Sheri McGuinn
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I grew up with a manual typewriter and Writer's Market on the dining room table - my mother wanted to be a writer. She never sold anything, but we developed serial bedtime stories together and she was a good first editor. In elementary school I helped write skits and plays – and entertained myself writing grammatically correct 100-word sentences. My tenth summer, I researched captive stories to write a novel like Lois Lenski's. Firsthand accounts and those written by interviewers were much better than anything I could write from research alone.
In my teens, I worked on school newspapers as journalist and editor. As an undergraduate, I accumulated more than twenty credits in writing and literature courses and over thirty in drama and film. In 1981 I wrote and pitched my first novel, then stuffed it in a drawer after two rejection slips. I focused on family for a couple decades. However, I was still using my writing skills for investigative court reports, individualized education plans, and a grant proposal landing $100,000 for my school. In 2004 an old friend hired me to help with a problematic script. I got my first paycheck for writing, an IMDb Credit as creative consultant, and motivation to write for a living. I wrote a novel and did a poor job pitching it. In 2007, I paid dearly for a predatory company’s "professional package" that did not live up to its name. I got the book away from them and have been truly self-publishing since 2012. Meanwhile, I went back for a Master's of Administration with an emphasis in professional writing and editing. While I've had short stories and articles published, sold a screenplay, and receive royalties from that as well as from my books, editing helps pay the bills. |
Peg's Story: Detours
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Women's Fiction, Family Saga Fiction, Mothers & Children Fiction
Readers of Running Away asked for the mother’s story. This is it. A novel that reads like memoir; one woman's journey. Kirkus Reviews “In some ways, the novel is a brutal cautionary tale, showing how one mistake can spiral into a life-changing series of events. In another, however, it is a moving coming-of-age narrative about a girl who discovers herself amid extreme circumstances. A nuanced yet plainly told novel.” 
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Running Away: Maggie's Story
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Women's Fiction, Family Saga Fiction, Mothers & Children Fiction
The plan is in place. By the time they realize her camping trip was bogus, Maggie is in another state, about to run again from new dangers. When Peg realizes her daughter is not coming back, she knows she must find her quickly or they may never see each other again. Peg's missing journal from when she ran away as a teen is the only clue to Maggie's whereabouts. Originally published as Running Away, this novel won an Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest 2008 International Self-Published Book Awards. Judge Commentary: “I could not put this book down.” The movie Running Away has been shown in Europe and on Lifetime.
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Running Away: School Edition
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YA Thriller, family relationships
The original version of Running Away with ** for objectionable language. By the time her mother realizes she’s not coming home, Maggie is in a new life in another state, and she’s already running from new dangers. When Peg discovers her daughter’s reason for leaving, she knows she has to find Maggie – fast – or they may never see each other again. Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards - Judge’s Commentary “I could not put this book down. Ms. McGuinn’s telling of the story from the daughter and the mother’s point of view was wonderful. The story of the mother and daughter getting to know each other through each of their writings was a nice touch.” Victoria Lucas, producer. “A powerful story with some compelling characters.” 
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All for One - Love, War, & Ghosts
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Thriller, mature romance, coming-of-age
All for One – Love, War, & Ghosts - a tale of friendship, love, and youthful decisions that drive friends apart for decades. When the ghosts of Vietnam shove their way into the present, fear, uncertainty, and death follow. • Selected for the The Strand Magazine's Reading Guide. Andrew Gulli, managing editor: "I truly loved it. It’s thoughtful, layered, and emotionally intelligent in a way that really stays with you. The tension works beautifully alongside the deeper themes – it’s exactly the kind of novel our readers respond to.” • Publisher's Weekly reviewer for the BookLife Prize: "Written in a plainspoken, accessible tone, All For One is an easy read. The temporal shifts between the decades are smooth, thanks to a steady voice, providing continuity across the years and serving as a reminder of how a person’s past will bleed into the present. While her writing makes sparse use of metaphor or lyrical imagery, McGuinn’s words carry emotional resonance in the small details that serve to highlight the trauma of war, loss, and love without overstating these feelings." • Now available in paperback, digital, and audio formats. 
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Tough Times
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Coming of Age Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
“Tough times make you stronger, Michael, as long as you don't lie around feeling sorry for yourself.” That's what his beloved step-father Swede said. Tough times are all they've had since Swede died. Now, while Michael stops to flirt with Shenia, his little sister finds their mother dead with an empty pill bottle by her hand. "Stay together" says the note she left, and the only way Michael can see that happening is if the grandparents they’ve never met take them in. Michael doubts he'll be welcomed, but hopes his half-siblings will be accepted because they’re “cute little white kids.” Figuring their chances are best if they show up in person, Shenia and Michael start to cross the country with the kids. They don't realize they're being stalked. Amazon Expert Reviewer: “The writing is good…the plot is gripping” Publisher’s Weekly: “…issues of race and identity are nicely handled”
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Alice
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Family Life Fiction, Humor
Thirteen-year-old Nina narrates the story of her mother Alice, who has always been responsible, proper, and totally uptight. It's always been just the two of them. Until now. Alice is stressed when they cut her teaching position, but that’s nothing compared to the shock of her hippie father dropping into their lives. Alice left home at sixteen and never looked back. Now Nina has a chance to know her grandfather, and sides of her mother that have been hidden for years, including the piece that turns Alice into the Rosa Parks of the Taxpayers Civil Rights Movement. Judge, 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards: “Overall, one of the most interesting and useful novels I’ve seen.” Amazon Reviewer: “I …found myself laughing, crying and getting totally sucked into the story. Yet…the ethical storyline is still sticking with me”
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