PAPER GIRL; by Cindy R. Wilson ***Interview with the Author -- Giveaway***
Paper Girl
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Release date: December 4th 2018
Entangled Teen
Then my mom hires a tutor. Jackson. This boy I had a crush on before the world became too terrifying to live in. Jackson’s life is the complete opposite of mine, and I can tell he’s got secrets of his own. But he makes me feel things. Makes me want to try again. Makes me want to be brave. I can almost taste the outside world. But so many things could go wrong, and all it takes is one spark for everything I love to disappear...
An Interview with Cindy R. Wilson
Tell us a little bit about why you write in your chosen genre, and if you have books in other genres as well.
I decided to write in my genre because I kept reading these amazing contemporary stories that wrapped me up in that feeling again, the one where you’re young and alive (and sometimes in love) and your whole life is ahead of you but certain obstacles feel like the weight of the world is on you. I wanted to write these stories, too. I wanted to share those feelings and highs and lows with readers. But I love fantasy and sci-fi and unusual things, so I also write many other genres.
What was the title of your first book, and what was it about?
I honestly can’t remember the title of my very first book. I started it when I was twelve. But it’s was very X-Men-ish, with kids with powers who went to a special school for kids with powers.
Was it a series?
Actually, it was. I wrote the second book when I was still a teenager. Wow. That was a long time ago!
The first book seems to be the most difficult to get off the ground. What inspired you to write it?
I’d always enjoyed story-telling and I’d written several short stories. One day, after bugging my sister over and over again to do something with me and her saying no, she said, “Why don’t you just write a book?” A light kind of clicked on inside of me. I guess I’d thought about writing a book before, but this was like…a challenge, and I was determined to do it. It took me a little over two years. After that, I knew if I could do it again, I could really be a writer. So I did. I wrote another book when I was fifteen, and then another when I was eighteen, and I just kept going.
What is your most current book?
The most current book I’m working on is also a contemporary YA story, with a Breakfast Club theme and a girl who is a history buff and working through the feelings of a very sick sister.
Is it a series?
Nope, this one isn’t part of a series.
New books are so exciting. Do you have more stories planned or that you’ve been working on for the future?
Oh, yes! I have so many ideas, I have to keep a notebook so I remember them. I wish I could write even faster so I can get all the ideas on paper. In addition to the story I mentioned above, I have two others I started plotting—however, I’m trying to stay focused and work on one at a time. I also have two dystopian novels that are releasing in the next year and a half.
Can you share a little bit about your main character’s, and what drives them?
In my debut release, Paper Girl, my characters are driven by very personal and serious issues. My heroine has anxiety disorder and hasn’t left her house in over a year. She wants to step out of her comfort zone and learn how to life her life, to not be afraid of everything. My hero is driven by the need to be more than he is. His father was an alcoholic and ruined his life and his mother passed away. The hero wants to live up to his promise to go to college, to make his mom proud, and he’s got this compulsive need to fix things, to be there for people when they need it (like my heroine does). They both have to learn how to work through their issues without always relying on each other.
Some stories have strong themes. How important are themes in your writing? Is your theme based on the story, or are your stories birthed from a theme/or themes?
It varies depending on the story. In my contemporary books, stories are often birth from themes I want to address. It’s the opposite for stories of other genres.
If the answer was yes, is the theme personal for you, or simply an important issue?
The theme of Paper Girl is very important to me. Much of the story is based off personal experiences and something I know a lot of other people, from teenagers to adults, deal with on a daily basis.
What other stories have you written?
How much time do you have? 😊 Okay, so I wrote adult fiction before I wrote YA fiction and I’ve written dozens of those books. I’ve written eight YA novels (not including those I wrote when I was a teenager and just learning). Two of them will be out in the next few years, and both of those are dystopian novels. One is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, and the other is the prequel to that story (they’re set in the same world, but can be read as standalones). I’ve also written a story about witches in a utopian society, a book about teleporters and alternate universes, a near future sci-fi story, a thriller about a serial killer back from the dead, and a contemporary story about a girl who uses a unique way to get back at the bullies in her school.
I love to bounce around websites because I’ve found I can learn so much about an Author there. Do you have a website, blog, or other place where you showcase your work?
I have a website: www.cindyrwilson.com where I mostly talk about writerly news, but don’t have the chance to showcase much of my work. I do, however, try to tell some fun facts about my published novels and share the playlist on the books page. I also put visual inspiration on Pinterest boards for all of my books.
So many Authors are artists by nature. Do you have any other artwork or hobbies you do on a consistent basis?
I get to be creative for my day job, which is fun, and I love music. I used to play the violin, I taught myself the guitar (I’m not very good) and I like to sing. I enjoy drawing as well. Basically anything creative interests me—I just wish I had more time!
What were your passions growing up?
I was passionate about writing, of course, and reading. I loved sports—I played volleyball and did Varsity tennis in high school. I also enjoyed journalism and was the editor for my school paper.
What are your passions now?
I’m still wildly passionate about writing and reading. And I really like to be involved in my kids’ passions. One of them loves history so I learn with her, another loves marine biology and cheerleading so we talk about that a lot as well. The littlest one likes to try everything so I try to give her opportunities to learn new things all the time.
Thank you for joining us today. We’re looking forward to seeing the books you’ll be showcasing in the future.
Thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed all the questions and the chance to share more about me, my books, and my writing journey.
About the Author
Cindy lives at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and loves using Colorado towns and cities as inspiration for settings in her stories. She's the mother of three girls, who provide plenty of fodder for her YA novels. Cindy writes speculative fiction and YA fiction, filled with a healthy dose of romance. You'll often find her hiking or listening to any number of playlists while she comes up with her next story idea.
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