Cynthia Vespia, “The Original Cyn,” is an author, screenwriter, and freelancer. She was nominated for a “Best in Series” award for her trilogy DEMON HUNTER.  I recently had the opportunity to ask her a few questions:

Darkness and death are common themes in your novels. To what do you attribute that dark influence?
In all honesty I had alot of tragedy plague my family at a young age, so alot of it is deep rooted in my past. Other than that I like to read darker tales like horror and dark fantasy.

You are a prolific writer; how do you manage to get so much writing done?
I think it’s probably because I started when I was a teenager. And at that time I wasn’t going out and partying like most high schoolers. I stayed home and wrote and that’s how the majority of my early work came about. Then as I grew into a better writer I went back and reworked a few of my first books, such as The Crescent, and repackaged them for publishing.

Where do you get the inspiration for your characters?
Real life. You run into alot of characters throughout the majority of your lifetime. Bits and pieces of these people inevitably latch onto your subconscious and then they wind up on the page. Where there are holes, or the character has to be or do something specific, obviously that’s where creativity comes in handy. Honestly creating characters is my absolute favorite part of writing. It’s like inventing a new friend.

Do you have a favorite character you have created? Which one and why?
I have a few. In my Las Vegas thriller Lucky Sevens my lead character Lucky Luchazi was an absolute joy to write. I think part of the reason was that I gave him some quirks that may come off as unlikable (for example he’s an alcoholic) but that gave him a depth of realism to work with. Also, alot of his mannerisms and dialogue were based on my own father so how could I not love him. Another character who stands out for me is the female gladiator Nadja in The Crescent. She’s compelling because she was ripped from her home and forced into slavery to fight as a gladiator but all the while she never gives up her strength. I like writing strong women. I like creating realism in my characters. I like creating characters!

I learned a new term the other day, it’s hybrid-author. Simply stated it means that genres are mixing to give readers the best possible story. I do alot of mixed genre writing myself. But these days I am leaning more towards suspense with a touch of supernatural.

What has been the high point of your writing career thus far?

When you’re an independent writing it is difficult to know whether or not your writing is actually in circulation. Even with all the marketing, etc. it is hard to see if it is even making a dent sometimes. So I like to do conventions because it puts me face-to-face with readers. This past year I had a few really nice encounters with folks. A couple of different times I had some folks buy a book or two and then the next day of the convention they came back to tell me they already started the book and that they loved it! That was cause to smile right there. But, my absolute favorite moment this year was when a young couple came up to my table. The boyfriend stood in front and his girlfriend seemed to be shying away behind him too nervous to talk. He proceeded to tell me that I was this girl’s favorite author. I did a double take and then welcomed her over. She was the kind of nervous I get when I meet one of my favorite actors, etc. But she told me how much she loved my books and how excited she was to meet me in person. We posed for a few pictures and some autographs and she got a few more of my books. I cannot tell you how that made me feel. Words fail this writer except to say that I was humbled. Those moments are why I write.

If you could visit one place you have never been, where would it be and why?

I have always wanted to go to New Zealand. It stems from watching Xena: Warrior Princess and Lord of the Rings. That is the most epic and beautiful countryside I have ever seen. Also on my bucket list is Disneyworld. I’ve been meaning to go there for years now and everytime I try to plan it something comes up. But life is short and I intend to make that happen this year!