CYNTHIA A. MINOR dreamed of becoming an author, a screenwriter or the Easter Bunny. Nevertheless, considered bright by all accounts, she often found herself sent to the school’s library for talking in class. Unbeknownst to teachers, it wasn’t the punishment they intended, but one she strategically calculated for a joyous experience. “I was surrounded by books. They allowed her to thrive and find peace in a world that was otherwise blowing up all around her. The Civil Rights Movement, riots, Viet Nam all lent combustion to an imagination for exploration without the limitation of gender, race, location or economy. The school librarian noticed her fondness for the great works, and without conceding to her demand that the library carry copies of Variety, Rolling Stone, and the Hollywood Reporter, she encouraged Minor to read literature of all sorts; watch all kinds of movies, always under the threat of being tossed out of her library. “You can never know too much unless you already know everything,” she explained. “You have great stories inside of you. Stop talking so much and start writing!” So Minor landed her first professional writing job at 15 when began writing a high school weekly columnist for a local newspapers. She would also become thee first female Sports Editor of the school’s newspaper. The jobs lasted arrival at Indiana University, where she decided it was time to work in film. Her first PA job was on the Academy Award winning film “Breaking Away.” Graduation took her to Dallas where she became a buyer and merchandiser for 14 stores and revived the company news magazine, while also writing freelance features for national magazines. Seeking greater challenges and for no particular season she decided to go to law school, where she was invited to join Law Review, received full academic tuition and ultimately appointed Editor-In-Chief, publishing both a Case Note and Article.

Minor graduated and associated with a Dallas firm that she describes as one of the most enjoyable experiences of her life. She pursued her writing interest and penned speeches and position papers for local politicians. Her reputation for pithy statements led to writing speeches for politicians seeking national office. Against the odds, she pursued success in entertainment law, resulting in working as road attorney for some of the most famous pop and rock group’s international live tours of the era. Somewhere along the way, she was noticed by the President of State Bar Association, who asked her to chair its ABA Task Force on Women in the Law. Minor spoke state-wide, challenging the male status quo and those pesky glass ceilings as the state celebrated the 100th anniversary of women being admitted to the bar. On one speaking engagement, the Dean of the Valparaiso Law School enjoyed her speech so much that he dedicated the school’s Seeger Lecture series to Female Firsts. He named Minor Chair, culminating in a joint presentation with retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Resultantly, the Task Force became the Women’s Section of the State Bar Association and Minor was named a Fellow. They also threw in a monthly column for her to write. Later, the Governor appointed her to the Board of Pharmacy where she served six terms. Minor serves and has chaired multiple of boards and commissions and has a particular interest in the circumstances of aged-out foster children.

Somewhere along the way she got married and wrote her debut novel TRICKED which received great reviews and became a national book club selection. After an invitation into a Yale University Screenwriting Program, she wrote a short story EXTRADITION that was included in NOT SO FAST: THE SOUTHERN ANTHOLOGY OF FICTION AND HUMOR and became her first screenplay and produced short. Her screenplays Ironmen of ’99 and Piranha Rising are in development; EXCHANGE ANGEL, YELLOW ROSE and LOVE APP are announced. Her screenplay WINONA has garnered several national screenwriting awards. She produced THE MARK, currently in post production on six statewide commercials. Minor taught Communication Law & Ethics at Tennessee State University. She taught public speaking as a Certified Professional Life Coach and is a partner with the law firm McDowell Minor where she practices entertainment law and is admitted to practice law in Indiana, Tennessee and Georgia.