Yes, Clover is my real name, given to me by my papa, who had a thing for Julie Adams of The Creature from the Black Lagoon fame. In the western Slim Carter, she played a cowgirl named Clover Doyle and my dad thought that was the cutest name ever. A little less whimsical, my mom made sure I had a serious middle name I could use as back up, which I only fell back on once at a call center job during college.
"Hi, this is Clover. I'm calling from Olan Mills..."
"What? What'd you say your name is? What kind of name is that? Did you pronounce it right?"
Long exhale.
"Hi, this is Cheryl. I'm calling from Olan Mills..."
I think in stories. Probably too much.
I'm one of those annoying people who guesses the ending and tells everyone midway through. How else would they know I was right? No one wants to sit by me at movies.
I learned math by creating characters out of the numbers 1 through 10, which is most likely why I'm terrible at math. 9 was the villain in case you can't take another breath without knowing that.
I simply think, breathe, eat, create, love, love stories.
I'm passionate about writing and passionate about doing it well.
I studied creative writing in college, but it wasn't until I drafted my first manuscript and showed it to a published author that I realized how much I thought I knew about grammar and craft wasn't nearly enough. I practically ingested every craft and grammar book, workshop, and critique group I could.
My first book was published in 2006 with The Wild Rose Press and I haven't looked back.
I'm living the dream I had of being a published writer since I was a kid, swinging on my grandparents' swing while thinking being an author would be the best job in the world.
I remember that exact moment.
And I wasn't wrong.
Being an author is the best job in the world.
Editing other writers' stories and getting to see first hand the raw creativity of new voices is another deeply satisfying facet within the writing world. I love helping to guide a great story into something even better while maintaining the unique voice and tone of the author.
I explain every change and suggestion so most of my clients grow as writers during our process together.
My husband once asked, "Aren't you teaching yourself out of a job?"
"Well, no, because writers get so close to their work, they will always need a fresh set of eyes to see what they have glossed over."
Sometimes I think I'm the luckiest person in the world, having two careers that I'm crazy over and that have the potential to help other people. Can't beat that with a stick.
