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Cheryl Anne Porter Cheryl Anne Porter, beloved author and teacher, passed away on August 25, 2004 after a long and valiant fight against cancer. Her legacy of love and laughter will live on in the hearts of those whose lives she touched with her courageous and generous spirit. What is the one question you WISH interviewers would ask you about your writing that they never do? "Heck, I wish interviewers would ask me *anything* about my writing. That's not usually their focus, since this is romance writing. But still, since I've been asked to choose one question, I'll pick this one: Who are you that you've been given the prodigious talent to create such wonderfully rich and complex characterizations, plots, and settings? Can you tell us something about your current release that isn't in the blurb, but you'd like readers to know? Well, it's a milestone of sorts--my 20th book! Accordingly, I am more than willing to be the guest of honor at a huge celebration in honor of this milestone! So, go ahead and plan a big surprise party--and I'll show up and act surprised to be showered with such laud and honor (and presents) as you would wish to bestow upon me. I will even be humble. Whew! Almost got that last part out with a straight face! About the book specifically: It's garnering notice because of the unique premise: the heroine is a proposal-planner, working with men to devise romantic scenarios in which they can ask their girlfriends to marry them. The usual thing has been the wedding planner premise. So what I did was take it back one step and highlight the only moment in the whole "getting married" process where the guy is in control. My sources of inspiration for this story were twofold: 1) An article in the Tampa Tribune about a guy in Boston who owns and runs an online proposal service called "Will You Marry Me?"--we've been in touch with him and he is thrilled to be an inspiration for a book; and (2) my two brothers, who were talking about proposing. Mark kept trying to ask his girlfriend to marry him and everything kept going wrong (he is now married to his sweetie)--and, later, Jim telling him to chill out about the wedding plans because, since he'd already asked Diane to marry him and had received a "yes" answer, he now had as much control over the process as did the tiny groom on top of the wedding cake! God love 'em! Both of those things happened around the same time (the article & the conversation between my brothers), so a book was born! I certainly hope everyone enjoys my little tale of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness! How has TARA made a difference in your career? Well, it's all TARA's fault that I'm this cocky. Back in '95, I was feeling mighty low because my former publisher and I had parted company. When, lo and behold, the chapter had a Sunshine Saturday one-day conference to which they had invited Harlequin's Brenda Chin, everyone's favorite editor. She says now that she'd known me about five minutes when she came to the conclusion that I *so* had to write for them. And sure enough, I do! The rest is history. So, thanks, TARA, for providing the opportunity, and an even bigger THANKS! for your continued friendship and support. To learn more about Cheryl's life and legacy of love and laughter visit the following links: |
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