Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherry Comstock.
Hi Sherry, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I spent my early years on Johns Island, SC. When I was eight, my family moved to Charlotte, NC. I have always wanted to be an author. While some teenagers dream of being a renowned sports figure or movie star, I wanted to write books. But few authors make a living from their writing so I became a nurse, ultimately specializing in psychiatric-mental health and returned to writing after retirement.
My first book was A Crazy Quilt Life: A Memoir (2022). I have since published three of the four books in The Caines Island Stories: Low Tide (2024), Against the Tide (2023) and Riptides (2025). I’m currently working on the final book, Ebb Tide. It is a women’s fiction series and the first two would be considered historical fiction as well.
I’d like to spotlight the Burlington Writers Club before I move on. It has been a major influence on my career as an author. BWC was founded March 1956. I joined the club in 2020 and became president in 2025. Our meetings include either a workshop on the craft of writing, the business aspects of publishing or time for members to share their own work.
BWC welcomes all adult writers without regard to their experience level or writing goals. While we have approximately 20 members who are published authors or poets, many of our members write for themselves without thought of publication. In addition to our workshops, BWC sponsors critique groups and a booth at the Saxapahaw Holiday Market. The booth gives members with books access to a lucrative event to sell their books and meet with readers and other writers. Currently we have three critique groups: one for poetry and two mixed genre groups.
Another important facet of BWC is our community outreach programs which highlight the importance of writing and foster a sense of community among writers. We conduct an annual Student Writing Contest for students in Alamance County Schools. We partner with Alamance Public Library for an annual Poetry Stroll. This event is open to residents of Alamance County. Their poems are placed in the windows of local businesses and displayed at Alamance Arts at the conclusion of the program. In collaboration with the Burlington Artist League, our members take part in an Ekphrastic Poetry event by writing a poem inspired by a work of art. Finally, partnering with Persnickety Books, we offer a Writers Cafe to provide a sense of community to writers. We have a consistent group who gather once a week to drink coffee and work on their latest project.
I have held several leadership roles in BWC because I believe individuals should be active in organizations whose goals support the type of community they want to live in. Currently, I’m serving as the club President. To keep BWC fresh, we have term limits for all of our officers. My term as President will end June 2026. I will continue to participate in our community outreach programs when I’m no longer in a leadership role.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like any endeavor, some parts are easy and some parts are hard. For me, writing the book is the easy part. But there are so many things to consider along the way. Do you want to publish traditionally? Or will you publish independently? To grab the attention of a traditional publisher, an author needs an agent. Now you need to spend time to find said agent and then you have to wait while they pitch your book. If the publisher accepts, then you have to wait for actual publication. This process can take years.
I started writing when I was 65 and am impatient by nature. I did not want to wait for someone to notice me. So I decided to become an Indie author. Once my book is complete, I publish it within about three to four months after I get the manuscript back from my beta readers. It takes me a little longer because I do everything myself.
The hardest thing for me is probably marketing the book. In the beginning, I truly had no idea what came after the manuscript was complete. I began educating myself. My close writing friends were bombarded with questions. I read craft books, not just for the writing itself, but also for insight into the business side of writing. My personal favorite is The Intuitive Author by Tiffany Yates Martin. I also follow Jane Friedman through her newsletters and posts. Both of these women offer excellent, realistic advice.
All the research led me to doing that hard part, marketing. I created an author platform: a website, a social media presence and began participating in author events. It took time for these efforts to bear fruit, but I am seeing it now. My partnership with Persnickety Books has been a wonderful. My books are on their shelves and it is great location for events
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I spend 5 or 6 days a week on writing or book related activities. My typical work day will be about 5 hours long. Besides actual work on the manuscript, this time includes writing a monthly newsletter, posting to social media and keeping my website fresh. My goal this year is to blog a little more frequently. I try to schedule one author event a month.
Mostly, I see myself as a story teller. I have long felt that the only way people understand each other is to share their stories. In addition to writing, I try to bring a sense of community to local writers. For most writers, the actual writing and research is done in isolation. It is good to know there are others like you in the community. My partnership with Persnickety Books in Burlington and the Burlington Writers Club has been great for helping me foster this sense of community.
Toni Morrison once said, “If there’s a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written, then write it.” I’ve tried to take her advice to heart. The Caines Island Stories came about because I was frustrated by the media’s portrayal of strong women. The usual tropes painted them as the victim of a crime or a woman with crippling abandonment issues. So I created a protagonist, Callie, who was widowed in her early twenties and had an infant. I wanted her to be a “regular person” with obstacles to overcome. I added the historical fiction elements because I found many younger women were not aware of how recent some of the gains made by women came about.
Additionally, I was also disturbed by the media’s portrayal of individuals with a mental illness and so began including characters who have depression or bipolar disorder in my work. My goal as an author is to present these characters realistically, as a person, a fellow human being.
I am known for writing books dealing with some hard topics in a way that makes the reader feel the two of us are having a conversation on my back porch or around the kitchen table. Sometimes we talk about the simple things in life, our families, our community, and other times we talk about more complex things, women’s rights, social injustice and mental health.
Taking the plunge to start this second career and my desire to keep learning are two things I am proud of. I had a lot of support along the way, my husband, my children and my writing friends. I’m also proud of my efforts to foster a sense of community among writers in the Burlington area.
Readers have told me they love the descriptions of nature in my books and how my characters react to it My use of dialogue also seems to set me apart, at least according to my readers. I try to have my characters speak naturally. The beats within the dialogue help establish the mood and creates a scene which the reader can slip into.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Indie authors continue to face the same challenges they have for years. But the primary challenge is how to get their work into the hands of readers. There’s no escaping the fact that the author has to do their own marketing. They need a platform and to engage with the public.
This engagement can be via book clubs or meet the author events. I frequently appear at different festivals for a sale and sign event. I’ve found partnering with an independent bookstore to be very helpful. My traditionally published friends report doing similar things.
There are more platforms available for independent publishing than ever before. Authors need to take time to compare what each platform offers. I utilize both Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and Ingram Spark, but there are many others.
There are also professional publicists and a variety of editors to help getting your book in the hands of readers. Their services can be expensive. Each author has to determine what their budget allows.
Which leads me to a final caveat. There are an infinite number and varieties of scams out there. People call and email claiming to be an agent. It’s hard not to be flattered by their effusive praise and offers of quick money. Sometimes they impersonate actual agents, editors and librarians. Just remember agents/editors don’t cold call authors. Be sure to vet anyone you are thinking of hiring. Another great blog to follow is Writer Beware. They offer great tips on how to spot a scammer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sherrycomstock.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1writerslife/?__pwa=1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086719082560
- Other: [email protected]
