Author Interview – Sherry Ann Miller (part one) In the Beginning

I.
Why?

My greatest critic was my father, who often edited my writing. I remember a disagreement we had about “arrows darting” which he felt was an animation of how an arrow behaves. He didn’t like it while I felt the phrase was picturesque. But most of the time, Pop was my greatest fan. He always encouraged me, even when he disagreed with my style, and wanted me to become a published author. Unfortunately, he died in 1997 and wasn’t here in the flesh to enjoy my success story, which didn’t begin until 2000. Sometimes, I suspect that Pop had a hand in my first novel being published . . . and I visualize him across the veil, leading me onward and making sure my publisher is “moved” by each successive book.

In the late 1970’s, I hired a professional English teacher, who edited my writing and met with me often to help me along the way. I joined the RWA, Salt Lake Chapter, and rubbed shoulders with some great authors through that organization. A special woman named Bethany Chaffin (an English professor . . . now deceased) taught writing classes at her home, and she became a valuable asset in my arsenal of writing skills.

Sometime prior to 1984, I became discouraged with my writing, and decided I would never become a published author, no matter how hard I tried. I had accumulated enough rejection slips to paper my entire den with them . . . and down the hall, and into the living room. So, I gave up writing. My hubby and my dad were so disappointed with me. But, why bother? I asked myself. If all my writing generates is disappointment, why put myself through all that discouragement over and over again?

In 1987, my mama passed away. Later that year, I had a dream: I entered a hospital room, and there was my mama, lying on the bed, tears flowing down her cheeks. I ran to her and hugged her, mingling my tears with hers. Finally, I said, “Mama, what are you doing here? You died last January, remember?”

She gave me a beautiful smile and answered, “I came to tell you something very important.”

“What is it?” I asked.

To that question, she answered, “Your empire can be found through your writing.”

I was so shocked by her statement that I awakened, found my face drenched with tears, and I said aloud, “But, I can’t write. Everything I’ve ever written has been rejected.”

Although I never forgot the dream, nor its implications, I didn’t write fiction anymore. I began, in earnest, to research and write family histories. In 1995, I self-published my first major family history, The David and Martha (Haws) Timothy History, which I sold to many of my Timothy and Clark cousins. It was a great success story, and my father told me he had heard from many of Mama’s cousins, who loved the work I’d done. He also said he was proud of me for taking on the task and completing it so admirably, and that was all the praise I needed.

Mama was well-acquainted with Elder Russell M. Nelson, who was called to the apostleship when she was still on her mission back East with Pop. Elder Nelson had operated on her heart four times, and we became acquainted through those frightening procedures. When Mama passed away after her fifth open-heart surgery and a following infection in her chest, I wrote to Elder Nelson to thank him for preserving her life so she could serve that mission. He wrote back that he admired Mama and her courageous efforts to remain with her family, and asked me to keep in touch with him regarding her family and their progress in the Gospel, which I faithfully did, and to which he always responded.

Then, in 1997, after Pop died, I wrote Elder Nelson a long letter, detailing Pop’s final hours, and the changes in our families since his passing. Elder Nelson wrote a letter of condolence and encouragement, and then he complimented me with this observation, “You are an excellent writer.”

Elder Nelson’s words spun me around. A prophet of the Lord thought I was an excellent writer, it did not matter what anyone else thought. I decided that if a prophet of the Lord considered me an excellent writer, I had better get back to writing. It was then that I began writing my break-out novel, “One Last Gift.”