Welcome to my first ever Blog Tour Guest Author!  I’m now a blog tour stop for Sizzling PR and Safari Heat.  And today I have Sheri Fredricks, who has given me some fascinating answers to my interview questions.  Pull up a chair and have a chat with us!

First, Sheri, thank you so very much for coming here today.  I’m so excited to  have you here talking about your mythic romance fantasy, Remedy Maker.

Hi Jenna! It’s so good to be on the Journal. Thank you for having me here.

I’m holding a contest for the hosts of my book tour. The host with the most commenters will receive this gorgeous rhinestone studded, hand decorated book bag crafted by Tina Garcia of Blingitude.com.

Come on everyone! Let’s get in the game!

Yes!  Please comment!  I need some bling in my life!

That’s a fantastic giveaway, Sheri!  And there’s another one later for the commenters as well!  So read on!

Now, please tell us a little bit about your new release Remedy Maker?

Remedy Maker is about Rhycious, an ex-military centaur medic whose battle scars are hidden beneath the surface. Moments of high stress trigger hallucinating flashbacks, a condition he continually fights to overcome. When he meets Patience, a beautiful wood nymph and the race of the late enemy of his people, he learns about unconditional love…and the healing power of a single touch.

Together they must battle human hunters who wish to enslave the mythological beings, rebels taking over the centaur kingdom, and the affection they have for each other in a mythic world filled with prejudice.

Such an interesting concept that a powerful creature like a centaur could have such a problem.  They always seem portrayed as impervious to such things.

Do you only write in this genre?  If not, what other genres/sub-genres do you write in?

Before I wrote Remedy Maker, I started to write a time-travel western, a blend of contemporary and historical with a paranormal twist. But I have to admit, I’m having a lot of artistic fun with my Centaur series!

What was your inspiration for this story?

I joke around about my inspiration coming from a bottle of gin because having a shape shifting centaur as a main character is bizarre. But I took an online Point Of View class and wanted to turn something in completely different from what other participants had written. Somehow, a centaur waking up in a dark room next to a woman is what popped into my head. Hmm…maybe it was the gin after all.

And some potent gin at that! LOL  It was the creative genie in that bottle that did it!

Titles are one of the most important things to an author.  How did you come up with your title?  Was this the only title, or did you have a working title as well?

In the story, Rhycious is an herbal healer. More than that, he is assigned tasks that must be completed, and most of those he works from the seat of his pants with no direction. I didn’t have the title for a long time. When I realized it was staring at me the entire time, I grabbed it.

This was the only title I used for the story. Because naming a story is important to me, I refuse to give it a title until I’m sure of what it’ll be.

Along those same lines, I am a fanatic about my character names. Are the character names in Remedy Maker special in any way?

Patience was named because I wanted a play-on-words type of name for heroine. Also, she is a reflection of her name and the patience the hero needs.

When I wrote the story, I already had the name Rhycious in my head. Like Patience, he also lives up to his name. His character is of a no-nonsense man who lives by his morals. I wanted a name that reflected his values.

Additionally, I chose one name to be different and interesting, and the other that was easily identifiable.

What was your process for writing this book?  Is this different or the same as other books you’ve written?

The story was clear in my mind the moment I sat to write the outline. It hasn’t been that way for the others I’ve written. Often I’ll sketch a minimal outline, then fill in the details as I sweep through it. When I finished Remedy Maker’s outline, the story was nearly complete.

From the Villa Adriana near Tivoli, 1736
By Jastrow (2006)

Do you have plans to turn Remedy Maker into a series?  Why or why not?

My current plan is to continue the Centaur series I’m currently writing. However, if my readers are interested in further adventures with a Wood Nymph or Troll series, I would seriously consider it.

Who is your favorite hero or heroine and why?  What qualities do they possess that make them memorable?

I love the tortured hero who has what it takes, but lacks the confidence or ability to get himself to where he needs to be. You want to root for him like the underdog, cheer him on. I like a complimentary heroine, and I believe opposites attract. Her strengths are exactly what he needs, whether or not the hero wants or desires it.

Strong love, strong attraction, infallible faith in something is what keeps a hero’s memorable shadow in my mind. While I don’t mind a kick-ass heroine, I do like to see a feminine side that’s evenly matched in strength, courage, and intelligence.

What was the first author and book you read in this genre?

The first book I read in the romance genre was The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux. I still have it. As for mythic romance, I’ve never read a book that had shape shifting Centaurs and Wood Nymphs that disappear into thin air.

I’ve been told my modern mythic romance is unique for its genre.

It may very well be, Sheri.  I’ve not heard of it before.  You are such a trend-setter!

So, then, who has been the greatest influence on your writing?

The person with greatest influence would be the one with the most encouragement. My husband. I have crit partners I couldn’t possibly live without who’ve also encouraged and kicked me in the rear to get me up and moving again. But my husband, bless his heart, knew I wanted something special to do, something that would gain me recognition for a job well done.

And let’s face it – nobody really gives a rip around here if my kitchen floor is squeaky clean and the bathrooms are sanitized!

If you could have one wish granted just for you (not world peace, LOL), what would you wish for?

I would wish for magical powers! Remember Samantha from Bewitched? She’d wiggle her nose and things would appear or disappear. She could transport anyone or anything anywhere!

Need to sanitize that bathroom? BAM – done.

Want to write for an extra 45 minutes instead of wasting precious time cooking dinner? BAM – done!

Imagine the possibilities!!

That must be the perfect wish for a writer, Sheri!  I’d learn to wiggle my nose in a heart beat if it would keep the house clean! LOL

What is the most exciting/daredevil thing you’ve ever done?

When we were on our honeymoon in Jamaica, we took a tour of the Dunn’s River Falls. Our tour group of approximately thirty people headed for the trail that climbed alongside the falls and kept visitors safe behind a rope handrail. My husband and I, along with another couple we’d met on the bus, decided that was much too safe for us! We waded into the river and climbed the rocks that created the falls. At one point, I had a heavy stream of water pouring down over my head while I reached blindly for handholds above and foot holds below.

It was the most exhilarating and dangerous thing I’ve ever done. Whenever someone asks what we did for our honeymoon, I always answer, “We went to Jamaica and climbed the Dunn’s River Falls.”

How cool is that!  You are braver than I am!

Jenna, thank you so much for interviewing me today! I had an absolute blast and learned a few things about myself while answering your questions – like wanting magical powers. I wonder what you would wish for…

I have a fabulous prize for one lucky commenter at each of my tour stops, so don’t forget to leave your email address! Among other goodies, my swag pack includes bookmarks and magnets, and your name will go into a drawing for the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card at the end of my book tour.