Romance at Heart Magazine Author Interview: Cindy Vallar

Interview with Cindy Vallar

Cindy, we appreciate you taking the time to answer some questions that our readers may have to ask. For those who don’t know, Cindy is a talented writer, and an avid historian. Her work shows the meticulous detail of history interwoven in a beautifully told storyline and vivid characters.

- Please tell us about your latest book.

Set during the last civil war fought on British soil, my debut novel is about the Rising of 1745. As a child Rory MacGregor witnessed a brutal attack on her village that left her mother dead, her father wounded, and her foster mother mute. Her father raised Rory to assume his position as chieftain of the outlawed Clan Gregor and taught her to wield the weapons of a warrior. What he failed to tell her was that he also arranged for her to wed a man from a small, but powerful and well-respected clan. That man is Duncan Cameron, foster son of and bodyguard to the chief of Clan Cameron, Sir Donald Cameron of Lochiel. Superstitious clansmen, Camerons who prefer traditional Highland life to the changes introduced by Lochiel, and the arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie threaten Rory and Duncan’s tenuous alliance. When duty and honor dictate that they answer the call to arms in different ways, will separation and bloody rebellion strengthen or unravel the fragile threads that unite them?

- What can we expect from you in the future?

The manuscript closest to completion is one I began long before my debut novel, The Scottish Thistle. While on break from college, I saw an episode of “The Swiss Family Robinson” where Walt Disney talked about a gentleman pirate who became a patriot when he supplied men, arms, and ammunition to General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. Jean Laffite surrounded himself in mystery, which made it difficult to locate research material about him back in the seventies. Advances in technology and recent research conducted by members of The Laffite Society, however, have allowed me access to materials not available then. A critique partner suggested a twist to the story line that forced me to reconsider the plot. Together these missing links provided what I need to finish writing The Rebel And The Spy.

My other projects include:

Two Hearts Against The Wind is based on an actual law where a woman caught kissing ten times in public must wed the man who kissed her. Set in western Kansas during the 1930s, it’s a story of prejudice, hatred, love, and survival during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

Odin’s Stone is a medieval tale set on the Isle of Skye during the reign of Alexander, Lord of the Isles. He contrives a way to end a feud between two clans. A number of readers, who read my short story of the same title, asked me to turn it into a full-length novel.

Glengyle is yet another novel of Scotland’s Rising of 1745. Scottish historian, Peter Lawrie, asked me to co-author the novel, which is based on Robert MacGregor of Glen Gyle, one of Peter’s ancestors. Robert was the son of Gregor Glengyle, who appeared in The Scotish Thistle.

- How do we find out about you and your books?

Thistles & Pirates (http://www.cindyvallar.com/) is my web site. Having been a librarian for twenty years, I combine the skills acquired in that profession with my writing to help visitors and allow them to get to know who I am. I include pictures of recent appearances and of the places I write about in my novels. My research bibliographies include books, articles, videos, and web sites that I’ve found helpful in writing. Book excerpts, poems, book reviews, and piracy articles introduce visitors to my writing.

- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

I love hearing from fans and often include their comments on my web site. If someone takes the time to write to me, I listen to what he/she has to say. For example, several readers enjoyed ODIN’S STONE, but didn’t like not knowing what happened between Rona and Kyle. They’ve asked me to turn the short story into a novel, but I have to go to Scotland to do more research because it’s difficult to obtain source material about this particular period in Scottish history.

Sometimes readers point out an error or ask for guidance in locating information. One Scottish gentleman living in Asia read the excerpt of The Scottish Thistle and wrote to say that he would word one sentence differently. I had written it as an American, but I preferred to write it as a Scot would say the sentence. Those who read my piracy articles suggest future topics for me to cover.

Although I don’t have all the answers, I do answer readers’ questions and thank them for their suggestions or for sharing their thoughts with me. Readers who want to write to me can do so at Cindy@Cindyvallar.com or P.O. Box 425, Keller, TX 76244-0425.

- Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

Since I write historical novels intertwined with love stories, my books require a lot of research. I need to immerse myself in the time period so that I’m in whatever century the story unfolds and I have to fully understand the political situation from all viewpoints before I can translate what I’ve learned into a story others want to read. I tend to select historical events of lesser renown, which presents problems when doing the research. As a result it takes time to craft a compelling story that readers will want to read. The Scottish Thistle took twelve years from initial idea to publication. The Rebel And The Spy has taken much longer.

If I could work just on my novels, I’d finish a project faster, but that’s not possible. I write a monthly history column about maritime piracy. I edit books and short stories for two publishers, as well as doing freelance edits. I review books for several publications and conduct workshops about piracy and Scotland.

- What does your husband think of your writing?

Tom’s extremely supportive of my writing. On occasion he enjoys being “Mr. Cindy Vallar,” and helps to sell my book. He proofs what I write, although we’ve agreed that his training as a technical writer sometimes impedes his suggestions since I write fiction. Halfway through writing , he surprised me with a five-week tour of Scotland to visit the places I wrote about and to gain a better understanding of people, time, and place.

- Who are some of your favorite authors?

The first romance author my mother introduced me to was Victoria Holt. Although I read many of her books, , was my favorite. Jennifer Blake introduced me to New Orleans and LaVryle Spencer showed me that ordinary people (rather than nobles) make wonderful heroes and heroines. Andrew Greeley writes poignant love stories and his gift at capturing the Irish always brings fond memories of my stays in Ireland, the land of my ancestors.

In addition to romance, I enjoy reading suspense and historical fiction. Clive Cussler introduced me to the world of maritime archaeology. Rafael Sabatini swept me away with his swashbuckling pirates. The characters in Louis L’Amour’s westerns and Stuart Woods’ thrillers were so vivid that they remained with me long after I finished their books. Leon Uris introduced me to the Holocaust and historical fiction.

- Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?

When I started writing, I controlled the characters, but I discovered this sometimes leads to mediocre stories. While revising The Scottish Thistle, one minor character that appeared in two scenes decided he had a more important role to play in the story. Without my realizing it or intending to do so, Fergus took over the keyboard and embellished his part. A warrior like Duncan, Fergus lacks the finesse and experiences Duncan had as youth. Fergus’ height makes him awkward and shy, but he will sacrifice his life to protect those he loves. He realized long before I did the pivotal role he needed to play in the Battle of Culloden in order to save Duncan’s life.

Thank you very much Cindy, for taking the time with us and answering our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!

Yours in good reading,
Rose!

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