shwangltd's Writing Room

About Me

I was born and raised on a ranch in northeastern Oklahoma. I grew up mostly alone, as my only sister was 6 years older than I, so I had lots of time to develop my imagination. I started writing at age 10. I kept my short stories and poems in a black notebook that a fellow student borrowed when I was in the 8th grade and I didn't see it again until I was a Junior in high school. It had been read by everyone in school without my ever knowing. I come from a family of readers and books have always been a part of my life. In school I was reading the Classics when other students did well to read their text books. This was often pointed out to me by them. They would ask, "how can you read that stuff?" I loved to read and worked in our high school library. I spent hours at the public library while waiting after school for my mother to get off of work. I have continued to write all these years, newspaper editorials, newspaper columns, poetry, short stories, and novels. My dream of a published novel finally came true in 2005 with my first book, Without Warning.
August 6, 2015
I now have six books available. Without Warning was followed by its sequel, Look Back To Tomorrow. The third book is Lucifer House, and three ebooks, Twisting Dagger, Once Upon A Weekend, and Dakota's Dragon.

I was born and raised on a ranch in northeastern Oklahoma.  I grew up mostly alone, as my only sister was 6 years older than I, so I had lots of time to develop my imagination.  I started writing at age 10.  I kept my short stories and poems in a black notebook that a fellow student borrowed when I was in the 8th grade and I didn't see it again until I was a Junior in high school.  It had been read by everyone in school without my ever knowing.  I come from a family of readers and books have always been a part of my life.  In school I was reading the Classics when other students did well to read their text books.  This was often pointed out to me by them.  They would ask, "how can you read that stuff?"  I loved to read and worked in our high school library.  I spent hours at the public library while waiting after school for my mother to get off of work.  I have continued to write all these years, newspaper editorials, newspaper columns, poetry, short stories, and novels.  My dream of a published novel finally came true in 2005 with my first book, Without Warning.  
August 6, 2015
I now have six books available.  Without Warning was followed by its sequel, Look Back To Tomorrow.  The third book is Lucifer House, and three ebooks, Twisting Dagger, Once Upon A Weekend, and Dakota's Dragon.

save cancel

Interests and Hobbies

Books and Authors

My favorite authors are Bill Pronzini, the Nameless Detective Series; Earl W. Emerson, the Thomas Black Series; Stuart M. Kaminsky, the Toby Peters Series; Terry Brooks, the Sword of Shannara Series; Raymond Chandler, Philip Marlowe; Mickey Spillane, Mike Hammer; Robert Parker, the Spenser Series; Dick Francis; Sara Paretsky; Sue Grafton; Colin Wilcox; Ngaio Marsh; and Ellis Peters, the Brother Cadfael Series.

save cancel

Movies and Screenwriters

I'm not a big movie goer anymore. I prefer to wait until they come out on DVD. It's far cheaper. Some of my favorite movies, however, are the original Star Wars trilogy; The Lord of the Rings Trilogy; Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy; Zorro, both new and old; Secondhand Lions; Ladyhawke; almost any of Jackie Chan's movies, though there are some I don't like; Uptown Girls; Dragonheart, the first one; Eragon; Ice Age, the first one; and practically any old movie, even the silent ones, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, e.g. I love musicals. Pity they don't make them anymore.

save cancel

Music and Lyricists

My taste in music tends to lean towards "high brow". I like classical music, especially any with unusual or strange musical movements; e.g. Pyre Gent, Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata.
I like anything mysterious or dramatic, as I usually listen to music when I am painting or writing and the music helps me visualize. I like to listen to mood music, like waterfalls, or waves on the ocean, rain, wind, etc. And I like music that I can dance to, music with rhythm. One of my favorites in that catagory is Glenn Miller's In The Mood. I was taught to dance before I could walk and dancing has always been one of my most favorite things in the world.

save cancel

TV Shows

I stopped watching television well over 10 years ago, mostly due to the fact that I was working nights and there really wasn't anything worthwhile to watch. Lately, however, I have gotten interested in shows like CSI, NCIS, Law and Order SVU, Without A Trace, and Cold Case. I like to watch real life police stories and did like to watch Unsolved Mysteries when it was on. I would say this stems from the fact that I like mysteries and I did work for a time as a Surveillance Agent.

save cancel

Comics and Illustrators

I'm not into comics. I know some people who do collect them, but I never got interested in them all that much. Artists; The Brothers Hildebrant, Boris Vallejo, Michelangelo, Jonathan Bowser; these are the ones that I can bring to mind readily. All of them are experts at creating nearly photographic renditions of art, especially concerning the human anatomy. I have learned a lot in my art from them.

save cancel

Poets

There is, in my opinion, no better poet than King David.

save cancel

News Papers

I don't read newspapers.

save cancel

Websites

My favorite websites are Angeleyes Card Shoppe, JCMusic, JackieChan.com, Lawrence Block, BarnesandNoble, and a few other card shops. I don't really do a lot of surfing unless I am researching something, so I don't know many.

save cancel

Heroes

My ultimate hero is Jesus Christ. Truly He should be hero above all others. And then the Archangel Michael would be my next choice. My mother is one of my heroes. She's been through a lot and raised me by herself. She's a tough cookie, never gives up, no matter what.

save cancel

Quotes

"Do not fear death. Be afraid of the life unlived."

save cancel

A Few More Things

I collect books. But not just any books. As I said, I came from a reading family, so books have always been part of my life. Mama, Daddy, and my sister still read a lot, too. Funny, and sad, though, my sister's kids and my half sister and brother don't read at all. In our personal library, Mama and I have over 2000 books, all genres, especially of our favorite authors, and not all fiction. I have a lot of biographies. I find reading about the real person behind a celebrity or well known person is a lot more interesting that what's seen on the surface. People are people, and the people are interesting. I have books about animals because I love animals and have been caring for strays for years. I've learned a lot from veternarians over the years, as well as the books on veterinary care. It has amazed me at the way some people treat their animals. I have seen a lot of suffering and horrible injuries. To take an unwanted animal, especially one that has been abused, is frightened, and to care for it, love it, and see it recover and be happy is one of the greatest feelings in the world.

I collect books.  But not just any books.  As I said, I came from a reading family, so books have always been part of my life.  Mama, Daddy, and my sister still read a lot, too.  Funny, and sad, though, my sister's kids and my half sister and brother don't read at all.  In our personal library, Mama and I have over 2000 books, all genres, especially of our favorite authors, and not all fiction.  I have a lot of biographies.  I find reading about the real person behind a celebrity or well known  person is a lot more interesting that what's seen on the surface.  People are people, and the people are interesting.  I have books about animals because I love animals and have been caring for strays for years.  I've learned a lot from veternarians over the years, as well as the books on veterinary care.  It has amazed me at the way some people treat their animals.  I have seen a lot of suffering and horrible injuries.  To take an unwanted animal, especially one that has been abused, is frightened, and to care for it, love it, and see it recover and be happy is one of the greatest feelings in the world.

save cancel

Hobbies

I paint, using acrylics. I like to sew and design gowns, especially wedding gowns. That I have been doing since I was in grade school. I read. I love music, and I love to dance, though I seldom get to anymore. I used to collect music boxes. Mama started my collection when I was 14, but a few years ago, someone walked off with a good many of them, as well as $3000 worth of DVDs. I collect cat figurines and dragons, too.

save cancel

Member Name	Cherie Waggie
Date of Birth	08/28/1956
Gender	Female
Location	Tulsa OKlahoma