What
genre do you write and why?
I write for children; picture
books mostly, but I’ve finished a middle grade Christian story and have a
middle grade historical in the works.
Tell us about your
latest book.
A Christmas Kindness is the story of eight-year-old
Robert, who visits the mall Santa on Christmas Eve. He’s got a long wish list
tucked in his pocket, but when he meets Glenn and hears the boy’s one wish for
Santa, Robert wonders if he can cast aside his wants to ask Santa to bring
Glenn something special.
What marketing methods
are you using to promote your book?
This has been a tumultuous year for our family,
so I’ve focused mainly on a virtual book tour to promote A Christmas Kindness. I also plan to send out a notice to our local
paper and bring a few copies with me to our church’s annual Christmas bazaar.
What formats is the
book available in?
The printed version came out last year. After
much consideration, I opted to release the digital version of A Christmas Kindness under my real name,
Cheryl C. Malandrinos. The original plan was to keep my secular projects
separate from my “Faith-filled Journeys for Kids” brand; but this book is also
message-driven fiction, so it makes sense to brand them together. Eventually, I
hope to release the printed version under my real name too.
Who are your favourite
authors?
They are too many to count, but here are a few:
Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Jerry Jenkins, Stephen King, Kathi
Macias, Marilyn Meredith, Charlotte Hubbard, and Karen White.
What advice do you
have for other writers?
Join a critique group. I find I’m a horrible
self-editor, even though I can pick up errors and inconsistencies in other
people’s writing with ease. I feel it’s important to have a small group of
people to help you brainstorm ideas and to provide feedback on what you’ve
written to make sure your writing is the best it can be.
What's your favourite
quote about writing/for writers?
There
are several, but here’s one I feel is important to remember.
“No
tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no
surprise in the reader.”
― Robert Frost
― Robert Frost
What's the best thing
about being a writer?
That I’m following a dream I’ve had since I was
a little girl.
Where can people find
out more about you and your writing?
One of my friends once said, “She’s all over
the Internet.” I still don’t if that was a compliment. I have two websites: http://ccmalandrinos.com and http://ccgevry.com and numerous blogs.
Who
is your favorite character in your book and why?
Glenn’s brother, Nathan, is
my favorite. He doesn’t say anything, but his situation is what gets Robert to
thinking about what he can do for Glenn and his family.
Why
do you think readers are going to enjoy your book?
It’s a sweet story with a heartwarming
message. That’s why I wrote it. I wanted to teach my girls there is something
more important than the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.
How long did it take
you to write your book?
The first draft was done rather
quickly—probably a week or so. It took me a few months and several reads from
my critique group before I was comfortable pitching it to the publisher.
Who designed
the cover?
The beautiful artwork is from Caroline
Mabey and 4RV Publishing designed the cover.
Did you learn
anything from writing your book that was unexpected?
Every book is a learning experience.
With this one, I knew right away the story I wanted to tell and even had the
main character’s name picked out. A
Christmas Kindness gave me the opportunity to work on blending a subtle
message into a story. You want to empower kids, not preach to them.
Where
can a reader purchase your book?
The printed version is best
purchased directly from http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/cheryl-c-malandrinos-or-cc-gevry.php
because the price includes shipping. Here are links to where else you can pick
up the printed or digital versions of the book. It should also be on
Apple/iTunes soon.
What are you
doing to market the book?
In addition to my virtual book tour, I
have my website, a Twitter page, and
can be found on Facebook.
Who inspires
you?
My children are my largest source of
inspiration.
How do you
research your books?
I don’t have to research all of them,
but when I do perform research, I start with the Internet to see what I can
find. Then I request additional materials from the local library. I couldn’t
write books without my friendly children’s librarian. They once went into the
basement and dug out books from storage so that I could perform market
research.
What is your
work in progress? Tell us about it.
I’m in between projects right now. I’ve
written six picture books this year so far and I’m working on getting those
into shape and ready for submission.
What are your
thoughts on self-publishing verses traditional publishing?
I’ve been wanting to give
self-publishing a try, but simply haven’t been able to get my hands around how
best to go about it. I don’t feel self-publishing has the stigma it used to,
and I’m excited to think about the possibilities out there. That said, I’m
still looking for an agent. I feel an agent’s expertise can help me move
forward.
Who or what inspired
you to become a writer?
My desire to write came out of my deep love
of books. I’ve been an avid reader since childhood. I love Laura Ingalls
Wilder’s keen eye for detail and Lucy Maud Montgomery’s ability to paint
beautiful pictures for readers, so I study their work as often as I can.
Does your
family support you in your writing career? How?
My children do, but my husband isn’t a
fan. The kids are always excited about what I’m working on and congratulate me
on each newly published book. The husband keeps hoping I’ll find a “real” job.
What are you
currently reading?
Winter of Wishes which is the latest novel in
Charlotte Hubbard’s Seasons of the Heart Amish romance series. For children’s
books, I’ve just received a beautiful copy of The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and Sonja Danowski.
What books or
authors have most influenced your life?
Definitely the Little House series by
Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s funny that as a child I didn’t enjoy these books. I
tried reading one of them and couldn’t get through it. I loved the Little House on the Prairie television show
from the 70s and 80s, which eventually led me to read the books in my late
teens. I loved them so much, I went on to read spin-offs like The Rose Years
series by Roger Lea MacBride about Rose Wilder Lane’s childhood, The Caroline
Years by Maria D. Wilkes and Celia Wilkins about the childhood of Laura’s Ma,
Caroline Quiner, and The Charlotte Years by Melissa Wiley, which covers the
childhood of Laura’s maternal grandmother, Charlotte Tucker. I also own and
have read many books on the real Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family members.
In the early days of my writing career, I wrote Little House on the Prairie fan fiction stories; mostly based on
the show, but some that included details of Laura and Almanzo’s real life.
When
you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
I read every night. Stephen
King once said, “If you don't have time to read, you
don't have the time (or the tools) to write.” I truly believe that. Reading
In addition to
reading, I spend a fair amount of time in my garden. I like to cook and
bake. I’ve been a Sunday school teacher
for 25 years and I’m the treasurer at our church.
