Writing - AuthorCynthiaHerron.com

The Writer’s Journey

Writing and the writer’s journey is often as simple or as complex as we believe it to be.

Until about 6th grade, I grew up in Small-town USA. Everyone knew everyone, and we knew all the juicy tidbits about everyone whether we wanted to or not.

We knew who our neighbors were and what they had for dinner. We knew who made the best fried chicken in town and who didn’t cook a lick.

We knew who had the most and who complained the least.

If Aunt Bertha didn’t feel up to marketing because of the bunion on her big toe, our little local market would go to her. They were happy to deliver.

Church socials were full-scale events especially during the holiday season. The ones with the most food drew the biggest crowds and saved the most souls. It was a well-known fact…er…rumor.

When mamas had babies, they didn’t have to worry about meals for the next week. (And maybe not for a month if the stork delivered twins.) Other women in the community would tag-team their efforts and bless the family with casseroles, stews, pies and cakes, and whatever else that might be needed.

To welcome new folks in our midst, we’d often have a “pounding.” That is, we’d shower them with a pound of this or a pound of that. Large boxes would often be packed with cans of coffee, bags of sugar, tins of teas, and containers of staples. We loved getting to know our new friends and neighbors.

We took the time to look past the busyness of life. We stopped and chatted with those on the street. We waved at passing cars and we rarely met a stranger.

We realized our roots and how deeply they were planted.

I loved those childhood years in our tiny, close-knit town. Those times taught me the importance of hearth and home. They forever stitched the seam of resiliency about the fabric of my soul.

I learned that while change is inevitable and good in so many ways, there are just some basics that are non-negotiable. Fads and trends will come and go, but it’s those intrinsic core values that we grow up with, long for, and adhere to that will endure.

We can’t (and shouldn’t) poke our heads in the sand to hide from cultural shifts and societal influences. We can, however, approach those influences confidently when we’re armed with the knowledge of what we know to be true: hearth and home are here to stay.

How we choose to define them is entirely up to us.

***

Cynthia writes Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction. Her stories are set in the vibrant foothills of the Ozark Mountains.

Her work is represented by WordServe Literary.

Honors and Awards

2020 Selah Award Winner

First Novel | 2nd Place

2020 Selah Award Double Finalist

2017 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis Finalist

2017 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis Double Semi-Finalist

2016 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis Double Finalist

2016 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis Double Semi-Finalist

2015 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) First Impressions Winner

2015 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) First Impressions Finalist

Publications

His Heart Renewed (Welcome to Ruby, Book 4) authorcynthiaherron.com

Welcome to Ruby ~ Grab your copy HERE.

Three choices. Two dreams. One path. A girl from his past. The woman who holds his future. Will a wrong detour lead to the right destination?

For the past year, veterinarian Erin Shaye has been drawn to handsome homebuilder Mike Brewer, despite the brown-eyed bachelor’s attempts to dissuade her. When Erin, once again, attempts to coax the reticent recluse into conversation during a charitable wood delivery to her home, the guy not only dismisses her thanks, but he also makes it clear that he likes her about as much as a heaping helping bowl of turnip greens.

Fine. If it’s crickets the fellow wants, let the chirping begin. Erin’s had it with his moodiness and mixed signals. She’s done.

However, there’s something about a well-deserved tongue lashing that has a way of shifting perspective. Mike reckons it wouldn’t twist his drawers to be civil. Maybe it’s about time to shake the icicles off his heart from the wedding debacle that iced him nearly twelve years ago. No doubt the sudden lightning bolts that zip down his spine whenever the pretty animal doc is near must mean there’s thawing afoot. Will Erin give him another chance or will her own secrets and suspicions keep him at arm’s length?

As the couple navigates blunders and heartaches, a new season emerges—one that taps into Erin’s and Mike’s deepest longings and desires—the spring that holds their future. At last, it seems their happily-ever-after is within reach…

But in the bat of an eyelash, a memory from Mike’s past emerges in an unexpected way. Will this change in circumstance hinder what he has with Erin or will truth prevail by way of a divine appointment?

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What others are saying…

“Readers are welcomed with open arms to the fictional town of Ruby in author Cynthia Herron’s sweet romance, His Heart Renewed. I wish I could enjoy a real visit to the wonderful community Herron’s created in her series set in the Ozark Mountains. Her characters become friends in a story that reminds you falling in love requires a heartfelt combination of trust, forgiveness, and hope — while choosing to believe the best of others.”

