Hampton Court Castle and Gardens in Herefordshire

I write fiction/fantasy, in case you hadn't noticed. And I'll be the first to tell you that vampires and fairies are not real. Disappointing, I know...I mean hugely disappointing! Seriously!!! Why can't fairies be real? Why?

Anyway, those "fictional" stories in my head are inspired by real places. That's surprising too, I know, but there you have it...

In Chapter 4 of Fateful I describe one of the these "real" places called Van Kampen Gardens  at Hampton Court Castle. (NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Hampton Court Palace, though!) There are two Hampton Courts, but there is a big difference between the two. The one mentioned in Fateful is in Herefordshire and is easily far enough away from Chertsey to give Ethan plenty of time to talk to Danielle without exposing her to his magical vampire gaze too much. Such a romantic gentleman he is! Sorry, he isn't real either, just in case you were hoping. I know that's rather disappointing too. Oh well...

For my 20th Anniversary, my husband took me to England and to Van Kampen Gardens. Twice. Yes, I loved it so much I had to go see it twice.

These are just some of the pictures we took while there. Unfortunately for us, spring had not yet sprung so while the garden was beautiful, it had not fully bloomed.


Just as there is in the book, there is a huge wisteria arch. However, as you can see below, there were no blooms or leaves on it yet. :(




And of course there was a maze. This is the archway and door that led to the start of the maze.





And of course there is a tower in the middle of the maze.






The area of the gardens is very flat. And from the tower you can see the entire garden and of course the entire maze.





The tower has a secret exit that runs under the maze and deposits you into a garden that is hidden and secluded.



We wished we could have seen the garden at it's peak. I'm sure we'll try to get back here someday...




We took over 400 pictures.

Here's the strange coincidence about this garden: I didn't know I had so many ancestors who lived near here when I chose the location for my book. My ancestors on both sides of my family, my mother's and my father's, are from Herefordshire. So close to this garden in fact, that they probably visited it. I only discovered the connection after I wrote the book. Weird, huh?

My Great Grandfather was born near here in 1824. For over 180 years prior to that, my ancestors called the surrounding area just west of this garden home. In fact, my 2nd Great Grandfather is buried only about 4 miles from this garden.

And the release date for The Order of Curse-Bound Knights is nearing!!! Check back soon to see a preview of the first three chapters! Here is a preview of the cover.

Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop December 21st to 31st

Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Bookhounds

December 21st to 31st

 

 

A special Holiday message from Cheri to you...

This may seem unconventional, but this time of year can be emotionally difficult for so many, especially if you’ve suffered any sort of tragedy in your life. I’ll admit I’m one who struggles with finding peace this time of year... Sometimes we all just need a mental escape from the things that drag down our spirits. So just for a short time, take a break from reality with me. Let me take you to a world of fantasy so you can forget your cares momentarily. And then when you get back to the realities of life, I hope you might feel like your broken heart has had a chance to heal even partially, or even in some small way. At least that is my heartfelt wish.

 

Winner will be able to choose any one of these prizes:

~A Kindle eBook copy of The Fateful Series box set, valued at 8.99, which will include: Fateful, Fractured, Forever, Sophia's  Cookbook for Mortals, and The Order of Curse-Bound Knights (Soon to be released! If this prize is chosen, it will be awarded on the release date. USA only.)

 OR

 

~Danielle's Fairy Necklace as described in Forever. It will magically keep wicked pixies away...and werewolves...perhaps. Valued at $34.99. (This is handmade and will be shipped after it is made. USA only.)

OR

 

~An audiobook copy of either Fateful or Fractured as produced by Tristan Hunt from Audible, valued at $19.95-$24.95. (Listen to the samples right now. ;) This prize is available to USA and UK customers.)

 

 And check back later when I'll be posting a preview of

The Order of Curse-Bound Knights.

 

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Only one option is required to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Holiday Giveaways

Even more Free stuff for my mailing list subscribers during the Holidays...

Even win an eBook copy of The Order of Curse-Bound Knights
...my newest novel, soon to be released!

I'm choosing two winners a week!

Sign up here.

New on audio. Fractured book 2 in the Fateful Series.

