Cherry Northcutt is…On the Writing Block!

Sherry Ickes
Sep 9
4 min read

Since October will soon be in the air, with all its usual spooks and scares, our next author has a witchy series perfectly themed for the season. But first, let’s find out a little more about Cherry…

I discovered the magic of books at an early age and blame my local library for fueling my Nancy Drew obsession. It only made sense that I would write mysteries. I have two cozy mystery series on Amazon with lots of humor and fun.

My Grace Texas Murder Mysteries feature a cast of quirky characters in an ideal small town. The main character is a young amateur sleuth, Jessica Hart. She's trying to revive her career in journalism, but people just keep getting murdered.

My second series, the Green Witch Village Mysteries, follows the adventures of Jade Green, a teenage witch on her gap year. She comes from a big, magical, family. Her dream is to take a trip through Europe but, money is tight. To save up for her travels, she sells magic potions at the Farmers Market. When someone gets killed, Jade is on the case. She and her friends use their wits and a little magic to solve the mystery.

When I'm not writing or reading, you can find me strolling through East Texas antique shops, baking with my daughters, or catering to the whims of our very opinionated cat.

How much is based on real life versus made up?

In my Green Witch series, the stories are made up but the people are all recognizable, relatable characters based on people I have known. In the Green Witch Village Mysteries, Jade is a teenage witch on her gap year. She comes from a large family of witches so, if you grew up with brothers or sisters, or both, you’ll recognize the family dynamic.

I base my characters’ behavior and reactions on my friends and family and some people who weren’t so nice. Anytime you’re in the company of a writer, watch what you say. They may be taking notes.

Are there any animals in your book?

Jade has a pet toad that helps, and sometimes hinders, her potion making and spells. This often has hilarious results. Jade’s not above trying out her new potions on the toad, after all, a witch has to do some kind of quality control.

Jade’s big sister has a gray cat, named Smoke, who likes to keep her distance from the toad. Her favorite activities are napping, eating, and hiding from the vacuum cleaner. Pretty much, she’s a typical cat.

How much research do you conduct for your storylines?

Way too much research, most of which I never use. I often look up baby names that were popular around the time a character would have been born or look for significant historical figures to name my characters after. Then, I’ll google the name of the character to make sure it isn’t already used or isn’t someone famous today. I’ll do that for fictional places and businesses as well. I research elements in the story and then go down a rabbit hole and find myself watching videos about how to forge swords or how printing presses work. I have no idea what authors did before the internet.

Any advice for other authors?

Get up two hours early and write every day. It’s hard but it’s the best thing you can do for your productivity. I used to write on my lunch breaks at work and on weekends, but the best thing is to schedule writing time and stick to it.

Also, if you’re just starting out, take all advice with a shaker of salt, not a grain of salt, the whole shaker. Write what you like, how you like. Learn by trial and error. Yes, get advice from other authors but everyone is different so find out what works for you.

What is Green Witch Mean Time about?

It was a nice day for a magic show, until the magician was found stabbed in the heart! What's a teenage witch to do? Jade Green is taking a gap year, selling potions at the farmers market, and saving for a trip to Europe. Things take a turn for the worse when she finds the traveling magician lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Can Jade find the killer before she becomes the next victim? If you like mixing magic, mystery, and fun with a pinch of romance, then this is the story for you.