With a traumatic year of fending off a serial
killer behind her, Arista has settled contentedly into her temporary home with
Auntie in Sedona, Arizona. She enjoys her new job selling all things
metaphysical and even has her eye on the hot security guard, Dakota, after her
recent breakup with Shane. But a series of new fainting spells has her worried,
and when Auntie witnesses one, they decide the answer lies in her home of
Boulder Creek. However, returning means not only dealing with her breakup and
its heartache but also the possibility of drawing her bloodthirsty Uncle Fergus
to her once safe haven in the redwoods. And this time he has recruited an even
more dangerous alliance. Arista's closest bonds will be strengthened, but the
mounting tension of a death in the desert, a stalker on the streets, and the
relentless pursuit of Fergus puts her in dangerous territory, and escaping
sorrow proves impossible.
Interview With Author Sherri Dodd
·
It’s
time for the fantasy dinner party – but you must invite only writers (living or
dead). Who are you inviting?
J.R.R. Tolkien (surely, the
greatest trilogy ever written), Beatrix Potter (not only lovely stories but she
created her own illustrations), Alice Hoffman (brought witch-lit to the
mainstream), Thich Nhat Hanh (to bring the calm), Miyamoto Musashi (because I
believe it would be quite ‘novel’ to have a military warlord adept at martial
arts and penning strategy), and Robert Langdon, as he was my father’s favorite
author. It would be interesting to watch them interact, and thereafter, I could
have a one-on-one with each of them for in-depth learning.
·
What
made you decide to write about modern day witches?
I studied Wicca as a late-teen
and found it fascinating, however, life went on and I confirmed as a Catholic
when I met my husband. Many moons later in 2023, I was shopping in a crystal
shop in Los Gatos, CA and overheard a customer hounding the cashier. “How
into this stuff are you?” The cashier answered in a wry undertone, “Well,
I’m a witch, so …” I do not remember the rest, but I got to know the
cashier over my next few visits, then took her to lunch to better understand
and appreciate modern-day nature-based witchcraft. At that time, I was also
experiencing much grief with the passing of my father, and between the two –
the story poured forth. I had plenty of time on my hands since my youngest
child had just left for college, making me a 100% empty nester.
·
Do
you consider your Murder, Tea & Crystals series to be New Adult or YA?
Arista’s age puts Murder, Tea
& Crystals in the New Adult category, but the sexual content is tame enough
for Young Adult. Also, my writing style is fit for someone with a shorter
attention span. I like dialogue and even use onomatopoeia to break up large
monotonous paragraphs of text. In school, it was overwhelming for me to flip the
page and see no paragraph breaks! A definite candidate for ADD, but in that era
few adults wanted to hear excuses for poor schoolwork. Luckily, by college, I found
reading time more enjoyable, but if I’m being honest, I still like a bit of
space on the page – ha!
·
How
important do you think setting is to a book?
A setting for me is crucial for
a fine reading experience. Make it a natural setting and I’m hooked even more
so. Haunted house settings are enjoyable, too. It adds another layer to the
storyline. I appreciated when a few different reviewers commented that my
redwood forest reads as another character in my trilogy.
·
You’ve
working on your fourth novel now. Do you feel it gets easier? Do you learn
things from each book that make the writing process more streamlined?
It definitely became easier for
me! Murder Under Redwood Moon, book one in my trilogy, was my debut into
fiction writing. I spread myself a bit thin on the plot and had quite a bit of
supporting cast! By the second book, I found that my plot tightened, grammar improved,
and the conveyance from my pared-down characters was better understood. It can
be a little painful to return to that first step you took, no matter what your
artistic endeavor, and see the discrepancy to perfection. Though, I also
believe Murder Under Redwood Moon will always be my sentimental favorite!
·
What
are you reading now or what’s on your TBR list?
Falling back on my martial arts
recently, I just re-opened The Book of Five Rings. It may seem bizarre for an aged
female writer to read such a book, but strategy can be relatively used in
everyday life. Also, my current reading consists of research for my Master’s
Thesis, so a lot of scientific studies pertaining to wellbeing - diet,
exercise, sleep, breath, and even pet ownership. Very informative and even a
little fun with the latter!
About
the Author
Sherri
grew up in southeastern Texas walking barefoot and catching crawdads as they
swam the creek beds. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and
backcountry folklore, inspiring her first short story about a poisonous flower
that shot toxins onto curious children. Her classmate bought it for all the
change in his pocket. Not long after, her mother packed the two of them up and
headed to the central coast of California. She has explored the vast area ever
since, using it as a catalyst to her writing, from journaling to fitness
articles to fiction. She holds a bachelor’s degree, and is pursuing her
master’s, in holistic theology and believes this helps her to see the world
through a more colorful and accepting lens.
In
writing, her publisher labeled her 2024 debut novel as a paranormal thriller.
She would have described it as a cozy murder mystery with generous dashes of
magic realism, showing that she loves to merge genres. Her trilogy — Murder,
Tea & Crystals — released book one - Murder Under Redwood Moon in
March 2024; book two - Moonset on Desert Sands in March 2025; and the
final book in the series- Hummingbird Moonrise released October 2025!
All three books became an Amazon #1 Best Seller in the Occult Supernatural
genre.
You
can follow the author at:
Website:
www.sherridodd.com
Instagram:
@Sherri.Dodd.Author
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/168513579X
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