Tag: Selah Award

Can you share a little about your recent book?

Raising Kids for Tomorrow’s World: 12 Keys to Preserving the Faith, co-authored with my husband, Stan Schuermann, released in 2022. Our twenty-four-year ministry with parents and young families led us to this project. Key topics are drawn from the apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, a unique section of Scripture that leads parents to discover essentials for building a culture of faith in the home.

In I Thessalonians 2:1-14, Paul shares with readers how he pastored and parented his spiritual children. Imagine Paul sitting in your living room. What would you ask him? With tender words, he answers questions about parenting we would love to ask.

Works of both historic and contemporary authors, pastors, and theologians are woven throughout thirty-six short chapters. Every chapter includes questions for reflection and discussion as well as ideas for application. Perfect for individual daily reading and small group discussions.

Why do you write?

Whether the work is a devotional book for adults or a children’s book about a girl who wants to be a journalist, I write in order to inform, encourage, and inspire.

Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?

All of my books are very different from one another but all flow from my desire to encourage readers.

How long have you been writing?

A very long time! As a young teen I wrote poetry, though none was worth a mention. I envisioned myself as a writer one day, but it would be decades before I began writing in earnest.

And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract?

I signed my first book contract in 2007 for When the Water Runs: Growing Up With Alaska, released in 2008. This creative nonfiction work details my mother’s childhood, growing up in northern Alaska in an Eskimo village and mining camp. The contract process went quickly because I chose to go with a hybrid publisher to expedite the process. My mother experienced health issues at the time and I wanted her to voice the audiobook while she was able. This turned out to be a good choice as a few months later, she would not have been able to do it. The audiobook is a treasure for our family and others who have listened to it. I wrote the book in her voice, as if she were sitting in your living room sharing her stories.

After the publisher closed their doors, When the Water Runs was re-published by a small traditional publisher in 2019. My other three books were also traditionally published with small houses.

Which of your books is your favorite?

This is a difficult question because my books are all so different and I write what God puts on my heart at the time. When the Water Runs will always have a unique place since it is my mother’s story.

Raising Kids for Tomorrow’s World is the most recent and the most applicable for today’s families. It is also the first book co-authored with my husband. We loved writing together and have two more projects outlined.

My new “favorite” is my current work in progress, Farmhouse Devotions, recently contracted with Bold Vision Books.  

How long does it take you to write a book?

My books for adult readers took over a year to write, including edits and revisions.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

I am an early riser and most of my writing energy occurs in the morning. I often wake up very early and my brain starts going. That is my cue to get up, make the coffee, do my Bible study, and get busy—even if it’s 3:30 in the morning. (I may be toast by 10:00 a.m. but I will have some writing under my belt.)

What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?

Giving When the Water Runs book talks and signing books with my mother by my side provided me with sweet lasting memories. Not long after, she began her journey with Alzheimer’s disease so I will forever be grateful for those times.

Recognition is one of the best emotional boosts for a writer and I have welcomed several writing awards in the past two years. Most recently, Raising Kids received the Bronze Medal in the Illumination Awards and a second place Selah award for General Nonfiction category. Validation of our work inspires us to keep going.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

In my writing journey, receiving notification that my publisher closed their doors. I experienced this disappointment twice.

How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?

Most writers quickly learn rejection is part of the process and I experienced many. The “best” rejections are those coming with some feedback so I can improve my manuscript. I appreciate editors and agents who take the time.

Where do you get your ideas?

Some ideas fell into my lap such as my mother’s stories about early Alaska. My middle grade novel, A Boy Called Preacher, is inspired by my father’s childhood on a wheat farm in Kansas.

Raising Kids was born out of a ministry to Christian parents and a thorough study of I Thessalonians 2.

My current work-in-progress is Farmhouse Devotions, a sixty-day devotional book inspired by our family farm and the experience of building a 1920s style farmhouse. From the antique church doors to the wildlife to the prairie flowers, the ideas flow easily. I find myself loving the country more and more each day.

Who is your favorite author to read?

I have always been a reader, so I find it difficult to name one favorite. As I craft my first devotional book, I’m drawn to the writings of C.S. Lewis, Elisabeth Elliot, and Charles Spurgeon and could flag nearly every page of Dane Ortlund’s Gentle and Lowly.

What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?

• Engage with a quality critique group early on.
• Know why you write and what motivates you.

What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?

Giving up too soon! (My first book published when I was 56 years old.)

Another one is believing we can do it alone. We have to invest in our writing just as we would any worthy endeavor. Study the craft, join critique groups, attend conferences and learn from those in the publishing world.

Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?

First and foremost, produce unique, stand-out writing. Seek critiques from fellow writers. Take a risk and submit polished work to writing contests. If you are able, attend writing conferences, either in person or virtually.

**Write for the right reasons and don’t give up!

Cheryl Schuermann worked for many years as a literacy consultant and curriculum trainer in schools across the United States. She wrote and conducted dozens of workshops and presented at numerous literacy conferences. For over two decades, Cheryl and her husband Stan have mentored and taught groups of parents in their local church. They have four married sons and thirteen grandchildren, ages 8-20.

Cheryl is the author of four traditionally published books and is an anthology contributor. She is currently writing her fifth book, Farmhouse Devotions. Her memberships include Word Weavers International, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA), CAN/CIPA, and Serious Writer. In addition to writing, Cheryl facilitates a caregiver support group in her community.

You can connect with Cheryl at cherylschuermann.com, on Facebook at cherylschuermannauthor or Cheryl.W. Schuermann, or on Instagram at Cheryl_Schuermann_author