photo by Fat Tuna Photography
Cynthia Ruchti served as president of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) for the 2009-2010 term and now serves as ACFW’s Professional Relations Liaison. In 2007, she was the recipient of the ACFW Member Service Award. In 2008, Cynthia won second place for Women’s Fiction in ACFW’s prestigious Genesis Contest.
Her debut novel They Almost Always Come Home released in spring 2010 from Abingdon Press. They Almost Always Come Home is a 2010 RT Book Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee. Her novella–”The Heart’s Harbor”–released September 1, 2010 in the novella collection, A Door County Christmas from Barbour Publishing. She is represented by Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency.
Abingdon Press May 2010
Cynthia writes stories of hope that glows in the dark, merging her love for storytelling with inextinguishable hope for inexpressible hurts. Her novels in progress include On the Night He Was Betrayed, All My Belongings, When the Morning Glory Blooms, and Afraid of the Light.
The radio broadcast Cynthia writes and produce–”The Heartbeat of the Home”–is celebrating its 31st year of ministry. The scripted radio drama/devotional broadcast airs on 14 radio stations and two cable/digital television stations. Cynthia is the editor of the ministry’s Backyard Friends magazine, a twenty-page, twice annual publication that reaches 5,000 homes, churches, and parachurch outreaches.
Cynthia’s articles have appeared in a number of publications and online resources, including Christian Communicator, Charisma, Marriage Partnership, ACFW’s Afictionado, CFOM, and others. Her essay “Reading by Flashlight, Writing by Heart” appears in Cup of Comfort for Writers. She also has an essay in Writing So Heaven Will Be Different, a compilation commemorating the 35th year of the Write-to-Publish writers conference. She writes a monthly column for Wisconsin Christian News and has written a number of feature articles for that publication.
Cynthia spends her days diving into words, worship, and wonder and celebrating 38 years of marriage, three grown children, and five exceptional grandchildren. One of her greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. To that end, she is the assistant director and a faculty member of the Quad Cities Christian Writers Conference, has served as worship and devotions staff for the Write-to-Publish conference, and teaches at other conferences as opportunities arise. She speaks to women’s groups, at mother-daughter banquets, and for women’s refresher days. It is her delight to serve on her church’s worship team and Creative Arts team. Rather than “busy,” she likes the term “active.”