TBR welcomes Sheri Fredricks

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Sheri. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Sheri: Absolutely, and thank you so much for having me here today.

Before I seriously decided to start writing, I worked in an engineering contractor's office. Man was that ever great; 65 men, 3 women. It was as close to heaven as a single girl could get.

Now 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). I live on the scenic central coast of California where the weather is always perfect.

My debut book Remedy Maker is published through Temple Publishing.

TBR: Tell us about Remedy maker, your latest release, and where it's available.

Sheri: Remedy Maker's available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Remedy-Maker-ebook/dp/B008S29WT2/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344020682&sr=1-2&keywords=remedy+maker

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.

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb.
Sheri: Oh, I thought you'd never ask.

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?

TBR: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Sheri: 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 signed up for an online writing class, and the assignment was to put our character in a pitch-black 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.

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

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?

Sheri: My critique partner came up with a funny term: plotsner

I create an outline of the story from start to finish that includes character charts, and when I feel it's ready—I start writing. It's not a full detailed outline with bullet points marking each chapter. It's more of a working synopsis that I grant myself permission to deviate from.

I did try pantsing once, but wrote myself into a corner I couldn't claw my way out of…even if I had my rat terrier digging alongside me. I'll never do that again.

TBR: How do you develop your characters?
Sheri: When I go into a new story, I have a rough idea of what the hero and heroine's personality will be like. To delve deeper into their personal psyches, I complete a very thorough character chart. Their persona builds the more I fill out the chart— everything from physical descriptions, to habits and family, and extended family. By the time I'm finished, I know my characters very well.

For minor characters, I'll fill out a chart for them too, but not go in-depth. And I keep all my character analyses to use in future books.

TBR: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?

Sheri: What a great question! I always thought it would be awesome to share a meal with my heroine Patience, but I'd want to dine at her place. The quirky way she speaks is one reason, but to be shimmered inside her Wood Nymph tree would be an experience of a lifetime!

The character I'd never want to meet up with is the villainess Troll, Pennelope. She's the type to smile at your face, make pleasant conversation…, and poison your food when you're not looking.

TBR: Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.

Sheri: I have mythological shape-shifting centaurs in a modern world. It's a new idea and, to my knowledge, there's nothing else like it out there.

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

If you love hot males 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.

TBR: What's next for you?

Sheri: I'm currently writing two books — Book Two of the Centaur series tentatively named Trolly Yours. I've completed the outline, so I'll be digging in with all ten fingers to finish the book.

I also wrote a short story called Portals of OZ for one of my publisher's anthologies (Love Down Under). I had so much fun, I decided to write additional shorts for two more anthology calls. The stories are based on the mythological characters I created in Remedy Maker.

TBR: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?

Sheri: Most challenging: Staying off Facebook and blocking the need to check my email every five minutes. <Grin!>  Not allowing outside distractions to come between me and my writing time is a huge challenge for me. Willpower makes all the difference.

Most Rewarding: When I start writing for the day, I'll go over what I wrote the previous day. And sometimes it just makes me stop and just say, "Damn, that's good stuff! I wrote that?" Truly, it's when a scene you've knocked yourself out writing comes together, and the words just flow in a dramatic sweep of page turns.

TBR: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your book?

Sheri: I'm happy to say, my editor came up with the most interesting comment yet. She said:  "Your writing makes me feel like I need a cigarette. I don't smoke..."

That was a first and a personal best.

TBR: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?

Sheri: In my personal library, you would find popular authors such as JR Ward, Cherry Adair, and Sandra Hill—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.

With so many favorites, it's hard to choose just a few to name.

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?

Sheri: I'm glad you asked!

Website:    www.sherifredricks.com

Blogsite:    www.sherifredricks.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SheriFredricks

Twitter:      http://twitter.com/Sheri_Fredricks

Google+:   http://gplus.to/Sheri Fredricks

TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Sheri: I was a reader long before I became a writer, and I know what type of book draws me in. I remember a time-travel pirate romance I read three times, though for the life of me, I can't remember the author.

My question for the readers:  What stories do you love, and wish would come around again?

TBR: Readers, Sheri Fredricks will give away a fabulous prize to one lucky commenter at each of her tour stops! Among other swag goodies, your name will go into a drawing for the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card at the end of her book tour. The more tour stops you enter, the better your chance to win!

She'll pick a winner for today’s blog on Tuesday, August 14th and announce the winner here. Be sure to leave your email address so she can contact you.

Thanks for visiting TBR, Sheri. All the best to you.