Hello Cheryl! I just finished reading your 'Daring to Dream Big' post on oncewritten.com and felt a need to write you and say Thanks! I have dreamed since childhood too to one day become a successful writer and at twenty-seven am still working at it. Though I write an 'East Coast column for the West' in a Grande Prairie, AB paper, fantasy is my true obsession and every day I check my email in hopes to hear an interest for the queried young adult fantasy novel I have written. I have deep faith in the novel, which is the first of a trilogy set, but since I have zero creditentials I get my 'bummed' moments. I am guessing November will bring me my first rejection, (though am hoping not!). How did you deal with your past 'not interested' notes?...

I dream of a day where I can show my children a bright colored hardcover with my name on it and say "This is the result of what I've been working so hard on boys. You've helped me do this with all your patience..." Perhapes Cheryl, you and I might one day sit back at a coffee shop and chat about future character ideas... now THAT would be cool:)

ps: I have recently ordered Whale Song and am looking forward to reading it!

J.M. Lavallee

Thanks for dropping by my blog Cheryl. I haven't read any of your books as yet, but would like to correct that one day.

Hi Jake:

Thank you so much for leaving me a note. I thought it was equally cool that you found out your name is in one of my novels and contacted me.

Jake Kerrigan is the leading man in my suspense thriller The River. Jake kind of looks like Johnny Depp--very good looking and very smart. He works for Bio-Tec Canada, a company involved with nanotechnology research.

From The River:

His dark brown hair was slicked back, except for an errant lock over one finely sculpted brow. The man’s face was angular, with a strong jaw and ridiculously high cheekbones. He sported a closely shaved moustache and goatee. Kind of a seven o’clock shadow look.

Regardless, Del liked it. Hell, what wasn’t there to like?
..........

I've always liked the name Jake--it's the perfect name for a strong male character. I picked 'Kerrigan' because I wanted a last name beginning with a 'K' so that the initials would be J.K., which were my brother's initials.

There's been a lot of movie interest in The River. It would make an action-packed thriller...and Johhny Depp can play Jake Kerrigan any time, as far as I'm concerned! :) For the main character Del Hawthorne, I picture Charlize Theron playing that role. What a pair they'd make.

If you enjoy reading, you should pick up a copy of The River. You can easily order it online. If you do, let me know. I'd be very happy to send you an autographed bookplate (sticker) for the inside of your book. I've had many teens (right down to 13 that I know of) read The River, and it's my bestseller with men. :)

If you'd like to read the first few chapters, please read The River excerpt.

All the best,
Cheryl

Hi,

I am a 14 year boy and my name is JAKE KERRIGAN.

One day i put my name into a yahoo search engine. After searching through many other Kerrigans i found your book on Amazon.com. On the page i found a random quote form the book that had my name in it. I thought it was really cool.

I was wondering if you could tell me where you got the idea to use the name Jake Kerrigan.

Thanks

Hi Eras and Erin:

Thank you both for your comments about Divine Intervention. I am glad you enjoyed it.

Erin, you are very right. It is unfair of me not to have Divine Justice out and available, and I truly apologize. If it was only up to me, I'd have it out already.

My plans changed a few years ago and even moreso when Whale Song was re-published. I have to give my publishers what they need and that means promoting the books that are out. And writing more, of course. It's very hard to sell a series.

But the good news is that I have an agent in New York who will be pitching Divine Justice shortly. Right now he's hoping to seal a deal for my newest (and perhaps my best) suspense novel, Children of the Fog.

In the meantime, I hope you'll check out my other novels, Whale Song and The River.

Thank you again for your note here. Comments like yours tell book publishers that my books are enjoyed and that people want more. :)

Cheryl

Hey I really enjoyed Divine Intervention, and will no doubt add you to my collection of authors. But please don't hold back Divine Justice for too long, reading the excerpt at the back of the previous book and then not having a book to read isn't very fair. So please let us now when you will release it.

Wow...I love your writing inspiration..keep up the great job...the book devine intervention keeps me reading from line to line heheheeheheh.

Ur friend Eras.

Hi Renee:

If you search online you'll find tons of online courses in writing. One site I can recommend is the Long Story Short School of Writing. They have courses on everything! :)

Also your local college will have courses that would be well worth checking out. Often they have ones for specific genres, so if you're interested in writing romance or mystery, they may have a course for you.

Writer's Digest has stacks of books for writers, on everything from character traits to POV to dialogue and more. You can order their books online at:
Writer's Digest Books. And of course, sign up for Writer's Digest.

I hope this helps. The best advice I can give to any aspiring author is this: JUST WRITE!

:)Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,
Are there any online writing classes or books you would recommend to help an aspiring author learn the basics of writing a fictional novel? Thank you so much.
Renee

Charlie: Thanks for leaving the note! :) Your "good friend Francine" just so happens to be my mother-in-law (as I'm sure she told you...hehe)

I think she sells more of my books than some bookstores! lol

She's my #1 fan...gotta love her! And I do.

All the best to you. I suppose you're back in Idaho now but have fun in Yuma this winter. Marc and I may be down.

All the best,
Cheryl

Hello Cheryl
Your books are awsome. My friend and I were introduced to your books by our good friend Francine and now are awaiting the next one. Keep up the good work.

Charlie Staples from Idaho and Yuma

Hi Cheryl,

You are amazing! Your work is fantastic! You are a true survivor! One person can make a difference!

Thankyou Cheryl.
A Good Story. Moving and truly touching.
'Whale Song.'

Hello!
I loved your books, they were fantastic!

Hi Mike, and thank you for signing my guestbook.

Regarding the woman with the stroller, it's my understanding, based on news reports, that traces of cocaine were found on the stroller. You're right in that I don't think anyone reported finding amounts of cocaine in her possession. I am still appalled that any mother would use her child/and child's stroller in any way regarding drugs, or use drugs while caring for a baby.

I am sure that there is far more to the riot than what was reported. That always seems to be the case.

And you are also right that not all inmates are "bad" people. My own brother had his run-ins with police. He lived a rough life, one of homelessness, depression and addictions. He made bad choices in order to survive. He was not in any way a bad person. He was just very bad at making good choices. In fact, if he was still alive I am sure he'd be the first to say that many of his choices were just plain stupid.

That is life. One bad decision, one bad choice, can set your life on a path of despair. And one good choice can bring you hope. It's the law of attraction at its basest.

I hope you make good choices, Mike. Not everyone gets a second chance.

Not all inmates are bad...
People make mistakes..

I was in matsqui when we had our riot(jan 25) and who ever wrote about matsqui should go deeper into the place we were upset about..
First off the lady with the stroller did not have cocaine on her and either did her baby,we (inmates) would not allow that..
Go ask the guys inside about that and get the guards to take the drug test to,,I bet that half them go off for drugs to..
Mike Gaines..

Yes... I think Jenny is absolutely right. You are a great writer. It is pleasant to know there still is somebody our days who knows what the art of writing is!

Cheryl-
Thank you so much for Whale Song, it is a fantastic book! My sister gave it to me for my birthday last year, knowing that I love orcas and want to be a marine biologist some day. I didn't read the book right away, but now I am grateful my sister gave it to me. This book is amazing; I could never put it down. Please please please, consider a movie; it would be an amazing film. Continue to write about the whales, you are a fantastic and gifted writer!

~Jenny

Oh, I forgot to leave my email. aazman.work@gmail.com