I haven’t had a chance to read Cindi Hartley’s work yet, but I’m very excited to introduce you to her. When I met her at the Nampa Library’s Book Faire last month, her effervescent personality made me a fan. She’s new to being a published author, which brings a fun perspective. Hope you enjoy this–and that you give her book a shot.
Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
Hi, my name is Cindi Hartley. I am a volunteer disability advocate and accessibility advisor with experience in training volunteer forces, setting up accessible spaces, and hosting events that focus on helping those with special needs and various physical disabilities find more inclusion within the community. I myself live with a condition known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Arthrochalasia type (aEDS) which has progressed to the point of needing a wheelchair due to stability issues when I try to walk. As my health has weakened through the years, I have had to step back more, but I continue to do what I can when I am asked for help which has included hosting a wheelchair challenge for my city leaders and being on call to answer accessibility questions or brainstorm solutions to accessibility barriers in the community.
I have been an avid reader and book lover for as long as I can remember. I have often dreamed of being a writer and have won small awards for various essays, poetry, and an old blog through the years. Even with all that though, I never thought I would get to see the day my name appeared on the byline of a book. It’s been humbling, overwhelming, exciting, and nerve-wracking all at once. Definitely a whole new experience, but one I am grateful to be having. My main goal with “Fifth Sparrow Rising” is to provide encouragement and a few simple ideas for how my readers can help bring more light into the world around them. I share a bit of my personal story and faith as well as experiences through some of the hardest parts of my life and things I have learned through it all in hopes that at least one person might feel seen and find help, hope, or courage from it. This is not a tell-all memoir, nor is it a complete summary of my life, but I hope it is enough to help show others they are not alone and that there is a way to find light again, as well as be a light, even when one has lived through darkness.
You can reach me through my Facebook page, titled the same as my book, or through my email address: The5thSparrow@yahoo.com, and I will do my best to respond as quickly as I can. My book is currently available through Mail Room ‘n’ More (Nampa), Mustard Seed (Nampa), or Sweet Zola’s (Boise). You can also get it directly from me at book signings. My next one is coming up on May 17th at Shared Stories in Caldwell.
What brought you to Idaho in the first place? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I am not a native Idahoan. I moved here from Kansas back in 2015 when my family and friends helped raise funds to get me to the Treasure Valley after a few doctors here made national news in the EDS community. I was able to see a couple of them before they retired or moved their practice out to the East Coast. Their help gave me back my stability for a few extra years, which I will always be grateful for.
What keeps me here is twofold. The nature and beauty of this state fills my heart, and the kindness and acceptance of the overall community and people here have helped me feel at home. I may be a Kansan by birth, but I am an Idahoan at heart.
Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
My book was published in January of this year so I am still trying to find my feet in this new experience of being an author. I do however appreciate the kind and welcoming nature of other local authors who welcomed me with open arms at my first book fair. These are writers I have been a fan of and have eagerly looked forward to seeing at various book fairs over the years, and when I stepped to the other side of the table for the first time in April they immediately embraced me as one of their own which meant the world to me and provided more encouragement than I could express. I also have a friend I made from being a fan of her writing who has helped with advice and encouragement when I needed it while trying to complete my book.
What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
I am still new to all this, but so far I have been at the Nampa Library book fair this past April and a book signing at Mail Room ‘n’ More in Nampa. I have another book signing coming up in May at Shared Stories in Caldwell and hope to be able to find a spot in another book fair in the fall.
What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
Through past writings I have known a global audience, but for this book my audience as been mostly local or from Vermont, where the artists responsible for the beautiful cover art are from. I have a few readers in a handful of other states as well, and one reader in Australia, which was a humbling thing to experience.
Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
I am not sure about challenges, but one advantage was the Nampa Library and the librarians who work there. They were a huge support throughout my writing process by helping with everything from beta reading and light editing support to helping me tackle tech issues when trying to transport my book from my trusty notebook to the computer. I could never have done all this so quickly without their support.
I also believe I couldn’t find more genuine support and encouragement than I do from the local author community here and the community of readers. That in itself is a huge asset tied to being in the Treasure Valley.
Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I don’t mention Idaho specifically, but I do draw from some of my experiences while living here. I also highlight the importance of kindness, acceptance, and community which I believe are values that are shared by fellow Idahoans.
One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
Oh, that’s a hard one for a book dragon. lol If I had to narrow it down, I would say “Idaho’s Remarkable Women: Daughters, Wives, Sisters, and Mothers Who Shaped History” by L.E. Bragg and “Fuzzwiggs: the Switcheroo” by Amy Maren Rice. An odd pair at first glance, I admit, but I honestly feel they help summarize what makes Idaho so great. The former is a non-fiction book about some key people in Idaho’s past that helped shape this state and is full of the grit, heart, and the kind of determination that makes Idaho strong. The latter is a fun fantasy that highlights humor, nature, and adventure while bringing you a story of family bonds and personal growth, while the main characters learn the value of working together and building a mentality of teamwork and community. Idaho to me is a magical and beautiful place, where the history and culture is rooted in perseverance, strength, and courage, and the sense of community and family here is strong. There are several more books that I could add to this list, but I choose these two books to highlight because I believe that together they help capture a good summary of what makes this state what it is.
Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!
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