Welcome to Readers Write to Know! I asked you, my readers, what questions they would ask their favorite authors if given the chance, and the authors visiting my blog answered them! This week, I’m excited to have author Sherrinda Ketchersid as my guest. I L-O-V-E medieval Scottish romances. I cut my romance reading teeth on them and will always be drawn toward them. I especially loved the ones that I read that were time-travel, cutting between medieval times and modern times, so to know that Sherrinda is planning something like that is so fun! I hope you enjoy her interview as much as I did. Read on to see how you can enter to win a paperback (or ebook) of her new release!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I’ve been married to a preacher for 35 years, have 4 grown children (3 boys and 1 girl), and a momma to the cutest mixed terrier, Phineas. I love to read, paint and journal in my Bible, and work in my flower garden in my backyard. I’ve been writing medieval romance but am about to dive into a contemporary romance. I’m also going to do some time travel romance and marry the contemporary and medieval eras together. That sounds like so much fun!
Tell us about your current release: Hers to Love takes Fiona McGowan (the sister of Ian McGowan in His to Keep) and gives her a love of her own. Here’s a little bit about the book:
He’s running from his past—she’s running from her future.
Fiona McGowan, a beautiful Scottish widow without hope for a family of her own, travels to St. Mary’s Convent to become a nun. In route she is kidnapped by handsome Highlander Adam MacIntosh in a case of mistaken identity. Adam, laird of the MacIntosh clan, is attempting to free his brother held captive by the rival Fergus clan. The failure of his plan leaves him reeling with betrayal, death, and a wee babe in sore need of a healer.
Though forced to delay her vows, Fiona’s anger and distrust thaws as rising tensions within Adam’s clan threaten to ignite an uprising. She chooses to aid her noble but beleaguered captor in his quest to restore peace among his Highland clan. But as the two learn to trust each other, the question remains: Can they move beyond the hurts of their past, or will the past be their undoing?
Enter to win #scottishromance HERS TO LOVE by @sherrinda on @halleeb’s blog! #amreading #christianromance #christianfiction #christfic
TweetHow do you push past the fear of your writing being average and be bold enough to sell it to a publisher(or agent or audience if you self publish)? This is a struggle, but I pray that the Lord will give me the story He wants me to write and when I find a story that won’t let go, I write it and put it out in the world. I think all authors have a fear of their work not being “good enough”, especially when compared to others, but if we trust the Lord will serve his purpose in our writing, that is all we can ask for.
Who was your first Screen/Musical Crush? We watched a lot of musicals when I was a little girl and I can remember thinking Gene Kelly was amazing. Of course, when Stars Wars came out, Gene Kelly was dropped for the irresistible rascal, Hans Solo.
What inspired you to start writing, or did you always want to write? I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. But when I was a teen, I was introduced to romance books by an aunt. We’d visit her during the summer and she would give me a sack full of category romances. That was when I knew I wanted to write romances – happy ever afters are my favorite.
How did you determine whether to self-publish or seek a traditional publisher? I published my first medieval romance with a small press. I had a great experience, but when my second book was rejected, I decided to self-publish the next one. I tried going the traditional route, but agents did not even want a Christian medieval romance. Not much of a market for it. I’ve enjoyed the self-publishing route and like not having the stress of a deadline, other than my own.
Do you have your plotline and character development already laid out before you begin writing a book, or do they develop as you write? I flesh the hero and heroine’s character out pretty well and have a basic plotline before I begin writing. I like having a road map, but enjoy the freedom to see where the characters take me in between those stops along the way.
Do you have pre-determined length in mind when you first begin a book? I know what length I would LIKE it to be, but inevitably, the length ends up being whatever it takes to tell the story. For my historical romances, the books have ranged from 68,000 words to 75,000 words. Not long, even for a historical. For the contemporary romance I am about to start, I am aiming for 50,000 words, like a category romance.
Find Sherrinda online: https://sherrinda.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SherrindaKetchersidAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrinda
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sherrinda-ketchersid
Sherrinda is giving away reader’s choice of an ebook or paperback (U.S. only for paperback) of her upcoming release Hers to Love. Check out how you can enter to win!
(note: entrants may be added to Hallee and/or Sherrinda’s email list.)
5 comments
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interesting interview
Thanks so much for stopping by!
I absolutely love Scottish romance novels. I’m off to put it on my TBR!
Bobbey, thank you! I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks so much for having me, Hallee! God bless!