Meet This Sistah is your chance to discover more about the authors of newly published books.
Meet Renee Cronin, the sistah who’s written an emotional rollercoaster of a book called Tastes Like Cherry (cue Vivian Green). Cronin writes about rekindling love and trusting an ex, especially after she’s broken your heart. Read on to learn more about this sistah who truly believes in love.
Name: Renee Cronin
Books Written: Tastes Like Cherry
Where Are You From: Boston, MA
Age: 35 years young
Straight, Lesbian or Bisexual: Lesbian
Stud, Femme or No Labels: Femme
Your Hobbies: Reading, Writing & Dancing, Getting lost in music
Describe yourself in 5 words or less: Friendly, Silly, Compassionate, Advocate, Logophile
Your philosophy: My philosophy is actually a poem written by Hafiz – Even after all this time, the Sun never says to the Earth, you owe me. Look what happens with a love like that, it lights the whole sky.
Website address: reneecronin.blogspot.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Renee.Cronin78
Twitter page: @Reneecronin78
Tumblr page: www.renee-cronin.com
What are your likes/dislikes: Likes: to see people in love, meeting new people, dancing, music, reading/writing, mac & cheese; Dislikes: social injustice, tomatoes, driving
Political Affiliation: Social Liberalism (democrat on paper)
Tastes Like Cherry took me through so many ups and downs, from wanting Cherry and Anya’s happily ever after to wanting to smack Anya. Do you enjoy taking your readers on an emotional rollercoaster?
Most definitely! To me that is what life and the experience of love is – an emotional rollercoaster. Without the downs, we can’t experience the ups.
I think a lot of women can relate to Cherry and Anya’s story of rekindled love. Can you really have love the second time around? Should you?
I think it is possible to have love the second time around but if you are expecting to have the same thing you had initially, then I believe the relationship will not last. There is a reason it ended the first time. If those issues are not resolved then you will be where you were before. Also, love the second time around requires a lot of work on trust. Heartbreak is a killer and if you have not forgiven, you cannot move anywhere with anyone.
Should you? I love love! I’m a romantic. I am not against giving it a second go if you truly believe that this is the person for you. My own experience in life and love tells me that you should not, but my heart and my head do not always agree.
One of the things I loved about your book is how genuine Cherry is in sharing her heartbreak after Anya left her. How can you get the trust and love back once someone’s hurt you?
Transparency, honesty, communication and vulnerability. These are not fool proof ways, but they are necessary. I think the one thing most people are afraid of when it comes to love is vulnerability. I believe that you cannot love without being vulnerable. If you have hurt someone and you want to prove your love then you must lay it all out there. The onus is not on the one who was hurt. It is on the one who did the hurting. The one who has been hurt has to choose for them self what/who they are willing to accept in their life. The one that did the hurting has to accept that even when you have put it all out there, it may not work out the way you want.
Is Cherry based a true story?
Tastes Like Cherry is not based on a true story but parts of it are inspired by true life events. The conception of Cherry was inspired by real pain.
What’s been the reaction to Cherry from readers?
I have had some really positive feedback from readers. I am pleasantly surprised at how it was received and I am grateful and thankful for the support. I welcome the feedback because it motivates me to keep writing. I would love to hear more.
Was the ending of Cherry what you envisioned in the beginning stages of the novel?
Honestly, no. In my mind Cherry and Anya’s ending was different. As I continued to write my emotions took me in another direction and I went with it.
I see you’re planning a sequel to Cherry. Where do you want to take Cherry and Anya?
That is a great question. I know in Cherry, they both had a voice. I think in the sequel I want to give Anya the spotlight. Their relationship is a tricky one and I struggle with how to move forward, but I have some ideas. The next one will definitely be Anya’s POV though.
What are you working on next?
I have three WIP’s [work in progress] as we speak. I am considering publishing an anthology with them but I am not sure. One of the stories I am working on keeps telling me that it needs its own spotlight, so I’m considering releasing that as a novel or novella.
Actions Speak Louder (tentative name) – main characters – Jeya and Rayne – Jeya finally makes a decision to leave her abusive girlfriend and deals with the aftermath of that choice.
Kye’s Beauty – main characters – Kye and Beauty – Kye meets Beauty after breaking up with her cheating girlfriend. The excitement and fear of starting something new after heartache.
Crossing Lines – main characters – Neli, Sin, Dria and Jacyn – When lines get crossed, people get hurt. What happens when deception is used to get what you want?
Resurrecting Anya (tentative name) – sequel to Tastes Like Cherry
Who or what is your literary inspiration?
Life is one of my literary inspirations. Every day as I navigate the world, I see a story that could be told. Every experience I go through or see others go through inspires me to write. My own relationships with people are literary inspirations.
I am a huge fan of Nikki Giovanni, E. Lynn Harris, and J. D. Mason. I love many other authors but these three authors inspire me the most. I am also a huge friend and fan of A.C. Britt, author of London Reign. She has been a big literary inspiration for me. When she published her debut book, it motivated me to do something I had never ever considered before. Publish my own book!
Interviewed March 2014