Small Towns, Big Hearts

Small Towns, Big Hearts

By Cynthia Herron

Years ago when I ambled down the writing path, I knew I wanted to write in the vein of my Ozarkian roots and heritage. I’d grown up in a small, rural town in the heart of the Ozark Mountains in a tiny community where everyone knew everyone, and most of our friends and neighbors had others’ best interest at heart. Once in a while, some ne’er-do-well proved the exception, but all-in-all, my hometown looked after their own and remained a welcomed constant in its citizens’ lives.

Because of my fond memories of small town life along the highways and byways of Old Route 66, I knew I wanted to, one day, craft a book series that reflected my affection of my childhood hamlet. I loved the small town concept—the quirky, lovable characters and their sharp wit, the region’s unique vernacular and sayings, and of course, the stories themselves that breathed life into the town of my recollection. Thus, the Welcome to Ruby series was born, and the subsequent books that followed. 

In my research, I knew small towns appealed to readers. There’s something hopeful and heartwarming about small towns that draw us to that “feel-good” place of our youth, or perhaps, that place we yearn for in our minds. I wanted to recreate that magic for my own readers. In today’s world, reality combined with positivity and uplifting takeaways are so needed.

When Her Hope Discovered double-finaled in a couple of contest finals, before and after publication, I’d already fashioned my series bible and started to log characters that began to take up residence in my mind. With the recent release of my fourth novel in the Welcome to Ruby series, I’m reluctant to say good-bye to the fictional characters who’ve become dear friends. For instance, Ida Mae Hoscutt (His Love Revealed, Welcome to Ruby – Book 2), has appeared in all my novels, and she is the pure embodiment of delight and wonder—the heroine that lives in all of us—a mix of faults and foibles, who merely longs to be loved and accepted for who she is. I simply adore this unconventional soul with her penchant for vintage and appreciation of the underdog. 

When His Heart Renewed (Welcome to Ruby, Book 4) released, I again embarked on a journey of discovery, incorporating a few of the familiar series’ characters, creating a story that combined a friends-to-more trope with a bit of a love triangle. I hope readers will enjoy the surprise redemption arc of a crafty character that ultimately chooses a different path for herself in the end. 

The beloved town of fictional Ruby, Missouri lives on in my memory as I hope it will yours, and who knows? Maybe one day, I’ll revisit more stories in this delightful Ozarks region where “neighbor” is merely another word for “friend.”

Oh—sidenote. In a bit of an ironic twist, this Ozarks-born-and-bred gal recently moved to a city of almost a million people. Go figure! But in my heart-of-hearts, I am, and always will be, a small-town gal with a big heart for small-town stories. 

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Author Bio

As an avid encourager and lover of the underdog, Cynthia writes Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction from the beautiful Midwest. She is the author of Her Hope Discovered and the award-winning Welcome to Ruby series. Her work is represented by WordServe Literary.

Connect with Cindy at the following places: 

Her online home: authorcynthiaherron.com

Twitter: twitter.com/C_Herronauthor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaHerron

Facebook Readers’ Group: www.facebook.com/groups/195462117765130

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HIS HEART RENEWED

Three choices. Two dreams. One path. A girl from his past. The woman who holds his future. Will a wrong detour lead to the right destination?

For the past year, veterinarian Erin Shaye has been drawn to handsome homebuilder Mike Brewer, despite the brown-eyed bachelor’s attempts to dissuade her. When Erin, once again, attempts to coax the reticent recluse into conversation during a charitable wood delivery to her home, the guy not only dismisses her thanks, but he also makes it clear that he likes her about as much as a heaping bowl of turnip greens.

Fine. If it’s crickets the fellow wants, let the chirping begin. Erin’s had it with his moodiness and mixed signals. She’s done.
However, there’s something about a well-deserved tongue-lashing that has a way of shifting perspective. Mike reckons it wouldn’t twist his drawers to be civil. Maybe it’s about time to shake the icicles off his heart from the wedding debacle that iced him nearly twelve years ago. No doubt the sudden lightning bolts that zip down his spine whenever the pretty animal doc is near must mean there’s thawing afoot. Will Erin give him another chance, or will her own secrets and suspicions keep him at arm’s length?

As the couple navigates blunders and heartaches, a new season emerges—one that taps into Erin’s and Mike’s deepest longings and desires—the spring that holds their future. At last, it seems their happily-ever-after is within reach…
But in the bat of an eyelash, a memory from Mike’s past emerges in an unexpected way. Will this change in circumstance hinder what he has with Erin or will truth prevail by way of a divine appointment?

Buy Cynthia’s recent release HERE.

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing