Interview Sherry Derr-Wille
by
Nancy Pirri
1) Why do you like reading and writing romance?
Because I’m always guaranteed a happy ending.
2) As a romance writer give us a tip how you switch between writing historical and contemporary romance.
This is a hard one. I switch quite easily, because my characters usually guide the story. I do the research as the things come up.
3) What challenges do you face as an author writing a novel in a historical setting?
Getting everything right. Just went through that with this last book, it was interesting to say, the least. I’m lucky, I have a critique partner who is a virtual walking encyclopedia when it comes to the 1800’s . The research books that girl has are fabulous. I just call up Alice and say HELP!! And she saves me again.
4) Tell us about your favorite hero you’ve created from one of your works.
If I had to choose from one of my Wings books, it would be Grant from Coffee, Tea or Love. The guy didn’t know what to do to get Lane to fall in love with him again. (He’s from a contemporary) If I had to choose a historical hero it would have to be Whit. That poor boy really needed a lesson in how to handle women and BJ was just the gal to give it to him.
5) Who or what inspired you to become a romance writer?
I can’t say any one thing inspired me. It was just what I wrote. At the time I had no idea I was writing romance, I was just writing. I was really young and dumb back then.
6) Tell us about your upcoming release.
Bosslady is the sequel to Becky’s Rebel. It tells the story of what happened after Joe and Becky got married, through the eyes and memory of their daughter BJ. As the story starts, BJ is living with Becky’s family in Illinois and waiting for her 18th birthday so she can return to Texas and claim the Lazy K ranch as her own. What she doesn’t know is that none of her hands know she’s a woman. Between her grandfather and his foreman, Don, they have kept her identity a secret making it imperative that she fight for what is hers.
7) How long does it take you to write a book?
I can write a 70,000 word book in just under three months, if I don’t have any interruptions, like deadlines, galleys, husband, kids or grandkids.
8) How did you start writing?
I started writing as a class assignment for my sophomore English Class in 1961.
9) What possessed you to do it?
No one ever told me I had to quit the assignment. As I tell kids when I speak at schools, I’m a writer and I write. If I didn’t I don’t think I could survive.
10) Tell us about your first ‘call’ to be published.
My first call came from Awe-Struck books, and took me completely by surprise. I was so thrilled my telephone bill resembled the national debt for that month. After that I’ve calmed down a bit, but the thrill is always the same. My heart skips a beat, I take deep breaths and then I start calling everyone I know. Luckily I have unlimited nights and weekends on my cell phone now.
11) Could you explain how you create ‘emotion’ into your writing?
This is another hard one. I try to put myself into the mind of my character, completely. Ergo, I ask myself how I would react to that situation and write it the way I envision it.