Interview with Cindy Bonds

Bio:

Growing up in Northwest Arkansas as a child, Cindy accompanied her father to visit a lot of men and women in nursing homes or their own homes, to offer company and to listen to stories of the good ole days. Most were former military, several having survived World War II.

Her father, both grandfathers and uncles were all former military, so as she grew up, she was inundated with stories of heroes, chaos, and the burden of war.

Having listened to stories her whole life, it was easy to put pen to paper and begin her own journey of storytelling. As God led her through grace and mercy in her own life, it was only natural to put it all down on paper and include the hero types she’d heard so much about growing up.

She currently lives in rural Arkansas with her husband and two children. Although she works for an aviation insurance broker, she has a passion for reading and writing. Presenting stories about God’s love, grace, and mercy are the reasons she writes and looks for ways to share the gospel through fiction.

 

Interview:

How many novels have you written?

This is my seventh published novel. I have several more finished novels that have yet to be published or have just not met the bar for publishing- yet!

How does your “real job” influence your writing?

I actually went to college to become a physical therapist. The university I went to informed me there were gaining a PTA (physical therapy assistant) program that would prepare me for PT school. They never gained that program and after I graduated, it would take another year or two of courses just to get where I could apply for the doctorate program at another school. But while I was getting my undergrad, I met my husband and after I graduated, I supported him until he got out of school and then we began our family. Being a stay-at-home mom led me to my writing journey!

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’ve always been a panster writer. The first time I started writing, I had finished Dani Pettrey’s Alaskan Courage series. It was the inspiration that led me to start writing down all the stories in my head. I would free write for hours, having no idea how to format, edit or even collect everything into a readable story. That’s why I still have so many novels just sitting on my computer. They need a lot of work to become a put together novel for publishing!

I’ve tried endless times to plan and plot, format character evolutions and descriptions in order to create a maintained storyline. But it stresses me out and leaves me sitting there thinking, this isn’t an interesting story line and the connections feel forced.

Free writing allows me to get out the ideas rebounding in my mind, shaping a story and feeling for where and when the characters will arc or connect. As I write, I can see each character’s back story, flaws and goals shaping and changing, giving me a place to land as I get further into the novel.

Besides Dani Pettrey, I’ve really enjoyed Lynette Eason and Lynn Blackburn’s books. They are the ones I go to in order to study, see how they’re writing and making those suspenseful and tension filled transitions come alive on the page. They all inspire my writing and help me see what it takes to create novels that stand out in the Romantic Suspense community.

 

Will Kenton’s failure destroy everyone he cares about?

Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Failed-Protocol-Cindy-Bonds/dp/1649174586

Excerpt:

The phone clicked in his ear as he hit the button on the elevator. Turning slightly, he pulled his weapon from his back and dropped his phone to aim at the SUV. Hitting the driver’s side back window, he shot four times, then paused.

A sudden barrage of bullets let loose, and he ducked behind another vehicle.

Straining, he sat up and fired his weapons several more times, ignoring the pain shooting into his side.

“Kenton!”

Olivia’s voice took his focus. She kneeled behind a car, gun aimed. With a nod, he fired as he sprinted across the garage, straight to Olivia, who gave him cover.

“What’re you doing here?” He collapsed beside her and release the empty clip, pushing a new one in.

“I was studying the security cameras and saw someone enter,” she grumbled as she returned fire. “The security guard never answered the phone. How many?”

“Just one, I think.”

He rose and fired at the back window, turning to see Marcus come off the elevator with a rifle aimed and blasting.

 

Social links:

www.facebook.com/cindybondsauthor

www.instagram.com/authorcindybonds

Website:

www.cindybonds.com 

For a chance to win a signed paperback copy of Failed Protocol, please leave a comment on this post for Cindy. A winner will be drawn at random and contacted via email on 5/7/25 (giveaway has been extended). Open to U.S. residents only. 

For a chance to win a Kindle copy of Remains, another novel by Cindy Bonds, click here. Open to U.S. residents only.