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CINDY ROESEL is an Emmy Award winning television broadcast journalist. After working for twenty years in newsrooms filled with ambitious backbiting adrenalin junkies, she's turning her experiences into novels. Cindy lives in Miami with her shih tzu, Sassy.
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Hi Emily! I am so excited to be here with you and your Mrs. Mommy Booknerd Bloggers! We are going to have so much fun! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is a yummy mocha light frappucchino which is a perfect fun read, so let’s get to the questions you asked me!
What inspires your writing?
When asked what inspires my writing I’d say it comes down to the fact I consider myself a storyteller first. I’ve been telling stories since I was a little girl. As I got older, I became fascinated with the news and what was going on in everyone else’s lives. That’s how I indirectly got into the television news business and why I’m still interested in eavesdropping on other people’s conversations and writing down snippets of gossip and pulling headlines out of the newspaper. I’m basically a very nosey person. J I’ll pretty much ask anybody anything, in a nice way, of course. I mean what’s the worst thing they can say? “It’s none of your business.” That’s fine and trust me I’ve had plenty of people say that to me throughout my career.
What is your favorite thing about being an author?
There are so many wonderful aspects about being an author. The greatest part is getting to meet new people. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is my debut novel and I’m humbled by the fact that it has been published. It is the little baby that I worked on and put all my time and effort into for years and amazingly it came together. I carry around the first proof copy of VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED and never let it out of my sight.
What is the toughest part of being an author?
It’s an honor to write. But if I had to say there is a difficult part, it’s getting me to sit in the chair and focus on writing. I love it once I’m in the chair and it’s hard to get me out once I’m in, but sometimes it’s nearly impossible for me to focus on one thing. For instance, take this questionnaire. I had to start working on it two months in advance or I may not have ever finished it. I had ten of these to do, including essays, along with my regular projects. I’m not complaining, because that’s what we writers do, we write, but this writer, me, has a short attention span. There’s Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, MrsMommyBooknerd, ChickLitPlus, Goodreads, ChickLitCentral, oh yeah, writing my next project! So, sometimes doing the very thing I love is a challenge.
If you could not be author, what would you do/be?
If I could be anything other than an author is an interesting question. The only other career I have had is in the broadcast industry, although I did take off several years during college to pursue a singing career in New York City. I guess if I wasn’t working on my writing career, I’d take another shot at becoming a Broadway Star! Actually, that sounds like a better storyline for a future novel, then reality at this stage of my life, don’t you think? I certainly do. I think I’m going to stick to making up stories, but thanks for asking.
What would the story of your life be entitled?
I Get Knocked Down and I get Up Again
Or I Will Survive (complete with Gloria Gaynor soundtrack)
Neither one of these will be written for MANY years, thank you very much!
What is your favorite book of all time?
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
I will always remember being introduced to this brilliant author and piece of literature in 9th grade English class. Each student read a few paragraphs followed by the next. Some of my classmates wanted to sink and disappear into their desks, but not me, I wanted to read the entire book aloud, until my teacher interrupted and said, “Cindy, let someone else read.” It was wonderful. I can still visualize the class room, the old tattered novels and the smell of chalk. I just loved experiencing Miss Havisham, Pip, Estella and all the characters coming to life.
Which character from your book is you most like?
If I had to pick any character in my novel that I’m like, I’d have to say I’m most similar to the main character, Charley. We are alike, but at the same time, very different. We are both loyal to our boss, we back our staff and enjoy plain M&Ms, but she does some things that I wouldn’t dream of doing, including risk a very important relationship in a careless fashion. I’m very upset by how dismissive she is of her main relationship, but you’ll have to read VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED to know what I’m speaking about and see how it gets resolved.
What is your favorite season?
My favorite season of the year is spring. My birthday is April 20th and I just love the whole idea of rebirth. I love how the flowers, trees and the overall landscaping come out of hibernation. I enjoy how we start cleaning out our closets and begin freshening up our homes. I also love tulips and daffodils. It’s an exciting time of renewal.
Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.
This happened when VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED was first published and I will never forget it. I was in a bookstore when they sold my first copy. You might say I even helped sell it. A woman was looking at the new fiction and I picked up my novel and said, “Why not try this book by a new local writer, in fact she’s here?” And I turned it to the back where my photo was. “I’ll even sign it for you.” I smiled, chuckled and walked away. A few minutes later, she came over to me with her family and a copy of my book saying she wanted to purchase it and that she also wanted to take a photograph with me. I was so excited. I signed the book and put the photo on my Facebook page. That was a wonderful experience that will stay with me forever.
Are you working on something new?
I’m working on several something news. I’ve been asked repeatedly if and when the sequel is coming out and I believe VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED does have the potential for one. I’ve been working out ideas on story boards and every day here in Miami I’m blessed with enough craziness, so I don’t even have to make anything up. But maybe Charley, Lefton and Oz need to be left alone. You still have bloggers who need to read VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED. I’d like to ask you a favor. Would you bloggers who have read and are going to read, leave a message on Mrs. Mommy Booknerds Facebook or my Facebook or my website, cindyroesel.com. and tell us what you think about a possible sequel? That would be so awesome.
Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?
To follow up on what I was saying, we authors love to hear from our readers. Like when I said I’d love to hear from you, that your opinions would affect whether or not there’s a sequel, I’m not kidding. All authors rely on their readers. You guys are very important to us. Any and all email you send to us is taken very seriously and we love to receive it. Writing is a very private experience. Going on book and blog tours and social media is the only time we connect with you, our readers, so it’s very important. Feel free to contact me any time about any subject.
