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This week it is my pleasure to welcome back Sheila M. Cronin to my website. Sheila has been a regular guest over the years, so this time I have asked her to provide an article of her choosing. She has chosen:
WRITING AND RESEARCH
But first Sheila, please tell us a little about yourself.
I earned a master’s degree in mental health sciences and practiced art therapy for many years with both children and adults. Later on, I spent a decade at Princess Cruises managing the passenger loyalty club.
My stories have appeared in Woman's World Magazine, The Golden Domer, Good Old Days Magazine, Spark, Kaleidoscope, Dappled Things, Liguorian Magazine, The Lutheran Digest, Agape Review, Calla Press Literary Journal and more. My collection of short stories, Heart Shaped II, was released in January, 2020. Also, I’m the original author of the “raisin sayings” published on the flaps of Sun-Maid lunch size raisin boxes.
Thank you. Tell us about researching your sequel, Best of All Gifts!
As an author, among the most rewarding experiences I have had occurred while writing the sequel to my debut novel, The Gift Counselor. I had not intended to write a second book but many readers asked me to continue the story. Moreover, the characters had not yet let go of me. Best of All Gifts, the sequel, continues in part the story of Billy Bloom, age 10, who now plays for the Santa Monica Little League team in California. Since I knew nothing about Little League, I did an internet search for “Santa Monica Little League” and up popped a dynamic website, with a long, colorful history, and a powerful spirit. In my writing, I endeavor to sound authentic, so research is part of the job. Sometimes it entails reading and tracking down facts. Other times, it means picking the brains of someone close to the topic. I therefore contacted the president of the organization and asked if he would be willing and had time to help a novelist talk convincingly about baseball. An amazing correspondence followed. David Harris, a former Little Leaguer himself whose son now played on the team, literally jumped at the chance. “We love writers,” he emailed me back an hour later. Over the course of the novel’s development, he not only answered many questions but also contributed spot-on details. When I needed to know where a fly ball might descend outside the park in order to smash a car windshield, he produced the exact longitude and latitude, a street corner notorious for such incidents. At one point, he confided that, before getting involved in my story, he had had only the boys on his team on his mind, but now he included Billy Bloom. David’s warm words spurred me on when I got tired or discouraged. His insights enriched the novel as well as gave it authenticity. I cherish the care and attention he gave to my book. Therefore, I would encourage all writers of fiction who strive for authenticity and who need the help of experts or people associated with their themes, locations, and other details to not hesitate to reach out. And yes, I have had negative experiences, too. For The Gift Counselor, I needed to speak to a department store head buyer and perfume counter salesclerks. I approached one major establishment in Chicago and was laughed out of the store! So, I dusted myself off, walked north one block and into the biggest and best store in the city: Marshall Field & Co. And oh my! The clerks could not have been more excited to help a budding author, and the head buyer was delighted to answer all my questions. People generally enjoy helping writers reach their goal. They feel part of a creative endeavor and encourage the writer as the story takes shape. They especially like to see their name in print in the novel’s acknowledgement section. Back to Best of All Gifts, one more anecdote. I received expert information and guidance from my own eye doctor. After the novel was published, I presented him with a signed copy. Then I turned to the Acknowledgements section and showed him his name in print. He was so moved and appreciative, tears filled his eyes. “No one has ever done that for me,” he said. His spontaneous reaction was unexpected but gratifying. For I could not never have fleshed out the story without his input. So, writers and authors, if you need to do research, go for it!
I earned a master’s degree in mental health sciences and practiced art therapy for many years with both children and adults. Later on, I spent a decade at Princess Cruises managing the passenger loyalty club.
My stories have appeared in Woman's World Magazine, The Golden Domer, Good Old Days Magazine, Spark, Kaleidoscope, Dappled Things, Liguorian Magazine, The Lutheran Digest, Agape Review, Calla Press Literary Journal and more. My collection of short stories, Heart Shaped II, was released in January, 2020. Also, I’m the original author of the “raisin sayings” published on the flaps of Sun-Maid lunch size raisin boxes.
Thank you. Tell us about researching your sequel, Best of All Gifts!
As an author, among the most rewarding experiences I have had occurred while writing the sequel to my debut novel, The Gift Counselor. I had not intended to write a second book but many readers asked me to continue the story. Moreover, the characters had not yet let go of me. Best of All Gifts, the sequel, continues in part the story of Billy Bloom, age 10, who now plays for the Santa Monica Little League team in California. Since I knew nothing about Little League, I did an internet search for “Santa Monica Little League” and up popped a dynamic website, with a long, colorful history, and a powerful spirit. In my writing, I endeavor to sound authentic, so research is part of the job. Sometimes it entails reading and tracking down facts. Other times, it means picking the brains of someone close to the topic. I therefore contacted the president of the organization and asked if he would be willing and had time to help a novelist talk convincingly about baseball. An amazing correspondence followed. David Harris, a former Little Leaguer himself whose son now played on the team, literally jumped at the chance. “We love writers,” he emailed me back an hour later. Over the course of the novel’s development, he not only answered many questions but also contributed spot-on details. When I needed to know where a fly ball might descend outside the park in order to smash a car windshield, he produced the exact longitude and latitude, a street corner notorious for such incidents. At one point, he confided that, before getting involved in my story, he had had only the boys on his team on his mind, but now he included Billy Bloom. David’s warm words spurred me on when I got tired or discouraged. His insights enriched the novel as well as gave it authenticity. I cherish the care and attention he gave to my book. Therefore, I would encourage all writers of fiction who strive for authenticity and who need the help of experts or people associated with their themes, locations, and other details to not hesitate to reach out. And yes, I have had negative experiences, too. For The Gift Counselor, I needed to speak to a department store head buyer and perfume counter salesclerks. I approached one major establishment in Chicago and was laughed out of the store! So, I dusted myself off, walked north one block and into the biggest and best store in the city: Marshall Field & Co. And oh my! The clerks could not have been more excited to help a budding author, and the head buyer was delighted to answer all my questions. People generally enjoy helping writers reach their goal. They feel part of a creative endeavor and encourage the writer as the story takes shape. They especially like to see their name in print in the novel’s acknowledgement section. Back to Best of All Gifts, one more anecdote. I received expert information and guidance from my own eye doctor. After the novel was published, I presented him with a signed copy. Then I turned to the Acknowledgements section and showed him his name in print. He was so moved and appreciative, tears filled his eyes. “No one has ever done that for me,” he said. His spontaneous reaction was unexpected but gratifying. For I could not never have fleshed out the story without his input. So, writers and authors, if you need to do research, go for it!