Cynthia Timoti is the author behind Salty, Spiced, And A Little Bit Nice, a swoon-worthy childhood friends-to-lovers romance about a woman escaping her controlling family and pursuing success (and love) through her sugar-free bakery! To celebrate the release of the book, What We Reading sat down with Cynthia to talk through everything from spreading Diabetes awareness, participating in the Melbourne Writers’ Festival, to her love for R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface!
Thanks for speaking with us, Cynthia! First off, tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to the world of writing.
Thanks so much for having me!
I was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, and I migrated to Australia when I was in my teens, where I now live with my family. I’ve always loved books and stories, but coming from a family of accountants, writing was never considered as a viable (or a serious) career option! Then one day I read a book that I had really high expectations for, that unfortunately fell a bit flat and left me very disappointed. So I wondered if I could try my hands at writing stories that I would enjoy reading, that hopefully other people would enjoy reading, and that was how it all started!
Talk to us about Salty, Spiced, And A Little Bit Nice. What is it about, and how was the process of writing it?
The book is about Ellie, who’s trying to escape her controlling family, who’s been micromanaging her entire life, especially since her type 1 diabetes diagnosis. After a viral, humiliating public proposal orchestrated by her parents and their business partner, she runs to the other side of the country to chase her dreams of opening a sugar-free bakery. But her quest to build a new life is met with a huge setback and might even be doomed to failure, unless she agrees to fake-date her sworn enemy.
This book started off as a completely different story, but as I was writing the first draft, my son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and after fielding lots of curious and often clueless questions from friends and strangers, I thought giving my main character the same condition would hopefully help raise a bit more awareness about it.
What is the number one goal you want your work to have with readers?
I want the story to entertain and help readers escape real life for a few hours, but more importantly, I’m hoping that it can also spotlight type 1 diabetes and gently share some things about the condition in a fun way.
I’ve also had a comment from an early reader on how Ellie, with her strength and the way she overcomes challenges in her life, had helped and inspired the reader through a difficult situation in their life, so I hope that’s something that readers can take away from the book too.
What do you think makes you stand out as an author?
I hope the characters and the world I’ve created are relatable to readers! I also try my best to write stories that are authentic, drawing some things from my upbringing and personal experience, and I think to many readers that opens them up to a diverse, multicultural world that they may not have read about before. As a BIPOC author, I think it’s important for diverse writers to write more diverse stories, to represent and give voice to people who have been traditionally underrepresented in the media, in books, in stories; and hopefully that can help foster a more inclusive, understanding culture.
What would you say has been your biggest success so far?
Definitely getting this book published! But also, I’ve had several readers who live with type 1 diabetes themselves, or are parents of a child with the condition, reached out to me and said how the story nails the type 1 diabetes representation, and those comments are honestly the best reviews I could have gotten. I’ve also been lucky enough to have received lovely reviews from trade publications like Publishers Weekly and Library Journal for the book.
I’ve also had the honour to have been invited to participate in Melbourne Writers’ Festival this year, which is one of Australia’s premier literary festivals, that has a long history of showcasing both local and international literary talents. And as someone who used to (and still) attend these festivals, it’s truly mind-blowing and a privilege that I can now say I’ve been a part of it!
If you could go back in time to one book you read for the first time, what would it be and why?
There are so many, but if I had to choose one, I think one of the more recent ones would have to be Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. It was unsettling and uncomfortable to read, but it was brilliant and very cleverly written and I couldn’t put it down.
Check Out The Best Books If You Love Yellowface
What’s one tip you would give your younger self if you had the opportunity?
I don’t think I can do just one! But definitely to start writing earlier, and then to find my writing tribe as soon as possible, because a good writing community can help you learn and grow and make you be a better writer.
And finally, what do you hope the future holds for you and your writing?
I hope to be able to do this for a long time! I want to continue writing stories to make my readers swoon and laugh and daydream and feel joy and hope, even long after they’ve finished reading my books.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
