Interview with Sherri Leimkuhler, Author of What’s Left Untold

Sherri Leimkuhler has written professionally for more than twenty years and her health-and-fitness column, “For the Fun of Fit,” appears bi-weekly in the Carroll County Times. A competitive triathlete and two-time Ironman finisher, Sherri also enjoys reading, hiking, paddleboarding, trail running, traveling, and wine tasting. Her debut novel WHAT’S LEFT UNTOLD, came out in May.

We are delighted to find out more about Sherri in this interview!

Tell us about your beginning, where are you from?

I was born and raised in Maryland. I left the state for six years to attend college in Ohio, followed by an internship in Kentucky, but otherwise I have always lived in Maryland, and I’m a true Marylander in the sense that I was eating steamed blue crabs by the time I was two years old!
Maryland is a beautiful state with a little bit of everything: mountains, rivers, the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay; all four seasons; cities, suburbs, farmland, trails and parks; good schools . . . it’s a nice place to live and raise a family.

How did your childhood impact the writer you’ve become?

I had a happy childhood, full of unconditional love and support. I was raised to believe that through education and hard work, I could accomplish anything. My mother also read to me a lot when I was young, which gave me a great foundation for language and fostered my love for books and reading, all of which has played a role in shaping who I’ve become as a writer.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

Honestly, not until after college. I’d always enjoyed writing and creating stories, and teachers often praised my work, but I considered writing to be a hobby, not a career path. In college, I majored in aviation and journalism, with public relations intended as a back-up plan to becoming a pilot. But after my first daughter was born, I began working as a freelance writer, tapping into my journalism education and taking on an ever-increasing number of assignments as a columnist, grant writer and a sports editor. Eventually, I began to envision becoming a published author and, in 2009, I started drafting my first novel.

How has writing changed you as a person?

Writing has challenged me to become more patient, to accept the subjective nature of the publishing industry, and to understand that it is impossible to please everyone.

When I worked in sales, being good at my job always came down to numbers; the results could not be disputed. This is not the case in the publishing world where what one reader, publisher or agent loves about a book, others may strongly dislike.

Also, in previous jobs, I was often working in support of someone else’s success and striving to meet the expectations of my boss, my colleagues and my clients. As a writer, I’m working toward my own success and striving to live up to my own expectations. My goal is to write the stories I want to write while continuing to learn and improve my craft, with the knowledge and acceptance that not everyone will like or appreciate what I do or what I write.

Can you tell us a bit about WHAT’S LEFT UNTOLD? What inspired you to write it?

What’s Left Untold tells the story of a woman who reunites with her estranged best friend and uncovers a devastating secret that threatens to destroy the life she’s built with her husband and daughters.

The tagline is “Every secret has its price,” and the book explores themes of secrets, betrayal, loss, friendship, love and forgiveness. There are lost of twists and turns and unexpected surprises, as well as a shocking, controversial ending that’s sure to make for lively book club discussions. Ultimately, What’s Left Untold has readers saying, “I didn’t see that coming,” and asking themselves, “What would I do?”

I am inspired by fast-paced books that keep me turning the pages and take me by surprise, and I wanted to write the kind of book I enjoy reading. Though What’s Left Untold is entirely a work of fiction and a wild ride through my imagination, the inspiration for the story is based on a real event: my parents were getting ready to move and I was helping them pack boxes and clean out closets when I came across a trunk filled with childhood memorabilia: photo albums, yearbooks, a box of letters; even a pair of leg warmers!

One of the letters caught my attention because it contained a mysterious, somewhat ominous postscript that read: “I need to see you; I have something important to tell you.” I don’t know if I ever found out what the “important” thing was, but when I found the letter, I figured it was probably typical high school drama, nothing important. But, later, I began to wonder: what if it was important? Which led to the next question, which ultimately became the premise for the book: What is something you could learn decades after the fact that could still have a major impact on your life?

What would be your 6 word memoir?
She did her best each day.

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever had, and the worst?

The best: never give up.

The worst: adhere to the tropes and expectations of your genre.

What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I’m a shameless pantser. My process is best described as unpredictable and free form. A story takes shape in my head, and I write it, often not knowing where the story will lead or how it will end. It’s a process reminiscent of the Family Circus comic where the boy takes the most meandering, wandering path to reach his final destination, often exploring little side paths along the way. The result is often a first draft that is overwritten and ventures off course. And while I find the process enjoyable–meditative and therapeutic, even–it’s not the most efficient way to write. One of my goals is to become a better plotter and then find a happy medium between the two.

