Ask the Author: Cynthia Hamilton
Answered Questions (11)
Cynthia Hamilton
That's an interesting question because a when I decided to try my hand at writing 20+ years ago, I realized I needed a story to tell. And that's where I was stuck, because I had a hard time imagining that what I'd been through in my own life would interest readers. Then one day, I remembered the sudden and shocking death of a good friend, a death that I had a very hard time believing actually occurred. Set in New Orleans, the book starts with a memorial service for larger than life Blaze Dixon, a roguish attorney from a very prominent family, with a string of broken hearts to his credit.
Though I have no plans to publish the two first books I wrote (which I consider practice books), they were both lots of fun to write. They gave me the confidence to keep writing and to take chances with any premise that really intrigues me. I'm proof that there's nothing wrong with taking a stab at writing - as long as it brings you joy, it doesn't matter if you make a career of it or not.
Though I have no plans to publish the two first books I wrote (which I consider practice books), they were both lots of fun to write. They gave me the confidence to keep writing and to take chances with any premise that really intrigues me. I'm proof that there's nothing wrong with taking a stab at writing - as long as it brings you joy, it doesn't matter if you make a career of it or not.
Cynthia Hamilton
Hi Colleen,
Thank you for your email. I'd be happy to send a few books. Once Upon A Lyme is a personal story of what I went through in the nine years before I was correctly diagnosed and all the treatments I went through over the course of 15+ years. It's not necessarily a how-to book, but more of what one person went through and how turning to writing as something I could do if I became bedridden gave me another world I could escape to when the pain became unendurable. I never imagined at the time that it would become my occupation.
If this sounds like something that would be acceptable to the libraries in your area, let me know. Also, please send me a link to your site - I couldn't find it in my searches.
Warm regards,
Cynthia
Thank you for your email. I'd be happy to send a few books. Once Upon A Lyme is a personal story of what I went through in the nine years before I was correctly diagnosed and all the treatments I went through over the course of 15+ years. It's not necessarily a how-to book, but more of what one person went through and how turning to writing as something I could do if I became bedridden gave me another world I could escape to when the pain became unendurable. I never imagined at the time that it would become my occupation.
If this sounds like something that would be acceptable to the libraries in your area, let me know. Also, please send me a link to your site - I couldn't find it in my searches.
Warm regards,
Cynthia
Cynthia Hamilton
Hi Richard,
Thank you for reading Once Upon a Lyme, and thank you for your question. Looking back on that period in my life, I marvel at how hard I pushed myself. I didn't have a choice with a lot of the stuff going on in my life - the mortgage company, the vacation rentals, dividing our time between two homes - but I know I adhered to rigid standards that I felt I had to maintain in order to not cave in to the disease. From this distance, I think my childhood may have shaped the deep need to control my world. I'm physically at a much better stage right now, and I sense a change in how I react to everything. I imagine that if Lyme revs up again, I'll be better at letting the little stuff slide. And I'm hoping with this new improved attitude that I will be able to hang on to my health better. :-) So to answer the question about doing something different, I would let go of the superfluous stuff and take better care of myself. For sure!
As for Guy, he vacillated between worrying and cracking the whip. We work so well as a team in all our endeavors, so it was as natural for him to expect a lot out of me as it was for me to push myself. If I whined more, I'm sure it would've been more apparent how much pain I was in. It was only when I couldn't keep up the pretense of being okay that he would really worry, like when I'd get out of bed and fall to the floor, or when my head felt like it was going to explode. Those times were really rough on Guy. I imagine it's a terrible feeling to watch someone suffer and not be able to do anything to make it better. But Guy's my rock. We've been together for 37 years now. I feel very fortunate to have him in my life.
I admire your wife for being a caregiver. They are truly special people. I hope whoever she was caring for is doing better now.
Thank you again for your questions!
