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Cheryl's tagline says it all:
Real people. Real Emotion.
Cheryl St.John delivers every time.
She certainly does make good on those words--real people and real emotion, and a great story. I have a couple of chapters left before I'm finished reading The Preachers Wife, but I want the story to go on! I'm doing my best to 'read between the lines' for the hint of a sequel (hint, hint Cheryl!)
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So, do you all gather that I highly recommend adding The Preacher's Wife to your list of summer reads?
I do!
The main character, Josie, is a real woman. Easy to identify with. And she struggles with her situation, but in a way that honors God.
Her heart dreams of love, but she keeps herself from floating too far from reality. Her story is a wonderful journey to that dreams she longs for, and I really appreciate the way Cheryl handled the story for Josie and the hero, Sam.
And Sam's children.
Very adorable. They have a world of dreams that have dimmed with the recent loss of their mother while traveling by wagon from the east coast to Colorado. If you're looking for a gentle romance with a historical frontier flavor, I hope you'll enjoy this book as I have.
More about Cheryl:
Cheryl is the author of more than thirty Harlequin and Silhouette books. Her first book, RAIN SHADOW was nominated for RWA’s RITA for Best First Book, by Romantic Times for Best Western Historical, and by Affaire de Coeur readers as Best American Historical Romance and since then her stories continue to recieve high acclaim from readers and reviewers. In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, “emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real life situations.”
She's a student of RHEMA Bible School: www.rhema.org, studying Dynamics of Faith, Life of Prayer, Bible Interpretation and Christology. Upon completion, she will be a certified minister, though her reasons for the studies are for personal growth and to aid her ministry. She is the worship leader for the fastest growing faith church in Omaha, NE.
Her gift as an exhorter makes her a sought-after motivational speaker at conferences,
retreats and luncheons. She’s an active member of RWA and her local chapter.
Okay everyone, grab your favorite beverage and cozy up close for our chat with Cheryl.
I’m really enjoying reading The Preacher’s Wife. How did this story first come to you?
Several years ago I began thinking of a series, where I would tell the stories of sisters. Then I backed it up and decided to write their father’s story first, and that’s where Sam came in. I developed Josie, not only for him, but also as a mother to the three daughters. So now you know you’ll be seeing stories about Elisabeth, Abigail and Anna. [Tina's response: YES!]
Tell us a little bit about the research you did for The Preacher’s Wife? Where did you go to get your
information, to make it ‘real’ for your readers.
It’s a always a challenge to get travel time correct, so planning a trip across the country takes quite a bit of forethought. I’ve never done a wagon train story, and this one ended up not including any of the backstory about the wagon train, either. I’m a Nebraska girl, and I often like to get a little of my home state in there, so the Harts meet Josie in Nebraska before moving on to Colorado.
I’m a nut for Victorian homes. The house Josie buys to surprise Sam is taken from a real Colorado home that has been restored and painted to its original glory—pink! I’ve never shared this behind the scenes detail with anyone before – and I’m scanning the photo from my book so I can share it with you now.
That's incredible. I love that. Thank you for sharing this picture!
You did such a great job on giving the Sam’s girls their ‘own voices’. Do you have real-life models around inspiring you?
I had four kids of my own, and each of them has children, so I have
young people of varying ages around all the time. I adore spending time with my grandkids, and the things they say just crack me up. Many many times I’ve used the things they say and their manners of speech for the children in my stories. I’m a treasure trove of kid's vocabulary.
One of my favorites: I’ve always attended as many school events and programs as possible, and with nine of them, it keeps me hopping. A few years ago, we were at a Christmas program, and the elementary orchestra was playing. My grandson, Eric, about three at the time and sitting on his mom’s lap, clapped his hands over his ears and said loud enough for at least six rows of people to hear, “I don’t want to hear that any again!” You know how those things have a way of becoming common dialogue in a family after that.
LOL! That's so cute!
