Q: Sherrie, you’ve written several books now. When did you write your first book?
A: Ten years ago I was reading Stephen King’s book On Writing, at the end of the book he suggests a writing exercise. I took the suggestion; the result was my first novel, Order of Protection. I was 36 years old and thought I couldn’t write because I couldn’t spell. I still can’t spell but 19 books later it is dawning on me that I can write.
Q: Which do you find leads you to your best writing, your triumphs, or your tragedies? Do you write from joy or pain?
A: I love to write witty, fun things. I love twists in plot and dialogue that make people laugh, but I do write my strongest work from grief. My collection of poems Elissa: Queen of Carthage was written when undisclosed mental illness tore my relationship in two is the most powerful of my writing to date. It is such a direct transfer of emotion, I had someone jump up while I was giving a public reading from that book and he yelled, “Stop, stop, I can’t take anymore!” it was quite dramatic. Still I prefer to write when I am happy, but writing is a tonic when I weep.
Q: Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?
A: Oh, dare I say this, the voices in my head influence me…I mean the characters in my head; they push me. Also the pull of my audience influences me. I began writing in earnest, when at age 36, I realized I could write stories and read them aloud to my mother, over the phone and they made her smile. What purer delight is there in this world than making someone smile?
Q: Do you read for pleasure? If so, what kind of books do you like to read? How do you choose what you’re going to read next?
A: I do read for pleasure, I love to read a wide variety of books. My large to-be-read stack consists mainly of books suggested to me by friends. I just finished, The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King. I am rereading, The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto and David A. Thayne. I am reading the final draft of, Don’t Risk Your Recovery by Nan D. and Judy K, which I have been promised will be available by the end of this year. I have also just started reading, Crone: A Meditation on Womanhood by Mira Leighton.
Q: What has been the most significant poem (or book of poems) in your life?
A: When I was quite young I remember reading, “Enoch Arden” by Tennyson and thinking, “What a great way to tell a story.” Poetry carries the meat and the bones of the tale inward, very much the same way that music does. It was a salient moment for me; I think I was all of seven or eight.
Q: What project are you currently working on?
A: I am writing two novels right now. One is an as yet untitled novel, about older adults finding love in a physical therapy rehab, after suffering tragic loss at the hands of drunk drivers. The other book is the second in the Hollands’ Adventure series, which is off world, YA villain-free fiction. I am also completing the illustrations for my new children’s book, What the Birdies Told Me About You, a rhyming picture book I wrote as a fundraiser for St Jude’s Children’s Hospital. I am hoping it will be finished by late October 2009.
