Today's guest is mystery author, Sherri Moorer, author of Move. Get to know her and come back tomorrow for a sample of her work. As always, I love to hear your comments.
Tell us a little
about yourself?
By day, I’m a program assistant working in professional licensing. By night, I’m an independent author with published works in several genres. You can find me at my secluded home in the woods, where I life, write, and engage in social media shenanigans with my husband and three birds.
By day, I’m a program assistant working in professional licensing. By night, I’m an independent author with published works in several genres. You can find me at my secluded home in the woods, where I life, write, and engage in social media shenanigans with my husband and three birds.
What made you want to
become a writer?
I love stories and have always been fond of sharing the tales I come up with. I’ve been writing my creations since I learned how to hold a pencil, but I didn’t get serious about sharing my work with the world until 2001 when my husband and I got a computer.
I love stories and have always been fond of sharing the tales I come up with. I’ve been writing my creations since I learned how to hold a pencil, but I didn’t get serious about sharing my work with the world until 2001 when my husband and I got a computer.
What genre do your
works fall into?
I write in a variety of genres, but most of my work is classified as mystery.
I write in a variety of genres, but most of my work is classified as mystery.
What about this genre
appeals to you?
All of life is a mystery. We’re always trying to work things out and figure things out in our minds. Sometimes we even create mysteries when there is none! It’s the natural curiosity in all of us to want to work things out and figure out why things are the way they are. I think this is why so many people like mysteries – it allows us to sate that natural curiosity and to work out the riddles of reality in our mind.
All of life is a mystery. We’re always trying to work things out and figure things out in our minds. Sometimes we even create mysteries when there is none! It’s the natural curiosity in all of us to want to work things out and figure out why things are the way they are. I think this is why so many people like mysteries – it allows us to sate that natural curiosity and to work out the riddles of reality in our mind.
Could you tell us a
bit about your most recent book and why it is a must-read?
Move is actually an urban fantasy mystery novel. In it the protagonist, Ruby Josen, becomes frustrated with the rut her life is in. Every effort to break free results in circumstances forcing her right back to where she’s at. One day, she meets a mysterious stranger at the town spring festival that tells her he can help swing fate in her favor. She doesn’t take him seriously until tragedy strikes her town, leaving her to wonder who – or what – kind of person she’s made a deal with.
Move is actually an urban fantasy mystery novel. In it the protagonist, Ruby Josen, becomes frustrated with the rut her life is in. Every effort to break free results in circumstances forcing her right back to where she’s at. One day, she meets a mysterious stranger at the town spring festival that tells her he can help swing fate in her favor. She doesn’t take him seriously until tragedy strikes her town, leaving her to wonder who – or what – kind of person she’s made a deal with.
What gives you
inspiration for your book?
Reality is the inspiration. All of my novels have been born from asking the “what if” question. My latest novel was inspired by a work move I went through three years ago. Many of my former colleagues didn’t understand why I went along with it and didn’t fight to keep things the same – they just didn’t see the situation the same way I did. Over time the move has proved to be a fantastic change for me and for those affected by it, but I’ve often wondered what “would have been” if I had fought it, or if it fell through. Lo and behold, suddenly Ruby Josen came to me as a character that was one to teeter between embracing and fighting change, and Move was born.
Reality is the inspiration. All of my novels have been born from asking the “what if” question. My latest novel was inspired by a work move I went through three years ago. Many of my former colleagues didn’t understand why I went along with it and didn’t fight to keep things the same – they just didn’t see the situation the same way I did. Over time the move has proved to be a fantastic change for me and for those affected by it, but I’ve often wondered what “would have been” if I had fought it, or if it fell through. Lo and behold, suddenly Ruby Josen came to me as a character that was one to teeter between embracing and fighting change, and Move was born.
Are your characters
based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
I mix and match. All of my characters certainly have a root in a real person or a combination of people I’ve known, but I also throw in things I create, characters from other stories I’ve read, people talking about people, etc. I find that having a basis in real people helps me to build a believable character.
I mix and match. All of my characters certainly have a root in a real person or a combination of people I’ve known, but I also throw in things I create, characters from other stories I’ve read, people talking about people, etc. I find that having a basis in real people helps me to build a believable character.
Of all the characters
you have created, which is your favorite and why?
