Interview With Cheryl Norman

by Jane Hollingsworth

What is there about your personality or experiences that led you to write romances?

I’m an incurable optimist who believes in happy endings and looks for the funny side of life. My father’s unfailing optimism and faith strongly influenced me. He taught me to appreciate everything, to give thanks for all my blessings. Thanks to his corny sense of humor, we always had fun. I miss him. 

Some women like their romance heroes to have a touch of the gutter, like characters played by Clark Gable or Sean Penn. Others prefer a twenty-first century man who knows how to cook, diaper a baby, and coach soccer.  What is your favorite type of guy? 

I like a man who’s a gentleman (well-mannered, considerate, chivalrous) without being sexist. My hero is emotionally secure without arrogance, confident without conceit, and strong without being a control freak.  He shares household duties but doesn’t claim to be an expert about everything.  He’s educated but not an intellectual snob.

Touch of the gutter? He also knows when and how to talk dirty! 

If your book were made into a movie and you could do your own casting, who would star in FULL MOON HONEYMOON?

This one’s easy.  I pictured Debbie as the actress Suzanne Somers while writing FULL MOON HONEYMOON, so I’d definitely want her in the role.  I would cast Robert Redford as Noel if he were ten years younger.  Maybe Sam Neill or James Spader.

Tell us about your current writing projects.  In working on them, what is your most difficult challenge as a writer?

I’m writing a sequel to FULL MOON HONEYMOON called UNDERCOVER AT THE ROLL ‘N’ SCONE, a kidnap mystery. My biggest challenge is plotting the romance between two secondary characters without giving away the villain’s (or villains’) identity.  I have good critique partners who tell me right away who they think “dunit.” If they guess right or too early, I revise.

Cheryl, if you could have a romantic fling with any historical or fictional character, whom would you choose?

I feel disloyal even thinking about answering this question.  I can’t imagine a fling that could top what I have at home!

What is your greatest strength as a writer?

My greatest strength is also a great weakness. I have a BA in English and am a stickler for grammar. I’m known throughout RWA as Grammar Guru, as I do a monthly column by that name. While my sentence structure may be impeccable and my verb/noun agreement consistent, I tend to edit my writing to death. It inhibits that free-flowing creativity that gets the story down on paper in the first place.  Also, I’m too careful with my writing, which stifles the emotional impact. I’ve had to learn to use sentence fragments and contractions, to say “Enough!” instead of “You have said enough.”

Do you have any pet peeves as a reader?

It upsets me to see non-words such as reoccur, irregardless, and alright slip past editors.  These aren’t words!!! It’s recur, regardless, and all right.  Nor do I like excessive use of adverbs. I once read a romance that adverbed me up a wall!  Every dialogue tag had an adverb, like she said morosely or he added humorously.  Uh oh! Am I a grammar snob? If you heard me talk, you wouldn’t think so!

Visit Cheryl's webpage at www.cherylnorman.com …