Actor Tristan Hunt (AKA Jason Downs) is currently producing all of Cheri's books into audio.

Fateful is the first title to be released in this format, and Fractured is available NOW!

Audio of Cheri's books are available from Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.

And if you're new to Audible, you can get it for FREE! Then if you become an AudibleListener® member on Audible, you can get all of the other books for a discount. Once you've listened to how Tristan portrays these characters, I think you'll be hooked, and then you'll want to listen to everything else he does... (At least that is what everyone is telling me so far. I've actually had readers come up to me in a panic checking to make he really is doing the other books after they've listened to Fateful.)

Praise for Tristan's performance:

First, I am usually wary about listening to the audible version of books especially because I love to leave the character’s personalities to my own imagination. Schmidt (author) and Tristan (narrator) definitely changed my opinion for this book as I both read and listened to the story. I can’t express enough my unexpected surprise at how well the audio version portrayed the story SO closely to what I envisioned. ~The BookStalker Reviewed

Tristan Hunt is, in my opinion, THE Jim Dale of Fantasy Romance. ~Cassandra

The writing was thrilling and engaging all the way through! The narrator did an outstanding job with presenting to emotions and mood of each character. Oh la la for sure! ~A. C.

It's so romantic, and the narrator does a great job! Tristan brings emotion to the story. I love reading the book, but having a real person narrate the story really brings it to life. It makes it a lot more exciting. ~Heather

The narrator was great! I love when he switched to his “American Girly” voice! Great plot, Great characters, Great Narrator. What else can I say but GREAT! ~KSWilde

*fans self* If Tristan Hunt decides to read the phone book, I'm in! Fabulous reader. Loved his accents--he did American really well. Loved the way he handled the various scenes and gave a slight though fun twist to the voices of some of the more common characters. I hate when male readers take the female voices too high and make them almost a mockery. Tristan does the females voices very well. ~D. R. Weaver

Which character – as performed by Tristan Hunt – was your favourite? Danielle's uncle Nick, there was a part were he was telling a story and Tristan spoke in such a perfect tone that even I felt shivers. If you could sum up Fateful in three words, what would they be? Emotional, beautiful and soulful. If you prefer audio books then get the first book right now, narrated perfectly by Tristan Hunt. Definitely a 5 star rating from me. ~Beks in the UK

And if you'd like to read my interview over on The Book Stalker, go here.

Thanks for dropping by!

And while you're here:
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Meet My Character Blog Tour

Thanks for thinking of me, Joyce, and for including me in this hop! Here’s a little more about my friend Joyce:

Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist). Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.

Her newest title, Loving Lucianna, will be available in October 2014.

Visit her blog for current updates on her next book release:

http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/2014/08/meet-my-character-blog-tour-lucianna.html#.VAR8Gul0yUl

 

And now about my character, Nadia from The Order of Curse-Bound Knights:

1) What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?

Her name is Nadia, and she is fictional. I picture her as looking like Phoebe Tonkin from The Vampire Diaries/The Originals.

(Check out my boards on Pinterst to see pics of what I think Nadia looks like.)

 

2) When and where is the story set?

This story travels through the eras staring in medieval times and moving all the way up to modern times. I’m not sure of many books that do that. If you know of other books that travel through different eras like that, post them in the comments for me, because I’m curious!

3) What should we know about him/her?

Nadia was a side character in the Fateful Trilogy. This book is her and Max’s (the knight) story: how they met, fell in love, and became vampires.

4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?

She loves unconditionally, but her best friend, Celeste, whom she remains loyal to despite Celeste’s evil tendencies, gets her into dangerous situations where she is exposed to the Black Plague, and is then turned into a vampire to save her life.

5) What is the personal goal of the character?

Nadia wants to find true love. She is intrigued by Max when her father assigns him to guard her, but she is tempted by other men who turn out to be rogues, and Max ends up having to save her from them.

6) Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?

This book is titled The Order of Curse-Bound Knights, and it is with my editor currently. Sign up for my mailing list to be the first to know of its release.

7) When can we expect the book to be published?

I hope to release it very soon, though I don’t have a release date just yet.

