Thursday, June 6, 2019

The Cherish Book Series by Cheryl Long

JUNE 6, 2019

What a crazy week this has been and very stressing. Why? First, my eighty-six-year-old mother was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and AFib and they haven't been able to stabilize her heart rate. If that wasn't enough, both of my sisters became ill. Robby was admitted to the hospital yesterday for pneumonia and my sister Caylen went to the twenty-four-hour clinic in respiratory distress and had to have a  breathing treatment. As for me, yep, I got something too. I went to my doctor and told him what was going on with my family and he immediately checked me for any virus, flu, strep, and pneumonia. I came out okay with only an ear infection. And, I thought it only came in threes. This came in fours. Please send up healing prayers for my mother and family.

On the upside of things, one of my grandsons competed in his swim meet and won all first place in the breast, free, relay, and fly. I am so proud of him and everyone calls him the Mini Michael Phelps.

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I also came across a book for teens to read this summer called SOUTHERN ATTRACTION: THE COLLEGE YEARS written by Tracy Kaufman which is about a head-strong, stuck up girl that had to come to terms with her parent's passing. Heather came from an upper-class family of wealth, fortune, and love.  Then everything suddenly changes.  She loses her family to a sudden car accident tragedy.  She has to move to a southern town in Alabama where the rednecks ruled the town.  She learns how to love an uncle she barely knew and live in a place she despises.  To her surprise, she discovers a new world amongst the country bumkins of the south. Trying to fit into this new life for herself, she is faced with a hard decision. Who will she give her heart to? A man that is completely different from her or someone who shares the same qualities that she does. Join Heather in this journey of love, discovery and search for happiness.

This week I also came across a new series of books aimed for mothers and daughters. I thought it was appropriate considering what was going on in my life with my mother and her three daughters. The author is Cheryl Long. Cheryl T. Long was born and raised in Philadelphia and has always loved writing stories. While in the fifth grade, Cheryl had a teacher who sparked her interest in writing. He always told her that her storytelling was quite unique for her age. From that moment, Cheryl had one vision in her mind -- give the people around her an imaginative outlet. She is a mother of four beautiful children and enjoys cooking, fishing, and talking. I want to introduce you to her book series called THE CHERISH BOOK SERIES which consists of three books -- AS THE FLOWERS BLOOM, BURSTING OF THE FLOWER, and FULL BLOSSOM.






Tell your readers a little about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now, where you went to school etc. Let them get to know the personal you.

I grew up in the city of Philadelphia. I come from a very large family. My mother had thirteen siblings. My father had eleven. My parents grew up across the street from each other, making access to both sides of my family very easy.  I am the oldest of all my sibling.  I went to Henry Charles Lea Elementary K-8 and George Washington High school.  I have my associates degree in applied science.  I now live in the great state of Delaware, where I had owned a home for two and a half years. I am a Medical Office Practice Manager for Christiana Care Health System.  I am a mother of four children,  one son, and three lovely daughters. Not married at this time.  I love to cook, dance, write,  read, and fish.

What inspired you to author this book?

I had a good friend who experienced sexual assault in her home, and no one believed her. I saw the damage that was done from her having to live in that house with the abuser until she ran away. I saw her again later in life, and she had endured a lot of trama. I had a dream about this person (Cherish), and it shook me to my core. When I woke up, the feeling was still there, and I began to write and couldn’t stop, before I know it I had the outline done.

Where did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?

The book cover spoke to me as I was thinking about the many faces of this person changing over time.

Who has been the most significant influence on you personally and as a writer?

My children, my fiance, Bryan, and my grandmother, who always told me I was a great person. She has since passed on.

What were your struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?

I struggled with finding the time to write. I have a full-time job, and I’m a parent, and mentally, it was hard to concentrate after work to write.  However, once I really decided to give it a go, it wasn’t an obstacle anymore.

Tell your readers about your book.