Warmest regards,
Cynthia
Thank you for reading Once Upon a Lyme, and thank you for your question. Looking back on that period in my life, I marvel at how hard I pushed myself. I didn't have a choice with a lot of the stuff going on in my life - the mortgage company, the vacation rentals, dividing our time between two homes - but I know I adhered to rigid standards that I felt I had to maintain in order to not cave in to the disease. From this distance, I think my childhood may have shaped the deep need to control my world. I'm physically at a much better stage right now, and I sense a change in how I react to everything. I imagine that if Lyme revs up again, I'll be better at letting the little stuff slide. And I'm hoping with this new improved attitude that I will be able to hang on to my health better. :-) So to answer the question about doing something different, I would let go of the superfluous stuff and take better care of myself. For sure!
As for Guy, he vacillated between worrying and cracking the whip. We work so well as a team in all our endeavors, so it was as natural for him to expect a lot out of me as it was for me to push myself. If I whined more, I'm sure it would've been more apparent how much pain I was in. It was only when I couldn't keep up the pretense of being okay that he would really worry, like when I'd get out of bed and fall to the floor, or when my head felt like it was going to explode. Those times were really rough on Guy. I imagine it's a terrible feeling to watch someone suffer and not be able to do anything to make it better. But Guy's my rock. We've been together for 37 years now. I feel very fortunate to have him in my life.
I admire your wife for being a caregiver. They are truly special people. I hope whoever she was caring for is doing better now.
Thank you again for your questions!
Warmest regards,
Cynthia
Cynthia Hamilton
Hi Richard,
Thank you for reading Once Upon a Lyme, and thank you for your question. Looking back on that period in my life, I marvel at how hard I pushed myself. I didn't have a choice with a lot of the stuff going on in my life - the mortgage company, the vacation rentals, dividing our time between two homes - but I know I adhered to rigid standards that I felt I had to maintain in order to not cave in to the disease. From this distance, I think my childhood may have shaped the deep need to control my world. I'm physically at a much better stage right now, and I sense a change in how I react to everything. I imagine that if Lyme revs up again, I'll be better at letting the little stuff slide. And I'm hoping with this new improved attitude that I will be able to hang on to my health better. :-) So to answer the question about doing something different, I would let go of the superfluous stuff and take better care of myself. For sure!
As for Guy, he vacillated between worrying and cracking the whip. We work so well as a team in all our endeavors, so it was as natural for him to expect a lot out of me as it was for me to push myself. If I whined more, I'm sure it would've been more apparent how much pain I was in. It was only when I couldn't keep up the pretense of being okay that he would really worry, like when I'd get out of bed and fall to the floor, or when my head felt like it was going to explode. Those times were really rough on Guy. I imagine it's a terrible feeling to watch someone suffer and not be able to do anything to make it better. But Guy's my rock. We've been together for 37 years now. I feel very fortunate to have him in my life.
I admire your wife for being a caregiver. They are truly special people. I hope whoever she was caring for is doing better now.
Thank you again for your questions!
Warmest regards,
Cynthia
Thank you for reading Once Upon a Lyme, and thank you for your question. Looking back on that period in my life, I marvel at how hard I pushed myself. I didn't have a choice with a lot of the stuff going on in my life - the mortgage company, the vacation rentals, dividing our time between two homes - but I know I adhered to rigid standards that I felt I had to maintain in order to not cave in to the disease. From this distance, I think my childhood may have shaped the deep need to control my world. I'm physically at a much better stage right now, and I sense a change in how I react to everything. I imagine that if Lyme revs up again, I'll be better at letting the little stuff slide. And I'm hoping with this new improved attitude that I will be able to hang on to my health better. :-) So to answer the question about doing something different, I would let go of the superfluous stuff and take better care of myself. For sure!
As for Guy, he vacillated between worrying and cracking the whip. We work so well as a team in all our endeavors, so it was as natural for him to expect a lot out of me as it was for me to push myself. If I whined more, I'm sure it would've been more apparent how much pain I was in. It was only when I couldn't keep up the pretense of being okay that he would really worry, like when I'd get out of bed and fall to the floor, or when my head felt like it was going to explode. Those times were really rough on Guy. I imagine it's a terrible feeling to watch someone suffer and not be able to do anything to make it better. But Guy's my rock. We've been together for 37 years now. I feel very fortunate to have him in my life.