 

PS: I was supposed to tag a few more authors, but none of the ones I contacted have gotten back to me.  I will update this as soon as they do. :)

 

Max and The Order of Curse-Bound Knights

This book is currently in editing

and I'll soon be working on the cover!

 

I don't have an exact release date yet, but soon!!!

To be the first to see the cover and to know about its release, sign up for my free mailing list. (I will only email you with new releases...so I won't be cluttering up you inbox.)

And for those of you waiting impatiently for the release of this book, visit The Order of Curse-Bound Knights Pinterst Board.

Follow Cheri Schmidt's board The Order of Curse-Bound Knights on Pinterest.

Meet Tristan Hunt, the narrator of Fateful!

(Portrait of Tristan was taken by Leslie Hassler. Click on her name to see more of her work!)

 

Tristan Hunt (aka Jason Downs) has been performing professionally for 30 years. He has appeared in films (Racing Daylight, Clara's Heart, Hairspray), on TV (Saturday Nite Live), on stage (Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest) and in commercials. His first paid job was a voice over at the age of 10 and he has loved recording ever since. His voice has been featured in film, in advertisements and in video games. He was also signed to Jive records and released two albums as a singer/songwriter resulting in a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom. He began narrating books in March of this year and has six releases available so far. Telling stories is something he truly loves to do and looks forward to doing for a long time to come.

 

Tristan's production of Fateful was released May 28th of this year and I couldn't be more pleased with his work! He brought my characters to life in a way I hadn't imagined was possible.

 

His soothing voice just dances over the words and I think he makes me sound like a better writer than I actually am.  Or maybe my style of writing just worked out well with his style of reading. I'm not really sure. All I know is that Fateful is very fun to listen to.

 

When it came to finding the right narrator for all of my books, I new I had to find the right actor. And for me it was a tall order, because I absolutely loved Jim Dale's production of Harry Potter so much I was very picky about my choice. I'm happy to say that I am just as happy with Tristan's performance in Fateful as I was with anything I've heard from Jim Dale.

(Note: If you have not heard Harry Potter on audio yet, you should! It's fabulous.) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)  

 

Anyway, Tristan made Danielle very likable. Brianna a bit snarky and funny, but awesome. Ethan sounds genuine, Max is sexy, and the fairies are perfect. The romantic scenes have just the right amount of sensuality, and laughter can be heard in his voice when the scene is funny. Seriously, you have to hear it to believe it.

If you have not read Fateful, pick up the audio and see what everyone is talking about. Or pick up the eBook for FREE, and then listen to the audio which you could also get for free if you're new to Audible.

Up next, watch for Fractured and Forever on audio.
 

They're in production right now!


Go to this link to listen to the sample and to pick it up from Audible:

http://www.qksrv.net/click-4355868-10273919?url=http://www.audible.com/pd/Teens/Fateful-Audiobook/B00KLGJ7FC/ref=a_newreleas_c1_1_t?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=0K6HMBTE6GDEPMX4Q1N9&pf_rd_m=A2ZO8JX97D5MN9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=recenthistoryfooter&pf_rd_p=1346650482&pf_rd_s=center-1&source_code=COMA0213WS031709

Or click on the picture below to snatch it up from Amazon!
 

(Note: If you're in the UK, go HERE to pick up Fateful on Audio.)

Over 100,000 copies of Fateful have been downloaded worldwide and it is currently in Amazon's top 100 over all Kindle Store. Plus the book is #1 in Fairy Tales, Mythology & Folk Tales, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Teen & Young Adult Books.

 

 

 

Go to anyone of these links below to get the eBook for FREE in whatever format you need: 

 

 

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/Fateful-Book-1-Series-ebook/dp/B004VT0RJK/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=authcherschm-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=&creativeASIN=B004VT0RJK

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fateful-Book-1-Series-ebook/dp/B004VT0RJK

iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fateful/id449647872?mt=11

Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fateful-cheri-schmidt/1103264846?ean=2940045844642

Kobo:
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/fateful-4

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/64361

Also:

Amazon Spain:

http://www.amazon.es/Fateful-Book-1-English-ebook/dp/B004VT0RJK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404757634&sr=8-1&keywords=cheri+schmidt

Amazon Italy:

http://www.amazon.it/Fateful-Book-1-English-ebook/dp/B004VT0RJK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404766465&sr=8-1&keywords=cheri+Schmidt

Amazon Canada:

http://www.amazon.ca/Fateful-Book-1-Cheri-Schmidt-ebook/dp/B004VT0RJK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404766538&sr=1-1&keywords=cheri+schmidt

 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog, and keep scrolling down to the previous post to enter my giveaway...!

