LET'S WELCOME SHERILE REILLY AUTHOR OF: JAMIE'S CHOICE

LET’S WELCOME

AUTHOR OF:

SHERILE REILLY

Hello Char and Rad-Readers.

Thank you for inviting me to share my story with you. It is an honor to present, Jamie’s Choice, the first book of the Bringing Jamie Home Trilogy.

Rad-Reader:  Why this story and why the need to write it?

Sherile:  I’m retired now, but my first career was as an elementary school teacher.

One year I had a boy placed in my class who didn’t like me and unfortunately, the feeling was mutual.

Believing the boy would be much happier with a different teacher, I suggested to administration that they place him in a different class. The Assistant Principal informed me that I’d be good for the boy and left him in my class.

As the year progressed, we grew to like each other very much.

In June, when all the other kids had left for summer holidays, the boy stayed at his desk and he said point blank, “I didn’t like you at the beginning of the year”.

(Don’t you love how kids get right to the point? I love their honesty.)

I thought a moment and decided to be honest with him too. I shared that he wasn’t my favorite student at the beginning of the year, either.

We both accepted the idea that we could change our minds. We had a newfound mutual respect and appreciation.

Over the years, I never forgot that boy. I decided I needed to write a story about a woman who didn’t want a particular child. I wanted to show the love, understanding and self-confidence that grew in both characters as they got to know and love each other. 

Rad-Reader:  Why did Elena pick Rachel? 

Sherile:  Jamie’s mother, Elena, chose the only person she thought suitable to take her son. She’d witnessed Rachel’s conscientious nature with her own garden and home, but more important, Garrett Yates, her lawyer, encouraged Elena to get to know Rachel’s true self.  

Rad-Reader:  What happened to all of her family?

Sherile:  Being separated, Jamie’s father was unwilling to take the child and there were no living relatives. 

Rad-Reader:  Who was Elena to Garrett and how did they know each other?

Sherile:  Garrett, Elena’s lawyer, is a respected person in the community. He persuaded Elena to choose her neighbor, Rachel, as the best guardian for her son. Rachel was Garrett’s high school classmate (and secret school crush). He realized that she was the best option for Jamie. By having regular visits to the house, Garrett was assured that everything was going well.

Rad-Reader:  Why wasn’t his father an option?

Sherile:  Unfortunately, not all men will be good fathers. Jamie’s parents were divorced two years ago and Walter simply didn’t want to bother with Jamie, his only child. 

Rad-Reader:  Had Elena always lived in that home and in that community?

Sherile:  Elena is a recent arrival to Maryville from the big city and although she’s had medical support, she’s been more of a recluse in the community.

Rad-Reader:  What is with Garrett?  Why is he really coming around Rachel?

Sherile:  Well, you see, when a boy likes a girl…

In all seriousness, as the family lawyer, Garrett becomes Jamie’s only living champion and while he can’t take the boy himself, he believes Rachel would be a good guardian, if only he can convince her to agree.  

In addition, Rachel and Garrett knew each other in high school and were both secretly smitten with each other. So, any time Garrett spends with Rachel is a bonus for him.  

Rad-Reader:  Is Garrett just coming around as a person of the court?

Sherile:  Yes, he is, but also see above.

Rad-Reader:  why was Dottie always in her business?

Sherile:  We all have a busy-body neighbor. Rachel puts up with her neighbor, because she recognizes the good-hearted intentions of this woman. Sometimes, Dottie oversteps the boundaries, but she means well. 

Rad-Reader:  Does Dottie have a family?

Sherile:  Dottie’s husband died a few years ago and she misses him dreadfully. She doesn’t want Rachel to be all alone.

Rad-Reader:  Why didn’t Rachel tell Garrett off instead of falling for his nice guy routine?  Then him really wanting something from her?

Sherile:  Because deep down, Rachel knew that Garrett was right!

Rachel remembers Garrett as the popular high school football player who she figured wouldn’t give her the time of day. She’s touched by how her school-girl crush has become the champion for this innocent child. 

Rad-Reader:  Garrett is good at passing judgment but what is he giving of himself really?

Sherile:  Garrett wants Jamie to go to a good home and he truly believes that Rachel, although she doesn’t trust herself, is the best choice for Jamie.

Rad-Reader:  He is a tease to get her to do what she doesn’t want to do.  He is the guy she thought he was in high school it sounds like.  Or am I wrong?  If so how?

Sherile:  Rachel remembers Garrett a certain ways in high school and initially she judges him as the person he used to be, or so she thought. She soon discovers that he has Jamie’s best interests at heart. 

Rad-Reader:  Did I get it straight, did Garrett keep tabs on Rachel since high school?  If so, how?

Sherile:  He did not keep tabs on Rachel since high school, but he did think about her. Garrett threw himself into his successful career and just never found the right woman to marry.

When his old law school buddy asked to help with some of the business in Maryville, Garrett looked up Rachel and found that she still lived there. Garrett knew he wanted to see her again. 

Rad-Reader:  Why didn’t he ever contact her?  Why didn’t he ever marry? Or did he?

Sherile:  Warned off by Rachel’s mother, Garrett left Maryville and chose to focus on his career. He did date, often, but never felt like he’d met ‘the one’.

Rad-Reader:  Elena’s ex-was a piece of work.  Did he get in any trouble over this whole mess at all?

