Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My writing encompasses many different umbrellas of fantasy such as magical realism, urban, dark, and now superheroes. I have about 14 titles to my name with many more ideas culminating in my mind. I write to tell stories, to leave an impression, and make readers think.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Karma, the first in the Silke Butters Superhero Series. It started out as a story revolving around female P.I.s and then morphed into its current form which follows Silke Butters, a young woman who lived within the glitz and glamour of the modeling world, until the day that world was turned upside down. Suddenly embodied with superpowers, she finds herself thrust into a world of heroes and villains, each enhanced with powers of their own. As Silke’s powers begin to grow she finds herself caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between both a subdivision of the U.S. government known as Shadow Company, and a ruthless terrorist organization known as The Sin Squad. Both entities want the “enhanced” for their respective teams with Silke as the main prize. To disguise her famous face, and protect those that she loves, Silke invents an alter ego. Karma is born of necessity to decide the fate of those who are ill-intentioned and empower others with hope. With the help of her former flame Joe Riggs, and her computer hacker friend Maki, Silke develops a heroes call-to-action to battle the dark force that threatens to annihilate humanity. Karma, the 1st in a 5 part series, blends the over-the-top punch of popular comic book stories, with the literary nuance of an urban fantasy novel. A genre-blending roller coaster ride, Karma will delight both superhero fans and fantasy readers alike.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I still prefer to write long hand on a legal pad with a pen before transferring that into the computer. It’s sort of like my first draft.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dean Koontz was my main influence. I read Intensity in high school and decided I wanted to become a writer. Other authors of influence include Mary Higgins Clark; C.S. Lewis; and Piers Anthony.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on Kourage, which is book 2 in the Silke Butters Superhero Series. I also have an apocalyptic trilogy set for release soon. It’s going to be Game of Thrones meets The Walking Dead.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Oh boy, that’s the hard part about writing. I mean, if you write a great book but no one reads it then it gets a little frustrating. I try to use as many avenues as I can. I have a website at www.cynthiavespia.com and I’m also on social media like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube trying my best to interact and promote my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t follow the trends, just write what you are passionate about writing. If you try to write what’s popular, by the time you get it published the next thing is trending so be a trendsetter instead.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Write for the wastebasket.”
And what that means is to not take the first draft so seriously. There’s going to be many changes along the way, so just writing knowing that frees you up to get into the story instead of trying to make it perfect. Let the words flow.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading a Piers Anthony book in the Incarnations of Immortality series that I must’ve missed back in the day. It’s called For the Love of Evil.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll keep writing until I exhaust all my ideas, of which I have a full notebook.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Ha…survivalist books like “edible plants” or “how to survive in the wilderness” and “how to build a raft out of palms trees” something like that.
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