I want to first thank Sheri Lynn for taking the time for this interview!
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I have!
It is nice when you feel a connection and you realize how much you have in common with an author.
Be sure to connect with Sheri and let her know you read her interview and make sure to FOLLOW her on her social media!
Bio:
I'm Sheri Lynn. I write as both Sheri Lynn and Sheridan Knight. I grew up an Army brat, so my childhood involved moving every three years. However, truly a southern gal, I currently split my time between Alabama and Florida with my husband, one Chihuahuas, a turtle, and two Golden Retrievers.
When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I always loved creative writing when I was in school. I also loved playing with Barbie dolls because I had them acting out the stories in my head.
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
Early reading was the typical books. Nancy Drew. Judy Blume. One of my favorites was The Summer of the Sky-Blue Bikini by Jill Ross Klevin. And I can't forget V.C. Andrews.
In my teens I read Jean M. Auel before getting hooked on romance novels. I loved Kathleen Woodiwiss, Johanna Lindsey, and Jude Deveraux.
Are any of your characters based on people in real life?
I think all of my heroines have similar characteristics to myself. I write them reacting and responding to people and situations as I would. Or I think I would. My book, West End Wonder, is based on my actual impressions and some experiences from my trips taken to the island of Roatan.
Where do you draw your book inspirations from?
Everywhere! Images. Television or movies (mostly because I try to figure out the ending immediately, so I come up with my own conflicts and conclusions).
Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?
I may have the basic idea of the conflict, but more often than not, the characters lead the way.
When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?
Not usually. I did for my recent book, Rekindling Ash. I saw the photo and the story emerged.
Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?
I don't read as much as I used to. I know, bad. I dabble in crafts. And I write.
Who are your favorite current authors to read?
I've been traveling a lot recently. Many hours on the road has turned me on to audiobooks. I enjoy listening to Dean Koontz. Tarryn Fisher. And anything else that interests me.
What are your favorite books by others?
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux is my all-time favorite. I would recommend several reads by Ted Dekker and Sidney Sheldon.
Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?
Yes. I tend to write what I know. If I don't, I do my research. The majority of my life I lived in Alabama three miles down a dirt road. A lot of my books are set in small towns or one of the major characters is from a small town. As mentioned above, I traveled to Roatan, Honduras many times years ago, and I used it as a setting.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
I have done both. If I write from the hero and the heroine's perspectives, I try to rotate them every other chapter.
What do you find to be your best research tool?
Google. I love me some Google. Growing up we had a set of encyclopedias, and my parents got their money's worth. I found myself reading them if I went to research one thing. I do the same thing now with the internet. I find I get in a 'research loop'.
Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?
Sheri Lynn is my pen name. I also have a few sci-fi/post-apocalyptic titles under Sheridan Knight.
What genre do you write and why is this your preference?
Romance. And a lot of them. I write contemporary, sci-fi/-post-apocalyptic, vampire, Western, pirate, a few historical fantasies. I enjoy writing romance. I'm a sucker for a great love story.
Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky traits....what led to you being you?
I was an Army brat. We moved every three years until the summer of my sixteenth birthday. Making new friends wasn't always easy. Maybe that was one reason I lost myself in books.
I worked as the office manager of a law office. I taught myself book-keeping and eventually did that for several years. I also owned my own collection agency for over a decade.
I have three children who live out of the house. Two stepchildren also out on their own. Six grandchildren. Three dogs. A turtle. I am happily married to a man who supports my writing journey.
Quirky traits - I randomly sing all day long. Either a song connecting to something I hear or am doing, or a song I make up.
If you are a duo writing team, how do you share the writing process?
My Western series is co-authored. Isabella Kole/Anna Kristell and I bounce our ideas off one another before we start. She writes a chapter. I write a chapter. Each of our books is centered around two couples, so she shares a story and I do.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Don't give up. If you are passionate about it... keep going. There will be disappointments. Dedication is a must. Be prepared for criticism. Just learn to take and utilize the constructive criticism and release the cruel stuff.
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