Chess, long walks on beaches, surfing, dowsing, sudoku (easy ones), jigsaw puzzles (hard ones), animal-watching, man-watching, politics, science, ... not necessarily in that order.
Since I started writing seriously, I don't have a lot of time for hobbies and interests.
Music
I used to think that if I shared a taste in music, I'd like another person, but it hasn't always worked out like that. My husband likes Christmas carols, trucker music (what's that!!!) perhaps the proper term is Country and Western. I like the Doors, the Cream, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Billy Idol, some Zombies, Bob Seger, Blondie, Eric Clapton, Ah Ha...
Movies
Lord of the Rings, The Hunt for Red October, most of the movies Harrison Ford chose to do, ditto most of Clint Eastwood's movies, and Sean Connery's, also most of Anthony Hopkins's. Some actors seem to have an unerring instinct for chosing a great script and director. Bill Paxton seems to make good choices, too.
Television
Discovery Channel, Science Channel, National Geographic, Animal Planet (the serious and semi-serious stuff, especially The Most Extreme... but Meerkat Manor is boring), CNBC, Turner Classic Movies, Mythbusters, Mega Machines, The Cosmos, Blue Planet.
Books
Anything by Agatha Christie, John Grisham, Georgette Heyer, Jo Beverley, Linnea Sinclair, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, Isaac Asimov, Mary Jo Putney, Desmond Morris, JRR Tolkein, JK Rowlings... so far.
Heroes
Aragorn, Legolas, Dirty Harry, Thomas Crown, Bond....
Tarrant-Arragon, Djetth, Djohn-Kronos, Rhett
Unless we are talking about my personal heroes. In which case, they know who they are.
When I wrote Knight's Fork, I intended to have 'Rhett build a space shuttle in the same manner that my dh was building this custom rod. However, my editor didn't think it would fly....
I am so proud of my dh!
Rowena Cherry's Details
Status:
Married
Here for:
Networking
Zodiac Sign:
Gemini
Children:
Proud parent
Education:
Post grad
Occupation:
author of speculative ADULT romance.
Rowena Cherry's Schools
University of Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Graduated: 1976
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: English/Education
Minor: Art
1969 to 1976
Rowena Cherry is in your extended network view more
Insufficient Mating Material takes up where Forced Mate ended, with Djetthro-Jason (Jethro-Jason) severely beaten, about to undergo surgery to change his face and identity. There is a certain "tell-tale" tattoo on his person that would betray his identity... but he has no plans to flash it at his enemies.
He is faced with the unenviable choice of marrying the airhead, mischief-making fashionista Princess Martia-Djulia (Marsha-Julia) with whom he had a long, one-night stand or of dying a traitor's death if he refuses.
No one gives a thought to what Martia-Djulia might do when she sees
a limping stranger being frog-marched up the aisle to marry her when she was expecting her unsuitable, erstwhile lover, Commander Jason.
Her surprising reaction sets off a firestorm of rumor, scandal... and
rattles a murderer who thought he'd gotten away with an ancient crime.
Don't miss the multi-author ALIEN ROMANCE Blog with today's top award-winning and notable SF and SFR authors Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Linnea Sinclair, Susan Sizemore, Cindy Holby, Margaret Carter, Susan Kearney and me!
As for me: I love to research, and to write. And chatting with long distance friends is one of my greatest inspirations.
For instance, take my debut novel FORCED MATE (it is a chess term... all my titles are chess titles... and it seemed a perfect play on words for a cosmic love-triangle/alien abduction romance) .
At the conclusion of FORCED MATE, the guy who lost the girl is left with a smashed jaw and a broken thigh, and my editor wanted a sequel. I started some exploratory chatting about broken jaws.
"Oh, a broken jaw is terrible. You cannot possibly have a hero with a broken JAW," my helpful correspondents told me.
They went on to share all the romantic things that a guy with a broken jaw can NOT do, and all the unromantic, unattractive, and painful things he'd have to endure.
Fabulous! I love a literary challenge. They gave me a lot I could use, and the military guy who broke his jaw twice (!!!!) really gave my hero something valid to worry about, and a reason to be nervous of the heroine.
Anyway, the broken jaw was set in stone... to mix metaphors.
Next, my friends on the FFandP loop discussed wild issues such as body odor on a deserted island, and what to do about it. Also, various ways of depiliation (shaving). My own research on a beach with a broken shell told me that a so-called "razor" shell simply does not work.
Yes!
I take great pride in my research, and will go as far as is legal and safe to make sure I get my fact right.
