Meet C.K. (Cindy) Donnelly | award-winning fantasy author

We had the good fortune of connecting with C.K. (Cindy) Donnelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi C.K. (Cindy), what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?

I have to say it was more the story idea pursued me than I pursued it! The ideas for what would become “Trine Rising,” “Trine Fallacy,” and “Trine Revelation” — the first three books of my Kinderra Saga — came to me, bam!, all at once. I just “knew” the story.

I did, however, slow down and really spent some time on world-building, the culture, the system of magic, and on fleshing out my characters.

Coming up with the plot for Book 4 was much harder. I had to think long and hard about where the characters and the land of Kinderra were going.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I never intended to be an author. I love health and science, so I worked in the healthcare field for many years. I did, however, have a passion for story-telling. I remember being very young, like 2 or 3 years old and making up stories for the figures on my bedroom wallpaper.

When “Star Wars” come out, it unlocked something inside me. I started crafting stories, mostly in my head but also on paper, from then on. At some point, I realized I had some talent and certainly a passion, so I thought about what kind of story would I like to have that was completely my own. Poof! The ideas for “The Kinderra Saga” came, and the rest, they say, is history.

That “history,” however did not come easily. There was some 20 years from when I first had some ideas about “The Kinderra Saga” and releasing the first book in 2020, “Trine Rising.” It was an agonzing process. I wanted (and still want) a traditional publishing contract, but after nearly 100 query letter rejections, I had to self-produce my books. I had to learn everything from story and characters arcs to formatting to what to bring to a book-signing event.

First, I want readers, participants in the stories, actually. I guarantee you will be gripped by my novels. But what I want the world to know about my books is that they are good, solid stories with compelling characters first, and the fantasy elements only support, not lead, the story. I wrote fantasy for folks who don’t (or don’t think they do) like fantasy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We in Arizona are blessed with such a beautiful and incredibly diverse state! A road trip needs to start with a solid breakfast. Two of our favorite breakfast spots are Snooze in Scottsdale and DJ’s Bagels in Fountain Hills. Snooze has the most delicious Eggs Benedicts I’ve ever had. DJ’s bagels are REAL bagels, rolled, boiled, and baked on premises. If you’re in Arizona, you need to eat some Mexican food. Two of our favorite spots are Los Dos Molinos in South Phoenix and El Minuto Cafe in Tucson. Los Dos Molinos’s Phoenix location is the true definition of eclectic decor, something like a shiny, high-end junk yard. The food? To die for. It can and should have some heat, so wimps beware. El Minuto is quintissental Mexican like your abuelita would make all wrapped up in a pink adobe with year-round Christmas lights. It is a trip we make every year from Phoenix to Tucson just for the food.

Anything you want to do in Arizona you can! Some of our must-see favorites are the Desert Botanical Garden. This place is beautiful all year and a great stop for those who’ve never been to the Desert Southwest. The Heard Musuem of Native American artifacts is as humbling as it is stunning. We love the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), with hundreds of instruments from virtually every culture on the planet, but it’s frustrating as heck because you can’t play any of them! There are hiking trails across the entire state for every ability (or, in my case, non-ability, LOL!). Just pick one and go, but be sure to always, always, always, bring plenty of water and listen to your body. Even if the temps are cooler, Arizona is dry. Another favorite of ours is the Fort Tuthill County Park just south of Flagstaff. It’s the tall pines experience you’re looking for. Oh, that fir tree smell! Our dog just loves it, too. There’s even an adventure course with ziplines and tree-to-tree rope bridges.

I’d be amiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Fountain Hills. We have one of the world’s tallest fountains. The park has a very nice, paved 1-mile trail and is very dog-friendly. Grab a patio seat at the All American Grill (with a truly ginormous menu) for some of the best fountain viewing. It’s just stunning at night.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My editors, Susan Barnes and Melissa Frain, helped turn 1,000 pages of mess into incredibly compelling novels which just happen to be in the fantasy genre. They helped me express my literary vision of having magic take a backseat to the characters’ lives.

Jeff Feingold, my very first editor when I was a journalist, took my raw talent and helped me become a true writer.

My husband Wayne has the patience of a saint. He often believes in the books when I’ve all but given up.

And, of course, God, without whom nothing in my life would exist.

Website: https://ckdonnelly.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckdonnellytrine

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckibbe

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ckdonnellytrine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ckdonnellytrine

Other: If you’re a writer and need story development or self-publishing help, contact me at: https://kibbecreative.com My 20-year journey to become a writer made me an Unsuccessful Quitter ™. Check it out: https://unsuccessfulquitter.com

Image Credits
Headshot: Mike Harvey/Peak Image All others are mine