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First of all, Cheryl, you have the advantage of trying something so improbable that nobody expects you to succeed, so you've got that dog off your trail. You can go sing and work up your material and amuse yourself and not worry about your career trajectory, since you don't really have one. As for material, you'd best begin with yourself, and thanks to those seven children, you have a wealth of it. Parenthood is life's great drama, and a natural comedy, since there is no such thing as success. So sit down at your computer and lavish your experience into story form. Print it out, edit it severely, and try it out on a friendly audience. When you say "southern characters," I'm sure you don't mean stereotypical redneck — I'm guessing you mean characters who are outspoken, shrewd, and emotionally open. When you write your material, work especially hard on the first few minutes of your show, which is crucial. And good luck to you.