Cyn and I were introduced through our mutual publisher, Solstice Publishing and had the opportunity to meet this past July at one of our many signings. I have since been graced from the universe with a lovely friend and on occasion, mentor. I hope after reading this interview you not only get to know her better but understand why I love her bunches.
Okay, you've waited long enough. Meet, Cyn Ley!
Author:
Cyn Ley
Your
latest/current work: THE OSSUARY PLAYGROUND AND OTHER UNEXPECTED
TALES
Date:
June 2017
Publisher:
Solstice Publishing
Hi
Vicki! Thank you for this opportunity!
1.
Tell
us about your Latest Book/Book about to be released? Release Date?
And can you give us a teaser?
My
latest book is The
Ossuary Playground and Other Unexpected Tales.
It is a collection of four stories, three paranormal in nature, and
one quite off the wall. It was released in June 2017. Some teasers
for you:
“Remains”
– The Civil War has long since come and gone on a lonely and
forgotten battlefield. What of those who linger there?
“Calling
You Out” – Many a historic house has its ghosts, and the Miller
mansion is no exception. For one of them, all he yearns to hear is
his own name.
“Stilts”
– A house up in Portland’s West Hills bears a terrible stain and
a terrifying manifestation to those who live therein. What will bring
peace and solace to them all?
“The
Ossuary Playground” – It remains to children to recall the past,
as only children can.
An
excerpt from “Remains”: There
comes a time that Millicent finds a tattered boy, torn by ball and
cannon. For him, each day begins whole and shining, glory on the
horizon.
By
mid-day, he is scrap, his limbs and blood mingling with those around
him. His eyes have borne witness to his own dissolution.
2.
What
other books/short stories have you written?
I
published several collections of short stories in 2014 through
Solstice Publishing. In 2016, the best of those tales were combined,
revamped, and in some cases left totally unchanged for Encounters
Tales Recounted and Reborn.
I have had numerous stories published in Solstice’s seasonal
anthologies. These stories also appear in Encounters.
The
collection ranges from humor to paranormal to social satire to
friendship, and things in between.
My
latest story, “Plot Twist,” will be appearing in Solstice’s
annual horror fest, a deliciously scary anthology by various authors
entitled Now
I Lay Me Down To Sleep.
It will be released in October.
3.
Are they available in e-book, print, or both?
Both
4.
Where
can readers find your books?
On
amazon.com (both print and Kindle editions) Just look under “Cyn
Ley.” If I may say so, I have been blessed with excellent reviews
by people who have no reason to be nice to me. LOL
6.
What
do you think are the biggest challenges for the type of writing that
you do?
Conveying
the ephemeral in such a way that readers will recognize and connect
with it, yet retain its exquisite mystery. Language is a carefully
nuanced thing.
7.
How
did you get started in writing?
A
longtime friend, herself a Solstice author, nudged me into it. She
started me on flash fiction and the floodgates were open! Before
that, I did extensive research writing, and was a nationally
certified college writing and research tutor for years. Nowadays, I’m
a bestselling author and a top-ranked editor.
But
really, it all started long ago, when unicorns roamed the earth. I
have always loved good writing, even as a small child.
And
on my blog, where I not only share my own ramblings but offer
interviews with great Solstice authors! https:authorcjl.wordpress.com
9.
So
with your latest work released/or being released, what comes next?
What can we expect from you in the future?
I
have several stories in the works right now, but have no idea which
one’s going to be done first. Let’s just say I’m playing with
history a bit.
10.
How
much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
A
fair bit. But of course they’re wrapped differently in a story.
11.
Do
you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
Go
with the flow. Writing for me doesn’t mean sitting down and going
non-stop for hours. It may be as basic as sketching out a concept,
and returning to it later once it’s had time to ferment.
12.
What
is your routine once you start writing a book?
I
don’t really have one. I’m an intuitive writer, so words like
“schedule” and “outline” are sort of anathema to me. I may
sit down and write pages, or I
may scribble down a concept to ponder the what-if’s.
13.
What
about you in general? What is it that makes you tick? Makes you you?
Things you like to do and what prompted you into writing?
I’m
hyper-observant by nature, and have a sneaky sense of humor. There’s
not much that doesn’t interest me. I’ve had many experiences that
some might classify as straight out of cuckoo land, but that’s ok.
More story material for me!
14.
Among
your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite Hero or Heroine?