– Beth K. Vogt, Christy Award-winning author

“In His Heart Renewed, Cynthia Herron pens another charming tale of two wary hearts and the healing that finally brings them home. I adored revisiting the friendly, small-town setting of Ruby, Missouri, where humor and faith abound and delicious food fills every plate. Erin and Mike’s bumpy road to happily-ever-after reminds us that God’s grace is for all the days of our life, not just our best. Well done!”

– Kerry Johnson, Publisher’s Weekly Best-selling author of Snowstorm Sabotage and Tunnel Creek Ambush

“As delightful as the cupcakes from Charla Packard’s Pennies from Heaven deli/bakery, Cynthia Herron’s His Heart Renewed is a sweet story that will leave you watering for the next Brewer family romance. Another memorable journey to Ruby provides a respite in a small town readers will love to visit where something as ordinary as a firewood delivery can change two people from frenemies to friends with the potential for a partnership to navigate life’s difficult pathways. Highly recommended.”

– Tanya Agler, author of Caught by the Cowgirl

“Three big cheers for Cynthia Herron who returns readers to the glow and glory of small-town romance, life, and healing in her latest Ozarks’ based Welcome to Ruby tale. This time, in His Heart Renewed, Herron takes readers on an extra charming, heart-tugging journey showing how opposites who attract light the best fires when they finally take a chance on love. Such a satisfying, heart-lifting unfolding of renewal and hope. Settle in and enjoy.”

– Patricia Raybon, Christy Award-winning author of All That Is Secret and Double the Lies of the Annalee Spain Mystery Series.

Welcome to Ruby ~ Grab your copy HERE.

Can two polar opposites meet in the middle to achieve a winning outcome?

Sunset Meadows’ activity director Melinda Brewer has her work cut out for her. As a five-year veteran with the cutting-edge retirement community, “Mel” wears many hats. But her job is more than a title. The residents at “The Meadows” are like family—some of whom she’s known her entire life. Ruby—this little niche in the Ozark Mountains—may be a mere dot on the Missouri map, but it’s also Mel’s birthplace, the land of her heritage, reminiscent of old ways while cognizant of new seasons.

Leave it to new kid on the block Matt Enders to upset the apple cart. When Enders is hired as the facility’s new social worker, his idea of a well-oiled machine is to eliminate a few rusty cogs—chiefly, some of Mel’s most successful programs. Mr. City Slicker doesn’t care about making waves. He delivers a hurricane!

Matt Enders isn’t budging. Let Mel Brewer think what she will. While he’s willing to meet the pint-size package of TNT halfway regarding new ideas and innovation, he won’t sacrifice improvement for the sake of hurt feelings. Can he convince Mel that a team approach is better than a single-handed effort?

Ironically, crabby Clinton Farley, a Meadows’ resident and devout non-believer, is the catalyst that draws Matt and Mel closer. Together, the two must set aside differences to work for a common cause—introducing Clinton to a sunnier side of life and a new way of living.

When they finally learn Clinton’s story, can Matt and Mel open their hearts to new opportunities, as well as each other?

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What others are saying…

“Charming. A feel-good story with a touch of humor. You’ll be smiling when you finish the last page.”

– Rachel Hauck, NY Times Bestselling author

“Heartwarming and uplifting, Her Faith Restored by Cynthia Herron is like a down-home visit at Ida Mae’s Come and Get It Diner with a slice of apple pie and cinnamon ice cream while running into old friends and meeting new ones. This trip to Ruby provides another wonderful read centered around a pair of sparring co-workers who find working together can lead to inspiring results. Highly recommended for a relaxing evening, as the Thanksgiving and Christmas season provides the perfect backdrop for a cast of characters that will work their way into your hearts and leave you satisfied, yet looking forward to another installment.”

– Tanya Agler, author of The Sheriff’s Second Chance and The Single Dad’s Holiday Match

“In Her Faith Restored Cynthia Herron has penned a family-driven tale of sweet romance and friendship that isn’t afraid to go deep in questions of faith. Softly vulnerable and willingly open, readers of Cynthia Ruchti, Karen Kingsbury and Francine Rivers will be at home in charming Ruby. Lovingly told with snappy dialogue and a small-town canvas I would love to visit, readers will find Inspirational fiction’s answer to Virgin River and be clamouring for a Netflix adaptation of its own!”

– Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code

“Her Faith Restored swept me away! Cynthia Herron is a Picasso of the pen. She tugged at my heartstrings with this lovely romantic tale. Her gorgeous descriptions bring the characters to life. Readers are in for a treat.”