Do you need a special place to write?

No. I simply need to be somewhere comfortable and relatively quiet, preferably with an inspiring view and a jumbo mug of coffee.

Are you part of a writing community or a writing group?

Yes! And I find it so fulfilling, necessary and imperative. I’ve been a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) since 2015, which is the same year What’s Left Untold was chosen as a finalist in the WFWA’s Rising Star contest for unpublished writers; a pivotal moment along my path to publication. Through WFWA I’ve learned a lot about the craft and business of writing and have connected with many fellow authors.

I’m also part of the 2020 Debut Authors group which has been a sanity-saver to have others to go through this crazy publishing process with. The group is so supportive; we commiserate and celebrate together, learning and collaborating as we go. This has been especially essential as many of us have ended up launching our debut novels during a global pandemic, something none of us could have imagined or anticipated.

Finally, I’m part of a local writing group that, pre-pandemic, met weekly at the library to write and critique each other’s work. Committing to this group not only helped me connect with local writers but also added some much-needed structure to my routine.

What is your experience with social media as a writer? Do you find it distracts you or does it provide inspiration?

For me, social media is a necessary evil. It doesn’t come naturally and it’s required a huge learning curve. It’s not something I was particularly engaged in or a fan of before becoming an author, but it was a skill set I was required to learn and embrace to be successful. And I still have a lot to learn. But I definitely find it distracting and overwhelming, though I will admit it has been an unexpected gift during the quarantine and social distancing.

Who are your favorite authors?

Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Weiner, Kristin Hannah, Lisa Wingate, JoJo Moyes, Liane Moriarty, Sarah Pekkanen, Diana Gabaldon, Philippa Gregory, Kate Quinn & Stephen King.

What are you reading currently?

I still prefer to hold a book in my hands rather than read on a screen. That said, borrowing an e-reader has been the best way to gain access to all the amazing books being released by my fellow debut authors! So while I used to read only one book at a time, I find I’m now reading an e-book at night, and a print book during the day.

Next up on my Kindle is The Disharmony of Silence by Linda Rosen; More,Than by Diane Barnes; Stranger in the Storm by Patricia McAlexander, No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez, and The All-Night Sun by Diane Zinna.

In print, I’m reading One Hundred Dogs and Counting by Cara Achterberg. I also just purchased East Coast Girls by Kerry Kletter from A Likely Story, my local bookseller, and picked up from the library This Won’t End Well by Camille Pagan and A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult.

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Sherri Leimkuhler has written professionally for more than twenty years and her health-and-fitness column, “For the Fun of Fit,” appears bi-weekly in the Carroll County Times.

A competitive triathlete and two-time Ironman finisher, Sherri also enjoys reading, hiking, paddleboarding, trail running, traveling, and wine tasting.

Sherri lives in Maryland with her husband, three daughters, and two Labrador retrievers.

https://twitter.com/SherriLeimkuhl1

http://www.sherrileimkuhler.com/

WHAT’S LEFT UNTOLD

Every secret has its price.

Anna Clark and Lia Clay were unlikely best friends in high school, but their yin-and-yang personalities drew them together in a sister-like bond. Then during college, Lia inexplicably walked out on their friendship and disappeared, leaving Anna hurt, confused, and disillusioned.

Twenty years later, Anna discovers a letter Lia wrote the summer after high school—a letter that contains a cryptic postscript concealing a devastating truth. With her twenty-year high school reunion approaching, Anna moves closer to uncovering the secret in Lia’s letter and the heartbreaking consequences it set in motion.

As the layers of deceit and betrayal begin to unravel, Anna is forced to question everything she believes and come to terms with what it means to forgive the one person who hurt her in the worst way imaginable.

“What truths are best left untold and who gets to decide? Leimkuhler is a marvel in this shocking debut about friends and the secrets that bind them. I read the last 10% with my jaw on the floor!” — Jennifer Klepper, USA Today bestselling author of Unbroken Threads.

“Sherri Leimkuhler’s What’s Left Untold is a grand, sweeping saga about the evolution of family and friendship–how best friends can break our hearts, make us angry, crazy, and sad, and carry us through good times and bad. Leimkuhler’s plot twists and turns will keep readers glued to the page!” — Sarahlyn Bruck, author of Designer You

BUY THE BOOK HERE 

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Interviews, On Writing