You give online writers workshops. What do you have coming up on your schedule that writers and aspiring writers still have time to sign up for? And, how often do you offer online courses?
June 2009 - ONCE MORE WITH FEELING – INJECTING EMOTION
July 2009 - KEEPING UP YOUR SPIRITS AFTER REJECTION
August 2009 - CONFLICT MAKES THE STORY
September 2009 - CREATING A REAL FICTIONAL WORLD
October 2009 - SETTING IS MORE THAN A BACKDROP
November 2009 - CREATING UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS
NO DECEMBER CLASS
January 2010 - GETTING RID OF THE JUNK THAT HOLDS YOU BACK
February 2010 - GETTING THE MUDDLE OUT OF YOUR MIDDLE
March 2010 - ONCE MORE WITH FEELING – INJECTING EMOTION
April 2010 - KEEPING UP YOUR SPIRITS AFTER REJECTION
May 2010 - CONFLICT MAKES THE STORY
What’s something you’ve always dreamed of doing or learning to do?
I’m an amateur photographer, and I’d love to have the time an opportunity to take some classes, buy a really good camera and take photos.
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I love the Collector’s Tips page on your website. When did you start collecting? And, if you could only collect one thing, what would that be?
I’ve had the obsession my entire life. I collected tiny items from gumball machines when I was a kid – and they had cool stuff like Disney characters and plastic charms we would sew onto hats – I still many of them, and they’re displayed in a printer’s drawer I refinished and my husband made a glass cover for.
If I could only collect one thing – do you want to make my eye twitch?? One thing…what a terrible decision. Dishes maybe. I love dishes and china and ironstone.
Now it's time for Cheryl to turn a question to our readers:
What is your favorite book of all time, and where is it right now?
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So there you have it folks. Cheryl, thank you so much for spending time with us. We know your schedule is busy and we've had fun with you!
Okay ladies and gents, if you'd like to win a copy of The Preacher's Wife, just post your answer to Cheryl's question in the comment section below. Bonus: If you let us know what your favorite Collector's Tips are from Cheryl's website page, you'll earn an extra entry into the contest--two chances to win!
By the way...
On her website you'll find a great Recipes page. They all look marvelous. So, I suggest you visit that page, whip up one of those tasty delights and invite me over!
There's another link I want you to know about on her site. Did you know Cheryl gives online workshops on writing? So many readers out there wish they could write, but are afraid to because they believe they can't. Yes, you can! Check out her class schedule and get yourself signed up!
You can also find Cheryl's blog through her sight, but did you know she's a contributing blogger for Petticoats & Pistols? She's a busy lady and that's a wonderful site, check it out when you get a chance. She's also got a wonderful blog post my other blog BustlesAndSpurs.com.
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The Book:
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The Preacher's Wife
Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical
June 2009
There was nothing remotely romantic about widowed father Samuel Hart's marriage proposal. Yet Josie Randolph said yes. The Lord had finally blessed the lonely widow with the family she'd always dreamed of. And she was deeply in love with the handsome preacher, whose high ideals inspired everyone. Surely during their long journey across the western plains to his new post her husband would grow to love her.
Each mile brought them closer to home, yet drove them further apart. Samuel didn't seem ready to open his heart again. But Josie was determined to be not just the preacher's wife, but Samuel's wife.
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Me? I wait. I'm subscribed to his blog, so I receive an email in the evenings at about 7 p.m. I wait. I won't click over from the email to his blog until the evening has quieted, I can read uninterrupted, and be alone with my thoughts--and his words.
from the previous week to give you a few nibbles of, then I'll invite you to join me on the front porch of his blog. Just bring a glass with ice, Billy pours a mean glass of lemonade or tea, and it's good.
from the previous week to give you a few nibbles of, then I'll invite you to join me on the front porch of his blog. Just bring a glass with ice, Billy pours a mean glass of lemonade or tea, and it's good.
