Behind the story of Death a Sketch by Cheryl Hollon

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Cheryl Hollon was an engineer who designed and built military flight simulators. She’s worked in countries around the world, including England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. She now combines her love of writing with a passion for oil painting and creating glass art. Death a Sketch is her third Paint and Shine Mystery.

It’s all about the deal

Cheryl said that in her previous career, she was part of the corporate world of global flight training and simulation. “The intrigues, secrets, dealmaking, and conflict make fantastic storytelling. In Death A Sketch, I wanted to illustrate where even an innocent team-building workshop can turn deadly.”

That might sound extreme, but Cheryl said she’s seen it happen firsthand. “At the beginning of a high-profile, publicly funded RAF jet training program, the British Government thought that the contractors and civil servants would benefit from a team-building workshop to help cement relations between the two disparate groups. The exact opposite occurred. After two days of crafts, puzzles, duels, and competitions, the two factions were at each other’s throats. The workshop highlighted differences rather than focusing on commonalities. As is typical for writers—I used that as material.”

Eastern Kentucky—and what comes with it

“The Paint & Shine Mystery Series books originate in eastern Kentucky, where my parents were born, bred, wed, and now rest in the mountain top Adams Family Cemetery. Yes, that’s right. The Adam’s Family! I spent summers at my grandparents’ farmhouse running barefoot through freshly tilled rows of corn, beans, carrots, cabbage, and potatoes. It was an idyllic childhood. However, while drafting this book, my parents passed when they were 92 and 94. They each were blessed with a long, wonderful life full of the richest of adventures and experiences. I poured my heart into this book as a tribute to their memory.”

Cheryl added that the series includes plenty of moonshine activities. “There’s drinking, mixing, and distilling that good ol’ mountain dew. My most enjoyable research to date has been visiting the Lexington Bourbon Trail establishments. I also stop at the local distillery when visiting a new town.”

Final thoughts

“If writing is your dream, I am here to tell you that you don’t have to start when you’re eight. I began writing crime fiction a few years before I retired and got my first publishing contract six months after retirement. Even so, I’m a persistent person. I set reasonable, achievable goals and steadily achieved those under my control. It’s not too late!”

Learn more about Cheryl Hollon at http://cherylhollon.com. Did you like this interview? If so, click here to read more Behind the Story interviews from your favorite authors.