Chissick Chat, part twenty-four, with Sherrie Lowe
Pinch, punch, first of the month ... Hello October and welcome to the Chissick Chat Blog!
Today, I'm chatting with Sherrie Lowe, British author living in Staffordshire with over seven books published.
Please can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about yourself and your books?
Thank you for letting me take part. Here goes.
My author name is Sherrie Lowe, made up of the first part of my Christian name (Cheryl) and the second part of my surname (Warrillow) It came about during my training as a nursery nurse when one of the very frustrated staff turned to a child who had bombarded her with about a million questions one day and she answered him 'Oh go and ask Cherry - realized she'd almost said my Christian name to a pupil and hastily finished up with Lowe' From then on among the staff I was known as Cherrylowe, which I thought would do nicely as a pseudonym if I ever wrote the book in my head. I have written 7 novels and a novella, 2 memoirs and 2 short story collections. Sadly my career as a learning support assistant to special needs pupils was cut short when I came down with M.E in 1995 when I was 40. I've got two adult sons and two beautiful grandchildren.
What, or who, inspires you?
Lots of things inspire me, other authors - I got the idea to continue my Willow's Dip series and keep updating the characters from reading Jilly Cooper's Riders series many years ago, way before I started to write. The inspiration for Over A Spitfire was a family affair. My son suggested the reincarnation theme and my other son came up with the LGBT idea. The WWII plot was my own idea.
Do you enjoy reading the same genre as the one you write in?
Yes, as the saying goes write what you know. Lots of anecdotes in my stories have come from mine and family/friends experiences. I like to read gentle romance stories with a bit of mystery and a good helping of the supernatural and this is what I enjoy writing. I've got a strong belief in the afterlife following experiences throughout my life and it has found its way into several of my stories and of course my memoir after losing my mum as a child. We contacted her through an ouija board and it was comforting and scary in equal measure.
Has any of your research taken you to an unusual place?
Due to my health my only physical research was for Free Flight, when I met a man who displayed his owls in our local town in aid of a nearby wildlife centre. It was fabulous to hold one, awesome! I later went with my family to the wildlife centre and it was a huge help for my story, and also for incidents for other books too. I'd have loved to have gone to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in my local town for another look at the Spitfire that lives there, during the writing of Over A Spitfire, but my very annoying health won't stretch to going out and walking any distance so I had to go from the memory I had of it when I was well.
What are you working on at the moment?
My current WIP is Book 4 in the Willow's Dip series. This one is a murder mystery, again with a supernatural aspect and of course encompasses many of the characters from the first 3 books with a catch up on their lives and how they all come together to try and track down the perpetrators of the death of one of their much loved friends.
What are your future writing plans?
After this book I have a ghost story that is at the 50 pages stage about a vengeful spirit who is angry that her husband has remarried following her death.
Is there anything you don’t like about writing/being an author?
My main gripe about writing is that we as indie authors get no backing to promote our books so a huge thank you Elaine for the opportunity for us all to showcase our work and plans on your blog. I wouldn't have any idea of how to go about what you have done. What annoys me so much is that we flog ourselves to death doing our very best with our books and then all of these jumped up celebrities make an easy million by 'doing the book.' I mainly only read indie authors now that I've found on twitter and their books are easily as good if not better than many traditionally published authors, many of whose books I've wondered what on earth possessed some publisher to take it on!
Quick Fire Questions …
Tea or coffee? Tea.
Sweet snack or savoury snack? Either sweet or savoury snack depending what mood I'm in.
Real book or ebook? Same with ebook or real book, I like to read both.
Cinema or DVD? I used to like going to the cinema but now my health dictates that I can't get out often so DVD it has to be.
Cat or dog? Dog.
Weepie or action movie? Weepie movie.
And to Finish, What is your favourite …
Food? Roast dinners as I haven't got the energy to cook them myself so really appreciate having them at someone else's house.
Drink? Tea.
Movie? The Sound of Music, my mum's favourite and it always reminds me of her when I watch it.
Book? Loads! Jilly Cooper's Riders and Rivals, The Harry Potters plus lots of indie authors.
Colour? Blue.
Saying/Proverb? The greatest gift you can give to someone is your time.
Song? So many so I'll go with Angels, Robbie Williams.
Pudding/dessert? Apple pie and custard.
There's nothing quite like great British apple pie and custard! Thanks for chatting with me, Sherrie, I hope the ghost story is shaping up well for you.
