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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

#TuesdayTreasure: Guest Post by Cynthia Ruchti!

Good Morning and Welcome to the first Tuesday Treasure of September, 2015!

Boy this year is just moving right along isn't it?

Today I'm happy to bring to you Cynthia Ruchti and something she treasures....

RESTORATION

One of the joys of life as an author is writing about experiences, settings, or adventures we may never enjoy in real life.

Even though the circumstances that exiled my main character—Emmalyn Ross—to a small island in Lake Superior among the Apostle Islands are far different from what I face every day, I have to admit I enjoyed vicariously rehabbing a run-down cottage through her.

I’d always thought it would be fun to restore a large Victorian home to its original grandeur…as long as my role was to provide ideas, and both financing and elbow grease came from someone else. Emmalyn’s husband’s hunting cottage was far from Victorian grandeur. When she arrived on Madeline Island, it was dark, dusty, rodent-infested, and had a tree sticking out of its roof because of a recent windstorm.

Part of my research—anything but woe-is-me—was creating a sweet, warm, inviting cottage from that initial mess. I got to choose the flooring, the wall color, the furniture, the kitchen décor. In my imagination, I decorated two beach-themed bedrooms and a charming bathroom with a claw foot tub upstairs. I used recycled materials where I could, as long as they were adorable, and kept clutter to a minimum so the stunning view of Lake Superior wouldn’t be obstructed. 


Emmalyn and I sat together in her cozy living room the other night and had a good, long chat about how refurbishing the cottage held so much symbolism in her story. She was as much of a mess when she arrived on Madeline Island as the sorry-looking hunting cottage had been. She, too, had to have years of regret stripped away before she could become what God intended her to be, what she longed to be. As the cottage had, Emmalyn began to shine under the tender loving care shown her.

Maybe that’s why my desire to convert messes into something beautiful extends beyond that Victorian mansion I’ll probably never own to the characters who surround me in my novels…and in my life.

Wow...you're right Cynthia, restoration of anything, be it a cottage, Victorian home or a soul is definitely something to treasure!

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Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in Hope through her novels, novellas, nonfiction books and devotionals, drawing from 33 years of on-air radio ministry. Ruchti has 15 books in print and has received numerous awards and nominations.

She serves as the professional relations liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers and speaks frequently for women’s groups and serves on her church’s worship team and Creative Arts team. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren.


To keep up with Cynthia Ruchti, visit www.cynthiaruchti.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook (CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage) or follow her on Twitter (@cynthiaruchti). 


Catch an interview with Cynthia at TWJ Magazine HERE.

As Waters Gone By (Abingdon Press) can be purchased at Amazon in Hardcover, Paperback and on Kindle.

Hope you enjoyed today's treasure! Check back later this week for a special guest on Thursday Thoughts and then Saturday Spotlight on another wonderful author and her book!

Until later...take care and God bless.
PamT

11 comments:

Jacqueline Seewald said...

I know it's a great deal of work restoring a house, but obviously there's quite a bit of satisfaction as well. Congrats!

Sharon Ervin said...

Ah, but restoring a cottage in your imagination is delightful, inexpensive, and fulfilling...and saves time.

Thanks.

Cynthia Ruchti said...

Thanks, Jacqueline and Sharon. I must say, though, I somehow couldn't avoid blisters on my soul and splinters in my heart on behalf of my rehabbed cottage's characters! :)

Laurean Brooks said...

Interesting interview, Cynthia and Pamela. Can I say I love old Victorian homes? Every time I drive through a town, I'm rubbernecking, looking for them.

As a matter of fact, I've included a Victorian home as the heroine's abode in three of my stories.

Here's asking God's continued blessing on both ofyou. Keep up the good work, Girlfriends.

Cynthia Ruchti said...

How fun, Laurean! Oh, the adventures authors have vicariously through their characters! Dreaming of new settings right now.

Susan Coryell said...

Love the restoration theme. Best wishes for success.

Cynthia Ruchti said...

Thank you, Susan. I have another releasing late next year that goes deeper into restoration. Bigger project.

MJ Schiller said...

I love to take damaged, weather beaten characters, too, and make them into something new through the love of another. So rewarding! Love your cover! And thanks for sharing!

Cynthia Ruchti said...

I love that cover, too. And yes, it is rewarding to watch our characters find their way...with a little help.

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

Thanks to everyone for stopping by! So enjoyed having you Cynthia!

Cynthia Ruchti said...

Thank you, Pamela, for the invitation!