Sherry Cerrano
Cursed by Athena is Sherry Cerrano’s debut novel. Cerrano is an active member of Saturday Writers (SW), a chapter of Missouri Writers Guild. Her writing is included in the last five Saturday Writers Anthologies, available through Amazon: Elements in Writing, Anthology #9; Writing Sense-ably, Anthology #10; Sins and Virtues, Anthology #11; Milestones in Writing, Anthology #12; and (soon to be published) The House That Writing Built, Anthology #13. She also assists in editing the yearly anthology and monthly newsletters.
Writing has been an integral part of Cerrano’s life, never off her mind nor far from her responsibilities. For thirty-seven years she taught high school English, making a living that incorporated her lifelong love of literature and writing. After years of encouraging others to read and write, she retired and began experimenting with her own writing.
Her goal was to create a novel that was fun to read: loaded with action, plot twists, and a surprise ending. Hopefully, a page turner. After all, she grew up with the Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock, Perry Mason, and, of course, Nancy Drew mysteries. That might be all you need to know to understand what she likes to write.
For seventeen years she taught freshmen. That’s where Athena made her appearance. Cerrano tried to choose the most exciting and interesting stories from the Odyssey. Who couldn’t resist a cyclops named Polyphemus, the eater of men? Or not like Odysseus, the trickster, who came up with the idea of the Trojan horse and in the end defeated (with Athena’s help) a house full of men, who were trying to steal his wife. Thanks to the ninth graders she was awarded WGEM’s Golden Apple Award in 1992.
After retirement she moved to the St. Louis area. The first years in her new home centered on caring for elderly parents. Cursed by Athena connects to the emotional toll of losing loved ones. The idea for the book came to her while she waited outside the ICU after her father’s heart attack.
About the title—this book is not about mythology. Since Homer’s Odyssey is one of man’s oldest narratives, Cerrano included references to it as a tribute to humanity’s love of a well told story. The Greek gods could be menacing or helpful to humans. The novel’s references to Athena are no different.
For more information about Sherry
Visit: https://sherrycerrano.com
