Cheri Quirk: My Journey to Writing Paranormal Cozy Mystery Books

From Classroom Stories to Mystery Books

Embrace the Journey

​​As a fellow book nerd... 

I have always loved books. As a child and teen, I loved books fresh off the shelf...the feel of them in my hands as I shuffled through the pages searching for adventures, books with covers of princes and dragons and ghosts that left me wondering. This journey from then until now has been a long one, but one that I have enjoyed every step of the way.

I have been a reader since I was a small child. My passion for storytelling came about when I received a pillowcase that was covered in a little cartoon village with a house and roads, trees and a lake.  This was my main pillowcase when I was young, and I used it to create stories about the adventures for the characters of the village.  I would drag my finger along the paths of the miniature cartoon town, crafting stories about princes and goblins, knights and damsels in distress until I fell asleep. That began my love of stories and books, and it continued through my teen years, and right up to adulthood.

As an adult, I became a Language Arts teacher who focused primarily on reading, writing and grammar.  As a teacher, I sought to instill a love for reading and writing in my students, especially in the art of creative writing.  One of my favorite assignments I assigned each year was a mystery story where I supplied pictures that students could choose from to create their own three chapter story. Students loved the assignment, and it was one of my favorites to read as they crafted stories that went beyond anything I had ever imagined.

Teaching was my first career choice, and it was a good one, at that. I was lucky to teach in a district that I loved with wonderful students and coworkers, and I enjoyed every minute of of my teaching career.  I believe it was a stepping stone for me as I put a greater dream on hold. 

Fast forward many years later…I have retired from my thirty years of teaching and have embarked on a bigger dream…one that I have had since my childhood days where I told myself stories over my pillowcase.  I have always known I wanted to become an author and write a novel or two...or possibly five or ten?!  I guess it isn't surprising that my first novel is a family mystery story. I love a good family mystery that has stemmed through time, one that has left a person wondering...wondering about ancestors and their legendary ghosts. And this has led me to write Paranormal Cozy Mystery Books.

With over three decades of experience teaching Language Arts, I have cultivated a deep passion for writing.

My journey now leads to the publication of my first book, Mason's Lake, where I explore new avenues as I create stories and characters that resonate with readers. As I embark on this chapter in my l life, I invite you to join me on my literary journey, where I share my love for storytelling and connect with readers like you. 

My Writing Journey & the Creation of Mason's Lake

It took many years for this first novel to find its way onto the page. For three decades, I spent my days as a Language Arts teacher, surrounded by other people’s stories, teaching them how words could shape meaning and memory.  My own writing waited patiently in the margins of busy days and lesson plans, and lived in the quiet spaces left over at the end of long days.  It was not until my children grew up and left home, when the house grew quieter, that I finally found the space to listen to a story that had been waiting for me.  The idea for Mason’s Lake surfaced as time finally slowed enough for my story to rise. And that was done mostly during the summers between school years...when there was time to let the idea breathe and grow.

Once I began writing, the novel unfolded in its own way, shaped by memory, patience, and moments gathered over many years.  It began as a simple idea and slowly deepened as I wrote.  Because family is everything, I knew from the start that I wanted to explore the life of someone who was adopted and looking for the truth of his beginnings - someone searching for family roots that had always been just out of reach.

In the beginning, I never imagined a ghost would become part of the story. But when the idea appeared, it felt right, as if it had been waiting all along.  As the story unfolded, that presence felt inevitable, as if the past itself had stepped forward. The ghost, who knows the main character and quietly guides him, became part of that journey, leading him down a path where history, family, and the past gently reveal themselves.

The heart of the novel remains a search for family, identity, and belonging, but the ghost plays an important role.  It becomes a gentle guide, leading the main character through memories, history, and the quiet realization that understanding where we come from helps us understand who we are and who we were meant to be.​​

Questions About the Book

Do you regret being a teacher for so many years? Do you wish you would have started writing sooner?

Someone asked me if I regret staying on as a teacher for so long when my heart is in writing.  I am so happy to be in this part of my life, able to write full time and publish my book.  However, I would not give up one year of teaching.  Being a teacher was a huge part of my life for thirty years, and I truly loved my career.  The students I have educated during that time were so important to me, and that path I took led to me to where I am today.

Was writing about character of the opposite gender difficult? 

Parts of it were difficult.  However, I grew up with four brothers and mostly male cousins, so it seemed almost natural for the main character to be male.  I guess that is because it was mostly what I know...it is what I grew up with.  Also...part of the plot connects to the fact that he is male...he is a Mason and connected to the lake that takes that name.

Why did you add the ghost?

The idea came to me late one night.  I find that most of my best ideas surface in the middle of the night.  I found that to be true with my lesson plans as a teacher, as well.  When those night visions enter my mind, it is hard for me to go back to sleep until I accept the ideas niggling at my brain!  I am forced to get up and write ideas down before I can go back to sleep.

Ghost stories are also a part of my family history.  My grandfather's brother (my great-uncle) was a medium at Lily Dale for a lot of years. My mother also suspects that her grandmother was one, as well. We have had stories and tales pass down through our family...stories about family members who, like my great-uncle, had abilities that most of us can only imagine. And one thing these stories have to show us is that this ability can run in families for generations. These stories have captured the interest for many of my family members, as well as myself.  One thing to note...the man in the story who can feel ghosts around him represents the people and the tales that I have heard about my ancestors.  It doesn't represent any one person in particular.

Will the paranormal in your story scare your readers?

The ghost in the story is not a scary one.  It has a purpose and it is simply to help guide the main character to find the answers he is seeking.  The ghost knows more than the main character does, and it is simply a guide as he discovers his family roots.

Will you write another book that connects to this one?

I definitely plan to write another book.  I have ideas to connect it to Mason's Lake and the characters found within. In book two...the ghost will teach Jake more about his heritage.

The lake has more secrets to reveal. And Book 2 is already whispering beneath the surface…