I admire your wife for being a caregiver. They are truly special people. I hope whoever she was caring for is doing better now.
Thank you again for your questions!
Warmest regards,
Cynthia
Cynthia Hamilton
Hi Maggie!
I laughed when I read your question. I must confess there were moments while working on Finding Ruth when I worried about what others would think. I can tell you I would've never have written it if my mother hadn't developed Alzheimer's. Never in a million years. I think there are a few episodes in the book my brother would take issue with. But because he is now the one responsible for overseeing our mom's care, he can't bring himself to read it yet. He's just too close to the subject matter. So I've dogged another bullet, at least for the time being!
I have to admit I pulled a few punches while writing this book. I never meant for this to be a tell-all affair. What I was trying to do was put together my mom's life so I could better understand what she'd been through, and what made her behave the way she did. In the process, I had to face a lot of painful situations that my mind had glossed over or shut out altogether.
And really, this book was about healing - about finding a way to forgive, forget and to heal. It was important for me to understand who my mom was, what had altered her personality, and more importantly, who she was before all the heartaches and disappointments. There's also an important message that I wanted to share, and that is to ask questions of your loved ones while you have the chance.
And to answer your question, once I started on the project and got caught up in what I was discovering about my mom, I silenced the nagging, worrywart voice in my head. Piecing together her life accurately was the only thing that mattered. I may have to deal with some backlash at some point, but I know that I covered the story fairly. And in the end, it's a tribute to her strength of character and is a story about being able to love each other once everything else is stripped away.
So now I have a question for you: are you about to embark on a similar journey of your own?? If so, I wish you luck. You will probably encounter a good deal of surprises which may change your opinions. If I can be of any assistance - resources, methods, etc. - please feel free to ask!
Thank you so much for your question. It was nice to connect with you!
Warm regards,
Cynthia
I laughed when I read your question. I must confess there were moments while working on Finding Ruth when I worried about what others would think. I can tell you I would've never have written it if my mother hadn't developed Alzheimer's. Never in a million years. I think there are a few episodes in the book my brother would take issue with. But because he is now the one responsible for overseeing our mom's care, he can't bring himself to read it yet. He's just too close to the subject matter. So I've dogged another bullet, at least for the time being!
I have to admit I pulled a few punches while writing this book. I never meant for this to be a tell-all affair. What I was trying to do was put together my mom's life so I could better understand what she'd been through, and what made her behave the way she did. In the process, I had to face a lot of painful situations that my mind had glossed over or shut out altogether.
And really, this book was about healing - about finding a way to forgive, forget and to heal. It was important for me to understand who my mom was, what had altered her personality, and more importantly, who she was before all the heartaches and disappointments. There's also an important message that I wanted to share, and that is to ask questions of your loved ones while you have the chance.
And to answer your question, once I started on the project and got caught up in what I was discovering about my mom, I silenced the nagging, worrywart voice in my head. Piecing together her life accurately was the only thing that mattered. I may have to deal with some backlash at some point, but I know that I covered the story fairly. And in the end, it's a tribute to her strength of character and is a story about being able to love each other once everything else is stripped away.
So now I have a question for you: are you about to embark on a similar journey of your own?? If so, I wish you luck. You will probably encounter a good deal of surprises which may change your opinions. If I can be of any assistance - resources, methods, etc. - please feel free to ask!
Thank you so much for your question. It was nice to connect with you!
Warm regards,
Cynthia
Cynthia Hamilton
I have two favorite couples, both of them very unconventional. Louisa Clark and Will Traynor from "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes completely stole my heart. Two people from vastly different backgrounds with nothing in common, forced together by circumstances that make both uncomfortable, gradually fall in the type of love that grows organically and is sturdier because it wasn't based on love or lust at first sight.
