I noticed this fellow Black Rose Writing author from her posts on Instagram. She and I share not only a love of writing and storytelling, but a love of animals, in particular, her dog. But more than that, we are like-minded when it comes to social and political issues. It was this that made me sit up and take notice. Cheri has a captivating way with words and word choice that makes her writing stand out and I’m sure you will notice in the interview. Cheri is a writer, having written seven novels since 2021. Knowing my own pace is one book every nine months to a year, I can’t imagine her output. Here she is telling us about her writing and a bit of her life.
What was it that made you decide you had a story to tell and to become an author?
I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. As a teen, I wrote song lyrics (because I was far too cool for poetry) and I wrote for the school newspaper from grammar school through high school. Over the years, I wrote bits and pieces of potential books, but it wasn’t until I retired that the words really flowed. I’ve completed seven novels since January 2021.
As an author or writer, what sets you apart from others?
Every human has a unique perspective, and my goal is to create fictional characters with their own unique but relatable perspectives that are often very different from my own. I want my pretend people to make a reader curious and make a reader care.
How do ideas for your stories present themselves? How do you know what story lines to follow and which to ignore?
My first book I had been writing in my head for years, the novel where I give my mother a different life. The characters from Thanks, Universe were so real, I wrote a sequel (An Artist’s Heart). Dragonfly was inspired by an incident in my life, although the proposition a rich man offered me at a casino was not as altruistic as Ben’s proposition for Angie. One of my books was inspired by a haunted hotel near Sacramento.
Since I don’t outline, I often don’t know what story lines to ignore until I’ve written my way into a corner. I have notebooks and documents with ignored story lines I hope to recycle.
What genre do you write, and why?
My books would be classified as women’s fiction, although each one has strong elements of romance, some with suspense, one with paranormal elements. Each story is a woman’s journey from broken to better.
Besides writing and telling a good story, do you have any other talents?
I paint in acrylics although I wouldn’t call myself especially talented, but my friends and family get hand painted greeting cards. My superpower is planning frugal vacations.
If you were to name one or two books that you deem unforgettable and that had a major impact on you, what would they be, and why?
I’ve read every Stephen King book as they were released, and Bag of Bones haunts me. A love story, a ghost story, a mystery, compelling characters and prose. Handmaid’s Tale is another story that keeps a reader thinking and hopefully horrified.
What authors do you read regularly? Why?
I read a lot of women’s fiction for the same reason I write it, to meet new and interesting people. My favorite authors (besides King): Margaret Atwood, Anne Tyler, Toni Morrison, Jodi Picoult, Katherine Center, Sue Monk Kidd, Jojo Moyes, Sarah Addison Allen.
If you were to have dinner with 5 individuals living or dead, who would they be and why?
Any five of the abovementioned women would be a dream dinner party: They are all brilliant and articulate in ideas that matter and we would have some lively conversations…with the added benefit of contacts in the publishing world.
What is your writing routine? When you write, do you plan or outline ahead or are you a “pantser”?
Morning usually starts around five AM with coffee and by six I’m at my computer. After lunch, my husband and I walk three miles and I write until five PM (happy hour). I am definitely a pantser and I’m lucky to have tons of free time to write all these words I don’t use. If I’m drafting, I aim for 2000 words a day, but if I’m in the zone, I can pump out 6000+. If I’m editing, I work until my eyes cross.
When writing, how much do you read? Do you read in or out of your genre?
I find it difficult to immerse myself in a novel when my own characters demand my attention, but I always have a book in progress and try to read a few pages every day. Outside of women’s fiction, I read some suspense (Lisa Jewell, Liane Moriarty) and some rom-com (Mhairi MacFarlane, Sophie Kinsella). Before I started writing full time, I read a lot of dystopian fiction and I have a very cool beginning for my own to-be-written dystopian novel.
Is there something you set out to do, but somehow, it didn’t work out for you? (In writing, or something else you felt was important to you at the time?)
There are many things I wish I did better (paint, speak Spanish, cook) but I can’t say it ‘didn’t work out’ because I’m still trying.
What tips would you give to new or even experienced writers?
