Interview & Giveaway with Sheri Fredricks

I’m holding a contest for the hosts of my book tour. The host with the most commenters will receive this gorgeous rhinestone studded, hand decorated book bag crafted by Tina Garcia of Blingitude.com. Come on everyone! Let’s get in the game!

 And before you feel left out, there’s something for the commenters too. Details of the contest are below. 

Sheri, Can you please share with us a little about yourself

Hi Kelly, thank you so much for having me here today.

Before I became a writer, I worked as a Communications Coordinator (aka Secretary) in an engineering contractor’s office. It was great: 65 men, 3 women. It was as close to heaven as a single girl could get. Today, I write full-time, working my schedule around my family and our many daily ranch chores. I’m a “cowboy girl” — a girl who loves her cowboy — who lives on the scenic central coast of California where the weather is nearly always perfect.

My debut book is published through Ruby Lioness Press.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I think I did; only I never knew it. I’ve always been a book reader, a habit inherited from my father. In high school, I learned people would pay me to complete their English writing assignments — naughty, I know. That carried into college when various members of the football team would ask for “help” with their Creative Writing assignments. Hey! It helped pay the bills. Wish I had kept some of those stories.

Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?

A typical writing day would start with dropping the kids off at school, coming home for a two-mile run, then heading for the barn to feed the animals so they’ll stay quiet. After a shower, I zip through my emails, and bounce from Triberr to Facebook. By this time, I’ve consumed two very large mugs of decaffeinated coffee (two sweeteners, lots of cinnamon-vanilla cream.

One thing I like to wear while writing is anything with a hoodie attached. You’ve heard of a dream catcher? Well, I swear the hood acts like my muse catcher and keeps my thoughts from wandering too far.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

Most challenging: Staying off Facebook, and the constant need to check my email. <Grin!> On a more serious note, one of my weaknesses is not allowing outside distractions to come between me and my precious writing time. Willpower makes all the difference. And let’s not get started on the marketing aspect.

Most Rewarding: Having my editor publicly say, “Your writing makes me feel like I need a cigarette. I don’t smoke…” That was a first and a personal best.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

Remedy Maker is book one of the Centuar series, which revolves around mythic inhabitants of the modern day Boronda Forest.

Here’s a little blurb that best describes the story:

Man by day, Centaur by night, Rhycious is a remedy maker who needs his own healing.

He’s the royal physician, famous for his cures. War and posttraumatic stress disorder has broken his spirit, preventing him from finding true happiness. Then a direct order from the queen to investigate an uprising forces him out of his secluded cabin at the edge of the forest.

Patience is an optimistic, good-natured Wood Nymph who works as a mediator to ensure harmony within the Nymph sector.

Environmental pollution in the aquifer stream that feeds the taproot tree of her heart is slowly killing her. Resigned to the fact she will not live long, she sets out to discover the mysterious disappearance of her sister. Experience has taught her to deny herself the love of a male, but the gruff Centaur is different. He doesn’t push his expectations on her, only his healing nature.

When Rhycious loses his grip on reality, he believes his inability to control his disorder will drive Patience away. Nevertheless, desire flares, and Patience draws him close. Kidnapping and betrayal turn their mythic joint venture into a deadly bout.

Will their love endure when survival hinges on trusting each other?

Here’s a short excerpt to tease you with:

A tickle teased his neck again, but not from annoyance this time. He repeated the examination of her other arm. Tension curled tighter in his gut, suspicion spread like spilled wine.

Tilting her head with care, he pushed her dark brown hair from her smooth décolletage, sucked in a short breath, and froze.

“What is it? Snake bite?” Samuel raised the brass lantern higher and leaned over for a better view.

Rhy tapped his thumb against her neck. Designs a few shades darker than her natural color marred the creamy complexion. The millennia old skin formation carved its way into his painful memories. It started behind her ear, an inch wide at the hairline, and extended to the other side.

The words choked out of him. There was no use trying to hide his revulsion. “Wood Nymph.”

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Wish I could say a moment of utter brilliance came upon me, and without further adieu, I had my rough draft. Not quite the way it happened.

I took an online writing class, and the assignment was to put our character in a pitch-dark room and write from his/her point of view. Participants in the class turned in the same old rhetoric: people who were blindfolded, struck with blindness, in a cave, etc. I wanted something different, and somehow a centaur in hiding came to me.

Then I asked myself the all important question – what if…?

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

Absolutely! I’m currently writing two books — Book Two of the Centaur series tentatively titled Trolly Yours. The outline is complete and I’m digging in with all ten fingers to finish the book. The story involves a character with a huge ego named Aleksander, introduced in Remedy Maker. He meets the only mythic female in the Boronda Forest who isn’t fazed by his charms and good looks. Ooh-whee…and the sparks fly!

I submitted a short story called Portals of OZ for one of my publisher’s anthologies (Love Down Under) and had so much fun, I decided to write additional shorts for two more anthology calls. The short stories are based on the mythological character types I created for the Boronda Forest.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

In my personal library, you’ll find popular authors such as Cherry Adair, Sandra Hill, and JR Ward to name a few. I also have some new to me authors that have fast become my favorites such as Brenda M. Dyer and Leanore Elliot.

There’s so many, it’s hard to choose just a few to name.

Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?

I hope so. I greatly admire the fearless characters of Tara Janzen, the humor of Sandra Hill, and original worlds of Jacquelyn Frank.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

My To Be Read pile is taller than most small children! I have Leanore Elliot, Robert Sadler, Christine Feehan, and Jacquelyn Frank, to name a few. I also believe in reading new, upcoming authors, as well as my old standbys.

Fortunately, with my writing schedule and jam-packed personal life, I don’t have to wait for the latest release. By the time I finish a book, the next one is usually out.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If you’re looking for a book that will take you away to a mythic world that might exist…

If you love hot guys with insatiable appetites who have a dash of vulnerability…

If you’re looking for a sensual read with the power to make you gasp…

This would be the book for you.

You can find me at these online locations:

Website |  Blogsite |   Facebook   | Twitter  |  Google+

I have a fabulous prize for one lucky commenter at each of my tour stops, so don’t forget to leave your email address! Among other goodies, your name will go into a drawing for the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card at the end of my book tour.

Good luck!