My second favorite couple is from my book "Lucky at Love: Some guys just never give up..." What started out as an "anti-romance" novel turned into another example of two characters (who are polar opposites) being true to themselves who naturally, and by degrees, develop feelings for each other that they can't ignore.
I like the timing of this question - just before Valentine's Day! I wish everyone love and happy reading!
My second favorite couple is from my book "Lucky at Love: Some guys just never give up..." What started out as an "anti-romance" novel turned into another example of two characters (who are polar opposites) being true to themselves who naturally, and by degrees, develop feelings for each other that they can't ignore.
I like the timing of this question - just before Valentine's Day! I wish everyone love and happy reading!
Cynthia Hamilton
The truth is, my mind is a swirling mess of ideas, as though I have a hundred pitch men plying me with their suggestions for storylines. Fortunately, I've developed a filtering process that tones down most of that noise so that I'm able to pick the ideas that appeal to me most.
Once I chose a subject I feel has the necessary factors to provide a compelling story, all I need to do is block out the extraneous noise and focus on my characters. When I become distracted by everyday life, I must sit myself down and concentrate on where the story left off, where it is that I need to take it, and that brings my back in touch with my objectives.
Once I chose a subject I feel has the necessary factors to provide a compelling story, all I need to do is block out the extraneous noise and focus on my characters. When I become distracted by everyday life, I must sit myself down and concentrate on where the story left off, where it is that I need to take it, and that brings my back in touch with my objectives.
Cynthia Hamilton
Because I had set up dual careers for Madeline Dawkins in "Spouse Trap," I was able to use her event coordinating business as the springboard to the primary storyline in "A High Price to Pay." I got the idea of incorporating one of my favorite spots in Santa Barbara, Ganna Walska's Lotusland, while walking the beautiful grounds as I nurtured the plotline to the sequel in my head. Because I knew that patrons who contributed at a certain level could host parties at this lovely legacy garden, but had to be off the premises by dusk, it spurred the idea of creating a famous film director's wife who, put off by the time restrictions, decides to create a "legacy garden" of her own. Her estate became the central scene for most of the action in the story. As Madeline later reflects, it is an "unhappy mansion," inhabited by people who place more importance on appearances than on human connections.
Cynthia Hamilton
I'm in the middle of the third book in the Madeline Dawkins series, which is set in Santa Barbara, my adopted hometown. In this installment, Madeline and Mike take on two cases: one pro bono case - which Madeline has a hard time resisting, especially when it has to do with women who've been wronged - and the search for a wealthy woman's estranged daughter. Madeline agrees to take up the cold trail for the MIA woman if Mike consents to going undercover to catch a brazen swindler.
Cynthia Hamilton
Know what you want to write about in detail before sitting down in front of your computer or notepad. Staring at a blank state can be paralyzing. I never start a new project until I have the storyline etched out in my head with at least two plausible endings. Not one of my books has ended the way I thought it would, but I would not feel comfortable diving into a story and spending months writing only to find that I had no satisfying way of ending it. But I also recognize that once I create my characters, they take on a life of their own and will not do anything that doesn't jibe with their personalities. So, my advice is spend time learning about your characters, the story you want to tell, and let the actors play their parts as they see fit.
Cynthia Hamilton
Connecting with readers has been the most gratifying aspect of being a writer. The feedback I receive from people who've read my books just lights me up inside! As I wrote to one reader who contacted me through my website, writing is a solitary pursuit, performed in a vacuum. Only when I read reviews or emails from readers do I experience the reward for countless hours of work.
Cynthia Hamilton
Fortunately for me, I've never had this problem. In fact, turning to writing as a creative outlet in case I became bedridden allowed me to channel the my overactive imagination and put it to good use. It was a relief to find a task for an inner voice that never stops speculating; a fragment of an overheard conversation will send my mind into a spontaneous narrative about characters imagined on the spot. It has been that way all my life, slipping into an imaginary world with one provocative thought, chasing after an alternative reality, sort of like poor Walter Mitty! There are times when I sit and stare at my computer screen, but it's not for lack of something to say, just the correct way in which to say it.
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