Please join me today in welcoming Cynthia Roemer to the blog to chat about her new book, Under Prairie Skies! You can read my review of book #1 in the series – Under This Same Sky – HERE
Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational writer with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband and their two college-aged sons. Under Prairie Skies is Book Two in her Prairie Sky Series.
You can connect with Cynthia on her website, Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter
~ Beyond shattered dreams lies a realm of possibilities ~
Illinois prairie ~1855
Unsettled by the news that her estranged cousin and uncle are returning home after a year away, Charlotte Stanton goes to ready their cabin and finds a handsome stranger has taken up residence. Convinced he’s a squatter, she throws him off the property before learning his full identity. Little does she know, their paths are destined to cross again.
Quiet and ruggedly handsome, Chad Avery’s uncanny ability to see through Charlotte’s feisty exterior and expose her inner weaknesses both infuriates and intrigues her. When a tragic accident incites her family to move east, Charlotte stays behind in hopes of becoming better acquainted with the elusive cattleman. Yet Chad’s unwillingness to divulge his hidden past, along with his vow not to love again, threatens to keep them apart forever.
Hi Cynthia! Welcome to the blog!
Cynthia: An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Love apples!
Carrie: Yum! Me too!
Cynthia: Ours actually pulls sideways. LOL! But I like it turned to the outside. =)
Carrie: haha! I think I would like my toilet paper turned to the outside if it pulled sideways too… but otherwise it’s got to be under.
Cynthia: Both are beautiful, but I would most likely choose a cabin in the mountains!!
Carrie: Me too!
Cynthia: I love turning pages and having a real book in my hands!
Carrie: I love both – but there are just some books that have to be read in print, I think.
Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Cynthia: If I had a superpower, I would want to be able to split into two Cynthias – one to do what I NEED to do and the other to do what I WANT to do ~ mainly WRITE! LOL! Wouldn’t that be wonderful???
Carrie: ohhhh i want that superpower too! Think of all the READING i could do lol!
Q: Other than the Bible, what are five of your most cherished books?
Cynthia: This is tough to narrow down, but one of my first memorable fiction books growing up was, Never Miss a Sunset by Jeanette Gilge. An oldie but a goody. Then, there’s The Last Confederate by Gilbert Morris, The Crown and the Crucible by Michael Phillips & Judith Pella, and The Frontiersman’s Daughter by Laura Frantz, the book that was so instrumental in showing me what it is to get into the skin of a character and shaping my own writing.
Lastly, on the non-fiction side, would be My Sergei by Ekaterina Gordeeva. I love the story of this Russian pair-skating Olympic duo. Such a fascinating and heart wrenching story.
Carrie: The Frontiersman’s Daughter ♥
Q: Writing spaces are as diverse as authors and books. Where is your favorite space to write?
Cynthia: Well, I just purchased my first laptop, so am finally able to write outside! I’ve always been stuck at the Desktop in our living room. So my new favorite place to write is on our front porch!!
Carrie: oh that sounds lovely!
Q: Which of your main characters is most like you?
Cynthia: I think there is some of me in both of my leading ladies, but I probably relate more to Becky Hollister from Under This Same Sky.
Carrie: Becky is such a great character!
Q: Did you have the whole plot outlined before you started writing, or did you let the characters dictate what came next?
Cynthia: I generally have an outline of the story, but like to leave room for God to lead my characters and plot in unexpected places.
Carrie: i love that!
Q: If you were somehow transported in time back to the Illinois prairie in 1855, what do you think would be the most difficult thing to adjust to?
Cynthia: The harshness of life. Things like the lack of medicine and having to wash clothes on a scrub board!! No air conditioning, no fans, no electricity!! We don’t realize how easy we have it!
Carrie: Our air conditioning broke at the beginning of summer which, around here, is MISERABLY HOT. I was such a baby about it – I don’t think I would make it on the prairie.
Q: Same situation… but this time, what would you enjoy the most?
