Exclusive Interview with Cyn Balog (Author of Sleepless and Fairy Tale)

After reading Sleepless, we wanted to really wanted to find out more about the author! She was nice enough to stop by and answer some of our questions!!

RTR: If you could have lunch with anyone, alive or dead, who would you pick and why?
Cyn: My answer to that will probably change from week to week, but today it’s Agatha Christie. I have really no idea how she thought up those mysteries. At times I’ve sat done intending to plot one out, and my head starts spinning after a few minutes. I love her books. I want to know what her secret was.

RTR: What is your guilty pleasure?
Cyn: Twix Bars. Actually anything with carmel and chocolate.

RTR: Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Cyn: Oh, yes. I wrote “books” when I was 5 years old.

RTR: What is your favorite prehistoric animal?
Cyn: I’ve always had a thing for the stegosaurus, ever since I made one out of clay for a diarama in 1st grade.

RTR: How did you come up with the whole idea of Sandmen in Sleepless?
Cyn: I was just driving home from work, and I got the idea of this man sitting outside this woman’s window, waiting for her to turn off the lights so he could go inside and begin his “work,” which was seducing her to sleep. I gradually created the Sandman world and all the Sandman rules over a few drafts of the book. Originally it was a lot more complicated, but I found that it was so complicated it overshadowed the main story, which was the romance between Eron and Julia.

RTR: What character do you most relate to from any of your books?

Cyn: Well, the main character is always me, in some way. In Fairy Tale, Morgan is how I’d be if I had psychic abilities. Sure of herself, but the confidence is really only a facade. Julia, too, is unsure of herself after her traumatic past. In Starstruck, the main character, Dough, is also very unsure of herself. Can you tell I’m not very sure of myself? I wonder every day if the book I’m writing is going to be my last one!

RTR: Out of the characters in Sleepless, which do you believe is the most “evil” (or at least has the worst intentions)?
Cyn: I don’t think any of them are just downright evil! They all have their reasons!

RTR: Do you have any weird talents or hobbies?
Cyn: When I play Scrabble, I have to use all 7 letters at one time at least once in the game. I’m good at crosswords even though I never do them. I watch Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Survivor obsessively. I never go a day without eating a bowl of ice cream. I can say the 50 states in 20 seconds. And I am sure there are more weird things because I am weird.

RTR: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Cyn: Well, here’s the thing. Since I got the call, I’ve had about 4 gazillion people approach me and say, “Wow, I have this idea…” or something like that. Seriously, 99% of people out there think they can write a book.  About 1% of those people are actually willing to DO THE WORK.  Then 1% of those are actually willing to revise, learn the business, research markets, etc…. and persist at that long enough to get noticed. People told me it was impossible, and it’s those people who think I’m really lucky. But it’s not really a crapshoot or a game of luck. If you sit down to write the book, if you revise, if you learn the business, and if you keep at it, your chances are actually really, REALLY good.

RTR: Juiceboxes or Jukeboxes?
Cyn: I have young kids. Juiceboxes are my life.

Thanks so much for the interview, Cyn! We can’t wait to read your new book, Starstruck!