Can you tell me a little about the inspiration behind your book cover?
I knew right away how important the cover to VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED was going to be. When we first started working on the cover I thought I wanted it to be a newsroom theme. I visualized an anchor desk with the whole news feel. Between our first discussion and concept rendering meeting, I did a complete 360-degree turn around. I felt the cover should be about the main characters, Charley, the news director and the setting Miami, Florida, so I wanted her on the beach working. I wanted readers to connect with the woman on the cover or dream of working on the beach. It took us a couple of weeks to get the colors right, because I had very specific visions about the sky and ocean blues. Eventually we got it right and now I really love the cover. The colors pop!
Emily, I want to thank you and your Mrs. Mommy Booknerd bloggers for inviting me on your blog. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is my first novel and I know you get a lot of first time authors asking you to promote their books. I’m incredibly grateful you took time to showcase mine! It’s really a lot of fun! I hope you and your bloggers enjoy VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED, as well as the rest of the summer!
FYI: On a personal note Emily, you and I have something else in common. We happen to be super-duper HUGE GREEN BAY PACKER FANS! I just love my number 12, Aaron Rogers, Coach Mike and all the guys. I love how you have your little guys dressed up in their Green and Gold best. I have my Shih Tzu, Sassy wearing her Packer pride too. I can’t wait until football season. I think this is THE PACK’S year again. I hope we didn’t just lose any blog followers. (Oh Cindy's I thought I LOVED you before...now I REALLY love you!!! Go Pack Go!!!!)
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Excerpt
“I’ll have the Pasta Telefono with extra
mozzarella, along with a glass of the house white, please,” Charley smiled at
the cute waiter. His nametag read Alfonso. Not tall, but handsome, with a sexy
Italian accent. She thought she recognized the scent of Armani’s Gio for men as
he walked by, but couldn’t be sure. All the waiters working at Carpaccio were
gorgeous, appeared to have just walked off the pages of GQ and spoke with yummy
accents.
“Sauvignon Blanc or the Chardonnay?” he asked, leaning toward her. His skin was
beautiful, not a wrinkle or blemish anywhere - just like most employees and
patrons at Carpaccio.
“Is the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand?” she asked.
He picked up and filled her water glass. “Yes, it is Cloudy
Bay.”
“That’d be lovely.”
Charley and Rori were seated in a sea of beautiful,
well-chiseled surgically enhanced South Americans and Europeans with a few loud
English-speaking New Yorkers scattered about. The restaurant was half indoors
but sitting outside was preferable if you wanted to see and be seen.
Watching people was the whole point of dining at Carpaccio. While the food was
consistently good, the nearby luxury stores attracted an extremely wealthy international
clientele. Everyone seemed to be dressed in designer fashions fresh off the
runways of Paris, Milan and New York, and there was a bountiful display of the
latest in plastic surgery.
Charley had learned early on that the Shoppe’s in Bal Harbour were
never to be referred to as a mall. She’d been getting her hair cut when she
said she was going shopping at the mall in Bal Harbour. Her stylist had ever so
discreetly said, “They’re called the Shoppe’s - unless of course, you want to
be seen as a tourist.” Being mistaken for a tourist was a fate worse than
being seated inside and unseen.
Tonight, Rori seemed distracted and didn’t care whether they sat
inside or out. But Charley requested an outdoor seat so she could hear the
water fall, smell the tropical flowers, and feast her eyes on the young and
beautiful.
Alfonso turned to Rori. She was looking in the direction of the menu but she
wasn’t reading. Alfonso looked at Charley, who sighed and reached for the
breadbasket on their table.
“Alfonso, could you please bring us some olive oil and two caprese salads,
while my friend decides?” Turning to Rori, “Will that work? It’ll give you more
time.”
“Perfect,” Rori said reaching for her pack of cigarettes. Carpaccio was one of
the few restaurants left in South Florida, perhaps the entire United States
where diners could smoke and the other patrons didn’t pay attention or
complain. Rori pulled out a Marlboro Light and instantly a lighter materialized
in her direction.
“Miss?” A server said lighting her cigarette before leaving them
alone to talk.
Charley had never seen Rori looking so sad and distant. Her
friend had always been one of those nerves of steel, bring-it-on chicks.
Charley often felt intimidated by her best friend’s high-octane positive
attitude, but not tonight.
Just when Charley was about to ask Rori what was wrong, a loud outbreak of
noise came from the direction of the parking lot followed by a sea of flashing
media lights.
“I wonder who’s here,” Charley asked hoping to get a glimpse and trying hard to
keep from bolting out of her chair.
It was a couple of those K-sisters or maybe it was the next generation lighting
up the world for all of South Florida to see with at least four bodyguards, and
an entourage of a dozen PR peeps from various E! Entertainment shows.
“Which ones are here?” Charley asked.
Rori stood up to look. “Who cares! I’m so over them since that wedding
fiasco! Are they still selling their stuff at Sears as if anyone is going to
buy
it?”
“Anyway, you must love being recognized, huh?” Charley asked looking around to
see if any other famous people were dining.
“It’s okay, as long as I’m with someone. Otherwise it pretty much sucks.” Rori
buttered her bread and sat back.
Connect with Cindy!
Buy the Book!
thanks for being on the tour!
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily! Hope everyone enjoys VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED! Go PACK go! Can't wait to see Aaron in those fun commercials! He's so cute! xo cindy
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