Interview with Cerella Sechrist

Author of Tessa’s Gift

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I was born and raised in York, Pennsylvania, where I still reside. The fun thing about York is that it’s centrally located from a lot of other interesting areas in Pennsylvania: Lancaster, Gettysburg, Harrisburg, and Hershey (the setting of my debut novel) are all about an hour away. And it’s not terribly far from Baltimore, MD, Washington DC, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Williamsburg, VA, etc. Some trivia is that York is arguably considered the nation’s first capital.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

Still in York. 🙂

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I decided at the age of ten that I wanted to be an author when I grew up. I wrote my first book, a historical novel, at the age of 16 and began submitting it to publishers at the age of 17. I continued to write and submit historical novels for publication with no success. I had a pretty nice pile of rejection letters filed away. So after about ten years of this, I decided it was time to try something drastically different. I switched genres, opting to write a contemporary romantic comedy with food themes. It still took another year of shopping the book around to agents before I found one who was willing to take a chance on me. Of course, as these things go just about the time I found an agent, the book made it into the semi-finals of a national competition. Meaning my agent couldn’t shop it around while it was under consideration for the contest! But when it didn’t make it into the final round, she was able to start submitting it to publishers. It was another year until Summerside Press made me an offer on Love Finds You in Hershey, Pennsylvania. That’s how my debut novel came to be!

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

Sweet, wholesome, and romantic, they tend to deal with some pretty intense issues (widowhood, early onset Alzheimer’s, childhood leukemia, infertility) through the lens of hope and endurance. The tough themes are balanced with touches of humor and oftentimes with the element of food!

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Readers who value stories that have hopeful endings but realistic ones, where the boy gets the girl, but they still have mountains to conquer together. My books reflect real life: messy and sorrowful but full of joy and possibility.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

That it’s very much a team effort. The story may start with the writer, but throughout the process, it becomes part of the entire publishing team – from the editors to the art department to the marketers and everyone else whose hands it passes through. I suppose I was aware of this before being published, but it never ceases to amaze me, with each story, how many people are involved to see a book into print.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

This is not for the faint of heart, and it will take so much longer than you think. But you will grow in the waiting and become a better author, and human being, for the struggle.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I wouldn’t object to a legion of fans! 🙂 But the truth is, I write my stories for myself, first. After I send them out to the world, I’m thrilled with every letter I get from a reader who appreciates one of my books. It’s like you form this instant bond with those people, as if to say, “Oh! You’re a kindred spirit! These characters and their journey resonated with you. I’m so glad you understood what I was trying to say. Let’s be friends!” I would be real-life best friends with all my readers, if I could.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

I think the biggest challenge is making the time to write when real life interferes. It’s so easy to get sidetracked by the minutiae of daily living. I’m always looking for ways to improve my time management skills and keep myself motivated to write.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Can I say plotting? 🙂 Not the actual writing part (that’s my weakness – see next question!), but I love brainstorming a story and mapping it out in my head. I’m not a plotter OR a pastern. I’m somewhere in between. I can get obsessed with working out the details of a story, ensuring the plot is plausible but interesting, and getting inside my characters’ heads to find their motivations. At the same time, I can’t have everything too clearly defined or there’s no room for the story to evolve as I write.

Besides all that, unlike some authors, I do enjoy the marketing side of the business. There are some truly terrible stories out there that have been a success thanks to marketing. And then there are some amazing ones that get passed over due to poor marketing. I find that fascinating. I love analyzing and studying the marketing side of the industry.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Writing, simply because I’m a procrastinator when it comes to my stories. I work best with a hard deadline because it forces me to get down to it.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I have a couple in the plotting and research stage so I hope to start writing those in 2020!

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

Traditionally published. My debut novel, Love Finds You in Hershey, was published with Summerside Press (now part of Guidepost.) My six subsequent novels were published with Harlequin’s Heartwarming line.