Featured Interview With Cynthia L. Matlock
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hello, I was raised on a farm in East Texas where my parents raised vegetables for canning and for sell at the local farmer’s market. We lived a rural lifestyle in in the 1970s-1990s raising chickens, pigs, goats, and cattle.
I married my college sweetheart and we still live in East Texas and now raise Black Angus cattle and have a small garden. We have three adult children, and are active in our local Agriculture community. I love playing gospel music on the piano and singing in our church choir.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
About age 10 when we were assigned books to read. I’d always check out an extra book. I love the way books take you to other worlds, countries, and let’s your imagination soar. I started writing short stories about 10 years ago, and finally finished my debut novel, Dancing In The White Sand” in September 2020. I have several magazine articles published.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Lynn Austin, Historical fiction. Sandra Brown, Romance. A Good biographical book, Kimberly Rory Lawson, and now Jasmine Guillory. I love stories that set the scene well, and the dialogue and research shines through.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s 1859, and Lani, a curious Yoruba teenager, is torn from the safety of her village in West Africa by marauding men. This novel takes you back to being a teenager and the newness of life, yet in a different world or country. Lani is determined to finish empowering four steps into womanhood from her village even in North America. She and her mother, Toluwani, are brought to a beautiful Caribbean island, where she quickly makes friends with Molayo and other girls who learn to fight and protect each other. Traveling in Texas, she learns about the historical places along a Texas river as she bounces along, memorizing landmarks. After her third boat rides, she docks in the piney woods of East Texas. She overhears about captives running away to Mexico. Unknown to her new owners, she is a great swimmer. When Lani and the others get to their new home, she meets remarkable new people and experiences a new giddy feeling of romance for, Agibe, or Ben. E dupe, “thank you” in Yoruba. Lani finds something deep in the Texas woods that reminds her she finish her dance, here. When she overhears of a pending fire, she must choose whether to let her new home burn, or fight and stay. Besides running away, what are her other choices? Acorn bracelets, and seashell bracelets, just cause a girl’s hair is short, doesn’t mean she does not like to look pretty.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles