Interview with Cheryl WestThank you, Cheryl, for your time! When did you know you wanted to become an author?I doubled major in college, for Chemical Engineering and Creative Writing. That was in 1969. When did you first consider yourself a writer?2017-publication of my first book Who is your biggest inspiration?Mrs. Bailey, my high school English teacher. She taught me not only to read the story but to understand what the story meant, including all the intricate details which the author included. She loved the English Romantic poets so I learned not only poetry but the history, culture, and lives of the writers which were embedded in the poets. How do you come up with your ideas?This is a difficult question as so many things give me ideas for my stories and poems. I collect glass negatives from the late 1890s and early 1900s. I try to find ones with dogs but I want people in the negatives as well. The pictures I see tell me about these people. Although everything is fiction, I still imagine what their lives were like, what was important to them and how they lived their lives. Then there are the random thoughts--something pop into my head, or maybe a sight as I am driving. From these come, stories. Are your characters inspired by or based on real-life people? Mostly fictional, some real-life for background and development. What comes first, the plot or the characters?Characters, especially with the glass negatives What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?I tell the story in my head, including detail conversations between characters. I joke that it would be nice if these characters invited me to join them. How did publishing your first book change your writing career?I knew I could do it. I learned more about writing, editing, formatting, marketing, etc., and continued to write more stories and poems. I also gained experience in working with others, from the first book written with two other authors, to anthologies, as well as books written solely by me. Each brought its own challenge but taught me valuable skills and lessons. Have you ever gotten writer's block? How did you work through it?I give myself a deadline. I work better under pressure. What are you working on now?Two books. One is a compilation of short stories inspired by the glass negatives which I have collected--over 160 and adding more. The other is a children's book of my poems, illustrated with AI generated art. Talk about a learning experience in computer technology, as well as ensuring that the poems are at the level for children that I am hoping to reach. What advice would you give aspiring authors?Definitely write but while you are doing that, try to learn more about the various aspects of your craft. Even if it is a genre you may never write, learn how the authors crafted their stories, what is important and and why. Sharpen your skills when it comes to dialogue, plot, etc. And if you ask for advice, listen to what people say, without trying to justify why you did something a particular way. Remember the old saying of God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. What do you like to do when you're not writing?Reading and spending time with my animals What are three things that are unique about you?The more I am around writers and poets, the more I feel I am like them, strange as they may be. The first item would be that I was an engineer by profession and a writer in my spare time, more time now that I am retired. This gives me an analytical mind, with an equal portion of creativeness. The second is that I have been involved in the Samoyed (dog) breed for over 40 years--lots of stories there. The third may be that I have always been telling stories in my mind, even as a child. Perhaps Walter Mitty was my mentor.
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AuthorArielle Haughee is the owner and founder of Orange Blossom Publishing. Categories
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