE SPECIFIC THING AND THEN THE NEXT DAY TO SOMETHING ELSE, RATHER THAN TRY TO CRAM EVERYTHING INTO 24 HRS BECAUSE I REALIZED I WAS ONLY DOING ½ THE WORK…NOTHING EVER GOT FINISHED. NOW IF I SIT DOWN TO SOMETHING I FINISH IT FIRST BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TASK.
Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?
THEY TEND TO START OUT IN MY IMAGINATION AND THEN AS I’M WRITING THEM THEY DEVELOP CHARACTER TRAITS FROM PEOPLE I’VE KNOWN OR READ ABOUT. SOMETIMES IT’LL BE SOMETHING FROM MY SUBCONSCIOUS THAT I DON’T EVEN REALIZE THAT I DREW FROM A PARTICULAR PERSON UNTIL I GO BACK AND REREAD IT. AND OF COURSE THERE IS A BIT OF MYSELF IN EVERY CHARACTER. CREATING THE PEOPLE TO POPULATE MY STORY IS THE MOST ENJOYABLE PART ABOUT WRITING. THOSE CHARACTERS NEVER REALLY LEAVE YOU.
What do you have coming in 2009? Any releases coming up you want to shout out about?
I’M GLAD YOU ASKED! MY VERY FIRST FORAY INTO THE WORLD OF DARK FANTASY, OR SUPERNATURAL THRILLER IF YOU’D LIKE, WILL BE RELEASED BY ASPEN MOUNTAIN PRESS ON AUGUST 21ST UNDER THE TITLE OF DEMON HUNTER. IT’S THE STORY ABOUT A YOUNG FARM BOY WHO COMES TO LEARN HE IS THE SON OF THE WORLD’S MOST FEARED AND FAMED HUNTER OF DEMONS. HE IS FATED TO WALK IN HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS TO HUNT AND DESTROY THE EVIL SCOURGE FROM HELL…WHETHER HE WANTS TO OR NOT.
IT IS THE STORY ABOUT A NOBODY WHO BECOMES A SOMEBODY IN THE BLOODIEST OF WAYS. THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE DARKEST IDEA I’VE DELVED INTO IN ALL MY YEARS OF WRITING. BUT AT ITS CORE DEMON HUNTER IS A STORY ABOUT HUMAN FRAILTIES. COSTA, OUR HERO, IS PLAGUED NOT ONLY BY PHYSICAL DEMONS, BUT MENTAL ONES AS WELL. WE’VE ALL HAD THOSE LITTLE VOICES IN OUR HEAD TRYING TO SWAY US FROM OUR PATH. IT IS THOSE DEMONS NOT FACED THAT ARE THE TRUE DANGER.
If you could meet any mythical being, who would it be and why?
INTERESTING QUESTION. I’VE USED A LOT OF MYTHOLOGICAL BEINGS IN DEMON HUNTER, AND I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG FAN OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY, SO I’D HAVE TO SAY PEGASUS. THERE’S JUST SOMETHING SO REGAL AND POWERFUL YET AT THE SAME TIME BRINGS A SENSE OF PEACE AND BEAUTY. BESIDES, I’D LOVE TO JUMP ON AND TAKE TO THE SKIES LIKE THE VALKYRIES OF THE NORSE LEGENDS!
If we looked on your bookshelves, what would we see? Any favorite authors there?
I HAVE A VERY DIVERSE INTEREST BUT SOME OF MY FAVORITES ARE STEPHEN KING, MARY HIGGINS CLARK, C.S. LEWIS, PIERS ANTHONY, AND OF COURSE DEAN KOONTZ WHO WAS A MAJOR INSPIRATION TO ME AS A YOUNG WRITER.
We popped in for a spell and opened the fridge, what would we find there?
HA HA, I’M AN ATHLETE…YOU’RE GOING TO FIND MOSTLY HEALTHY FOOD, ESPECIALLY AS RIGHT AT THE MOMENT I’M BIG ON CLEANSING AND DETOXIFYING THE BODY, BRINGING IT BACK INTO ITS PH LEVEL SO IT IS NOT BEING EATEN AWAY BY ACIDS AND IS MORE IN ALKALINE STATE. DID I LOSE YOU WITH ALL THAT? LOL!
I WILL CONFESS TO HAVING A SWEET TOOTH THOUGH SO MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF COOKIES IN THE HOUSE.
Are you a reality TV junkie? If so, what are your faves to watch or tivo? If not, what is your preferred shows to watch?
NOT REALLY A JUNKIE, I DID GET A KICK OUT OF ROCK OF LOVE WITH BRET MICHAELS, CELEBRITY FIT CAMP, AND CELEBRITY REHAB, AND DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER. I PREFER TV WITH A PULSE AND GOOD WRITING BEHIND IT…WHICH IS FEW AND FAR BETWEEN THESE DAYS. MY CHOICES FOR TV RIGHT NOW ARE HEROES, FAMILY GUY, AND NIP TUCK. HOWEVER, I RECENTLY SACRIFICED MY TV WATCHING TIME AND GAVE MY TELEVISION TO MY FATHER IN LIGHT OF HIS OWN BIG SCREEN BLOWING A FUSE, SO I’VE HAD TO DO WITHOUT CHANNEL SURFING FOR AWHILE…YKNOW WHAT, IT’S ACTUALLY BEEN A BLESSING BECAUSE NOW I HAVE TIME TO DO WHAT IT IS I’M MEANT TO DO…WRITE!
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, IT’S BEEN FUN!
WWW.CYNTHIAVESPIA.COM
MYSPACE.COM/DEMONHUNTERNOVEL
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3 Responses to “Guest Author Day with Cynthia Vespia”
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Hey there Cyn,
I LOVE that cover.
It really draws the eye. What are you workingon next….a sequel to this? *hint hint*
Thanks for coming by!
Raine D.
Hey Raine…thanks for the enjoyable interview!
I love that cover too…the artists at AspenMountainPress.com did a “HELL” of a job, pun intended ;D
YES, actually I AM working on the sequel to DEMON HUNTER…and I believe I smell a romance brewing in this one!!!
-Cyn
LOL I hear you on covers. They did a phenominal job on Haunting Magic’s and I am always blown away by some of the AMP covers I see.
YAY! A Sequel. Woo HOO.
I am looking forward to grabbing this to read. *grins*
Raine D.