Audio books of the Fateful Trilogy are now in production!

Soon to be released!!! The audio book of Fateful, narrated by Tristan Hunt!

And Fractured is now in the works, and then Forever will follow.

I'm extremely happy with how it turned out. The voice of Tristan Hunt is the perfect fit for this series. He did a fabulous job bringing my characters to life.

Of course I will post a link as soon as it is available!
ACX has been wonderful to work with, and I'm grateful to Audible for awarding Fateful a stipend.

https://www.acx.com/titleview/A2Z1MVBRQ2H0JM

Why not pick up the eBook of Fateful for FREE, and then listen to the audio!

 https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fateful/id449647872?mt=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fateful-cheri-schmidt/1103264846?ean=2940045844642

http://www.amazon.com/Fateful-Book-1-Series-ebook/dp/B004VT0RJK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398688306&sr=8-2&keywords=cheri+Schmidt

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/64361

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/fateful-4
 

Happy reading! And then when the audio is done, happy listening!

And thanks for visiting my blog!

Spring Reading Sale! This is your chance to get Fractured for half off!

If you read Fateful and have been waiting to snatch up the next two books in the trilogy,

this is your chance!!!

(Click on the images below to buy from Amazon.)

And remember that Fateful is FREE!!!

                                 

 

Review by http:The Library Mouse one of my favorite UK readers:

This review is of the entire series and does contain spoilers.

Read on if you're just too curious to mind...

The Fateful series was what I can only describe as a beautifully sweet vampire tale narrated using the style of Jane Austen.

Set in the present day, Danielle isn't your usual main female character. She's not a tomboy trying to act tough, she's not an antisocial creature because she's peculiar in some unexpected way and she hasn't got a personality that sets her apart from the usual crowd. Danielle is a regular girly girl. She doesn't do blood, gore, violence, injuries or dead bodies (undead or otherwise). It almost felt like she had been literature-transplanted out of a Jane Auste novel and into modern day time with a couple of upgrades. With a penchant for wearing skirts and dresses, a fondness for pastel colours and a rather strong artistic streak for painting scenery; Danielle was a typical girl and not what most recent heroines are like. Her parents were so concerned with her fragility and female defenselessness that they insisted she have karate lessons, to the extent that when we meet her she is a lethal-when-necessary black belt. The good this will do her, in the paranormal world she is rudely awakened to, I'm not sure of.

The combination of strength and weakness in this character was complex and forever changing depending on the perceived angle, forcing me to stop and reflect several times. The fact that she was able to defend herself in our reality, but that when put into the context of a paranormal one she was weak and harmless made her all the more real to me.

Through all her trials, adventures, fortunes and misfortunes, unlike most characters who adapt quickly to the knew knowledge, Danielle remained faithful to her beliefs, ideals and female squirmishness.

From what would appear a very simple and easy to understand character, I would not have expected the depth and incredible number of facets that I found. Danielle's simplicity was endearing and eye opening, making me dwell and appreciate aspects of a paranormal romance and situations I had not previously considered.

Of course this series would not be complete unless our Austen-like fan, found her corresponding Mr Darcy.

Ethan was a worthy Mr Darcy alter-ego for this paranormal romance. Forever a gentleman despite the course of centuries having passed him by, he held fast to his upbringing, ideals and traditions. The only modern thing about him were his clothes (which he had no choice in unless he wanted to arouse suspicion and generate medical mental health interest) and his love for his  cars. I found his jealous and slightly possessive streak surprisingly sweet and funny, considering he had nothing to fear as Danielle had eyes for no other.

He was a Mr Darcy attempting to adapt to the current century whilst desperately trying to cling to his ways of life, and I loved every second I read of it. He was a knight in regular clothing but who knew how to wield a sword, treat a girl like a lady and get any parents' blessing. What can I say, he was without a doubt too good to be true.

