Hobbies with Sherry Perkins

First, tell us what your hobbies are.

 I like to think of myself as a Renaissance Lady, with interests in many things but my go-to hobbies are collecting sea glass and seashells, organic gardening, and following the Dave Matthews Band around the East Coast.

Cool hobbies! How did you get interested in them?

I come from a family where learning, especially life-long learning, is important. Reading, hand-on participation, asking questions, storytelling and skill sharing, no matter what your age, was a big deal. It was considered a waste of your time and life if you weren’t interested and learning.

How did you learn to do them?

The seashell and sea glass bit, that was a natural outgrowth of my love for the seaside. I began collecting all sorts of organic things (think fossils) and detritus. Then, I set about learning what those things were scientifically. The intricacies of shells, ocean ecosystems and how the broken pieces of tumbled glass came to rest on that particular beach were fascinating to me as a young girl. Dave Matthews Band? That’s a mystery. Except I love the words to the songs. The melody, harmony and palpable connection between the band and audience certainly was appealing to me—if not personally meaningful.

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Do you prefer some hobbies to others, or does it depend on your mood?

Not really. If I’m on the beach, I’m in the mood for shell and sea glass collecting. Every day, I try to go out to do something in the garden, even if it’s only to walk around it. I generally listen to the Dave Matthews Band when I’m in the garden, the car or when I need some background noise or inspiration while writing.

What do you do with the things you make?

I’m not making things with my hobbies per se, except, I suppose, for gardening. I do cook with the fruits and veg—or sometimes preserve, dry or freeze it for later use. I save seeds to replant or share. But I also have a flower garden. I like to do cut flowers or dried arrangements or even paint watercolors or take photograph the flowers and garden as still life.

I know a lot of people who collect sea glass have “secret” places where they find good sea glass. Do you have a spot like that?

I do. But it’s a secret. No, West Onslow Beach in North Carolina, and the East Strand in Portrush, Northern Ireland, are particularly good spots.

My husband has been to Portrush and loves it there.

Portrush was probably the best vacation I’ve ever had. The scenery was fantastic. Everyone I met was kind and had a story to tell.

Where have you visited following the Dave Matthews Band?

Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; Bristow, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk, Virginia; Columbia, Maryland; New York; Augusta, Maine. 

Did someone introduce you to gardening, or did you discover it on your own?

My dad is a master organic gardener. So, I grew up learning how to garden, save heirloom seeds, companion plant and compost. When he began organic gardening, it was to supplement our family diet, and because he felt a stewardship with the land.

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What special equipment do you need as a gardener?

I’m always looking for things that will make the experience easier on my hands and back. You don’t necessarily need any special equipment but if you have cheap tools, they’ll break or do a poor job. Invest in what you can afford. Take care of it with routine cleaning, sharpening, maintenance. Try to find tools that are multi-taskers. Make sure they fit your reach—garden tools do come with handles that fit your ability, height, and size. For instance, if you get a rake meant for someone tall, you’ll have a sore back and arms because of its disproportionate reach! It’s ok to take a stool or sturdy bucket into the garden to sit while you plant, weed or harvest. No need to stand or crawl. 

Is there any hobby you’ve tried to do but either didn’t like it or it just didn’t work out?

Once upon a time, I used to like to powerwalk…but I don’t think that counts, lol. I did try making poppet dolls as a hobby for a while. I had great fun with them but it was very time consuming, so I put those on the backshelf (I used to stuff them with herbs from the garden for good luck. I probably should have mentioned that in the section about “what do you make” because it was enjoyable and relaxing for me and the people who bought them)…

Now tell us about your latest writing news…

Several of my books were nominated for Best Book at the Paranormal Romance Guild 2020 Reviewers Choice Awards.

Congratulations! I want to know more about These are for Tears and A Girl and Her Dog.

These are for Tears was nominated for Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal/Suspense/Time Travel/Historical/Magical/Western/Native American/ Gothic BOOK OF THE YEAR and the series that it comes from (The Will-‘o-the-Wisp Stories) is nominated for the same category but SERIES OF THE YEAR.

A Girl and Her Dog placed second in the BEST NOVELLA OR SHORT STORY category.

Congratulations! That’s fantastic. 

Thanks very much for sharing your hobbies and your writing with us, Sherry. This has been a fun post, and the photos are wonderful!

Until next time,

Amy