It’s Meet the Author Monday! Each week we meet a new author and get to know a little about them, their writing process, publishing experience, and tips for other writers. Today we’re talking to Cheryl Waters, author of It’s Time to Let Me Go.
About Cheryl Waters:
Born in London, Cheryl grew up in Cheshire. Cheryl married Phil in 1991 and that same year they moved to Scotland where they both worked in Edinburgh & grew a family of two children. In 2011, with the young adults off at University, Cheryl’s dream of living in France became a reality.
Renovating an early 19th-century farmhouse, in 2014 Cheryl & Phil made the permanent move to the Creuse region of southwest France, opening their B&B.
Whilst Cheryl had talked of writing a novel for many years, between the demands of full-time work and all that comes with a young family, there never seemed to be the time.
Moving to France brought the opportunity of a (slightly) quieter lifestyle, and then Coronavirus arrived, pausing the world, halting the B&B and delivering long stretches of precious free time! So, one such time- led day, Cheryl typed an opening sentence into the computer. After eighteen months of writing, re-writing, and learning how to publish later the debut novel; “In My Mother’s Footsteps” was ready.
What was originally a dream to simply write a book “one day” had become a tangible result. Cheryl is now on her third book due out this year. If you would like to contact Cheryl, she would love to hear from you.
About It’s Time to Let Me Go:
‘You’re doing what? You can’t go away on your own, Mum. Not at your age!’ It was ‘Not at your age’ that made Audrey decide that she was going away, even if it was the last-damned-thing-she-ever-did. She was a widow, not dead. Life must go on!
Olive has spent the last fifty years married to George, who has made it his life’s work to control every aspect of her day. What they ate. What she wore. Whom she spent time with. So, when her mother leaves her an inheritance, Olive seizes the chance to book her dream holiday. Will she be able to lay some memories to rest or does George have other ideas?
Lucinda, mother of teens, has lost her way since her ex cheated on her. It’s not so much Netflix and chill as Netflix and Sauvignon Blanc. Her loving, despairing widowed father persuades her to take a trip with him to Croatia, where he holidayed with her mother. With no better offers on the table, she reluctantly agrees to go.
As Audrey, Olive and Lucinda begin their holiday in beautiful Cavtat, one person’s misfortune begins to benefit them all. And as they become the most unlikely of friends, they realise that you are never too old to seize the day, to live life to the full and to make memories to last a lifetime.
Author Interview with Cheryl Waters:
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- Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Both – sometimes I can be on a high when the story is flowing and then when you are proof reading or struggling with what comes next it can be exhausting.
- Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each book is a standalone at the moment but my dream would be to write a trilogy!
- What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
Having my cover designed professionally.
- How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I have two half finished books that I plan to go back to and one will be this winter.
- What does literary success look like to you?
Having people who want to read my next book and being published traditionally, of course.
- Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?
Yes definitely! It all came about during lockdown as I was living in France and unable to see my family in the UK. I was getting very low and starting to write gave me something good to focus on.
- How many hours a day do you write?
Around 4 hours a day during the winter and probably a little less in the summer.
- Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Yes I do as I think they are a great learning tool. It’s hard when you get a negative one but if you can learn from it then it turns the situation around.
- When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I am only on my third book and still struggle to consider myself a writer.
- Describe your writing space.
I love my writing space. I have a desk on the landing in my French farmhouse. The window opens to the front and you can hear the water trickling in the fountain. It’s very therapeutic.
- Are you on social media and can your readers interact with you?
Yes I do facebook, Instagram and a little twitter. I love my readers to interact with me.
To learn more about Cheryl Waters, here’s where you can find her:
Author Website: www.cherylwaterswrites.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cherylwaterswrites
Instagram: www.instagram.com/che.rylwaterswrites
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