True to his century he was looking for someone special, a girl and not a tomboy; someone to whom he'd be willing to give the world and his life.

Unlike most romances, Ethan and Danielle didn't fight what they felt for each other. They knew it to be true and real, which is all that mattered to them. What they did have to fight was everyone else, to preserve what they had and their future.

Cheri Schmidt narrated their sweetly moving story, that revealed itself to be more than I expected. Confronting present day issues and morals, the more I read the more I enjoyed it.
I particularly appreciated Cheri Schmidt's ability to describe beautifully romantic scenes that made me feel at peace whilst sitting alongside the characters.

Everything about this series screamed Jane Austen, from the setting, the manner of speaking, down to the behavioural quirks. Being an admirer of Jane Austen's work, narrative style and storyline I very much enjoyed this series. Unlike most paranormal romances which are described as forever but feel more like an immediate lightning passion, The Fateful series spoke of a steady strong burn that would last forever where it counts the most: heart and mind.

The Fateful series was a sweet and tender paranormal romance that I would recommend to anyone in search for a tale of modern nights in shining armor with a hint of magic.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

I love comments as much as I love reviews.... Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post either for me. I'm very grateful.

NEW book release of ReAwakened by Ada Adams!

Check it out! Just in time for Christmas, my friend Ada Adams released the sequel to ReVamped. (I love the cover, don't you?) I can't wait to read this!!!

Synopsis:
Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter, and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—or something—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved.


About, my writer friend Ada:

“Many people sing in the shower. I write scenes in my head and act them out.”

At the age of five, Ada read her first chapter book—Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. Ever since that moment, she developed an intense passion for stories and characters found within the pages of literature.

In her career as an actress and a writer, Ada currently spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning, and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Master’s of Science in Education.

Ada strives to bring a fresh voice and perspective to fiction. She has been writing creatively for many years, and is an editor of a global fashion/literary magazine called VEUX. ReVamped is her debut novel.

She lives in Toronto, Canada, and enjoys adventurous nature hikes with her adorable puppies Cara and Oreo. 

(I love the part about her writing scenes in the shower, maybe because I do the same thing! But then I have to rush to my notepad to write it down, usually dripping, before I forget. LOL That part is annoying...)

Click on the link blow to get your copy!

Excerpt of ReAwakened by Ada Adams

I'm a bit slow on the uptake sometimes, so I'm late in seeing this, but I thought I'd share it with you too. This is the sequel to ReVamped, which is pictured in the sidebar of my blog. (And check out the amazing cover!!!)

From Ada's Blog, enjoy!

This most recent ReAwakened excerpt has been making its way around the internet for a while, so I thought I’d include it on here as well for those of you interested in a sneak-peek at a new character making an appearance in ReVamped‘s sequel.

“Meeting Razor”

    My two-story fall was cushioned by the intruder’s body. He—a vampire, I realized—groaned as I landed on top of him, forcing his body into the muddy ground. I reached for my dagger, but he was quicker. Before I had a chance to pull it out, he slipped out from underneath me, flipping me over so that he was on top. His firm, muscular body pressed tightly against mine as his hands pinned my wrists to either side of my head. His face was covered by shadows, but I could make out a mischievous smirk dancing across perfectly-shaped full lips.

    “You’re quite feisty, aren’t you?” he chuckled, bending forward to examine me. Deep, charcoal eyes overflowed with amusement.

    He was actually enjoying this.

    “I don’t wanna hurt you,” he whispered in a deep, throaty voice. “I’m gonna release you now. Don’t do anything stupid.”

    He lifted his arm, removing his right hand from my left wrist. The moment I felt some freedom, I leaped forward, attempting a left hook at his jaw. He blocked my hand, once again pushing it toward the ground.

    “I said I wasn’t going to hurt you!” he growled, pinning me even further into the soft, wet earth.

    “Yes, but I never said I wouldn’t hurt you,” I snapped.

    He brought his face toward mine. “I’d like to see you try,” he whispered.

    Challenge accepted.

