Ask the Author: Cynthia Ruchti
Answered Questions (10)
Cynthia Ruchti
Karen, I almost always say, "The last one I wrote," because I really do endeavor to grow as a writer with each book. So the next one should be stronger and even more compelling--a new favorite! Some of the books I write are more personal to me than others. But I think I'll go reread them all so I can figure out my current favorite. :)
Cynthia Ruchti
Great question! Many of my father's love letters to my mother when Dad was stationed in Korea--complete with his pencil sketches of his Marine company, their uniforms and mess kits, even their open-air chapel services--are missing. Each of us siblings treasure those letters now that both of our parents are gone, so we wouldn't have treated them carelessly. But the mystery has remained for more than thirty years. Where are those letters hiding?
Cynthia Ruchti
I don't know ASL, which made Lucy's stumbling through it more realistic! But I have a dear friend who is fluent in ASL, whose parents are both deaf, and whose father-in-law is as well. I tapped into her knowledge from all sides of the issue to help bring those sections alive. Thank you for asking. And thanks for your words of kindness about the story.
Cynthia Ruchti
I'm a life-observer. So inspiration normally comes from observing a scene or conversation or applying the ever popular "What if?" to what I'm observing around me.
Cynthia Ruchti
Readers. And I'm not kidding. Readers who connect with a story make all the effort, all the sleepless nights, all the deadline drama worthwhile!
Cynthia Ruchti
Of the fictional couples I've created, Alexis and Gabe (from Restoring Christmas) stand out. They're so different--as my husband and I are--and yet so perfect for each other. It just takes them a while to figure that out.
Cynthia Ruchti
Song of Silence was inspired in part by the music teachers in my life who helped form my love for music and its impact. Those teachers included my father and my elementary vocal music teacher--Lucy Ramshaw--who let me "borrow" her name for my main character.
Cynthia Ruchti
I'm currently working on a devotional book of encouragement for those whose parents are aging. Tough topic. Treating it tenderly.
Cynthia Ruchti
I always suggest that aspiring writers attend the best writers' conference they can afford--first concentrating on the craft of writing, then finding a conference that has agents and editors who specialize in the genre in which they write.
Cynthia Ruchti
One of the most effective ways for me to press through writer's block is to walk away from the computer and do something else creative--a nature walk, a visit to an art gallery, reading great literature, weeding my garden... Focusing on something other than the story I'm working on usually gets my mind kicked out of the blank-screen mode, settles my soul, and allows creativity to have room to roam.
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