Cynthia: The simplicity of life. Neighbor helping neighbor. Honesty. Integrity. Living off the land. People knew how to entertain themselves just by sitting on their front porch listening to the nightlife, visiting neighbors, quilting bees, barn raisings, reading Scripture or playing a fiddle by the fireplace. Now everyone is segmented and glued to screens so much of the time. We’d do well to go back to some of the simpler pleasures of life.
Carrie: I would enjoy that aspect for sure too
Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me, Cynthia! You are welcome back anytime!
What about you? What would you enjoy the most/least about prairie life in the 1800s?
I think no electricity and all that entails would be extremely rough. However, if you never had it you don’t miss it as they say. I can remember as a child no one having a/c and the joy of going to town where the 5 and dime had those big ceiling fans and thinking that was heavenly. Now I don’t want to go without a/c AND fans going. 🙂 Sure have felt for you knowing your a/c went out.
Enjoyed the interview with Cynthia Roemer & learning more about “Under Prairie Skies”. She’s a gal after my own heart – mountains all the way. I’d love the opportunity to read this book.
Hi Kay! Yes. I remember the days w/o air conditioning. Now that I’m accustomed to it, I don’t know how I managed without it! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I pray you’ll be blessed in reading my Prairie Sky Series! Blessings!
Carrie, thank you for the interview with Cynthia, she’s a lovely person. As for your questions, those are hard ones. So many things I would miss. I don’t think I always appreciate all the comforts of life we enjoy, such as, washing machines, indoor plumbing. Of course,living in Texas, air conditioning.
On the other hand, like Cynthia, I would love the simplicity of life. No TV’s, cell phones or electronic devices. I get very discouraged to see so many young people doing nothing but using some form of electronic device. We didn’t have any and got along just fine. I would love to see more kids playing outside, making up games to play and appreciate what they have. They have no idea!
I want our priorities in the right places. Eat together, read the Bible together and pray together. Set out on the porch or lawn, visiting with neighbors, while the kids are playing, chasing fireflies. Helping each other at times of need. Living a quiet and peaceful life, listening to the wonders of God.
Oh, here I am going on and on. I think I am getting carried away and sound preachy. lol
Anyway, I think you can see where I’m coming from.
Thank you for allowing me to view my observations. Thank you for sharing. I love to read all these interviews. They are so enlightening and encouraging!
Blessings
Kathy
Amen, Kathy! That’s the way I was raised as well. There is truly something special in simply enjoying God’s creation and appreciating the simple pleasures of life. Thanks so much for your kind words and sharing your thoughts. Blessings!
LOVE Cynthia’s books and the time period she writes in! Things were a little simpler in those days, but life required a lot hard work!
Hi Misty! Thanks so much! I agree life was very hard back then, much of the reason we live longer today I imagine. We have it much easier.
It was nice to get to know Cynthia a little more…I would definitely miss air conditioning & bananas! I like the convenience of going (DRIVING!) when I want and buying whatever I want at the grocery story! I do like that the food would be home grown & organic! 🙂
Hi MS Barb! Thanks for stopping by! I’d miss bananas for sure, among many other accessible items we take for granted. But, they did eat healthier back then. Blessings!
I’d definitely miss all the modern conveniences we have–electricity, indoor plumbing, air conditioning, central heating, cars, etc. I don’t think I’d miss the busyness of life today. Things were much simpler back then.
Definitely! On both counts. Thanks for your thoughts, Winnie.
Ugh, lack of AC would kill me. NEVER had to live without it, though, yes, if I never had it, I probably would just deal. Still. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. And then there’s the related lack of deodorant. Jiminey.
What would I like? The naturalness of the food. Having the satisfaction of raising and making everything I needed to live. Really working together with family and neighbors, even though I’m very much a “do it myself” person. Think how close you’d all be?
I would miss having tons of books, but think how many stories I could make up to entertain myself in the meantime? And, oh, I’d be an expert hand quilter, because that would be my only option. 😀
I’m forgetting my other biggie: no reliable medical care. That one would scare me. O.o
Ummm, plumbing and toilet paper. Yanno . . .
Yes. Definitely!
Lots of great thoughts, Julianna! Thanks for sharing! Books would be a treasured possession for sure!