Writing is one of the skills students are taught beginning in elementary school. For many, it ends with high school but for one Tazewell resident, a dream was born.
Niki “N.D.” Cinniamon’s love for writing blossomed when she was in junior high. Her skills started with poetry, but she knew she wanted to write something that she personally would want to read.
“It’s kind of like the vampire world and werewolf world and human world all smack together. After the first book, I started to see my characters in my head and it was like a movie playing out. I knew I had to keep writing it,” said Cinniamon.
To fund her publications, Cinniamon works at Giles Manufacturing in New Tazewell where she builds mobile homes. On her breaks, she often finds herself daydreaming about characters in her books or where the next chapter will take readers.
“It’s kind of funny because when I go to work, I’m running around in a hardhat and earplugs but I’m thinking to myself that I want to be writing. It’s what I think I’m meant to do and one day I want it to be my job, when I can make more money off of it,” said Cinniamon.
So far she has published four young adult fiction books — Darkness Begins, Edge of Darkness, Taken by Darkness and Darkness at War — and is currently working on the fifth in the series. She hopes to have it completed by the end of the summer.
“I love vampires and I love to write about them. It fascinates me. I like fiction and we live in reality, so I guess fiction just interests me,” said Cinniamon.
Cinniamon has also started writing a few books of different genres including a new age Christian book, a murder mystery and a classic, older style vampire book which she compares to Dracula.
“When I’m writing, I just get so excited. If there is just one person that enjoys reading my books then I’m happy with it. I’m happy about what I’ve written and that’s what really matters and it keeps me going,” said Cinniamon.
Cinniamon’s husband Zack supports her in her decision to write and has suggested other topics for her to consider. In her free-time, she enjoys doing photography for her books, playing with her dog Lane and attends church at Little Sycamore Baptist Church in Tazewell.
Reach Kelsey Gerhardt at 606-302-9093 or on Twitter@kgerhardtmbdn.
