How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a writer?
I was about four years old when I began to compose poems, so I’ve been writing creatively most of my life. I’ve always thought of myself as a writer. It’s just part of who I am.
Who are your favorite authors? (Please limit your answer to five or ten.)
Jean Stratton-Porter (Her book Laddie was my favorite. It made me want to write books.)
Booth Tarkington (My favorite was Seventeen.)
Barbara Cartland (No kidding, I read and loved a ton of her books.)
Louise M. Gouge (And not just because she’s a friend. She teaches me something new about writing with each book.
Liz Curtis Higgs (Her research and detail blow me away)
What are your greatest sources of inspiration?
I love history, so historical events are often sources of inspiration. My first book, Larkspur, was inspired by a trip to Connor Prairie, the living history museum in Fishers, Indiana. My full length novel A Bride’s Sweet Surprise in Sauers, Indiana was inspired by stories my uncle told me from our family history. My most recently released novella, Daughter of Orion, was inspired by a TV documentary about the whaling ship Essex; the ship that inspired the novel Moby Dick.
What genre(s) do you write?
I write historical romance for the Christian market. I have written some contemporary short stories and novellas, but none published. One of the short stories—Thoroughbreds—I’m presently rewriting; expending it to novella length and making it a historical.
Do you have any current or future projects?
Yes, I have two current contracts for novellas. I just finished writing Follow the Christmas Star which will be part of a novella collection titled Underground Brides. My current work in progress is Thoroughbreds which will be part of a novella collection titled Southern Brides. Both collections will release next year by Barbour Publishing.
Do you have an author website?
Yes. My website is Ramona K. Cecil
Do you have any blogs?
Not presently. For several years I contributed to a historical author’s blog Heroes, Heroines, and History, but I felt I needed to give it up this year after I agreed to join four novella groups proposing collections to Barbour Publishing.
Where can people find your work? (to purchase or just to read)
You can go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and type “Ramona K. Cecil books” in the search box. Second Chance Brides which includes my latest novella, Daughter of Orion, is now on shelves in Wal-Mart and many book stores. Jackson County Library and Brownstown Library carry many of my earlier books.
If you could feature just one title, what would it be?
That’s tough, but I guess it would have to be my full length; A Bride’s Sweet Surprise in Sauers, Indiana published by Barbour Publishing in 2012.
Do you have any pseudonyms?
No, I write under my real name. I have thought that if I ever felt the need to write under a pseudonym it would be Jennifer Kelly, which is a combination of my two daughters’ names. Shhh, don’t tell anyone. J
Do you have any other hobbies besides writing?
I like to do some flower gardening in the summer and I enjoy visiting museums and places of historical interest.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
When I was a kid I was a tomboy and loved to climb trees. My 12th , 13th , and 14th summers I constructed a teepee in the back yard where I’d sit and read Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I want to thank you, Jen, for allowing me this opportunity to talk about my writing. I feel so very blessed to have realized my life dream of becoming a published author and getting to share the stories running around in my head with all my readers. For all those who share the same dream I’d like to encourage you to keep writing, working, learning and to never, never, never give up!
Jen's Favorite Authors 