WOODS, Sherryl 1944-(Alexandra Kirk, Suzanne Sherrill)

PERSONAL: Born July 23, 1944, in Washington, DC; daughter of George R. (an internal revenue agent) and Katharine (in direct mail advertising; maiden name, Fitts) Woods. Education: Ohio State University, B.A. (journalism), 1966.

ADDRESSES: Home and office—P.O. Box 490326, Key Biscayne, FL 33149. Agent—Denise Marcil, Denise Marcil Literary Agency, Inc., 685 West End Ave. 9-C, New York, NY 10025.

CAREER: Writer, journalist. Columbus Citizen-Journal, Columbus, OH, television and radio editor, 1966-69; Today, Cocoa, FL, journalist, 1969; Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach, FL, amusements editor, 1969-70; Columbus Citizen-Journal, television and radio editor, 1970-74; Miami News, Miami, FL, television and radio editor, 1974-80, associate "Lifestyle" section editor, 1980; University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Miami, FL, coordinator of CARE Program, 1981-86; full-time writer, 1986—.

MEMBER: Romance Writers of America, Miami Theater Arts League.

WRITINGS:

(Under pseudonym Suzanne Sherrill) Restoring Love, Dell (New York, NY), 1982.

(Under pseudonym Alexandra Kirk) Sand Castles, Bantam (New York, NY), 1982.

(Under pseudonym Alexandra Kirk) Images of Love, Bantam (New York, NY), 1982.

(Under pseudonym Suzanne Sherrill) Desirable Compromise, Dell (New York, NY), 1984.

Thrown for a Loss, New American Library (New York, NY), 1984.

Jamaican Midnight, Avon (New York, NY), 1985.

(Under pseudonym Alexandra Kirk) Shadow on theHill, Golden Apple (New York, NY), 1985.

A Kiss Away, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1986.

A Prince among Men, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1986.

Not at Eight, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1986.

All for Love, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1986.

Yesterday's Love, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1987.

Best Intentions, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1987.

Come Fly with Me, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1987.

Younger Than Springtime, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1987.

A Personal Touch, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1987.

Safe Harbor, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1987.

A Gift of Love, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1987.

Two's Company, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1987.

Never Let Go, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1988.

Second Chance at Love, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1988.

Edge of Forever, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1988.

Prince Charming Replies, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1988.

Can't Say No, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1989.

Heartland, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1989.

In Too Deep, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1989.

One Touch of Moondust, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1989.

Miss Liz's Passion, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1990.

Tea and Destiny, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1990.

Next Time . . . Forever, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1990.

Joshua and the Cowgirl, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1991.

Fever Pitch, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1991.

My Dearest Cal, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1991.

Dream Mender, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1992.

Kate's Vow, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1993.

A Daring Vow, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1993.

After Tex, Mira Books (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 1999.

Angel Mine, Mira Books (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2000.

Marrying a Delacourt, Silhouette (New York, NY), 2000.

About That Man, Mira Books (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

Do You Take This Rebel?, Silhouette (New York, NY), 2001.

Courting the Enemy, Silhouette (New York, NY), 2001.

To Catch a Thief, Silhouette (New York, NY), 2001.

"AMANDA ROBERTS" SERIES

Reckless, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Body and Soul, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Stolen Moments, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1990.

Ties That Bind, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Bank On It, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1993.

Hide and Seek, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1993.

"MOLLIE DEWITT" SERIES

Hot Property, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

Hot Secret, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

Hot Money, Dell (New York, NY), 1993.

Hot Schemes, Dell (New York, NY), 1994.

"VOWS" SERIES

Love, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1992.

Honor, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1992.

Cherish, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1992.

Amazing Gracie, Wheeler (Rockland, MA), 1998.

SIDELIGHTS: "Sherryl Woods can be counted on to provide a good, solid love story with entertaining characters," declared Barbara E. Kemp in Twentieth-Century Romance and Mystery Writers. In her best romances, Kemp continued, Woods "goes beyond entertainment to provide more thought provoking, poignant stories." Kemp drew attention to the "Vows" series as an example of Woods's better work. In this series, which includes Love, Honor, and Cherish, the author illustrates common problems between couples through the lives of three generations of a rich Boston family. Love revolves around Jason Halloran, a vice-president of a textile firm whose orderly life is disrupted by a street-smart young woman; Honor examines the lives of Jason's parents; while Cherish focuses on the overbearing patriarch of the Halloran family, Brendon Halloran.

"Woods has also displayed a talent for suspense mixed with romance," remarked Kemp. That talent is evidenced in the books featuring Amanda Roberts, an investigative reporter, and her romantic interest, Joe Donelli, a former policeman. The two New Yorkers meet in their adopted state, Georgia, and become rivals while investigating a mystery. Eventually, their relationship matures and leads to marriage. Commenting on Hide and Seek, in which Amanda Roberts investigates a serial killer, a Publishers Weekly reviewer called the book a "sprightly romantic mystery" and noted that "Robert's investigations often lead her to poke around in [the victims'] lives and reconsider her own." Another reviewer for Publishers Weekly remarked that in Reckless, a follow-up to Hide and Seek, "Woods has an excellent ear for dialogue and an unerring sense of pacing, both of which contribute to the appeal of her brisk novel."

Woods created another adventurous heroine in Molly DeWitt, a public relations expert with the Miami/Dade Film Commission. As she accidentally becomes involved with one murder after another, Molly meets an attractive Latino homicide detective, Michael O'Hara. "Woods shows a real talent for creating funny, bright dialogue that brings these characters to life," stated Kemp. Reviewing Hot Schemes, a Publishers Weekly contributor found that "with an eye for detail that captures the essence of Cuban Miami, Woods's latest offers an engaging combination of mystery, romance, travelogue and politics."

Kemp concluded that after many years of providing reliable, high-quality love stories, Woods has ventured beyond the field of competent romantic fiction: "Her treatment of serious, emotional subjects combined with her ability to create romantic suspense filled with humor make her appealing to a wide range of readers."

Of Woods's other romance novels, a Publishers Weekly writer stated that in After Tex Woods "redeems a silly plot contrivance with energetic pacing, snappy dialogue and an appealing romantic hero." Kristin Ramsdell, writing in Library Journal, described Marrying a Delacourt as "heartwarming, charming, and sensual." Ramsdell added that the book is a "story [that] tackles the serious issue of foster care with sensitivity and insight." A reviewer for Publishers Weekly, reviewing About That Man, stated that "clever characters and snappy, realistic dialogue add zest to an all-toopredictable story line, making this a delightful read for contemporary romance readers."

Woods once told CA: "Whether in romances or mysteries, I am most interested in characters and relationships. I am fascinated by the powerful emotions of love and hate, and the effect they have on the lives of everyday people."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Twentieth-Century Romance and Historical Writers, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1994.

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, August, 2000, Kristin Ramsdell, review of Marrying a Delacourt, p. 82.

Miami News, September 3, 1985.

Miami-South Florida, January, 1986.

Publishers Weekly, January 13, 1989, p. 84; July 12, 1993, p. 74; October 25, 1993, p. 57; August 8, 1994, review of Hot Schemes, p. 422; September 6, 1999, review of After Tex, p. 99; April 30, 2001, review of About That Man, p. 63.*