I
love Gerald in “Calling You Out” (The
Ossuary Playground).
He is the consummate working man, with a caring and noble heart. My
beloved husband inspired Gerald just by living his life the way he
lived it.
15.
What
kind of research do you do when writing one of your works?
Whatever
is necessary at the time. It may be a matter of subject, or a matter
of language usage. For instance, in American lingo your character
might say “lawyer,” but your British character would refer to the
same individual as a “solicitor.” It’s important to get words
right, regardless of their infinite contexts and variety. The tiniest
detail can really throw a reader off.
Researching
the subject matter around which your story revolves is really
important too. You can always tell whether a writer has done their
homework, or just scribbled something down because they thought it
sounded good when it was really just being lazy. Trust me – it
really does show. And I firmly believe that fiction writers have
something to teach us through their stories.
16.
Do
you ever ask friends/family for advice or ideas to go into your
works?
I
ask for feedback from time to time, mostly to see if something makes
sense. But I also trust my instincts.
17.
Have
you ever experienced Writer's Block? If so, how did you work through
it? Yes.
And then my writing Muse kicked me in the head. “But Muse, it’s 3
in the morning….” “Write NOW!!!” tappity tap tap tappity…..
She has very interesting ideas, my patron Muse does! And she kicks
hard.
18.
Who
are some of your favorite authors to read?
As
an editor, I read many an excellent story by diverse authors. Beyond
that, I read all kinds of things on all kinds of subjects, so it’s
really hard to pin down.
19.
Anything
else you'd like to tell our readers?
Don’t
let writing PTSD hold you back. Remember those horrible times in
creative writing class when you were a kid and the teacher assigned
you a project, so you could read it aloud in class the next day?
Awful. Write freely and share as you wish. No one’s going to take
away your birthday. Just remember that both writing and reading are
extremely subjective exercises. If someone likes your writing,
halloo, hallay, o frubjous day! But if they don’t, at least they
read it, and that’s a good thing too. Everyone has a right to their
own opinion. Thank all of your critics, including the negative ones,
and invite them to stick with you. They might like your next work.
20.
Lastly,
do you have any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Check
out the indies (independent publishing houses). If they like your
stuff, you’re far less likely to be sitting around for the better
part of a year waiting for your manuscript to hit the editing
department. You may have to wait months just to hear a yes or no from
the big houses!
One
advantage gained by going through a publishing house is you are
provided with an editor, proofreader, formatter, cover art, and a
market that carries your work. In these days of self-publishing,
people often don’t stop to think about how costly and trap-ridden
that path can get. You need to hire people to provide the services
mentioned above, and that runs up a tab real fast.
It’s
extremely important to read and follow the Rules For Submission that
any given publisher provides. Long story short: they have a system
that works for them. Don’t quibble with it or try to change it.
Don’t set yourself apart as that special little snowflake who won’t
melt in the sun. When you submit a work, you are doing two very
important things: 1) asking someone to take a chance on your work,
and 2) showing a publisher that you can follow directions in a manner
becoming a professional.
Once
your work is accepted, be prepared to be your own publicist unless
you decide to hire one. The internet has changed everything about how
publicity works, and there’s always something new to learn.
Publishers, both big and small, don’t shell out for publicity like
they used to. Start a blog, use facebook and twitter, join writing
groups. Pick up tips and share your own. You have a huge advantage
here in that you control your publicity to a large degree, and that
means you can choose how you wish to represent yourself honestly and
engagingly.
Your
publisher will provide some venues (for instance, Solstice uses
GoodReads and Amazon, among others), but the rest is up to you. It’s
the new norm, but it is not a difficult norm to navigate.
So,
here you are, ready to take the leap. You wrote a book and you think
it’s pretty good. There are some important steps to take before you
submit it for consideration. First, have some folks read it with a
critical eye, people you can trust to give you honest and helpful
feedback. You are not looking for yes-men here. You want them to tell
you where you went astray and where things are good and bad. Next,
bring their critiques into your reviewing of your book. Adjust what
you need to. Make sure everything works in the story like it’s
supposed to. And lastly, proofread it. Put another pair of eyes on it
for this step. Our brains have a habit of “seeing” what’s
supposed to be on the page when in fact you might have an accidently
omitted word.
And
now, you’ve followed the Rules For Submission. You press “send.”
We
wish you well.
Additional titles available at Amazon -