    I raised my head—the only part of my body that wasn’t restrained by the stranger’s body—inching my lips closer to his. He tensed for a moment, his eyes searching mine, as if surprised by my sudden change in behavior. Drops of rainwater slid down his chiseled jaw, pausing briefly on his lips before they plummeted onto mine. Then, a slow, smug smile spread across his face. I felt his body relax and he leaned even closer. His breath caressed my skin as his lips drew near.

    It was exactly what I needed. Summoning all my strength, I twisted my hips to the side, shooting them up and out, then launching my legs from the ground. Thrown off-balance, my captor groaned and released one of my arms to brace for the fall, giving me the perfect opportunity to reach for my dagger. In one smooth move I darted behind him, placing him in a secure headlock—the blade of my weapon aimed directly at his heart.

    “Who are you?” I demanded when I was certain he couldn’t escape my grip.

    “I’m a twenty-four-year-old Taurus who enjoys long walks on the beach.” Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could feel his arrogant grin.

    “You have ten seconds to explain yourself,” I ordered. “And then I’m really going to hurt you.”

    “Oh, come on! Can’t we get back to kissing? You can’t tease a guy like that.”

    “Ten, nine…” I pressed the dagger deeper into him, nicking the leather of his jacket.

    “Hey! Watch it!”

    “Eight…”

    “Oh, alright. You’re no fun,” he sighed. “My name is Razor.”

    “What kind of a name is that?”

    “It’s a nickname.”

    “What kind of a nickname is that?”

    “Spike, Blade, Fang—all the good, pointy objects were already taken by fictional characters. It was the best I could do.”

So…thoughts on Razor so far? And, yes, he does have a “real name”.

Great Reviews for the Fateful series...

It’s been about 60 days since Fateful was released and since that time it has sored to the top 100 on Amazon and stayed there. At the moment Fateful is #8 and Fractured is #12 of Hot New Releases in Children’s Love & Romance Literature.

What are reviewers saying about this series?

An 8th grade literary arts teacher added it to her recommended summer reading list and gave both books rave reviews...

The Book Whisperer (What a great blog name! Don’t you think?)

Courtney’s Chitter Chatter (Great place if you’re looking for clean reads.)

Tifferz Book Review (Another great place if you’re looking for clean reads.)

Book Worm Nation (Another great place for reviews.)

And here is a new review Fractured just got on Amazon:
By jaterry
"OMG!!!! If it was even possible Cheri Schmidt outdid herself with this, it is a million times better then Fateful with twists at every turn! I couldnt put it down, it even made me late to work!

Please dont read this book if you havent 1st read Fateful, and for all the people who said it was a Twilight knock off, you have to read this book, it by far blows Twilight out of the water! and I am a huge Twilight fan.

Ethan and Danielle dont fail to deliver on the romance and surprises! And the action of the vampire civil war will keep you on your feet! this was an easy book to get wrapped up in, I easily felt Danielle's excitement, fear and disappointment, and even cried for her at one point.

Without any spoilers, I really wish we could have seen more of Lilith and a better description of "goth" Ethan but other then that, I have no complaints! you have to read this book, what are you waiting for click the button!!!!

Cannot wait for book 3! I would love to see Danielle get her revenge (more then what was done) on Celeste!"


If vampires aren't your thing then might I suggest you try out Fair Maiden? It has none of those fanged beings in it. With the massive attention the Fateful series is getting I fear Fair Maiden is being forgotten. Don’t forget about it!! Especially because it’s on sale for 1.99 right now! Thanks to Tifferz Book Review for her recent review and blog post of Fair Maiden

Up and Coming...

Great reviews for Fractured are coming in. I’m so glad and so grateful that my readers are enjoying the sequel to Fateful. Thanks for the great post Courtney! If you’re looking for something clean to read, then I recommend her fun review blog.

Today is the last day to enter the Summer Treasure Hunt to win a signed copy of Fateful. Check my previous post to see how to enter. And don’t forget there are more chances to win different prizes for the rest of this month. Also check my previous post to see how to win a signed copy of Fateful with a matching beaded bookmark, or a glass pearl replica of Danielle’s necklace and earrings. This other contest ends the 18th...Don’t miss out!

Book updates:
~Fair Maiden is on sale for 1.99. So if you’ve been trying to decided if you should get it or not, now’s a good time.

