Author Interview with Cheryl Headford – A Follow-up Interview

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Today we have a follow-up interview with Cheryl Headford. You can read the first interview here.
– So, since our last interview in June 2012, have any changes occured within your writing?

I’m being made redundant next week so I’m hoping to be able to put a lot more effort and energy into my writing and promo which, I hope will pay off in sales.

I’ve also moved away from adult/erotica, even though most of my books are only tenuously in those categories in any even, and am focusing almost solely on young adult. I’ve had one YA published and one accepted by Featherweight which is in production. I’ve kind or re launched myself for YA and am writing under my own name rather than Nephylim.

To mark this, I’ve started a YA blog, which is lighter and much less dark than Nephy’s World, although it’s still very much in production, and I like Nephy’s World better.

Nephy’s World  http://nephylim-author.blogspot.co.uk/

Rainbow Warriors  http://cherylheadford.blogspot.co.uk/
– How would you describe your writing style?
Dark – If you want sugar coating and sentimentality, don’t read my stuff. I write gritty and sometimes traumatic, although my characters almost always have a HEA

I’m definitely character driven and write a lot of dialogue. 

I like to experiment with different perspectives, alternative POV’s, different genres, cross genres and anything else I can think of. One of my goals is to get popular enough to prove head hopping is not a cardinal sin and can improve reader engagement rather than the other way around. At the moment I’m writing for the publisher not the reader.

– And you have an upcoming release soon. Can you tell us about that? What can we expect from it?
My young adult book The Face in the Window was published in October 2013. It’s the first book I wrote in a deliberate attempt not to be so dark and targeted at young adults. There is no sex and limited swearing. It had a great review and sales are the best so far, although still woefully low. I’ve never yet been on any best selling lists or in line for any awards. I guess that’s my goal for the future.

Review http://sidlove.com/2013/11/23/book-review-the-face-in-the-window-by-cheryl-headford/

Sales link Featherweight Press http://www.featherweightpublishing.com/index.php
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Face-Window-Cheryl-Headford-ebook/dp/B00GKR1OF2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397307981&sr=8-1&keywords=cheryl+headford

Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Face-Window-Cheryl-Headford-ebook/dp/B00GKR1OF2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397308058&sr=8-2&keywords=cheryl+headford


I have another book Memories of Forgotten Love accepted with Featherweight and this should be released in the next few months, so watch out for that.

– What is your favourite part of producing a book?

Writing it. No competition, although it’s fun working with an editor and and exciting to work with a cover artist. One of the best moments is seeing the finished cover for the first time. 
– Which projects are you working at the moment?
Loads, as usual. I have two books I’m working on to prepare them for submission. I have three novels completed but not worked on and I’m writing another three. Watch this space, I guess and keep your fingers crossed for me that my books get picked up by good publishers.

Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden is a fantasy firmly rooted in contemporary romance. Keiron wants a quiet life, which his fiery boyfriend Finn is rocking. When Draven turns up on his doorstep announcing he’s a fairy and, as a punishment for allowing himself to be seen, he has to be Keiron’s slave for three months, Keiron’s only thought is how the hell to get rid of him. However, the childlike, playful Draven gets further under Keiron’s skin every day until he really can’t envision life without him.

Hostage is a Sci Fi/ Fantasy The two most powerful kingdoms in the world – House Raphael and House Gabriel have been at war for 20 years. The Crown Prince of HG, Rowan hates HR with a passion after the death of his parents in a failed attempt to take them hostage. When the Crown Prince of HR becomes their hostage Rowan takes out all his anger on the young and helpless Raphael prince. However, when both kings are captured by cruel and manipulative Strebo Michael, leader of House Michael, the two princes have to join forces to rescue them. At some point along the way they get involved with a revolution, discover the extent of their magical abilities and find their relationship subtly changing.
– Have you ever considered writing something of a completely different genre?
I’ve tried out quite a few genres – romance, fantasy, sci fi, paranormal…. The two genres I have never been able to write are horror and comedy. Maybe I’ll try one of those one day but they’re way outside my comfort zone so I suspect it will just be too stressful to write and that would spoil the enjoyment.

– What do you consider to be a ‘good’ length for a book?
It depends on the book. I’ve written everything from anthology stories of 1000 – 4000 length, to novella of around 40k to stories of over 120k. I think it depends on the story and how complex it is.

For myself, I like a story I can get my teeth into. You can’t have the same character development and world building with a 40k novel and, as a reader, if I like a book I get so involved and absorbed in it I don’t want it to end and anything under 60k isn’t long enough.
– Have you ever participated in writing events such as NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo? 
Yes. I’ve ‘won’ NaBoWriMo 4 years, now. Three of the books are finished and posted/being posted on Gay Authors as free reads, and one is about 60k long but I’ve hit a wall and it isn’t finished. I hope one day to go back and finish but I have so many projects and new ones coming all the time.
– Do you have any funny writing stories/anecdotes?
Not sure what you mean by this, unless you count standing up a date because I was absorbed in a story. Sometimes when the words are flowing I get so absorbed, I forget everything around me. I’ve been late for work, failed to get off a train at the right station, missed dentist/doctor/optician appointments, and all kinds of things. I’ve also written until 4am and slept through the alarm.

Unfortunately these are not isolated incidents. Fortunately I only missed a date one and it wasn’t a first date. I was forgiven.
– At what age did you want to become a writer? 
I don’t think it’s a matter of ‘wanting to become’ a writer. I’ve always been a writer and storyteller. I was writing stories in primary school, to the extent my teacher joked I would dedicate my first book to her. I didn’t but I did remember her at the time, which is a feat after over 40 years.

I wrote my first novel at about 12, which is still around somewhere but will probably never see the light of day, and more followed on a regular basis after that. There has never been a time when I haven’t written regularly.

When I joined a re enactment society, as well as running around a field hacking people with a sword (which I really enjoyed ) I was the tribe storyteller and would tell traditional stories as well as some I made up myself. It was very rewarding and an eye opening experience as there is no more critical audience than a group of kids ranging from 5 to 15.

Thanks, Cheryl!