"I was born to write." she told friends in Gary, Indiana, where she was born to a steel worker and a schoolteacher. Cynthia dreamed of becoming an author at a very young age. An observer by nature, she read everything she could, including the dictionary and telephone books. Often sent to the library for talking in class wasn't the punishment teachers intended. Instead, it was a joyous and calcuated experience. She was surrounded by her favorite things, books. Her high school librarian noticed her fondness for Keats, Browning, Dumas; the literary greats and encouraged her appetite for the illustrative works while challenging her to read literature of all types. "You can never know too much, unless you already know everything," Ms. Conner explained. "These literary giants are no smarter or creative than you. I believe you can write a book that I'll be proud of one day." This challenge lived for many years before she wrote her debut novel "TRICKED." She got her first professional writing job as a weekly columnist for a local newspaper while still in high school. Minor graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, then moved south taking a job as a buyer for department store in Dallas where she revived and edited the company's news magazine. Seeking greater challenges, she attended Texas Southern University Law School where she became Editor-In-Chief of Law Review. Her association with a Dallas law firm became “one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.” There she wrote speeches and articles for Dallas politicians and began an entertainment practice that relocated her to Tennessee, Georgia and ultimately back to Indiana where she currently practices law. In 1993 the President of the Indiana State Bar Association asked her to chair its Task Force on Women in the Law, celebrating the 100th anniversary of admission of the first woman to practice law in Indiana. She challenged the status quo to review legal issues peculiar to female professionals and female lawyers in particular, presenting seminars and speaking at recognition services throughout the state. The Dean of the Valparaiso School of Law enjoyed one of her speeches so much that he dedicated the school’s Seeger Lecture Series to Female Firsts, inviting her to chair the series, which culminated with U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor joining Minor as the final guest lecturer. Resultantly, the Task Force became the Women’s Section of the Indiana State Bar Association and Minor was named a Fellow of the Indiana Bar Foundation. In 1998 the Governor appointed her to the Indiana Board of Pharmacy as consumer advocate. After listening to numerous stories affecting the lives of professional women, she wanted to write a story that spoke to them, but would also be interesting to men . That story wouldn’t surface until 1997 when she accompanied a client on a video shoot in South Carolina. A particularly chatty chauffer detailed a scandalous story about a white senator from the town who’d fathered a black daughter. Practically no one outside the town or perhaps the state knew about the daughter and the entire community kept this secret for years. Having ties to the Klan, the senator had been a staunch and outspoken separatist in the 1960s. He recanted his position, but not his basic philosophy. Ultimately, the threat of exposure not the lack of support ended his presidential dreams. Minor's debut novel "TRICKED" took two years to write and ten years to publish. To her surprise and delight, multiple publishers requested the manuscript. However, after a conversation with an editor from a major publisher who exclaimed her talent and recognized the story as a wonderfully entertaining fiction and definite page turner, she felt the book wasn’t “ghetto enough.” Another said, " I love your writing, there's certainly talent here but can you "sister-girl" it up some? It's just not "black enough.". Believng that all information is useful, Minor took the critiques complimentarily and submitted it to Roseapple Publishing, who felt the story provided an accurate depiction of slices of life in any color. The story is a kaleidoscope of choices made for survival within the framework of status, position, class and compelling lies. The book’s appeal is Minor’s ability to assemble a cast of characters whose collective humanity forces us to think, hope and forgive. Her writing style is fast paced and differrent. One reviewer opined "I don't know what this writing style is called, but I like it." It engages us to see the layers of morality with which we all struggle. Then it takes us on a thrilling ride, that when its over, we want to ride again. Reviewers have collectively asked about the sequel. You will too!! Minor lives with her husband in Valparaiso, Indiana. Their daughter attends The Ohio State University.She's a great cook and loves old movies. Cynthia has received numerous awards and recognitions, and looks forward to writing many more books that appeal to the stranger in us all.CHECK BACK TO SEE WHEN CYNTHIA TOURS YOUR CITY
If you'd like to send Cynthia an e-mail, contact her at: CynthiaMinor@RoseapplePublishing.com or on Facebook
MEET THE AUTHOR
CYNTHIA A. MINOR
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