The best writing advice is simply to write, because you cannot edit an empty page. Put your butt in the chair and write one word after another. Some say write every day, but if your schedule or health doesn’t allow that, write when you can. If what you are trying to create isn’t exciting you, write about something else and keep doing that until you hit on that idea that excites you. You will know when you have that idea because you will be desperate to write it down. You will be impatient to put your butt in the chair and write down those words. There is no feeling like being in The Zone.
My other advice is patience, patience, patience. Especially when you’re querying or editing. I was so excited when I finished my first book, I rushed it into the world long before it was ready.
How did you “teach” yourself to write or did it just come naturally? What lessons would you pass on to others?
Storytelling comes naturally; writing an entire novel that a stranger wants to read is a craft I am learning as I go. Structure, pacing, dialog, and tension are aspects of fiction that I needed to improve, and I still work to improve. There is so much good, free material online that I have not found a need (so far) to spend money on writing courses.
How do you handle a negative critique?
First, I cry and assume everyone I know secretly hates me. Then I take a second look and decide, does this critique resonate with me? Can I learn from this? Or is this person’s negativity coming from somewhere else? I can say I’ve learned far more from negative critique than positive.
Is there a type of writing/genre that you find difficult to write? Why?
I have an idea for a murder mystery, but I don’t like killing people. Which is probably why my dystopian novel is still on the back burner.
How important are the elements of character, setting, and atmosphere to a story, and why?
All those elements are critical, but once I have a plot idea, character is the first thing I work on. I generally write about four chapters of backstory for myself so I know my character and how she will react to the rocks I throw at her. Setting is fun because I like to use places I’ve been, and atmosphere arises from the setting. Thanks, Universe is set in Portugal and I like to think my writing puts readers on those cobblestone streets. The ghost story has a spooky vibe that I lean into with word choices and weather.
Do you see yourself in any of the characters you create? How/Why?
I think most authors see aspects of themselves in their characters and my opinions have been known to spout from my character’s mouths. I prefer my characters to be different from me, so I have a new personality to explore.
Is there an unforgettable or memorable character that will not leave your head, either of your own creation or from a book you’ve read?
Scarlett O’Hara is a terrible person: spoiled, selfish, ruthless. But readers still root for her to win because she has a clear, relatable goal, and she is fiercely determined. It’s a challenge to write a character like her and I think most of my female protagonists have a little bit of Scarlett in them.
Tell us about your most recent book.
The Abduction of Adrienne Berg is a romantic suspense novel, published by Black Rose Writing and currently available for preorder with a release date of October 5.
The idea that sparked this book is also the opening scene: A woman kneels in her garden with a trowel gripped in both hands high above her head and stabs the tool deep into the earth. I asked myself, why is this woman so unhappy and violent? That woman became Adrienne.
She grew up on the streets of Oakland and has done things to survive that she doesn’t like to talk about. Chameleon-like in her ability to roll with the changes, her marriage to an affluent man should have been a Cinderella story, but Adrienne feels like a fraud and her suburban mansion in Marin is stifling.
Adrienne meets Gabriel at a public event and feels an earthshaking attraction. When he shows up in her backyard, Adrienne thinks Gabriel is there to seduce her, but he is there to abduct her and steal millions her embezzling husband stashed in their house. Adrienne sees a chance for a new life and turns from hostage to accomplice, determined to satisfy this overwhelming desire for Gabriel. But Gabriel refuses all her attempts at seduction.
This story is about wanting what you can’t have and wanting it so badly you don’t care who you hurt to get it. It’s about longing and angst, with more dark humor and far less violence than you might expect based on the title (inspired by the trend of having the protagonist’s name in the title).
My favorite character is Adrienne. She is an intriguing person with layers that she will never reveal, and some layers she reveals will surprise you. Gabriel is the character I love to hate, a male Scarlett; arrogant, selfish and manipulative, but his goal is relatable, and he’s so damn good-looking his faults can be somewhat overlooked. My least favorite character is the woman who comes between them, but she is also a victim, so it’s hard for me not to sympathize.
I hope you enjoyed the interview with Cheri as much as I did. I hope you connect with her on social media and check out her books, especially, The Abduction of Adrienne Berg.
Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/cheri_krueger_writer/
Links to Books:
https://www.blackrosewriting.com/romance/theabductionofadrienneberg
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-abduction-of-adrienne-berg-cheri-krueger/1143575663
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