'As The Flowers Bloom' is a captivating fictional story about a young lady who grows up in an environment of abuse and neglect, yet has a dream to become a famous dancer. Running away from home in search of greener pastures, Cherish would soon discover that the streets are even rougher than she thought. After so many wrong turns and disappointments, she finally gets much-needed help and pursues her career.

Who is your target audience, and why?

My target reader is abused children and women of all nationalities because I want them to know that their story will be heard and that people care and that they can persevere.

What do you hope your readers get from reading this book?

I hope readers get awareness and sick stomachs. I hope readers get more involved in child and domestic abuse campaigns.

If you were going to give one reason for anyone looking at your book to read, why should they buy it?

This book paints a vivid picture of what a lot of young girls are subjected to in different parts of the world, as relating to the human experiences. Growing up in societies that provide little or no support, these girls are forced to survive in ways we can’t imagine.

What do you consider your greatest success in life?

Being able to think and being creative most of the time. I think and look at the world with rose colored glasses.

What one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in your genre?

Well, I think I’m in a genre all by my self as I have been told my books are not really fiction, nonfiction or literary I‘m calling it (sticky topic melodrama).

How do you overcome writer’s block?

I sit down with a cup of coffee and talk to it.

What one piece of advice do you have for new authors.

Just do it. Writing takes discipline, but it is what you love doing.

Tell your readers anything else you want to share.

This book is a series. Book two is Bursting of the Flower and book three, is  Full Blossom.   Read them all to see the evolution of Cherish Flowers

Also, I write in many genres. I have a heart for children who are born with life-threatening diseases and write to bring awareness and also to brag on them.
 

ABOUT THE CHERISH BOOK SERIES








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Living in a two-parent home would seem ideal, but for this little girl. Cherish Flowers is a six-year-old child prostitute trafficked by her father, and her mother knew about it. Although severely sexually and mentally abused, she finds a way to deal with her life as it is. She takes solace in her ability to dance. 

Cherish is in love with the dancing, but can she survive the daily travails of her life?

With no formal training other than her passion for dancing, Cherish has finally gotten her big break, but it might cost her everything. Unable, to put the nightmares of her past and the man that abused her out of her mind, she soon finds herself spiraling under those bright lights. Will this flower bloom? Or will she wilt?



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Forced out on the cold streets of Philly, Cherish has finally hit rock bottom. Her life as she knows it is circling the drain. After years of doing anything it takes to survive she meets a woman named Dorothy who offers to help her change her life for the better. 

Given a safe place to live by a woman who helps wayward girls in, Cherish finally has a place she can call home. However, the past is never far behind for Cherish, will she be able to accept the help offered to her? Or. will she wind up back out on the streets?

Even though her life is on track Cherish can’t stop thinking about her dreams of dance. And her dreams of true love. But, the only place she can find work as a dancer is at a gentlemen’s club.
Which is where she meets the man of her dreams. 

An older gentleman who works as a musician and knows everyone in the business. With connections, money, and power he offers Cherish the life she always wanted.

But, the more she gets to know him the more she comes to find that her new life has a hefty price. Dragged back down into a life she tried to leave behind, it will take everything Cherish has to get away.


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A compelling tale about perseverance, grit, friendship, love, passion, and resilience. This book captures the very essence of being human and the challenges we are all too familiar with in the pursuit of our dreams. When Cherish Flowers flees from her home after the murder of her mother at the hands of her father, she was certain that her troubles would finally come to an end; and she would be free to dance as she pleases. But in the new world, this twelve-year-old runaway soon discovers that her struggles are far from over as she encounters new obstacles in her strive to put the pieces of her life together. As the misfortunes kept trying to outshine her efforts, she is forced to confront the most daring of situations to reclaim control over her life. Is Cherish going to achieve her dream; is she going to get back the reins of her life or has she been dealt too many blows than she can recover from? This book is for every person with a dream who needs their hope reaffirmed; it shows that against overwhelming odds humans are capable of blossoming. It is also a memorable and inspiring read for all persons that have had to ensure any form of sexual abuse; it teaches that you're more valuable than you may think and that your dreams are valid!

Long has several other books that you might be interested in so check them out too.