Cynthia Roemer Interview

Today, please welcome author Cynthia Roemer to I & R. Cynthia  is an award-winning inspirational author with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800’s prairie and pre-Civil War era. Her Prairie Sky Series consists of Amazon Best-Seller Under This Same Sky, Under Prairie Skies, and Under Moonlit Skies. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and writes from her family farm in central Illinois, where she resides with her husband and two college-aged sons. Visit Cynthia online at: www.cynthiaroemer.com or touch base with her on twitter at https://twitter.com/cynthiaroemer.

Welcome, Cynthia!

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How long have you been writing?

When I was a junior, my English teacher encouraged me to enter a writing contest sponsored by a local college. I took her up on it and wound up winning first place in the fiction category! The Lord knew that was just the encouragement I needed to boost my confidence!

How many books have you written?

Under Moonlit Skies is my third book and the final installment in my Prairie Sky Series, which also includes: Under This Same Sky (Book 1) and Under Prairie Skies (Book 2). 

What is the hardest thing about writing for you?

Finding time to write! I’m a farmer’s wife, mother of two sons, and a part-time elementary librarian, so my writing time is limited. I’m also a slow writer. For me, 800 words is a good writing day. If I reach 1,000 words in a day it’s happy dance time!

Do you travel to the places you write about?

Much of my Prairie Sky Series is set in Illinois where I live, though it also includes places like St. Louis and Cincinnati, Ohio. While I don’t always travel to places I write about, I do extensive research and have taken day trips to New Salem State Park and the First National Road Museum to gain a realistic flare for the time period (1850’s). In Under Moonlit Skies, several of my characters travel the First National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road.

Which do you enjoy more, the research part for a book, or the writing?

Both! I so enjoy digging into the past, but I also relish the creative process of writing!  

Is there a message in your book that you want your readers to grasp?

Definitely! I weave a spiritual message into each of my novels. The theme verse for Under Moonlit Skies is 1 Samuel 16:7:  “For the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). What I hope readers will grasp, is that God doesn’t care if we’re rich or poor, plain or beautiful. What matters to Him is the condition of our hearts.

Which character in Under Moonlit Skies do you like most?

Oh, I fell in love with my hero, Stewart (Stew) Brant. I love actor Jimmy Stewart and named Stew in his honor. I even gave him Jimmy’s easy-going, loveable personality and his tall, lanky frame. Stew seems to be a favorite of many of my readers as well! 

Do you have any other books in the works?

I’ve just recently started a fourth novel set during and just after the Civil War. It will likely be a stand-alone novel, though I’ve not ruled it out as a series should the Lord give me ideas for more books in this era. It is not yet under contract, and I’m only a few thousand words in, but I love the way the storyline is falling into place. 

Thank you, for stopping by Cynthia. I look forward to reading your books.

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Her life was planned out ~ until he rode in ~

Illinois prairie ~ 1859

After four long years away, Esther Stanton returns to the prairie to care for her sister Charlotte’s family following the birth of her second child. The month-long stay seems much too short as Esther becomes acquainted with her brother-in-law’s new ranch hand, Stewart Brant. When obligations compel her to return to Cincinnati and to the man her overbearing mother intends her to wed, she loses hope of ever knowing true happiness.

Still reeling from a hurtful relationship, Stew is reluctant to open his heart to Esther. But when he faces a life-threatening injury with Esther tending him, their bond deepens. Heartbroken when she leaves, he sets out after her and inadvertently stumbles across an illegal slave-trade operation, the knowledge of which puts him, as well as Esther and her family, in jeopardy.​

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