My newest novel - just released!

My newest novel has just been released! I really like the cover - I'd asked the artist to use a photograph of a senior citizen competing in an athletic and I think this one is super. The book is the second in the series I'm writing on senior centers and murder. This story takes place at the Six county Senior Olympics, a real event, which is generally held at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, in late July. There are lots of other venues which those folks in the Chicago area will recognize.

You can purchase the paperback ($16.95) or the eBook ($5.95) through BookLocker.

Second Novel is Underway

The second novel in the Senior Center Murders is now being blogged at Gold Medal Murder. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Characters who are returning are: Detective Stanley Nevins, suburban cowboy; Teresa Cusentino, the senior center director; Stan's mother, Stunning Stella Nevins. This time the setting is the Six County Senior Olympics and the old folks aren't playing the games you think (or maybe they are!) and they sure aren't playing by the rules.

Guest Appearance on Radio Show

On July 10 I was the guest of Dr. Niama Williams at PIVTR - Passionate Internet Voices Talk Radio. I've just received the links for the mp3 file which you can download and for the audio file which you can play here. I read two of my works: "Bearing Witness" and "Flight." "Bearing Witness" is a personal essay which recounts instances of abuse which I was forced to witness and my responses. "Flight" is a short story that takes place on Chicago's L.

Interview by Michael Burke

Michael Burke is a Chicago celebrity.

Michael Burke: What's the best and worst advice you've received as a writer?

Cheryl Hagedorn: Professor Lucy Rinehart told me to trust my own voice, bless her. S.L. Wisenberg pretty much forced me to personalize an essay that eventually blew my mind when I finished.

I wrote an author whose work I respected asking him to write a blurb that I could use in promoting my book. He offered to do so if I would send him a chapter. I did. He essentially rewrote it according to his style and his lights. I think he may have been miffed when I wrote back, thanked him for his comments, and then told him it was already in print. [Read the entire interview]

What Mike did NOT include in the interview has been posted on the Senior Center Murders site under Ignorance.

Jeff Markowiz, host

Thanks to Jeff Markowitz who turned over his blog to me for a bit of a personal-type essay. I was so pleased with all Jeff's readers and my friends who took time to stop by and leave comments. [Jeff's blog]

Interview by Lesa Holstine

Lesa Holstine of Lesa's Book Critiques departed from her book review format to interview me yesterday. Since she's a librarian, one of the questions dealt with libraries, but you'll have to visit Lesa's site to find out how I responded :-)

Lesa: I'm going to take a short departure from your books, and ask you about yourself. I understand you went back to school to get a Master's degree, after a lengthy absence. What difficulties did you face going back to college as an adult?


Cheryl: I was 36 when I got my bachelor's. Then the biggest problem I had was understanding how the other students thought they could learn anything when they couldn't even take notes on the lectures! But undergraduate work was very different than what I encountered twenty years later. I can remember sitting in my first class on Composition Theory and thinking that I'd made a $30,000 mistake.

The degree I had selected was an MA in Writing at DePaul University. Luckily for me, there was no specific undergrad degree required (mine is in Pastoral Theology). It made for an interesting mix of opinions. The only problem I had was with the English undergrads in the program. They brought a lot more theory into the classrooms, raising the level of discussion to the point where I often couldn't follow it. But I survived!

[Read the entire interview]

Review by 3Rs - Real Reader Reviews

The interview with author Cheryl Hagedorn and the review of PARK RIDGE: A Senior Center Murder have been posted at the Blog Writers and Artists Network.

RJ McGill writes:

"I must say that I found [Cheryl's book] to be a refreshing alternative to the cookie-cutter who-dunn-its. The characters are three dimensional, the setting itself plays a significant role throughout the novel and with the added complexity of two opposing love interests, there’s something for everyone… The most surprising aspect has to be the fondness I felt for the murdering pinochle players. Although their acts are despicable, I couldn’t help but find them quite like-able in many ways. For a first time author to create such a conflict of emotion within the reader, is a testament to her abilities. This is a cozy mystery that will undoubtedly make Cheryl Hagedorn a name well known to mystery lovers everywhere. And with another installment in the works - readers will not be forced to wait very long to be reunited with this unique and intriguing cast of characters."

[Read the interview]