Guest Appearance with author Sherri Dodd

Today I’m excited to share a guest post from Sherri L. Dodd, the author of Murder Under the Redwood Moon. I recently reviewed the book for the WOW! Women on Writing tour, and Sherri was kind enough to share something personal and nostalgic from her own life: her love of Barbie collecting.

I always enjoy when an author gives us a glimpse into the hobbies and passions that shape who they are. It adds another layer to the connection we feel as readers. Sherri’s story about discovering Barbie as a child and returning to the hobby years later is full of charm, personality, and joy. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Enjoy her guest post below:

I remember the first Barbie I ever found in a daycare toy box. If you’ve seen Kate McKinnon in the Barbie Movie, you’ll have the perfect image of the doll’s hair. She donned a pink-and-white checkered dress that had a brown stain on the chest area. No shoes. But I loved her! Quick Curl Barbie had vibrant blue eye shadow—the trend of the 70s—and a rather dim-witted expression compared to other eras. After I found this buxom plastic goddess, I had no more love for baby dolls. For me it became all about snazzy wardrobe, an hourglass figure, and poise that could make a debutante nervous.

That is why when I found out an acquaintance had a Barbie collection in 2006, it reignited my passion for the toy from my youth. My first step into collecting was the 2006 Christmas Barbie. Her black dress had been designed by Bob Mackie and she had a long, blonde braid as thick as licorice rope. Since that time, I have bought about four new Barbies a year. Obsession Chocolate or Lounge Kitties Leopard came next.

My recent summer inventory counted one hundred Barbies, all in boxed and impeccable condition. Many times, I am asked which is my favorite. An impossible choice. But I do offer my three favorites with number one being a doll from the Haunted Beauties line. Ghost is a gorgeous rendition of the spirits that haunt those willing to receive them. She has long white hair, ice-blue eyes, and a flowing white dress, complete with a draping chain. When I purchased her, I had a white Betta and placed her box next to the fishtank. Her dress and the betta’s elegant white fins filled me with a pleasant inner peace. I kid you not!

When choosing my second Barbie, I go retro. Halloween Haunt has a satiny orange dress with black velvet stars and cats on its skirt. Her red hair is a silky flipped bob, her eyebrows sharp, and her lips pursed tight in dark burgundy. With this purchase, it was not so much the fact that I liked Halloween nor that I collected witches. This was all about setting a goal for a Barbie no longer available by Mattel, had risen in value, and could only be bought if you spent hundreds of dollars. So, with favored Barbie #2, not only did her style appeal to me, but she proved a challenge.

Now, we get to that final line. Ninety-eight Barbies left in my closet, and I must narrow it down to one. That means the dolls I adore such as my more recent Crystal Collection, Empress of Emeralds or La Llorona may dazzle me, but none make the coveted Top 3. I have Barbie couples, such as Merlin and Morgan LeFay and Aragorn and Arwen, but they do not quite reach that height either. I would say the final doll boils down to the representation of her character. Bella Donna just released in October. It is the second Stevie Nicks Barbie from Mattel. For me, this Barbie not only represents my favorite recording artist, but it embodies my youth. In fact, the many years Stevie has inundated the airways since that time is similar to my appreciation for the doll of many faces. It’s been the same fifty years since I first picked up a Barbie that Stevie first sang her hit Sara. An appropriate fit for the final selection!

– Sherri Dodd

Thank you so much, Sherri, for sharing this piece. I absolutely loved getting this glimpse into your world outside of writing. Many of us have those childhood touchstones that stay with us long after we have grown up, and the way you described rediscovering that spark through collecting felt nostalgic and fun to read.

Your passion for these Barbies came through clearly. Each one carries its own story, personality, and memory for you. I especially loved hearing about the Ghost doll. She sounds absolutely stunning. The Halloween Haunt Barbie also made me smile because I could completely picture her attitude and presence from your description. And of course, the Stevie Nicks Barbie feels like the perfect final choice. She is iconic, meaningful, and deeply connected to who you are.

Thank you again for letting me share this on the blog. It is always a joy to learn more about the creative people behind the books we read.

Read my full review of Murder Under Redwood Moon

If you want to see what I am reading next, I share updates on Instagram, TikTok, and Goodreads.

Thank you to Sherri Dodd and WOW Women On Writing for the opportunity to review and discuss this story.

Thanks for reading!

At the age of eight, Arista Kelly was frantically swept up by her parents and whisked off to an isolated town in the California redwoods. Two days later, her parents were gone.

Now at the age of twenty-three, she has settled quite nicely into an eclectic lifestyle, much like her great aunt, and guardian since childhood, Bethie. She enjoys the use of herbs and crystals to help her commune with the energy and nature around her and finds pleasure in the company of her beloved pet, Royal. Usually quite satisfied with her mundane life high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, life becomes unsettling when a new recurring vision of an ominous tattoo as well as increased activity from the ghostly presence within her own cottage invade her once-harmonious existence.

But life in this mountain sanctuary takes an even darker turn when the body of Arista’s former classmate is found in the nearby river. As other young young women fall prey to a suspected serial killer, Arista realizes that the terror is coming to her.

Publisher: Independently Published(March 20, 2024)
AISN:  B0CTKPM863
ISBN: 1685133886
ISBN-13: 978-1685133887
Print length:  289 pages

Purchase a copy of Murder Under Redwood Moon

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | GoodReads

About the Author, Sherri Dodd

Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.

Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting the grief of her father’s passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one – Murder Under Redwood Moon – in March 2024. Book two – Moonset on Desert Sands – released in March 2025, and the final book in the series – Hummingbird Moonrise – became #1 New Release in Occult Supernatural on Amazon in October 2025!

You can follow the author at:

Website: www.sherridodd.com

Instagram: @Sherri.Dodd.Author https://www.instagram.com/sherri.dodd.author/