RIP Cynthia Chapman Willis

My dear friend and critique partner, Cynthia Chapman Willis died on March 3rd. I am heartbroken. For those of you who didn't know Cindy, it's not too late to get to know her. She left behind two wonderful novels, Dog Gone and Buck Fever. Both showcase Cindy's love of animals and her big heart. The following video shows Cindy during happier days, just after the release of her first novel:

Cindy worked with me every step of the way on my debut novel, The Ballad of Jessie Pearl. That novel is about a young woman wasting away from tuberculosis. She grows weak and has difficulty breathing. It's ironic that lung cancer caused many of those same symptoms in Cindy herself.

The morning after Cindy died, I went to the gym. I was pushing myself hard, but all I could think about was that Cindy would never move again. It was much like this passage from The Ballad of Jessie Pearl:

I grab an old coat that Tom outgrew and let myself out the back door. The wind makes a moaning sound like it's grieving too. I whistle for Patches and race down the dirt road. Carrie will never move again, and knowing that pushes me to run for both of us.

I have corresponded with Cindy almost daily for the past ten years. I keep expecting an email to pop up in my inbox. It doesn't seem real that she's gone. Jessie Pearl experienced those same emotions when her sister died:

I've seen Carrie every day of my life, but after tomorrow I'll never see her again. Poof--she'll be gone. I can't even conceive of it.

And like Jessie I'm struggling to believe Cindy is in a better place.When Jessie's other sister tells her that she'll see Carrie again some day in heaven, Jessie expresses her doubts:

I wish there was a guarantee of that. Do you really believe it?

Here's how Anna answers her:

I think everybody lives with doubt, Jessie, but I'm trying hard to believe. Faith brings me comfort.

In the end, faith is all we're left with. Rest in peace, dear friend. I hope we'll meet again.

And The Contest Winner Is...

Barbara Krasner! Barbara suggested the title: WHEN SARAH WASN'T LOOKING. I think readers will immediately want to know what happened when Sarah wasn't looking and keep reading to find out.

The random drawing winner is"theartgirl." Congratulations to both of you and please let me know which book you'd like to receive. Choices are TONIGHT YOU ARE MY BABY by Jeannine Norris, and DOG GONE or BUCK FEVER by Cynthia Chapman Willis. Also please email your shipping information to sdhitch@gmail.com

HELP NAME MY BOOK (Contest)

Sometimes the right title for a book or magazine article just pops into my head. But not this time. I'm having a problem coming up with the perfect title for my first novel. So I've decided to run a contest to choose the name. Here are the rules:

1. Read about the novel's plot below.

2. Choose your favorite from the titles listed or come up with a completely new title.

3. Post your title choice on my blog.

If somebody comes up with a completely new title and I decide to use it, then I will send you a free copy of either TONIGHT YOU ARE MY BABY by Jeannine Norris or DOG GONE or BUCK FEVER both by Cynthia Chapman Willis. (Your choice)

In addition, I will put the names of everyone who posts on my blog in a hat and select a random winner. I will also send this winner a free copy of either Cindy or Jeannine's books.

Here's the storyline:

Twelve-year-old Sarah Willis is babysitting her five-year-old sister when her sister wanders into the street and is struck by a car. From that point on Sarah wishes for two things: first she wants her sister to be good as new, and though her second wish is impossible, she wishes it with all her heart. Somehow she wishes the accident hadn't been her fault.

Possible titles include:

Inside Beauty

Don't Tell

Keeping Secrets

The Summer Sarah Beth Willis Grew Up

Summer Break

Congratulations to Cindy Willis on BUCK FEVER Release!!

The bookjacket says, "Live and Let Live? Twelve-year-old Joey MacTagert's dad wants his son to carry on the family tradition of hunting. But Joey has 'buck fever' --he can't pull the trigger on a deer, and hates the idea of killing animals. He's more interested in art and hockey, two activities that his dad barely acknowledges.

Joey's dad wants him to use his special skill in tracking to hunt down the big buck that roams the woods near their home. Joey knows how to track Old Buck, but has kept secret from his father the reason he's gained the deer's trust. When trouble between his parents seems to escalate, Joey and his older sister, Philly, find themselves in the middle of tensions they don't fully understand. Joey want to keep the peace, and if conquering his buck fever will do it, he has to try.

This powerful story about being true to oneself will resonate with readers who are inspired by stories about family, friendship, and our delicate relationship with the natural world."

I've read this book, and though I'm scared to death of guns and have zero interest in hunting, I still loved it. The characterization is rich and true, and the climactic scene had my heart pounding.