Cindy Kay Stewart, a retired high school social studies and special education teacher, writes stories of hope, steeped in love, and anchored in faith. Passionate about revealing God’s handiwork in history, Cindy loves to research until she uncovers hidden gems to share with her readers. She resides in North Georgia with her college sweetheart. Her daughter, son-in-law, and four adorable grandchildren live nearby. Visit her online at https://cindykaystewart.com/.
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What’s your approach to research for your novels? How do you balance authenticity with creative license?
For research, I begin with reading memoirs and biographies of people who lived through the time period and in the place(s) where my stories are set. Because I’m a retired history teacher, I love to share about real events from the past—in my case WWII. I enjoy finding little-known nuggets and then using my fictional characters to enact the stories. I also use real heroes in minor roles.
Can you walk us through your writing process? Are you a planner or do you prefer to let the story unfold organically?
I’m very close to finishing the rough draft for my third novel, and it seems I’ve followed a similar pattern to develop each story. Before I begin writing, I know how the story starts, I have a general idea of the ending, and I know many events that can happen in the middle. However, I need to plot in small increments as I work through the story. When I’m writing about particular events, it’s necessary to slow down and consider the best way of having my characters play them out.
In today’s digital age, how do you connect with your readers and build your community?
I’ve been building a community of readers by sending a monthly newsletter to my subscribers. I always enjoy hearing back from them. I have a presence on Facebook and Instagram and plan to develop my Pinterest page in the near future.
What can you tell us about your current or upcoming projects? What should readers be excited about?
I’m currently writing the Circle of Hope series, which follows the chronological order of WWII with recurring and new characters in each book. The characters are U.S. citizens who’ve grown up and settled in Europe and attended boarding school together in France. The first novel, Abounding Hope, is set in Poland and Hungary at the beginning of the war. The second novel, Unending Hope, starts about six months later and is set in Norway and France.
The third novel, Whispering Hope, starts in the same month Unending Hope concludes, is set in France, Portugal, and the Soviet Union, and will release this summer! I’m excited to share more fascinating stories of escape from WWII and how these events impact my characters.
More stories for the Circle of Hope series are in the works!
As WWII expands across Europe, members of the Circle of Hope are drawn deeper into the struggle to survive in the face of overwhelming adversity.
April 1940. Nazi Germany carries out a devastating invasion, trapping Americans David Jensen and Natalie Thompson in Norway. Determined to use their medical skills to aid the Norwegians, David and Natalie embark on a harrowing journey to treat the injured and evade the Nazis.
Natalie, a dedicated Red Cross worker, values deep relationships. Fearful of settling for a shallow marriage, she broke off her engagement to David several years before. But she never stopped loving him and spending time working together in Norway plays havoc with her heart.
David, a personable doctor with the Red Cross, desires to advance his career and rekindle his relationship with Natalie. Even though she once rejected him, he believes she is the only woman for him. But years of keeping others at arms’ length guarantees that winning Natalie back will be the biggest challenge he’s ever faced.
The saga introduced in Abounding Hope continues in this inspiring second installment of courage and devotion.
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