42 Stories Anthology Presents: Sherry Shahan Interview

Sherry Shahan, Judge for the Escape chapter

Biography

Sherry Shahan’s short stories, personal essays, and poetry have appeared in national and international magazines, newspapers, literary journals, and anthologies. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and taught a creative writing course for UCLA Extension for 10 years. She’s been nominated for The Pushcart Prize in Poetry and Best of the Net.

BAM: Where are you located?

Sherry: A laid-back beach town in California.

BAM: Where’s your writing space 

Sherry: Most often my home office. But also wherever I happen to have a pen and paper. 

BAM: Coffee or tea or something else? 

Sherry: A crisp chardonnay. 

BAM: Good taste. I had some chardonnay to bring NYE 2024 in fact. Okay. How about music. Could you tell me some of your favorite bands or musicians, or something in between? 

Sherry: I’m obsessed with Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball concert; Sia’s song “Chandelier,” and anything by Leonard Cohen and Sixto Rodriguez.

BAM: From modern to classic. Hallelujah, Everybody knows Leonard Cohen. Pardon the puns. What about movies? 

Sherry: “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “They Came Running,” “Butterfield Eight,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and anything Quentin Tarantino.

BAM: Great writers behind those stories. Tarantino, huh? Hopefully we’ll get a Kill Bill 3. Who knows. Actually, The Bride is partly who inspired me to learn to walk again. After my last three of eight back operations, I couldn’t move my legs. My left leg was numb for about five years. While on the recovery bed, unable to stand up, I was thinking of Uma Thurman telling her toe to move. I tried it, tried, and tried, and eventually walked again. Anyway, enough about me. How about an icebreaker question before we get into depth about your writing. What are some islands and mountains that inspire you?

Sherry: As for islands, New Zealand, Cuba, and Iceland. All have unique histories, stunning landscapes, interesting food, and big-hearted people. And for mountains, I once hiked Mt. Whitney (tallest peak in contiguous U.S.) in a single day and was caught in a deadly electrical storm on an exposed ridge. Three women in my party were struck by lightning.  

BAM: Okay, let’s have some writer talk. Do you have a writer circle? 

Sherry: I’ve been in two writers’ critique groups for over twenty-five years. I frequently attend writers’ workshops and tune in to webinars as a member of the Society of America Travel Writers, Society of Children’s Book Writers, Authors Guild, and other organizations.

BAM: It’s great to keep your network wide like that, so to get your name out there more. It’s really tactical. I’ve noticed tactical and strategic work into your writing as well when I checked out your website. Something I wondered, though. With your diverse craft, who do you write to when you picture your reader. Meaning, who’s your target audience?

Sherry: I don’t picture a specific reader. I just try to tell an interesting story with compelling, relatable characters.

BAM: Sometimes autonomy can bring out great stories. Okay. What’s the best way to write? 

Sherry: “One true sentence, and then another,” Ernest Hemingway.

BAM: Agreed. Hemingway was quite an accomplished writer. As are you. What's your greatest achievement in writing so far? 

Sherry: My middle-grade Alaskan-based adventure novel FROZEN STIFF (Random House/Yearling) has sold over 100,000 copies. It’s been translated into several languages and has appeared on America’s Battle of the Books list (gr. 4-6) for decades. 

BAM: Frozen stiff isn't just about survival, but the bonds of family between Cody and Derek. Some of my closet family members are cousins, so the book really gelled with me. I should give a copy of your book to all of my cousins, in fact. Writing relatable characters, which can sell books, isn't easy. That brings me to the next question. As an experienced writer, you’ve probably come across some trials and tribulations. How do you handle story rejection?

Sherry: When I first started writing, one wall in our family room was corkboard. Each time I received a rejection—back then, they arrived in the mailbox—I tacked it to the wall. In the beginning they were little form notes. Slowly, editors began to add, 'Try again.' The notes on the board multiplied. I remember thinking, I won’t let them get me down! I’ve always been stubborn. The best way to learn is ‘to do.’ I haven’t stopped ‘doing’ since I wrote my first story. 

BAM: Another great tactic. You only fail if you don’t get up. Sherry, what was the first story you ever wrote about, and was it published?

Sherry: In the late 70s, began writing short stories for assorted men’s magazines. They sold right away, probably because the first-person, female p.o.v. was unique. Writing short fiction taught me to structure a story with a compelling hook, a forward driving middle, and a logical, yet unpredictable ending. When my daughters read middle-grade novels by the brilliant Judy Blume, I thought, This looks like fun! So, I switched to writing for children. I’ve been a travel journalist and photographer for 4 decades. My survival novels for young readers, Alaskan-based FROZEN STIFF, ICE ISLAND and DEATH MOUNTAIN, were inspired by my adventures.

BAM: Thank you for sharing your words, and now I want to go to Alaska. Where can viewers find you on social media?

Sherry: https://www.SherryShahan.com and I’d love to hear from you: kidbooks@thegrid.net

BAM: Any last words?

Sherry: I admire the dedication and enthusiasm of writers just beginning their journeys. Find a like-minded writing tribe, experiment with style and voice. Be flexible. Give yourself the gift of time to write. Follow your heart.