Chit Chatting with Sherri L. Dodd

                                         Chit Chatting with Sherri L. Dodd

Her new book is “Moonset on Desert Sands.”

J: Tell us about yourself and how you got into writing?

S:  As a Personal Trainer, I had already written many fitness articles for periodicals, so when I had my second son late-2003 and still found only one outdated book about regaining pre-pregnancy fitness levels, I recorded my recovery of the same. Another year later, I had the result ready for print. I shopped it with publishers and even got an inquiry from Harper Collins; however, I believe my credentials were too anemic and the book read too simple for their brand. So, in 2005, I self-published Mom Looks Great - The Fitness Program for Moms. I’d like to think that I trail-blazed the idea of post-natal fitness books because within a few years there were plenty of options lining the shelves.

J: Tell us about your book "Moonset on Desert Sands."  How did you come up with the idea for the book?

S:  Moonset on Desert Sands opens where book one - Murder Under Redwood Moon - left off. Dustin has just stolen the athame from police evidence, and he’s going to meet his cohort. Thereafter, the story line unfolded. With this second book, I wanted to branch out to other geography. I had already mentioned Sedona as Bethie’s snow-bird paradise, so building on that side story turned out to be quite fun. Sedona had left an impression on me when my husband and I first visited in 2010, so I took my oldest son with me in 2023 and scouted the area for new inspiration. At that time, I also visited Spokane, WA often to see my youngest son at college. While it rarely makes a bucket list of places to visit, I found it quite beautiful, and it also held an air of mystique, similar to Boulder Creek. The Red Rocks and Pacific Northwest each tickled out new ideas that contributed to the overall plot! 

J: Normally, how long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

S:  It takes me at least a year to finish a book, and I believe even that is sometimes a rush. Here’s an analogy to consider - if you do crossword puzzles like I do, you may draw a complete blank at a few answers, yet the next time you take on the challenge, the answer immediately comes. Now, marry that to the creative process. Some days I will burn through a ten-hour day, fully immersed in my fictional kingdom, characters blooming and events erupting onto the page. Other days, I’ll put in an hour or two and feel utterly blocked on creativity. Also, I believe that the seasonal weather can contribute toward the feel of a story, as does time the time of the year with approaching holidays, whether it is Halloween or Christmas or 4th of July. Especially for books as witchy as Murder, Tea, and Crystals, this full year gives a complete experience of elements.

J: Tell us about some of your other books?

S:  As your readers may know, Moonset on Desert Sands is book two in the Murder, Tea, and Crystals Trilogy. This book comes in as a Paranormal Thriller with a touch of Horror-lite. With that written, I find that the genres can be very subjective. I remember the first person that said Murder Under Redwood Moon, the first book in the trilogy, was not a thriller at all, yet my publisher labeled it as such. I do not find my trilogy very scary, but one reader said she was freaked out one night while reading it. The final book in the trilogy, coming in the Fall for a WOW Book Tour, is Hummingbird Moonrise. This final installment is not so rushed as it focuses on Arista’s healing from the previous two books, the lingering effects that continue to haunt her, and her relationship with Shane. There is still a body count, and for those who enjoy Great Aunt Bethie, she plays a tremendous part in the trilogy’s climax.

J: Tell us about your Barbie collection.  When did you start collecting them?

S:  Just writing about this is going to trigger a hunt on Mattel or eBay for my next birthday purchase - ha! As a child, I always chose Barbie over babydolls. So, in 2006, after an acquaintance showed me her collection of six, I decided to start my own treasured lot. My very first purchase was the 2006 Bob Mackie Christmas Barbie. Today, I have well over a hundred pristine dolls, and my husband scratches his head at how efficiently I have them boxed, sheltered and stored in my closet. I rotate them on the upper shelves for the season, and every once in a while, I’ll lay them all out in our living room and bar area and have friends over to gander at them. The collection includes everything from Peter Rabbit Barbie to the Haunted Beauties Collection to many different Dolls of the World, and even Arwen and Aragorn in their wedding attire for the LoTR finale. One day, I will list them all on my website.

J: Are you involved with any charities?  Tell us about them.

S:  I love Paws of War and everything it stands for! Soldiers find companionship through a stray dog or cat while deployed. Among many other services, when the soldier is ready to come home, Paws of War ensures that their bonded companion comes home with them. I also give to Native Animal Rescue out of Santa Cruz that rescues forest/ocean creatures and WERC out of Morgan Hill, CA, also wildlife-oriented. Donors Choose is a great charity where teachers sign up for supplies needed for their classrooms. For this, I mostly stay local, but also recently contributed to my old hometown of Huntsville, Texas! And, ever the soft heart for other’s tribulations, I frequently donate to GoFundMe causes that have tugged at my heartstrings.

J:  What is your favorite memory?

S: Honestly, I could not even begin to narrow down this question. Everyday, I feel so blessed to have my family, great health, and the ability to write! I enjoy nature in all forms and simply driving down the highway with the windows down can fill me with contentedness. Otherwise, I will always default to the general time of being able to stay home with my children and be part of their class events and afterschool activities.

J: What are some things people may not know about you?

S:  I am beginning to think between my website, Instagram posts, and interviews, people actually know too much about me - ha! For how private I used to be, this can be really unnerving.

J: Are you on any social media?  Do you have an official website?

S:  I am on Instagram @Sherri.Dodd.Author and my website is sherridodd.com

J:  Thank you for the interview.

S: Thank you ever so much for your interest!