Wild Geese of Old Ireland: 5 Questions for Author Cynthia Owens
Please join us in welcoming author Cynthia Owens from Canada to Books & Benches for an interview.
Cynthia is the talented author of the Claddagh Series and Wild Geese series.
"Yesterday’s Promise is a well-written historical romance that ends on a forever love note!
Please give this novel a chance because you won’t be disappointed!"
—Books & Benches
We asked, Cynthia answered . . .
In 250 words or less, what can you tell us about your newest release?
…Like the Wild Geese of Old Ireland, five boys grew to manhood despite hunger, war, and the mean streets of New York…
An army doctor, Declan Morrissey fought for the survival of every wounded soldier, rejoicing when they recovered, mourning bitterly when they died. Valerie Stanton was his beautiful battlefield nurse, strong, courageous, and dedicated.
He never dreamed she was an heiress, or that she’d break his heart in a desperate gamble to save the life of another man.
Now that they’ve found each other again, can they overcome past deception and claim the happily ever after they dreamed of?
What story are you working on next, and what inspired it?
At the moment, I’m working on the final book of the Wild Geese Series, The Carousel. It’s the story of Kieran Donnelly, a gifted artist who has refused to paint since he returned from the American Civil War. He’s seen so much ugliness that he no longer has the heart to paint beauty. Until he meets Emily Lawrence, the beautiful blind girl who challenges him to face the horrors of the battlefield.
The inspiration for this story was twofold. When I created Kieran Donnelly, I thought, “Who better to heal a wounded artist than a blind woman?” And the inspiration for Emily was my late grandmother, Emma Laflamme. Blind from the age of 40, she still lived a full life, and one of my most enduring memories is of her standing at her kitchen counter kneading bread—the most wonderful, mouth-watering bread I’ve tasted to this day!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I had many ambitions as a child. After I read Heidi (still one of my favorite stories), I decided I wanted to live in the Alps and raise goats. Shortly afterward, I discovered the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. I was hooked, and I became obsessed with the idea of being a “girl detective” just like them.
But a funny thing happened along the way. After I’d read every Nancy and Trixie book my school and community libraries had, I started writing stories continuing their detective adventures. Soon I began to create my own characters, and the rest, as they say, is history. By the time I was twelve, I knew I couldn’t be happy unless I was writing.
What are three things people may not know about you?
Well, let’s see. I collect things. My favorite thing to collect is music boxes. I have a Lennox collectible music box commemorating the 50th anniversary of Irving Berlin’s "White Christmas." Another, featuring a bird dancing on its perch in a cage, plays "O, What a Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma. As a teenager who liked her sleep after a late night of reading, my mother would come into my room and sing that song when she decided I slept too late. I still get teary-eyed when I hear that tune. I’m searching for a Phantom of the Opera music box, but so far no luck.
I love winter! I look forward to the first snow every year, and the earlier the better. I also love to drive up to the Laurentian Mountains and go cross-country skiing. And sitting by a roaring fire with a cup of tea or hot chocolate is a great way to wind up a cold winter day!
I once took a fencing class. I wasn’t very good (not aggressive enough, I suppose) but it was fun. I saw that my town was offering the class, and I thought, “What if I one day write a swashbuckling pirate hero?” So I signed up!
What is your favorite scene in Yesterday’s Promise?
It has to be the scene at Catherine Graham’s ball! A very posh, high society ball, where Valerie and her brother have been forced to appear, even though Valerie isn’t received in society because of her past (she ran away from her family to become an army nurse). There are some nasty comments about her—all uttered in very audible undertones, of course—and all Valerie wants to do is run away and hide. Then our hero, Declan steps in. He sweeps her onto the dance floor, chasing away her tears and her feeling of inadequacy. It’s a scene that’s both touching and tender, and after I wrote it I absolutely loved it!
Yesterday's Promise
Wild Geese Series, Book Four
…Like the Wild Geese of Old Ireland, five boys grew to manhood despite hunger, war, and the mean streets of New York… An army doctor, Declan Morrissey fought for the survival of every wounded soldier, rejoicing when they recovered, mourning bitterly when they died.
Valerie Stanton was his beautiful battlefield nurse, strong, courageous, and dedicated.
He never dreamed she was an heiress, or that she’d break his heart in a desperate gamble to save the life of another man.
Now that they’ve found each other again, can they overcome past deception and claim the happily ever after they dreamed of?
The Author
I believe I was destined to be interested in history. One of my distant ancestors, Thomas Aubert, reportedly sailed up the St. Lawrence River to discover Canada some 26 years before Jacques Cartier’s 1534 voyage. Another relative was a 17thCentury “King’s Girl,” one of a group of young unmarried girls sent to New France (now the province of Quebec) as brides for the habitants (settlers) there. My passion for reading made me long to write books like the ones I enjoyed, and I tried penning sequels to my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries. Later, fancying myself a female version of Andrew Lloyd Weber, I drafted a musical set in Paris during WWII. A former journalist and lifelong Celtophile, I enjoyed a previous career as a reporter/editor for a small chain of community newspapers before returning to my first love, romantic fiction. My stories usually include an Irish setting, hero or heroine, and sometimes all three. I’m the author of The Claddagh Series, historical romances set in Ireland and beyond, and The Wild Geese Series, in which five Irish heroes return from the American Civil War to find love and adventure. I’m a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hearts Through History Romance Writers, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. A lifelong resident of Montreal, Canada, I still live there with my own Celtic hero and our two teenage children.
Visit the author at www.cynthiaowensromancewriter.com.