~Fateful has sold more than 3000 copies and is ranked high in Amazon's bestseller lists:
#19 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Love & Romance
#19 in Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Love & Romance
#38 in Books > Teens > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

~Fractured is following close behind Fateful and has made it into the bestseller lists as well:
#38 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Love & Romance
#43 in Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Love & Romance
#78 in Books > Teens > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

Right now I’m working on:

~Forever—the conclusion to the Fateful series
~The Trapping club—the sequel to Fair Maiden
~Sophia’s Cookbook for Mortals—A fun recipe book featuring recipes Sophia likes to mess up her apron with.
~Two novellas to supplement the Fateful series. Max’s story and Beon and Sophia’s story...
~The Fairy Ring Enchantment—A story about fair rings and why you shouldn’t step inside them.

Fateful in paperback

Fateful is now available for sale in paperback at the following locations:

Createspace.com

Amazon.com

Very soon signed copies will be available for purchase on my website.

Writer Interview & Book Giveaway!!!

Cheri’s publicist (AKA Hubby, Drew) did an interview of her:
(Scroll down if you have no patience and just want to know how to win the free book.)

Drew: So how long have you been writing?
Cheri: About 6 years.

Drew: How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?
Cheri: I only figured that out 6 years ago too. I’ve always had stories playing in my mind. And I always thought they were for my own personal entertainment. Then I dreamed about a story called The Fairy Ring Enchantment which I have a lot of handwritten notes for. Anyway after that dream, I started typing it thinking it was a picture book and was really confused when it started to come out like a novel. I was so confused in fact that I stopped typing in my notes to figure out what was going on in my head.

As I set that story a side for a while (I will finish it very soon though) Fateful started to come to me. And Fateful was coming at me so hard and fast that I was forced to start typing. I finished Fateful and half of Fractured in about two months. And I was shocked. I never knew I had more than 200 thousand words of text and dialogue in my head. Part of that might be because I’ve always been very creative in other ways, painting and photography and crafting...so I think those things sort of overshadowed my skill for writing. I like to say it was a hidden talent that I’ve only just discovered I had.

Drew: When does inspiration come to you?
Cheri: Sometimes while’ I’m driving, sometimes while I’m showering....

Uh, Drew, are you still there?

Drew: Huh? Oh, sorry, I was picturing you showering.
Cheri: ~rolls eyes~ As I was saying, most of my ideas usually come when I’m tucked in bed, comfortable and just on the verge of falling asleep.

Drew: This is why I bought you those little light-up pens...so you’d stop getting up with pen and paper, sneak off to the bathroom, shut the door, flip on the light and write. You always still woke me up...hence the light-up pens.
Cheri: Do I wake you up now?

Drew: Nope.
Cheri: You sure toss and turn a lot. It makes it kind of hard to write...I’m just saying...

Drew: Hmm...On to the next question! When did you write Fateful?
Cheri: Sometime between 2005-2006. Yes, before Twilight was popular. Only my first beta readers know that.

Drew: So did it hurt you when Twilight did become popular because you also wrote about vampires?
Cheri: Sort of but not really. I was editing when Twilight became popular so when it was time to find an agent or a publisher it was like swimming in a sea of vampires. That makes it really hard to get noticed. So I set the Fateful series on the shelf while I wrote Fair Maiden which doesn’t have any vampires in it. I mean I knew vampires would always be popular; at least they always have been for me. I’ve loved vampires since movies like “Love at First Bite.”

Anyway, I knew I could come back to my vampires and then this e-book revolution happened... Now I’m incredibly glad I couldn’t get an agent or a publisher. So in truth the best thing to happen to me was the explosion in vampire popularity. I love having this sort of control.

Drew: This brings me to the indie question. Are you glad you did it?
Cheri: I am sooo glad I did it. The publishing industry is really struggling right now and authors are getting cheated in the process. I feel so free doing it this way. I’d always wanted to design my own covers because I know my way around Photoshop. But every time I asked agents and publishers if they’d let me do that I’d get the explanation that I could put in a submission for the cover. Then the marketing department would make the final decision.