That’s a hard decision between Ruby Josen in Move and Jana Lanning in Anywhere But Here. I can relate to both of them because I’ve been where they’re at. The work move I described before was actually preceded by a six year rut where it seemed I couldn’t get anything to make progress in my life. Like Ruby, I was frustrated with being stuck in the same old thing and nothing working, but I also had that background fear of “what am I asking for if this does work?” so I’m sure there was some self-sabotage happening during those years. Jana Lanning in Anywhere But Here had similar problems. She was a recent college graduate that couldn’t seem to get life going. People kept telling her to “grow up” and “get it together,” but all of her own efforts failed and nobody knew how to guide her to getting it right. I remember how overwhelming life was during those first days of young adulthood, and I think many of my readers are reminded of that when they read that book. I’ve often been told that Jana Lanning is a very likable character and I can see why – it’s because she’s a real reflection of the fear and insecurities we all have from time to time.
That’s a hard decision between Ruby Josen in Move and Jana Lanning in Anywhere But Here. I can relate to both of them because I’ve been where they’re at. The work move I described before was actually preceded by a six year rut where it seemed I couldn’t get anything to make progress in my life. Like Ruby, I was frustrated with being stuck in the same old thing and nothing working, but I also had that background fear of “what am I asking for if this does work?” so I’m sure there was some self-sabotage happening during those years. Jana Lanning in Anywhere But Here had similar problems. She was a recent college graduate that couldn’t seem to get life going. People kept telling her to “grow up” and “get it together,” but all of her own efforts failed and nobody knew how to guide her to getting it right. I remember how overwhelming life was during those first days of young adulthood, and I think many of my readers are reminded of that when they read that book. I’ve often been told that Jana Lanning is a very likable character and I can see why – it’s because she’s a real reflection of the fear and insecurities we all have from time to time.
What is the biggest
surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?
E-publishing. It was a pleasant and refreshing surprise to find that I didn’t need to be traditionally published to reach my writing goals. E-publishing and self publishing are hard work, but I’ve found that the people you work with are pleasant and easygoing, and it’s nice to have freedom and control over your work without having an agent or the “middle men” of publishing tinkering with your work.
E-publishing. It was a pleasant and refreshing surprise to find that I didn’t need to be traditionally published to reach my writing goals. E-publishing and self publishing are hard work, but I’ve found that the people you work with are pleasant and easygoing, and it’s nice to have freedom and control over your work without having an agent or the “middle men” of publishing tinkering with your work.
Is there any
particular author or book that influenced you either growing up or as an adult?
Christopher Pike, the young adult mystery writer, was a big influence on me. Those type of books were popular when I was a teen, and I loved Pike’s work because he has a talent for weaving the perfect tale of playing the characters to the situations perfectly. As an adult, I’d say that C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, P.D. James, and Kim Stanley Robinson have inspired me (yes, I also enjoy reading sci-fi and fantasy).
Christopher Pike, the young adult mystery writer, was a big influence on me. Those type of books were popular when I was a teen, and I loved Pike’s work because he has a talent for weaving the perfect tale of playing the characters to the situations perfectly. As an adult, I’d say that C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, P.D. James, and Kim Stanley Robinson have inspired me (yes, I also enjoy reading sci-fi and fantasy).
Do you have a day job
in addition to being a writer? If so,
what do you do during the day?
Oh yes, I work as a program assistant in professional licensing. I license engineers, landscape architects, and professional soil classifiers for the State of South Carolina.
Oh yes, I work as a program assistant in professional licensing. I license engineers, landscape architects, and professional soil classifiers for the State of South Carolina.
What is your favorite
writing tip or quote?
Don’t write what’s popular, write what’s in you. Tell the story you have to tell and the readers will come.
Don’t write what’s popular, write what’s in you. Tell the story you have to tell and the readers will come.
Tell us a little
about your plans for the future. Do you
have any other books in the works?
Not now, but I’m sure that next idea is just around the corner. Right now, I’m working on promotion for my published works and I’m trying something new: Short stories and flash fiction!
Not now, but I’m sure that next idea is just around the corner. Right now, I’m working on promotion for my published works and I’m trying something new: Short stories and flash fiction!
Where can we find you
online? (please cut and paste links):
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