1. I hear you have cats, dogs, and horses in your novels. Tell us about the books.

I currently have four novels published. They are all contemporary romances set in Australia.

My writing motto is to share a little bit of history, some Australian scenery and a whole lotta love.

The Cat’s out of the Bag shares the romance between a tortured heroine and secret billionaire who meet at a cat shelter. In billionaire romance, money is no object but the personal lives of our billionaires are not smooth sailing. It includes a road trip across Australia.

For The Cat’s out of the Bag, I used my experience fostering kittens for a local rescue to help me with the personalities of the cats at the shelter. Mike is the star cat of the book. A lot of Mike’s traits are based on my cat, Kimmy (right).

The Cat’s out of the Bag Book Blurb:

She’s started a new life. He’s escaping his. Can two tortured souls find a future together?

Evie’s a survivor. After rebuilding herself and her life, she’s feeling the one thing she never thought she would-happy.

Until Jesse…

When she meets Jesse while volunteering at a cat shelter, dark memories of her past return. She is stronger now and wants to trust him, but after all she’s been through, is trust even possible?

Jesse’s a self-made billionaire yearning to get away from his empty life and the money-hungry parasites who inhabit it.

The plan?

Go to sunny Australia, leaving his old life behind, to find himself. But instead of finding just himself, he finds Evie, who is everything anyone should aspire to be. Now, what he aspires to be is hers.

But to be hers, he needs to tell her everything and putting your heart on the line is hard.

The quest to find a cat a forever home leads them to travel across the country together. Will they find the strength to confide in each other? Or will the close quarters drive them apart?

Find out in this emotionally-charged contemporary romance that will give you all the feels.

**This is a stand-alone romance with medium heat**

Buy Link:-https://books2read.com/u/3k5GNK

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie is a second-chance romance set around a fake million-dollar scavenger hunt in Sydney. Second-chance romances have a different structure and feel to a standard romance. This is because of the history between the two main characters. They know each other already and are still harbouring strong feelings for one another, whether they admit it or not. In this story, we learn about Tara’s childhood dog who was there with her and her brother growing up.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie Book Blurb:

When she left him…Tara couldn’t explain why.

After five years, did she still have feelings for Shepherd? Her brother’s passing hit Tara hard and it left a scar. That night, at the party, when she saw Shepherd high, Tara had no choice, it was over. It brought up too many painful memories and she wouldn’t go through it again. The decision was simple.

She had to leave. No goodbye.

For Shepherd, losing Tara broke his heart. Not knowing why she left, well that pain he addressed with drugs, alcohol, and meaningless relationships. After he hit rock bottom, he cleaned up and came up with a plan to get her back. Could it work?

It was his only shot.

Would a desperate ruse, with the best intentions but costing a fortune, give him the chance to win her heart for good? Or would it ruin him?

Will she be brave enough to be loved?

You’ll adore this second-chance romance, because true love is worth the gamble. It will keep you turning the pages until the end.

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mqgVnd

Get Off Your High Horse is a modern royal and sports romance revolving around the game of polo. The story is based in Brisbane and Maryborough. I shine a light on Maryborough, my hometown, when the characters visit the birthplace of P.L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins. In this story, I was able to combine my love of horses and Australian culture into the story.

Get Off Your High Horse Book Blurb:

When two opposites collide, will their differences ignite a spark?

Frankie and Sebastian live totally different lives. Lives that are entwined through polo, the sport of kings. How entangled will they become?

Australian farmgirl, Frankie, has no interest in high society or the rich, arrogant riders she has to deal with, especially Sebastian. Her heart may be softening to his kindness and love of horses, but her brain won’t be convinced. She’s looking forward to her summer break on the farm, away from him…

…until her parents invite Sebastian to stay.

Sebastian never felt comfortable in his role as the Crown Prince of Oleander. He’d rather spend his days working with horses, playing polo and being with Frankie, whose fiery spirit has set his heart aflame.

But pressure from his mother, the Queen, to return to his royal duties is mounting. Everything he desires is in danger of being ripped away.

Can Sebastian convince Frankie that his hopes and dreams aren’t so different from hers, or is he destined to return to a life he doesn’t want, alone?

