Cynthia Roemer

I don't know about you, but I enjoy reading books about the old prairie days. Of course, God knew exactly what he was doing when He put me in this century. I'm not sure I was made for old-time prairie life where you worked from morning until night and went to bed so tired you couldn't even roll over. LOL.

However, I do love to read about those days. Things seemed so much simpler then. This next author writes these very kinds of books.

Cynthia Roemer is an Inspirational Historical Romance author from rural Illinois. Keep reading to find out more about this new author.

AJ: Tell us a little about yourself and your background that led you to become a writer.

CR: Thanks so much for having me, Alisha. I’m a farmer’s wife from central Illinois and have two college-aged sons. I’m also a part-time school librarian. My thirst for writing began when I was sixteen when, through the prompting of my high school English teacher, I entered a short-story contest at a local collage. It won first place, and I was hooked. I knew then, the Lord was calling me to write.

AJ: How many books have you written? And, in what genre would you classify your works?

CR: Thus far, I’ve written the first two books in my inspirational, historical romance Prairie Sky Series: Book 1: Under This Same Sky (April, 2017) and Book 2: Under Prairie Skies (April, 2018). I’ve just recently begun research and an outline for Book 3 in the series: Under Moonlit Skies.

At first, I had a hard time considering myself a “romance” writer, but after reading an early draft of Under This Same Sky, one of my critique partners assured me I “was indeed a romance writer” and said, “You’ve got to get these two characters (Becky and Matthew) together!” LOL! So I spent seven months turning what I considered an historical with a touch of romance into a happily-ever-after historical romance novel. I’d always planned the second novel, Under Prairie Skies to be a romance, but had to make a lot of changes to compensate for changes to the first novel. Shoo! Lots of rewrites!

AJ: How long have you been writing?

CR: I’ve been writing since high school, and had my first short-story published my senior year of college. Since then, I’ve had over one hundred short-stories and articles printed in various teen and adult Christian publications. In 2012, I began to dedicate more of my efforts toward novel writing, and am so grateful the Lord allowed this life-long dream to become a reality.

AJ: You have a new book releasing in a few days called, "Under Prairie Skies". It is book two in your Prairie Sky series. Can you give us a synopsis of the book and how you

came to write it?

CR: Sure. Here’s the Book Blurb:

~ 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 were 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.

AJ: Does "Under Prairie Skies" correlate in any way with the first book, "Under this Same Sky?"

CR: Very much so. Under Prairie Skies begins just days after Under This Same Sky ends and has many of the characters from the first book, including main characters, Becky Hollister and Matthew Brody, but with minor rolls.

For this second novel, I needed a heroine with a fiery nature to pit against my strong, silent hero. Becky’s spoiled cousin, Charlotte, was the perfect fit. To gain a full understanding of the stories, it’s important that readers read Under This Same Sky ahead of Under Prairie Skies. They’ll have a much richer reading experience if they do.

AJ: Does your inspiration come from real life or is it purely fictional?

CR: Both I would say. The theme for Under This Same Sky is one of holding onto the Lord even when we can’t sense His presence or see His hand at work in our lives, something I think each of us can relate to. Becky deals with some major losses and transitions that test and mature her faith. Though I haven’t personally experienced the loss of a close loved one, I know others who have, and pray readers’ lives are touched by the message the book conveys.

Under Prairie Skies is more relational in nature. Its key verse is: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) My hero, Chad Avery, and heroine, Charlotte Stanton, both have issues they need to work through. Through the course of the novel, they unwittingly challenge each other to overcome these obstacles they’re facing. It’s my hope that readers will see how the Lord uses the people around us to speak into our hearts and encourage us in our faith walk.

AJ: Do you see writing as a career? Or, is this just a hobby?

CR: Neither, really. Most would consider it a hobby, since it isn’t my main source of income, but I view it as a ministry. In writing, I seek to do more than entertain readers or make money. That has never been my goal. It’s my prayer that the Lord will speak words of hope and healing into the hearts of those who read my stories.

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