MEET THE AUTHOR

 Interviewer: Hello again, Cherry. It’s a pleasure to have you here discussing the release of your new book. I’m excited to introduce you to my audience. I have had the pleasure of speaking with you when the book was in the unpublished phase. 'Bad Seed: The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl' immediately grabs attention. But before we delve into the details, how are you feeling about its release?

Cherry Dawn: Thank you for giving me the platform to introduce my debut novel. First and foremost, I want to thank God, family, and friends for supporting me on this journey. I am very grateful to have the kinds of people around me who understand the work it takes for me to develop my writing. A big shout out to my husband for his understanding that I needed time to write and develop as a writer.

     I’m doing well and am excited to discuss my new book with you. It has been years in the making, and it feels good to finally be here at its release.

Interviewer: What are your expectations now that Bad Seed is circulating worldwide? Have you decided what your next steps will be? And have you thought about a formal  launch to boost sales?

Cherry Dawn: To answer your last question, yes. I intend to do a proper launch. This book has come a long way from the first day I decided to write it. It is such a heart-wrenching story. The title, ‘Bad Seed: The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl, ‘encapsulates the essence of the story. ‘Bad Seed’ symbolizes the trauma and struggles that Vivienne, the protagonist, faces, while ‘The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl’ represents the darkness and isolation she experiences. From the first sentence, I knew I might not get through writing it without a lasting impact. But I realize that someone must tell this particular story. At times, I wasn’t sure I could do justice to it enough for readers to understand the story’s gravity. It feels surreal I finally get to this moment and see my book in circulation with my name on it. While I’ve written other publications, this feels different. It is an 88,000-word book that I am very proud of. 

Interviewer: Why did you decide to write this story? It is a powerful one to begin with. You tell it very well, and as I read the book, I couldn’t help but feel its intensity. You’ve put your heart and soul into narrating it. Your main protagonist coming full circle with trauma until she gets justice is packed with one heart-stopping scene after another. I immersed myself and was drawn into the story from the first chapter. How could you tell the story so beautifully amid the cover-to-cover tragedy?

Cherry Dawn: Thank you for asking. The first draft of Bad Seed was completed in 2022. The word count was half of what it is now. I didn’t want to tell the story half-heartedly, so I revised and rewrote it to make it what it is today. This process involved revisiting the characters’ motivations, refining the plot, and enhancing the story’s emotional depth. I must say, I’m glad I took the extra time to create the compelling narratives that capture Vivienne’s struggles. Whether it was facing the harsh reality of an assault that almost took her life or her love for Jonathan, her struggles were real to me. As I said, it was hard to tell such a harrowing story without being affected. But I know what it feels like to be young, trusting, and taken advantage of. As I was writing this story, I saw myself in Vivienne. Unfortunately, I know men like Damien too.

     At the heart of the story is a young girl’s fight to survive as a newly minted adult. We’ve all been in a position where we can sink or swim by our decisions or the people we encounter. Some aren’t as lucky as you or I. Before we turn eighteen, we have the love and protection of our parents, and if that’s no longer the case, bad people are just waiting to pounce. If we are lucky, we can make it through life without having to experience trauma like the ones Vivienne faced. I tell this story to those who have no voice or cannot talk about their victim stories. I tell this story because my two daughters are beautiful young women one encounter away from becoming Vivienne. God forbid that should happen to them. 

     I chose to portray Vivienne’s experience so that young women will know that regardless of their trauma, there’s a rainbow on the other side, and there is always a way out of tribulation. Resilience and determination should be the mantra of every young girl. Nothing or no one should prevent them from fulfilling their God-given potential. It doesn’t matter where you start. It’s where you end up, as the saying goes. I hope that every girl or woman who’s been left to feel less than, reads this book. Every woman who has ever thought they have no control of their body will know that we can chart our course so long as we have breath. 

     Vivienne survived because she never forgot the love of her family. Once you’ve experienced unconditional love, trauma is but a speed bump on your way to greatness. Bad Seed is a story that begs adults to search themselves and question whether they are doing enough to protect our young girls.

Interviewer: What would you like your readers to take away from your book? 

Cherry Dawn: Unfortunately, trauma is universal. The fight to overcome it is not. I want my readers to know that there is a fighter in all of us. We need the courage to summon that innate ability that makes us unique. We can come back from almost anything. 'Bad Seed: The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl' is not just Vivienne’s story. You’d be surprised at the response you’d get if you surveyed to find out how many Vivienne Pearson there are. In every one of us, there is a person with her resilience. Whether you’re Jamaican, American, Asian, or African, we all have survivors’ instincts. Unfortunately, not all know that, so some don’t survive their traumas.

     In some cultures, they are taught to accept their trauma as fate. However, even within those backward ways of thinking, some individuals refuse to live by what is often considered norms. 'Bad Seed' challenges us to question these norms and strive for a better, more just society.

Interviewer: In the book, Vivienne’s relationship with Jonathan is as compelling as it is heartbreaking. Why did you decide to include Jonathan as part of Vivienne's story?

Cherry Dawn: Because he is. Had she not met him, it could be argued that she might not have been attacked. Be that as it may, we all need something or someone to motivate us not to give up. Jonathan’s love for Vivienne was all the motivation she needed. Her love for him and her daughter was another, despite how she became a mother. From the beginning of the story, Jonathan knew his connection to Vivienne was beyond superficial. He recognized very early that she was different from all the other girls he dated. For him, it was love at first sight. Jonathan and Vivienne quickly realized they were fighting the same losing battle to stay away from each other. Vivienne was not the only victim of her assault. It can be argued that Jonathan’s suffering was just as intense as hers. His life was completely altered because of what happened to Vivienne. When you love someone as deeply as Jonathan loves Vivienne, nothing can change it.

Interviewer: Now that you are a published author, what will you be working on next?
Cherry Dawn: I am working on another novel. It’s called “The Jacket,” which is about a paternity dispute and the trauma the child suffers because of her family’s rejection. It’s in the editing stages and will hit the shelves soon. I’m also working on a children’s book called “The G-Stars Plus One,” a sequel to Beam Me Up, which I published several years ago.

Interviewer: I am very honored to be with you on your remarkable journey.  To those who would like to order a copy of ‘Bad Seed,’ it’s available at major book outlets, including Amazon.com. I strongly recommend this book. Its lessons are vital to every young person who is about to enter adulthood. Bad Seed is transformative, well-written, compelling, and spellbinding. I read it in one sitting. I wholeheartedly recommend everyone gets a copy. I’m sure they’ll come to the same conclusions I have.

     Madam author, I wish you continued success in sales and distribution, and I can’t wait for when you release your next masterpiece.

Congratulations on your amazing journey.

Cherry Dawn: Thanks again for allowing me to introduce my work.