Featured Interview With Cheri Vause
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I had a wonderful childhood, filled with books, comic books, and lots of tales of gods and demigods. We had a form we filled out in our LA county school where we could buy paperback books for fifty cents. I used my chore money, and later, babysitting money to buy books. I read classics like, To Kill a Mockingbird, and science fiction novels by anyone and everyone who was famous and not so famous.
I’ve carried that into my adult life, devouring poetry, classics, detective yarns, and mysteries. Living in Texas now, I’m surrounded by readers everywhere. I spend way too much money on books on Amazon, but I also frequent used book stores. The rest of the time I spend with my hubby and ducks, and my beautiful dog, Mulder.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
It never really occurred to me that I was fascinated with books. I just always had a book I was reading. It felt natural, right. Although I toyed with writing poetry, most of my adult life was spent writing white papers, editorials, and theology pieces. Fiction writing didn’t really start until about seven years ago. It was my husband who urged me, or rather harassed me into writing, The Garden of Souls. I kept telling him the story and so he turned his computer over to me, and off I went. Retirement helped, so I had lots of time. Researching wasn’t necessary because all my references were at hand from my classes.
With that success under my belt, a small press approached me, and I’ve been writing consistently since.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
The only genres I don’t read are YA and Romance. Yes, I’ve never read Harry Potter, Twilight, or The Hunger Games. Sorry. I just don’t find YA sufficiently challenging. I’m nuts about mysteries and thrillers, and I really am a Longmire fan. I’ve read nearly every one of Craig Johnson’s series. I also love Harry Bosch, so Michael Connelly’s books are high on my list. Daphne du Maurier is my all time favorite writer. I feel really good about it because Alfred Hitchcock also loved her work.
I really can’t choose one writer I love above all, but I’d probably say Dostoevsky, Collette, Graham Greene, and Somerset Maugham. And I’m in love with Yeats.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
I’m just about finished with a novella, Mortifio. It’s an adult fairytale about a prison colony. The worst prison is not the one you’re body is in, but the one in the mind. One particular prisoner learns this, but his challenge to help the other prisoners learn this threatens his life by the prison kingpin.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles