Cym, you work as a tax lawyer. Is writing secondary to this or do you balance the two jobs? What made you want to pursue writing?

My day job is as an international tax lawyer. My passion is writing thrillers. There is no real problem in balance, as I tend to write in spurts as I feel the story evolve. Whether it is typing, dictating, handwriting, or doodling, it just seems to keep moving along. The storyline is always in the back of my mind, like a movie. Sometimes, it takes me a moment to understand the movie, but I see it in due course.

I started writing because my oldest daughter was studying at Oxford and had some questions about a novel writing tutorial she was taking. I was then hooked.

You state that your first published novel, Riddle of Berlin, is an international thriller of danger, mystery, and love. Is this the template you plan to use for future novels?

Yes. I like the feel of a thrilling, exciting background (perhaps, like a James Bond or Jason Bourne movie), but with characters who could be any of us and with emotional content such that readers can ask themselves “how would I have reacted in that situation?”

Amazon reviewers describe Riddle of Berlin as: “…a page-turner with extraordinary characters, “… a good love story,” and “…very interesting, exciting, thrilling, engaging, a great escape.” Such high praise must be satisfying, right?

You bet! I especially like reviews that offer comments, positive or negative, from which I can learn what is working and what is not.

Last year, you hosted a book signing charity event at the Samuel Lynne Galleries in Dallas. Was it a success?

It was a great success. The even was at a lovely new gallery, sponsored by the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, which receives all of the proceeds from Riddle. We sold lots of books, the gallery sold plenty of art, Scottish Rite got plenty of income, and we all had a roaring good time.

Harvest of Gold is your latest novel. Do you have a release date? What can we expect from it?

The editing is now complete. My agent will be sending it to publishers shortly. But no release date as yet.

Cym, you are happy to receive offers for book readings, book signings, and presentations. Would you agree that physically placing yourself in front of readers is an underrated tool in an author’s marketing kit?

I agree with you. Speaking with readers who have read a book, or are interested in it, is always fascinating. I am constantly dumbfounded how often I hear comments about characters from a point of view that would never have occurred to me. A writer feels that the characters are his or her own creation, like children. Yet like children, they take on lives of heir own in the imagination of readers. I also find that a group who has read a book often has ingenious ideas about sequels, or other uses of the characters.

To keep up-to-date with Cym Lowell, visit: http://cymlowell.com

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