Sherile:  The ‘ex’ is not the person at the end of the trilogy that we meet in book one. Walter, the ‘ex’, had a very complicated history with the boy and his late mother. However, I will say that there is justice for Walter.  

Rad-Reader:  If your book was made into a movie who would you have play…

Rachel: Mila Kunis
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/242772236134884835/

Garrett:  Ryan Reynolds
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/514465957418942590/

Dottie:  Fionnula Flanagan
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/268949408973020045/

Elena:  Ashley Olsen

 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/410249847278167782/

Jamie:  Just a boy off Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/17592254768874242/

Scooter:  Off Pinterest  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/18155204724592151/

Sherile:  This was such a different and fun question to answer. I loved thinking about what actors would make the perfect characters for these rolls. 

Rachel:  Tatiana Maslany or 
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/441634307190514814/

Alicia Vikander

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/561331541034022654/

Garrett:  Theo James
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/518828819557358374/

Dottie:  Helen Mirren
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/333970128602977289/

Elena:  Naomi Watts
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/277323289534454791/

Jamie:  Jacob Tremblay
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/215328425914224659/

Scooter: Pinterest

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/415527503097084766/

Rad-Reader:  What song best describes your couple or your book as a whole?

Fall in Love - Barcelona

Sherile:  Garrett loves Whitney Houston singing I Will Always Love You, 

but Rachel loves Dolly Parton’s version

Will Always Love You

Rad-Reader:  When you were a kid what did you want to grow up to be?

Sherile:  As a kid I was busy running around the neighborhood playing ‘cops and robbers’ with my friends or roller skating with our black cocker spaniel nearby. His name was Blackie and some of his antics were the inspiration for Scooter’s behavior. The part with Scooter and the glasses came directly from what I’d done with our dog! He was sitting at the dining room table.

In high school, I knew I wanted to go to university and I did.

I became an elementary school teacher and after teaching for many years, my husband and I were driving across Montana. I’d just finished a romance and I told Ed that I’d like to write characters that a reader would love as much as I’d loved the characters in the book I held in my hands.

During my teaching career, I’d enjoyed reading and discussing novels with my students and the first two books I wrote were for Middle Graders.

When I retired from teaching, I knew I wanted to write romance for adults.

Rad-Reader:  Who was your biggest supporter when it came to being the writer you are now?

Sherile:  I’ve had tremendous support from my husband who drives me to locations so I get a feeling for the setting.

When she was alive, I also had tremendous support from my mother. She’d have been so pleased with the publication of the Bringing Jamie Home Trilogy.

My sister patiently listens to all my new ideas and offers suggestions.

My friends have helped me so much with my technology problems, blurbs, plots and many other facets of the whole writing process. I also belong to two writing groups that offer excellent workshops.

Best of all, my writer friends are fun and great to hang around with!  

✍

Rad-Reader:  What advice can you give to writers just starting out that you wish someone would have been given  to you?

Sherile:  It won’t be easy to pursue a career in writing and you can’t give up when you don’t get any rewards, but if you truly love writing about characters and a love story, then go ahead and write—no matter what.

At the same time, continue to educate yourself in the craft of writing. There is so much to learn. Go to conferences, workshops or join a writing group.

I believe you have to love writing because a writing career is difficult with great competition. Write the stories that fill your heart with happiness and sorrow. Write because you love it and you always will.

I’m still taking courses! And I love it!

Rad-Reader:  What has been your greatest reward from your writing experience so far?

Sherile:  My favorite so far has been meeting both a fantastic group of local Canadian authors and my audience. I write for the enjoyment of my audience

Also, hearing positive comments about my stories and how they touched the readers’ heart. That fulfills me and makes me want to write more.

Rad-Reader:  What is your favorite dessert?

Sherile:  I have so many! My all-time favorite is vanilla ice cream. I know it sounds boring, but I never get tired of it because it goes with EVERYTHING!

Recently I had sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream. It was YUMMY!

OKAY! So I’ll start counting calories tomorrow. Yeah! Sure!

I promise to count calories—one of these days.  

Rad-Reader:  Your best vacation ever?

Sherile:  My husband and I travel a lot and having fantastic experiences in many countries.

I have a top five favorite vacations list. One experience I remember was ballooning over the Tablelands of Northern Australia. Standing in the basket, I looked down and saw kangaroos hopping through the bush. It was surreal. 

Rad-Reader:  What is your next project and when will it be out?

Sherile:  I have just released Jamie’s Secret (book two of the Bringing Jamie Home Trilogy) and also Jamie’s Gift (book three of the Bringing Jamie Home Trilogy).

At present, I’m working on a paranormal, historical romance. It will be out in early 2018.

Rad-Reader:  Where can our readers buy your books?

Sherile:  www.Amazon.com

Rad-Reader:  Where can our readers find you on the Web?

Sherile:  www.SherileReilly.com

  As a special thank you to all the readers who read this blog post, I’d like to introduce Scooter, Jamie’s best friend and confidant, plus a picture of Jamie and Scooter. There are also more photos that tie in with Jamie’s Choice.  

Sherile,

I would like to thank you for asking me to read your book.  I never know what to expect when it is a book I have not chosen myself.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  The characters did get a rise out of me which is always good.  You are now a 1 Rad-Reader misfit you will have to run much faster next time :).  Come back anytime to post on our Shout Out: An Author's Place.

Char