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Shelter-in-place creates first-time author

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First-time author Sheri White utilized her down time while sheltering in place and unwittingly started to compile information for her book, "100 Days of Staying the Hell Home in 2020 - #HashtagsofCovid19." (Photo submitted)

By Caroline Rosacker

Many Americans chose to shelter-in-place when the country began to shut down because of a worldwide pandemic. The coronavirus took over our lives, and finding things to occupy our time in the comfort of our homes became a daily challenge. At first, long overdue to-do lists were cheerfully tackled. When those lists were completed and the sense of accomplishment started to fade away, many of us wondered – what's next? 

First-time author Sheri White utilized her down time and unwittingly started to compile information for a future book. White worked in special education as a classroom teacher, supervisor and consultant. She has been retired since 2017. She and her husband of 30 years reside in Rockford, Ill. She is the mother of three children. 

The Dyersville native chronicled her daily experiences on her Facebook page and received positive feedback from family and friends. Her daily ponderings were honest, filled with humor and emotionally charged. Mundane tasks caused her to dig deeper into the ordinary. When staying home and shredding old bills and boarding passes became the highlight of the day, she wondered, "How many machines does it take to shred papers?" Two – one to shred and one to vacuum up the mess. #scrapseverywhere. As one day turned into another, and another and another #ssdd #samestuffdifferentdayShelter-in-place, social distancing and wearing facemasks became the new normal. 

 100 Days of Staying the Hell Home in 2020 - #HashtagsofCovid19" 

White began posting a top 10 list of daily happenings at the beginning of the pandemic, never imagining the virus, social distancing and her lists would stretch out to 100 days. Her daily reflections eventually inspired her to write her first book, 100 Days of Staying the Hell Home in 2020 - #HashtagsofCovid19.

Her editor noted, "100 Days of Staying the Hell Home in 2020 - #HashtagsofCovid19 may be just what the doctor ordered, #noswabs #washyourhands.  A chuckle-laden, and refreshingly inspiring, review of the not-so-distant past when it all began can help you cope. The personal and universal journey is one we’re still all on. Take a break, grab your favorite beverage, and settle in with a good book. This one. #youwontregretit #buyacopyforallyourfriends #thanksforreading."

The author shared, "Crazy enough, it's a compilation of my daily Facebook top 10 lists of ordinary and unusual things that I experienced and noticed when the pandemic started changing our lives. It's real, it's sensitive, it's witty, it's historic, it's everyday stuff that is so relatable to almost everyone. My readers range from my kids' friends (ages 24 and up) to my mom and her friends (85+). Some people say it's good Erma Bombeck material." 

She commented, "I didn't set out to write this book. I didn't set out to keep a list of Top 10 things COVID -19.  I kept receiving encouragement to keep my lists going, so I did. By day 100, we were living a new norm, and I felt it was a good place to stop. After a few weeks, it dawned on me that a book was already 'written.' I had a favorable response from an editor when she said, 'It has mass appeal.' So I went for it!"  

She went on to say, "The book was in the production phase for what seemed like a long time. When it was finally ready to go, Amazon Prime couldn't seem to get my order to me, but others got theirs! I was so jealous and disappointed! A friend brought her package over and let me open it, feel it, fan the pages, and have that moment!  It was great!"

Check out the author's Facebook page for updates on future book signing events.

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