Author Interview: Cher Smith
Cher Smith writes novels, short stories, and children's stories. You can find her published works at www.deadkeypublishing.com. Her short story, "I Know a Guy," was a Runner-Up in the MoonLit Getaway Grand Opening Contest. Her goal is to create characters and stories that stay with the reader for a lifetime. She makes her home in Aurora, CO, with her disabled son, her dog, and her husband’s ghost.
INTERVIEW
MG: What got you into writing?
CS: I've always loved words and reading. My mom used to take me to the library with her every week, and I couldn't wait until I was old enough to go into the adult section with her,. S so it only made sense to begin writing my own stories. When I was 8, I folded over notebook paper so it looked like a book and started my first story. I've never stopped, although I don't fold over paper anymore! I'm old enough, though, that my first manuscripts were typed on an Underwood and were dotted with White-Out.
MG: Tell us more about I Know a Guy—what inspired it? What makes it unique?
CS: What inspired it? Danny DeVito! I've always liked him. He was in my mind one day, and the line "I know a guy," said by this roly poly man jumped into my head. If you watch something like "Throw Mama From the Train," you can catch that same kind of absurd humor.
I think what makes it unique is that absurd humor. In reality, there's nothing humorous about someone offering to kill someone. But in the narrator's case, it's ridiculous.
I also wanted to try writing something that was largely dialogue. Could I write a story compelling enough for the reader to keep going, even without much physical description. Would the reader care enough about the narrator, even without a name?. It was fun to write.
MG: Are you currently working on anything else?
CS: I'm working on a horror novel, inspired somewhat by Stephen King's "It." It's going very slow! On a different track entirely, I write children's picture books:, "The Blue Squeaky Door" series, "Grandma Butterbear and Dellie Dewdrop", series and a few stand-alones. They bring me a lot of joy.
MG: What’s your favorite piece you've ever made? Why is it your favorite?
CS: All of them are my favorites! Seriously, though, my favorite piece may be my as-yet-unpublished "The Adventure of Petey, the Wonky-Legged Goose." I had made friends with Petey, a goose on the golf course by my house. I was so sad when he left, and my daughter suggested I write a story about him. That became my first story in "The Blue Squeaky Door" series.
Of my published works, my favorite is "Justified Means” (reduced for a limited time on Amazon!). It's humorous and fun, and is probably the most like my own life. (Link on profile pages.)
MG: Are there any writers that inspire the way you make your pieces?
CS: Anything I read inspires my writing in some way. Graham Greene for his view of redemption, Stephen King for how to build tension, Terry Pratchett for weird characters, Phyllis Whitney for story. I love reading books on writing by writers. They offer so much insight and motivation.
MG: Do you have any social media you'd like to share?
CS: @chersmithbooks on Twitter/X and @cherlulu.bsky.social on Bluesky
MG: Do you have any advice for other writers?
CS: Don't give up. Only you can tell the stories you have.
Discipline beats "the muse."
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