Interview with Sheri Larson

Hi everyone, today the beautiful and talented Sheri Larson is here for an interview. I’ve been dying to pick her brains and lured her here with chocolate and cupcakes.

Hello Sheri, so nice to have you here today!

So on with the questions. You write across three different genres, Sheri, how do you juggle it all?

Great question! I find it easy to separate my young adult and middle grade ideas from any picture book ones. I tend to work on my PBs, after I return home from reading with my son’s 2nd grade class or when he’s said something to me that is just so ‘out of the mouth of babes.’ I also flip through my older children’s photos of when they younger.

For my YA and MG projects, I try and find an important issue to focus on to thread through the story. With MG, I tend to be more silly, use lots of humor, and let myself regress back to junior high. I was the epitome of the tall, lanky girl with thick glasses and braces. It was awful. With YA, I do most of the same but definitely enjoy adding a romantic slant and write with more edge.

Great answer!

With all three, I ALWAYS note my ideas and developments in separate notebooks. I really should take stock in the notebook industry.

What is your favorite genre you write in?

Hmm… I have to say I enjoy writing anything that challenges the norm or ordinary. For me, that usually includes anything supernatural, paranormal, different, or simply wacky. By nature, I’m an out-of-the-box thinker. I rarely follow a trend. Some might say a writer should follow the current trend, but for me it’s about being unique and bringing something new to the table.

Do you have time time for hobbies? Secret snowboarder? Crochet queen? (I know you dance!)

I’ve been a dancer for over 25 years. I began when I was three years old and danced sporadically during my twenties and early thirties due to giving birth four times. I’m currently still dancing with a group of woman ranging in age from 25 to 61. They are awesome and a cornucopia of ideas for all my stories! I also am a mural painter and a crafter. Guess you could say I like the creative.

That is making me want to whip out my neglected scrapbooking, lucky coincidence I have a scrapbooking date tomorrow. Fabulous about the dancing Sheri!

What time of day do you get the most writing done?

Since all four of my children are in school, I usually get the bulk of my writing goals accomplished between 8 AM and 1 PM. I used to write at night, but after awhile that got too exhausting. Plus, I like to spend some of the night with my kids doing homework, reading, or simply chatting. Once again, I live in a home with an 18, 15, 13, & 8 year old. That’s lots of KidLit writing material.

Who is your favorite author?

Ooh, without a doubt, Jane Austen. She not only was an amazing storyteller and character developer, but she did it all during a time when working wasn’t in a woman’s description.

Where is the most exciting place you’ve ever visited?

Wow! You’re making me think. Okay, this might not be exciting to most, but I’m going to say the original thirteen colonies. I’m a history buff. When I was in eighth grade, I took a class trip called the Heritage Tour. We visited places like Gettysburg, museums, and the Statue of Liberty. I loved viewing all the fine art and learning about our country’s history.

As far as any of my works, I do lots of community freelance writing and one of my short stories was published this past November by Pill Hill Press, Feel free to check it out! Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Flash-2012-Days-Fiction/dp/1617061611/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322921779&sr=8-1

Thanks so much for the link, we will check it out. Congrats on your publications Sheri!

Thanks so much for having me, Catherine! This has been so much fun.

Thank you Sheri, it is so nice to get to know you better. Best wishes and hope to see you here again.

You can find Sheri at her blog Writer’s Ally and her group blog Oasis for YA and also on Twitter and Facebook.

Sheri will be back one day with a video clip of her dancing. *surpriseSheri* We all want to see it don’t we?

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