Drew: Okay, since you brought it up, explain what the covers mean to you....
Cheri: With Fateful I wanted a sense of wonder and curiosity. The two characters recognize each other from a time in their past neither of them remembers. I think my models captured that very well.

With Fractured the characters deal with a lot more danger to their lives and I wanted that to show in their faces. Again the models did a brilliant job and I’m extremely pleased. Funny thing, myself and the models like this even better than the first one.

For Fair Maiden, I wanted her to sort of look like she could either be dead or sleeping, but deeply like Sleeping Beauty. This model was also delightful to work with and I got exactly what I wanted for the cover.

Drew: Okay, again....since you mentioned your models, who are they?
Cheri: I’m not going to say who they are.

Drew: But I can...
Cheri: Jerkface

Drew: You used that word in Fateful, where did “jerkface” come from?
Cheri: Well our teens use it a lot, as you well know. Urban Dictionary has two definitions that fit: “The action of being a jerkface. Being a complete jerk in every sense,” and “a term of endearment between siblings; often meaning I Love You.” I put it in the story mainly for my kids and I think the character would use it too.

Drew: How does the story come to you? Besides when you’re trying to sleep and naked in the—?
Cheri: Do we really need to go back to that?

Drew: I suppose not.
Cheri: Great...anyway, the stories come as ideas in my head. Sometimes, or rather, many times I even hear the characters talking to each other in my head.

Drew: I see... ~Drew raises eyebrows~
Cheri: I told this to a girlfriend once and she said, “That’s not normal. It’s a sign that you really are a writer. Most people don’t hear characters talking to each other in their head.” I wasn’t exactly sure what to say to that, but it felt like a compliment so that’s how I took it.

Drew: Who is your favorite author?
Cheri: I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one. So some of my favorites are: Catherine Anderson, Lynsay Sands, Lisa Kleypas, Leslie Charteris, Brandon Sanderson, and Lynn Kurland, just to name a few.

Drew: You have a knack for drawing emotion out of the reader. How do you do that?
Cheri: I really have no clue...

Drew: Why did you go indie?
Cheri: Because YOU introduced me to Joe Konrath AND because of him, I realized books are something people consume like ice cream, or chocolate or French fries. When it comes to something people consume then they want it cheep and they want it now. I think that’s why e-books are exploding. You can buy a novel with one click and devour it in a day. Much to my vexation.

Drew: Why do you say that? But first would you define vexation for me?
Cheri: Eh, sure. Vexation means the sate of being provoked to slight annoyance, anxiety, or distress. (according to dictionary.com)

And to answer the first question: Because it took me months or perhaps even a year to write and edit the book and then readers just scream through it in a few hours...oh well. May aim is to entertain, so I guess if I accomplish that then I don’t really care if my readers take time to savor it. People are really fast readers. It’s amazing really. I can’t read that fast!

Drew: Did you try to publish the old fashioned way first?
Cheri: You know I did.

Drew: ~clears throat~ I mean, for the kind folks reading this did you try to publish the old fashioned way first?
Cheri: Oh, sorry. Of course I did. I even started off the year with 160 quires sent to agents and a few copies of Fair Maiden in the hands of small publishers. I got a very positive response in terms of my writing, however I frequently heard, “Due to the market right now...” or “Could you make it 30 pages shorter because we can’t afford to print anything over 300 pages...” or “This looks great but it just doesn't fit into our list right now...” Then Joe Konrath showed me the light.
Drew: And me.
Cheri: Right, and you. xoxo Thanks for the support.

Drew: So how do you keep up with everything else? Your Blog? Your Website? Twitter? Facebook? Kindle Boards? Converting your books? Computer backups..the list must be endless!
Cheri: That is why I hired you, my handsome geek you.

Drew: Um....where is my paycheck?
Cheri: You know, hugs, kisses, and don’t forget the Wegman’s cannolis in the fridge!

Drew: Oh and you folks out there in internet-land reading this....if you like it....let us know by leaving a comment and following the blog. Then perhaps I’ll con Cheri into doing another one of these interviews soon

Plus, for everyone who comments, she’ll put your names in a hat and draw a winner to send a fee e-copy of Fractured to. For an extra chance to win, comment AND follow this blog. Deadline is June 7th.