Pump Up Chats with Fiction Author Cheryl Bannerman

Cheryl Bannerman Cheryl McNeil Bannerman is CEO of a small virtual training company based out of Central New Jersey. She works out of her home office and creates classroom training materials, e-Learning modules, job aides and much more for corporate employees and their clients. She holds a Bachelors in Business Management and a Masters in Project Management. She is also the (divorced) single mother of a beautiful eleven year old girl.

In her spare time she loves to read murder mysteries, watch movies, try new restaurants and cuisines, shop with her daughter, and in the summer, walk the boardwalk and take in the sun on the beach. Although her works are fiction, she has incorporated many of her life’s experiences into her stories.

Her latest book is Black Child to Black Woman.

You can find Cheryl at www.bannermanbooks.com

Visit her tour page at Pump Up Your Book, http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2010/10/02/black-child-to-black-woman-virtual-book-tour-october-10/

Black Child to Black Woman

Thank you for this interview, Cheryl.  Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later?  Do you remember your first published piece?

Yes I used to write poems, song lyrics and short stories as a child. It was just like reading for me, an escape to another place besides my current life. And this is my first published piece.

Black Child to Black Woman What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

The most frustrating is the process of publishing through a self-publishing company that has no interest in the passion you have about your book, but rather just an assembly line guide to push you through the phases. They could not see my vision when designing the cover or any of the other phases. It was just a picture to them. But the most rewarding was when I received my first print in my hands and shared the news with my parents. No one had any idea I was even writing a book. They were so elated and so proud of me. What a wonderful time.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life?  Do you have support?

I am single and have one child from a past marriage. I also run my own e-Learning company and write at the same time. It’s hectic but I manage to schedule down-time on my Calendar for relaxing and writing. I never had support because I live too far from family, but I always find a way.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?  Where do you like to vacation?  Can you tell us briefly about this?

I love shopping. Mostly online catalogs but other times with my daughter in the malls. I love going to movies, reading murder mysteries, cooking or bbq’ing, and playing games (video, computer, Wii)  I love to vacation at the beach, mostly Ocean City, Maryland. So beautiful and clean. From the seafood to the amusement parks and miles of boardwalk, I just find it so relaxing. While I lay on the beach with a good book, my daughter sits next to me building sand castles.

If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?

I would love to be in Paris standing in front of the Eiffel Tower with a pen, pencil, notebook and sketch pad.  I could just imagine the inspiration from a place as beautiful as that. Plus it’s the city of romance or love, right? What better inspiration than that!

Who is your biggest fan?

Actually two, my Dad and my daughter. Everywhere we go they are telling everyone about my book and how great it is. They are more excited than me sometimes! I’m so shy with talking about it just yet. And my Dad has been my biggest fan since birth! Every time I graduated from somewhere and earned a degree or some type of honor, he was right there cheering me on. He carries my business cards and pictures in his wallet everywhere. I love him so much.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

By the front window watching people go about their lives.

Do you have any pets?

No, allergies.

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

I’m halfway through my second work of fiction already.

What’s on your to do list today?

Work, Work, and more Work. Business is Booming!

Now I’ve got a couple of fun questions for you.  If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of your book, how would that help him find a way off the island?

By giving him the inspiration to not give up and keep trying, since my book is a story of survival.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara Dioguardi and the newest addition, Ellen DeGeneres, to determine whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay where you’d make millions of dollars.  What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your author photo – and why?

An excerpt would impress them more because the book is written in the language of Tara Walker, as a young girl through to adulthood, with slang and all.

You just got word that your book has received the 2010 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony to give an acceptance speech.  Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom.  What would you say and who would you thank?

I would thank everyone who has supported me in life, I would talk about the joy of writing and the ability to cleanse and heal through writing, and how happy I am to do something I love so much every day. I would promise to continue writing and satisfying my fans everywhere. I would then specifically thank my parents for a wonderful upbringing and life, their unconditional love, and continued support. My daughter for her unconditional love and support as well. The love of my life who I have loved the minute I laid eyes on him years ago. And my Aunt Ruth for helping me see what I could not, for instilling morals and values in me as a child and adult, and for reinforcing my religious beliefs.

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in October via a virtual book tour.  Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

Managing my company keeps me quite busy and I am raising my daughter on my own, so conducting an online tour seemed like the best way to “make it happen” while still allowing me to go on with my busy life.

Thank you for this interview, Cheryl. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

I want to thank you so much. Although a bit shy, I am so pleased with the feedback so far. Readers telling me it was exciting and that they could not put down and finished in days. I hope to have my second book completed by the beginning of next year.


One Response to “Pump Up Chats with Fiction Author Cheryl Bannerman”

  1. Fantastic blog! I really love how it is easy on my eyes as well as the information are well written. I am wondering how I can be notified whenever a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your rss feed which need to do the trick! Have a nice day!

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