Sharp shells will take off your skin, but they won't do much for your armpit or leg hair. Now, obsessive daily rubbing with a pumice-like stone will discourage hair regrowth, but all in all, it's better to genetically modify your alien heroines so they don't have underarm hair.
The book that came of it --and other irresistable challenges, such as:
"Oh, you CANNOT write a romance set on a deserted island. After two chapters, it will be soooo boring!"
-- is INSUFFICIENT MATING MATERIAL, and it hits bookstores on January 30th 2007.
Now, I'm working on the next chess titled romance. The working title is Knight's Fork, and it is about a futuristic, alien swordsman.
Click on any picture below to see its caption. Enjoy!
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY ABOUT THE LIFE AND LOVES OF THE DJINN
Insufficient Mating Material
"What a fantastic read! A book full of possibilities, humor, intrigue and action. I loved it! I always knew survival had many erotic and exciting possibilities. Rowena Cherry proved it with INSUFFICIENT MATING MATERIAL!”
~ Les Stroud AKA “SURVIVORMAN”
“Spunky” isn’t often used to describe older heroines, but everything good about the word is perfect for Martia-Djulia, who acts as a wonderful foil to Djetth’s unconventional courtship in this sequel to Forced Mate (2004). Cherry’s decidedly British and sometimes brash sense of humor won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Yet there’s an allure...~ Nina C Davis, Booklist reviews.
This is a terrific science fiction romance in which the world building is so stupendous readers will believe they are visiting an alien landscape with different societal values and norms. The action-packed story line focuses on two manipulated individuals with pasts that make both vulnerable .... With her Tigran Empire tales, Rowena Cherry is staking a claim as the Empress of heated science fiction romantic thriller.
~Harriet Klausner, Alternate Worlds
Pure perfection with some terrifically funny dialogues between the pampered princess and one sexually frustrated Prince Djetthro
~Marilyn Rondeau – Reviewers International Organization (RIO)
Bravo, Rowena Cherry, by far you are the Queen of Futuristic Romance! From the riveting first chapter, you had me glued to my seat. Your writing style invokes the deepest form of highflying action. Once again your have provided the best there is to be offered in Futuristic Romance. Very highly recommended.
~ Suzie Housley, MyShelf.com
Insufficient Mating Material is Rowena Cherry's follow up to Forced Mate (Dorchester Love Spell, November 2004) and her novella Mating Net.
These are chess terms, not her...hmm...preoccupation with the mating rituals of humans--and in this, case godlike beings. She is an intelligent writer that dishes up this sizzling, heady mix with equal servings of originality, humour and hotter-than-hot romance.
One of the hardest parts of writing Off-world/Alternative-world Sci-Fi romances
is the world building.... Quite possibly, Rowena Cherry is one of THE best at creating this special world for her characters.
Judging by the interactive family tree on her website and the rules of her Djinn-universe, which are so
precise and drawn in vivid detail, I would not be surprised to one-day see a Mating Net Video game coming out, along the lines of Dungeons and Dragons. I have a feeling it would be an overnight success!
In movies, very rarely do sequels ever achieve the brilliance, the spontaneity of the original. That is precisely what Cherry does with this wickedly funny,
tongue-through cheek tale. When so many of the big names of Sci-Fi Romance have moved into other genres, Rowena Cherry now stands on the cusp of inheriting the title as queen in this category.
Men, especially, will be drawn to Rowena Cherry's special mix of sex and humour. ~Deborah Anne MacGillivray
We drooled over Prince Djetthro-Jason before and now Rowena Cherry has written his story--one that was definitely worth the wait! In her typical fashion, Ms. Cherry combines sex, action, love, and adventure into one terrific story. Did I say sex? Whoowee!
Princess Martia-Djulia is overlooked, underrated, but not underfed. Commander Jason has captured her heart and she refuses to give in to Emperor Tarrant-Arragon's demand that she marry Prince Djetthro-Jason. Meantime, Djetth, having had wild and crazy sex with her as Jason, is quite amenable to at least the bedsport part of the deal. Her curves drive him absolutely mad with desire. But he has to be patient--not his long suit.
Patience isn't the princess's brother's long suit, either. When Djetth doesn't make progress convincing the princess to mate with him, the emperor decides to shoot the two wayward lovers down on a deserted island. The couple has to resort to surviving on their wits--which is hard since they're both at their wits' end.
Insufficient Mating Material is a sexy, funny adventure story, and informative, too. I had a great time reading this book. Ms. Cherry has written a great follow-up to Forced Mate and Mating Net that won't disappoint either her fans or her new readers. IMM is a stand-alone book. You don't have to read the previous book and novella to have a great reading experience. But I'll bet you'll want to read her other books once you've read this one.
