WOW: Which character in your Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy do you most identify with and why?
Sherri: I LOVE and hope to turn out like Auntie Bethie. I can already be a little spacey, love her
eclectic style, and mostly aspire to gain her optimistic wisdom. Unlike how I raised my sons (ha!), she does not dote on Arista but leads her in authoritative kindness. She has her friendship circle but is superbly independent. I love her quirkiness and it has inspired me to wear chandelier Tabra earrings, even in my Sunday hike exercise clothes, and it has also prompted my small Bethie hummingbird tattoo on my inner arm. Though, I do not foresee a head full of kinky red curls.
WOW: What was the most difficult thing about writing magic realism? Did you research wiccan practices or just create what felt right for your book?
Sherri: Yes, I thoroughly studied ‘white’ witchcraft to put forth an authentic piece of literature that
true modern-day witches can relate to. As an anecdote, one publisher asked me if I was qualified to write about witchcraft. While shocked, I had already done my homework so confidently told her yes. It is such a crucial aspect to ‘know’ what you are writing about in this era. Luckily, I happened to befriend a solitary witch without affiliation (non-Wiccan), and she was thrilled to relay endless information.
WOW: It's so great that you developed such a valuable friendship. I'm always eager to meet "experts" in just about anything - because you never know when they might be able to help you with a burning question about something that is key to a piece you're writing. Can you tell us a little about International Thriller Writers?
Sherri: I was introduced to International Thriller Writers by fellow author Elena Hartwell, author of the 2024 award-winning A Cold, Cold World and many other great books. The membership offers abundant information from successful writers in the genre, provides an occasional 8-week online Thriller School, and offers some advertising of your approved book, among many other perks. It has been helpful, but I’ve only scratched the surface of its benefits!
WOW: I've found that the writing community is so supportive, but we have reach out and find the communities and the opportunities. As for supporting fellow writers, if you could give one piece of writing advice, what would it be?
Sherri: Cliché – but Keep At It! You may find yourself writing and suddenly ask yourself why you think you’ll beat the odds of being one of the 3% who publish a book - Keep At It! You may skim through your final review of the finished product and think – This is nowhere near the quality of [insert best-selling author here] – Keep At It! After your 20th , 50th , and 74th agent or publisher rejection of “I’m going to pass…” – Keep At It! My deal came as response #75. To endure 74 No’s felt very sobering as to my potential step into the literary world, but I kept at it.
Finally, when you are published and selling books and you get a negative review – because you will … if you want to write another book, remember that 3-word encouraging phrase.
WOW: Now that summer is [sob] coming to an end, can you share with us a favorite summer memory?
Sherri: Definitely one I’ll never forget - an eight-plus-hour treacherous trek in and out of the Grand Canyon. My husband and I trained for this grueling adventure for weeks … on a gym treadmill … with air conditioner.
Day of, it was a beautiful early-September morning. We started out energized and well-nourished and carried four liters of iced water, a bag of Garden of Eatin’ Black Bean Tortilla chips, and two fruit strips between us. Posted at the trailhead was a notice about an athletic 23-year-old marathon runner who had died only days earlier. Sad, but down we went.
People passed us with walking poles and four-foot-high backpacks. We walked unsupported and donned Jansport. Hiking groups marched by us in a rigid single formation, serious about their undertaking. We ambled down side-by-side, discussing dreams and loving the scenery. Finally, we reached a plateau at about 4,000 feet down and the summer heat had started to tire us out. Heeding the aforementioned warning, we knew we would not reach the Colorado River this time. My husband spotted a small, marked foot-wide trail, and after an hour of walking across the plateau floor with no people in sight, we wondered if we had made a mistake. Then, we see a freshly-dropped Mott’s Fruit Snack wrapper – phew! On we went and finally made it to the watering hole full of hikers.
Then, came the journey up! We were filthy in dust and sweat, tired, and sore, but climbing back up the canyon became the aim. Almost four hours up, one of us turned a bluish, purple color and was covered in chill bumps. It was not me. I had eaten that whole bag of chips, my fruit snacks and chugged all my water throughout the day. My husband, the more athletic of us, had focused on the journey – ate no chips and had a full liter remaining. We settled in the shade on a convenient boulder and used his water to cool him down while I fanned him. When he returned to his regular color, we carefully finished the hike, only an hour longer.
I was not much better, during the last half hour, I developed a horrible nausea, and when we suddenly emerged amongst jabbering families discussing their double-scooped ice cream, boisterous siblings laughing at God-knows-what, and the promise of our hotel room, it all felt incredibly surreal. We landed in our bed and the lights went out for hours. When we awoke famished, we went to the lodge and scarfed down our Navajo Nachos appetizer with barely a breath between bites. Blood sugar restored, we awaited our meal while marveling at what we had just endured and ever so thankful for the accomplishment.
WOW: What an amazing adventure. Now that makes an awesome "What I Did Over Summer Vacation" essay. Finally...spill the tea! How is your Work In Progress coming along? Will it be published in 2027?
Sherri: My next book is complete, and I am waiting with bated breath for a 2027 date, but my publisher has asked me to be patient while they sort through their first-come pile. Clawing Her Way to Dawn is women’s fiction and a New Adult Thriller with elements of 80’s True Crime. It is oh-so-edgy and coming soon!
WOW: Not soon enough for us!
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