My happiest memories of childhood involve lumbering home from the Flamingo branch of the Clark County Public Library with a Jenga-like stack of books. Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary were the first great authors I read. Soon, I began devouring Sweet Valley High, a Young Adult (YA) series set in Southern California, which follows the romantic and dramatic lives of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, two sun-kissed size 6 twins, cut from the original Barbie mold.

Like many teens, I also dabbled in Stephen King, but his mastery of craft and my imagination forced me to “tap out” after Pennywise began lurking beneath my bed, peeking from the closet, waiting between the trees on my street. Nevertheless, King’s book On Writing belongs on every serious writer’s bookshelf, right alongside Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.

My love for writing is one reason I became an English teacher, first as a New York City Teaching Fellow in the South Bronx, and later as a Gifted & Talented educator in a rural district of South Carolina. After the 2020-2021 school year and the COVID-19 pandemic, I chose to prioritize my fiction writing and professional development in other areas. I am now transitioning to a career outside the classroom, while working on my second novel as time permits.

Before and between the times I taught high school English, Advanced Placement (AP) Research and AP Seminar, I earned my living as a writer and editor. Hence, here at Written by Cheri, you will find a collection of past work samples. My current schedule does not allow for regular updates to this site. Please connect with me on LinkedIn, if you would like to discuss a project. Whatever your reason for visiting my website today, I hope you enjoy the journey.

This website was built by Cheri Renee using Squarespace.