What is it like, exactly, when two gods go head to head?
Stellar wit, wonderful characters and amazing research into basic and not so basic survival techniques make for a very real and relatable environment for the prince and princess. This was without a doubt one of my favorite reads of 2006! ~ Kenda Montgomery
Utterly enthralling
A year ago Tarrant-Arragon wouldn’t believe he was going to set his sister up… I loved this book, and I know Insufficient Mating Material is a book you will not want to miss either.~ Rose, Romanceatheart.com
A Sizzling Passion
INSUFFICIENT MATING MATERIAL is a powerful romance laced with devastating family secrets, treachery and a sizzling passion hot enough to singe your fingers as you turn the pages … Rowena Cherry has become an auto-buy author for me. ~ Billie Jo, Romance Junkies
"Another hot and captivating episode of the rut-rageous Djinns"
With intriguing twists and turns, action encounters, entertaining dialog mixed with sexual innuendo and hot romance, this is a book that you won't put down until the end. ~Cy Korte of Ebookisle
MATING NET
The god-Emperor Djohn-Kronos, determines that he needs to mate again immediately and settles on a full-blooded Djinn princess, Helispeta. The only unfortunate thing is that Helispeta is engaged to and in love with Djohn-Kronos's twin brother...
I really like Rowena Cherry's writing; it is literate and fast moving, with active imagery, and it challenges the reader. This story is a pre-quel of sorts, taking place seventy years before the action in Cherry's novel Forced Mate.
~Jean, Fallen Angel Reviews (courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews)
EXCERPT
What ‘truth’ were you talking about? You meant more than just whether or not we could be sexually compatible, didn’t you?
The small sun had almost risen high enough to glitter between the topmost branches of the tallest trees on the other side of the island. High on their beach, shadows were long and an indeterminate color between green and purple. Even lower down the beach, the rain-pocked sand was cool under their toes. It was a lovely morning.
“About the truth,” Martia-Djulia began hesitantly.
Djetth stooped without breaking his stride to pick up the first twig of his collection. Whatever she was trying to say, he wasn’t going to give her any help.
“You said, ‘We can’t face the truth until we know what the truth is.’”
“Did I say that?” He hated to sound like Tarrant-Arragon, but he could hardly explain. He shouldn’t have said something so cryptic in the first place.
“What ‘truth’ were you talking about? You meant more than just whether or not we could be sexually compatible, didn’t you?”
Djetth glanced at her in surprise, but was saved the necessity of lying. They’d come to the driftwood. Sea and sun had bleached it bone-white, sea creatures had bored perfectly circular, peppercorn-sized holes in it.
“Stand back. Be ready to run for the water,” Djetth warned, and gave it an experimental kick. Dust erupted out of it, but no tiny, angry An’Koori bees.
“Riddled. It’ll burn too quickly. We’ll need more,” he said. “Let’s walk on. We’ll pick it up on the way back.”
Bees. Honey! Djetth checked out Martia-Djulia’s rear elevation as she forgot what she was wearing and bent from the waist, like a ballerina, to pick up a stick.
He’d have to keep an eye out for bees. He knew of a very good use for honey.
My website won the Preditors and Editors award "Author's Site of Excellence.
Who I'd like to meet: If we are talking "if I could travel back in time" type meeting with historical figures, I'd like to meet Queen Elizabeth the First who (and my memory may not serve me well here) took a bath once a year, whether she needed it or not!
Here on MySpace, I'd love to meet booklovers... readers, other authors, cover models, experts in all sorts of fields (because I really do try to research, and I pride myself on my worldbuilding).
So, scientists, swordsmen, pilots, fitness experts, adventurers, explorers, botanists, chess players, psychics, astronomers and astrologers, coroners, pathologists (occasionally people die, even in romance novels), doctors, survivalists, trackers, gladiators, politicians and patricians, Cambridge alumni (I went to Cambridge, miss it dreadfully, write scenes set there)...
And lawyers!!! The law fascinates me... different countries' laws, strange laws like that Florida law about elephants tied to parking meters, the careful way they have of seeming so polite while saying the most dreadful things about other people. Grinning!
Other people who can't decide if they are INTJs or INTPs
INTJ - "Mastermind". Introverted intellectual with a preference for finding certainty. A builder of systems and the applier of theoretical models. 2.1% of total population.
As fall arrives, I just wanted to leave you a note, wishing you a great halloween season! It's time to decorate, so get out the pumpkins, the spider webs and the skeletons!
It's National Humor Month on LASR and today, I see, Rowena Cherry's question is in the spotlight. The prize of the day is a real (small) box of Godiva chocolates.
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