Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written four novels, but only recently published one on Kindle Select. I originally wrote The Dream Experiment in 2016 under the title “Supernatural Prodigy,” but I was never happy with it. After taking a number of courses and finding the right team to help me, I revamped the story and published as a second edition.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
What a loaded question! The Dream Experiment: Volume One: Prodigy Circle Series was inspired by a combination of life experiences and my daughter’s boyfriend, an African American Native American mix. Since I was two years old, I have witnessed the categorization of humans as a method of how to treat them. I consider that a very destructive way to go about creating a civilization. What irks me the most, is the way the media and Hollywood use subtlety to promote prejudice. My friends of color and I could watch a show or movie and accurately predict who the bad guys were or who would die first based on their nationality or color. The words used by the news media are particularly harmful. As a child of the sixties, I promised myself that in any stories I wrote, the hero would be a person of a color. I reverse the subtle inferences. I put a lot of references to amazing people in my books. Some of the most intense and intellectual conversations I’ve had were with people who have “really lived” and searched for answers. As for the paranormal aspect, I’ve had my run-ins with that throughout my life. Science is also fixed in their beliefs for the most part. If you read a lot of history, you’ll find science has always had a “pet project” and they try to align all the rest of their data to what they already believe. That makes them a bit narrow minded and short-sighted.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, of course. Who doesn’t? Depending on the scene I’m writing, I might want all the hubbub of my family happening around me. Or I’ll play music to help me see the story as a movie. When I lose sight of the story, I’ll step outside, sit down and … wham! … a whole chapter or two slams into my mind, and I’m scrambling for my laptop or phone to get it down. When the book is done, I rewrite it. One book became an entirely different story by the time I finished rewriting it. Poetry hits me the same way. I cannot do the “so many words in a day” thing. Once it stops being a free-spirit creative endeavor, I don’t want to write. So I’ll study or read or watch movies or all three until I feel creative again.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
How far back do we go? I started with Isaac Asimov, E.E. Cummings, L. Ron Hubbard, Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, J. R. R. Tolkien … It was the 50’s and sci-fi was everywhere. I was seven years old when I could catch a double-feature sci-fi horror movie like “Them” or “Tarantua” for 25 cents. I was ten when I lived in Chester Springs, PA, where “The Blob” was made. Then there was Alfred Hitchcock, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Star Trek and so much more. Recently (like the last few decades), I’d have to say Shutter Island by Dennis Luhane, Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz, Star Wars and Star Trek fanfiction. Also, the movies Inception, The Matrix trilogy, Marvel movies, and the like have had a big influence. I can’t believe I left out one my all-time favorites … Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams … and The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. I could go on forever. I’ve read a lot of books. Anne Rice really got to me, too.
What are you working on now?
I have three other books written, waiting for a rewrite and editing. But first I have to get Volume Two of the Prodigy Circle done. Right now, that one is my favorite. The characters make me laugh and give me inspiration. I’d also like to compile my poetry, and I have a children’s book in my head that wants to come out. I started five or six short stories and finished five more that were submitted to contests. Then there’s blogging…
I have a free book that I need to finish for my promotion about real-life superheroes with real-life superpowers. If I have to narrow the answer to one project, I’d say Volume Two of the Prodigy Circle Series.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know yet. Hopefully this one.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes! Hanging around in some Facebook groups for writers has been enlightening. I have ten bits of advice. First of all, an “idea for a book” is not a story. Novels have a structure, and what works applies to writing a novel as much as any other task one undertakes. If a prolific bestselling author offers a course, take it. I started with Udemy and worked my way up to $500 courses. I always check for the works of the author on Amazon before I’ll buy their course. So get trained is my first piece of advice. Second, if you don’t have characters and some idea of what happened (plot), you don’t have a story. So do that first even if you’re a “pantser.” Third, write, write, write. Fourth, get as many beta readers as you can who read your genre. If you don’t know what you’re genre is, you probably don’t have a theme or “message” or “voice” for your novel. That will make everything else difficult. Fifth, never argue with a beta reader or editor. Take their advice or don’t take it. You won’t be able to argue with your readers. Whatever your readers reactions are to your writing is an education on what effect you are creating. And that’s what an artist wants to do — create an effect. Sixth, don’t set impossible goals for yourself. I know a lot of people who want to make money with a novel or become a bestseller with one book. They don’t write, and they don’t publish because they set an impossible goal for themselves. Quite a few of the now wealthy authors spent years on their first book, one year on the second, and then got it down to six months for the rest. Seventh, don’t edit while you write. Get the story told and then go back through and polish it up. Use ProWritingAid and/or Grammarly when you go back through. Too much criticism or correction while you’re writing can stunt your growth. Eighth, don’t force yourself to write. Developing a habit of writing every day is okay unless you hate it. Ninth, be a storyteller. In other words, don’t try to be fancy or profound. It is far better to let your reader experience what happened as if they were there. Describe the room, but only as much as a person would notice as they entered. Tenth, don’t write for “everyone.” Every story has its readers. If some people don’t like your style or genre, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer. Write the book YOU want to read, then you can find your audience.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read a lot, write a lot, treat it as a profession.
What are you reading now?
I’m researching for the next book, so I’m reading a lot about the Bronx, gangs, news articles, YouTube videos, etc. But I also have a book I’m beta reading. And another one I downloaded because it’s similar to mine.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I think I pretty much covered that already. I want to finish the second book in the series, compile my poetry, get the three or four other novels rewritten and published, and I have a lot of marketing to do. Mainly, I’ll be focusing on building a readership.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Being practical, I’d take survival books with me. Which ones would depend on which island. Probably a boy scout or eagle scout handbook … LOL.
Author Websites and Profiles
Cheryl Currie Website
Cheryl Currie Amazon Profile
Cheryl Currie’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.