– Preslaysa Williams, author of A Lowcountry Bride

His Love Revealed authorcynthiaherron.com

Welcome to Ruby! Grab your copy HERE!

Will revelations of the past hijack their future?

Since childhood, Ida Mae Hoscutt, the beloved proprietress of the Come and Get It Diner, has loved Charles “Chuck” Farrow from afar. Now on the eve of her thirty-ninth birthday with no marriage proposal in sight, Ida Mae mourns past mistakes and contemplates a makeover. When a radio commercial wrenches Ida Mae’s heart, will a sudden turn of events sabotage her chance for happiness or will a long-held secret be the answer to love ever-after?

As Ida Mae’s right-hand man at the Come and Get It, Chuck yearns to shift gears and start over. He’s ready to shelve bachelorhood and blunders in favor of possibilities and new beginnings. When he prepares to move forward, two things challenge his objective. One is the father who walked away and never looked back. The other? A decades-old question that only Ida Mae can answer.

And Ida Mae isn’t talking.

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What others are saying…

“In His Love Revealed, author Cynthia Herron welcomes readers back to Ruby, Missouri and pens a happily ever after that’s a long time coming … and well worth the wait. Ida Mae and Chuck’s love story shows readers the challenges of falling in love with your best friend and how we can often misinterpret today’s events through the lens of who we were years ago. Through it all, Herron never wavers in reminding readers how faith provides us with true hope.”

— Beth K. Vogt, award-winning author of the Thatcher Sister Series

“A delightful trip to the Ozarks. With His Love Revealed, Cynthia Herron has created a lovely Ozarks town where a plucky heroine named Ida Mae embarks on a faith-filled journey of the heart. Herron’s lush descriptions bring Ida Mae’s world to life in vivid color. The love story between Ida Mae and Chuck was charming and had me rooting for their happily ever after. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

— Belle Calhoune, Publisher’s Weekly best-selling author of Her Alaskan Cowboy

Visit your new home town today! Grab your copy HERE.

Is the sure thing worth risking for the possibility of maybe?

Charla Winthrop, a savvy business woman seeking a permanent lifestyle change in small-town Ruby, learns that things aren’t always what they appear when she takes up residence in a house steeped in charm and a hint of mystery.

Rumor has it that Sam Packard the town carpenter is her go-to guy for home remodeling, but can Charla convince him to help her—with no strings attached, of course? Alone far too long, Sam’s prayed that God would send him a wife and a mother for his daughters. However, the new Ruby resident is hardly what he imagined. A new place to call “home,” the possibility of what might be, and the answer to someone’s prayers unite this unlikely pair with the help of the town’s residents.

Nestled in the Ozarks’ hills and hollows is Ruby, Missouri, a quaint, cozy town where “neighbor” is merely another word for “friend.” Ruby will charm and delight as will her quirky, lovable characters who will steal your heart, but hand it right back—with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Savor your new friends’ sorrows and successes in the community where offbeat is perfect and mishaps and mayhem never tasted so good.

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What others are saying…

“Gentle, warm, and wise, Her Hope Discovered, by Cynthia Herron, is a perfect afternoon read that will renew your faith in the healing power of love. The lovely descriptions of the Ozarks, an honorable, swoon-worthy hero, and two adorable little girls in search of a mama drew me in and kept me reading. Her Hope Discovered is a faith-filled debut perfect for readers of sweet, small-town romance.”

—Linda Goodnight, NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

“Acquainted with debut author Cynthia Herron through her inspiring monthly newsletters, I was delighted to find the same warmhearted, down-home charm in Her Hope Discovered. Welcome to Ruby, Missouri, a community of friendly, faith-filled characters who draw you in and invite you to stay awhile. I certainly hope I’ll be returning again soon!”

—Myra Johnson, award-winning author of the Flowers of Eden series

“Her Hope Discovered by Cynthia Herron is indeed a story of hope and discovery. Herron has created a cast of characters in the little town of Ruby readers will love getting to know. Ruby is a place where love can bloom and families can find happiness with a little help from the Lord. You’ll be glad you stopped in Ruby to visit awhile.”

—Ann H. Gabhart, bestselling author of Angel Sister and River to Redemption

“Escape to Ruby with Charla and enjoy a life that is slower and simpler in a place where new beginnings come complete with the perfect Stetson-clad neighbor and delicious pecan pie.”

—Patricia Beal, author of A Season to Dance

Fans of Debbie Macomber will enjoy Her Hope Discovered and Cynthia’s Welcome to Ruby series.

Cynthia’s début novel, the first in a four-book series, released December 2018 with Mountain Brook Ink.

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