ROSE BARRACKS, Germany -- Some things that happen in a Soldier's life can take them by surprise, but for Spc. Cynthia A. Rodriguez, a human resource specialist assigned to Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2d Cavalry Regiment, the publishing of her first book was a "happy accident."
Rodriguez, who started writing in middle school during a "rebellious" stage in her life, never intended to have her teenage hobby turn into a flourishing secondary career. Although serving her country has provided her happiness and a way of life that she enjoys, it's been her passion for writing that has always provided her that true escape from her everyday life.
"I think middle school really started it all and the only way I could really find myself was by getting it all down on paper," said Rodriguez. "When I was 17 or 18, I started writing a book and I thought it was terrible but out of it came the beginnings of Mystic Waters."
Mystic Waters, Rodriguez's first book, is her first published venture into the writer's realm. Having written a good majority of the book while on deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, it provided her with a way to not only cope with her surroundings but to find a bit of herself as well.
"Afghanistan motivated me to finish this book," said Rodriguez. "You're always in the mind set of 'what if tomorrow doesn't come' and I didn't want to live with the question of whether or not I could actually write the book."
The inner courage that she found to write the book while deployed seems to be an underlying theme throughout the story. Her main character, Liza, faces many internal as well as external obstacles that she must overcome. This is a trait that Rodriguez personally identifies with and has motivated her to continue the pursuit of her passion.
"I want to go back and take creative writing classes that will help with my books," said Rodriguez. "I can get better and there is always room for improvement."
Rodriguez hasn't slowed down since returning from her deployment having almost completed the sequel to her first book titled Chasing the Tide and has even started on the third book in the series. For her, writing is an intense challenge but the love she has for it helps keep her literary passion alive.
"When I write a book, within the first 30,000 words, I usually have the beginning, middle and end," said Rodriguez. "I then go back and fill it all in to where it starts to make sense. Even before I finished the first book, I already had pieces of the third book written."
Using this process helped Rodriguez to not only link the events throughout the book but it also enabled her to incorporate some her own real life experiences into it. Writing allowed her to work through some of the emotions that a Soldier has to deal with while deployed and when a Soldier in her squadron was killed in action, it brought with it the realization of life and death that exists for everyone that has been deployed.
"A big influence on my book was the death of Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Williams," said Rodriguez. "When I feel like quitting, I think of him and I know that if he could have another day he would want to chase his dreams and that motivates me to keep chasing mine."
Rodriguez uses experiences like this to capture her audience. She wants the reader to feel as though they have been through something similar to what her characters are going through. If a reader connects with her writing in any way, it makes all of the effort that she puts into her books worth it.
"This book has something for everyone," said Rodriguez. "For those that are experiencing their first love, those who are just dating or even those that aren't interested in anyone right now, there's a little something for everyone."
As future projects go, Rodriguez seems to have plenty on her plate in the foreseeable future but that hasn't stopped her from doing her best for her unit. For her, the Army comes first.
"The Army works for me because I am willing, I work hard and I have a respect that has been ingrained in me," said Rodriguez. "Writing brings me the same satisfaction that graduating the Warriors Leadership Course did. It's the feeling that I've achieved these things."
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