Buy Link:-https://books2read.com/u/3LY7V5

Down the Rabbit Hole is a small-town romance between two best friends. It is not your typical small-town romance as the town itself is not very friendly. It is illegal to keep rabbits as pets in my home state of Queensland and the rabbit, Shorty, who is rescued highlights this. Shorty is based on a hare that was run over by a lawn mower. He was given to my daughter to care for.

Down The Rabbit Hole Book Blurb:

Love and secrets are a tricky combination.

For Emily, going home isn’t easy, especially when her small town never felt like home in the first place. She escaped Alma seven years ago when she went to university, but now her estranged father needs her help. At least returning means spending time with the only good thing in town—her best friend, Luke.

Luke always knew Emily needed to be free of their hometown, so he withheld his true feelings. Even though she has returned, he knows she will never stay. He tries hard to respect the boundaries of their friendship, but every moment they spend together makes it harder to deny their connection. Self-control dissipates. One kiss turns into two…

But is Luke really the man Emily remembers? When Emily discovers Luke has betrayed her trust, they could lose the most precious thing of all—each other.

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3n7nPK

 

2. Why did you add animals to these books?

I love animals. I don’t think life would be complete without them. It felt natural to me to add them to my stories. They just add another element of enjoyment.

I have two cats of my own and have fostered kittens in the past, saving many lives. My oldest cat, Kimmy, is 14 and Possum is 13. They have completely different personalities—one is an introvert and the other an extrovert. Here’s Possum (right).

My daughter has two horses. I used a lot of her knowledge and experience in Get Off Your High Horse. They are both chestnuts—one gelding and one mare. Blue is 19 years old. He is quite healthy for his age and is a pretty laid-back horse. Sometimes we joke that he’s like a hippy. Duchess is 9 and has so much energy that sometimes it feels like it could burst out of her. She is an off-the-track thoroughbred.

 

3. What book genres do you enjoy writing?

I write contemporary romance. I have always enjoyed reading romance novels; I started as a teen. I chose contemporary romance because I thought I would fail at the amount of research required for historical romance. Let’s just say that I was fooling myself. Contemporary romance requires a LOT of research. I have researched things such as how to train polo horses, different bush walks, historic sites in Sydney and toilet training rabbits.

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I’ll share some of my favourite reviews for each book.

The Cat’s out of the Bag–“I gotta say, this book was everything and nothing like I expected. I could not put it down once I started it and did not want it to end when I got there. An emotionally charged story-line that grabs you right from the start, keeping you engrossed throughout.”

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie–“Wonderfully written vivid descriptions with attention to detail will make you feel as if you are experiencing everything yourself. This was a wonderful story so full of emotions from hurt and anger to guilt and love, I couldn’t put it down.”

Get Off Your High Horse–“I absolutely loved reading Get Off Your High Horse. This book was simply brilliant. I have to say I loved the addition of the horses and that they were not just brushed over as staging but they had their own personalities. There was nothing not to love about Frankie, as for Sebastian who doesn’t love a conflicted prince?”

Down the Rabbit Hole–“This is a well-written story which is emotionally charged, and with family, heartbreak, and love, which all leads to an entertaining and all-consuming page turner.”

 

5. How do you promote your books?

I find promotion the hardest thing of all. I have a newsletter where I share my writing with readers. I try to give them some insight into my writing process and my current work.

Word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising for any writer.

I’m trying to learn Facebook ads and Amazon ads to widen my audience.

 

6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

I am present on most social media platforms and try to engage with my readers regularly. You can find me here:

Website: http://CynthiaTerelst.com/

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/p9p9y0

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CynthiaTerelst

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

Facebook–For the Love of Words FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/572605370313807/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cynthia-terelst

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Terelst/e/B07ZCTX8SB/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/cynthiaterelst

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cynthiaterelst

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Cynthia, for Being my October interviewee! I love discovering romances that feature animals and look forward to reading your books!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! Would you like to win a Marcia James’ ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun, comment, and/or share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks! Each month, I’ll randomly pick one commenter to win. To leave a comment and/or a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!