Sunday, March 23, 2008

Interview with Sharon M. Clarke

Sharon M. Clarke is a new name to me in the wide world of literacy. I have recently met her through the most awesome publishing company Triad (yes I have to plug those that I review for) and she seems like a wonderful lady! I do look forward to reading her works and delving into her mind. So without waiting any longer, here is Sharon M. Clarke! Oh and I should say Thanks you to Sharon for being here this week!


Author Pen Name: Sharon M. Clarke


CA: What genre(s) do you write?


SMC: My first work is a wonderful Fictional Novel depicting the lives and times of Pennsylvania Coal miners and their families in the early 1900‘s.


CA: Why do you write the stories that you write?


SMC: I enjoy the escape from the present to another place and time. I rather enjoy developing plausible characters that I can manipulate do whatever I want. I suppose, being a Virgo, it’s a control issue. In addition, I like the power.


CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?


SMC: I remember toying with the notion when I was in my thirties. I wrote some dark poetry that was published. Back then my writing was more of a release as opposed to an escape.
CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?


SMC: I don’t know that I would call them inspirational but two bad marriages and a third good one is what prompted me. In addition, my father became very ill and I had always boasted to him, “One Day I will write a novel.” My Dad would have liked it if I had written a western. He lives for Gun Smoke re-runs while his favorite author (Besides Me) is Louie Lamoure.
CA: What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?


SMC: I have no set schedule. I can feel my publisher cringing over that answer. He has been patiently waiting for the sequel to Mourning Redemption. I write whenever I have the time and no distractions. My husband and I live in paradise on an Island in Florida and having so many wonderful friends and family that live in the cold north, and across the pond in both England and Wales we have guest coming and going all the time.


CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?


SMC: Jubilant!


CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?


SMC: Challenge wise it is just finding the time. Story line wise, In Mourning Redemption I wrote about a boy’s baseball game. It took me forever to do it. I had to keep going back to see who was where. What inning they were in. What the score was. I will in the future avoid writing complicated game sequences.


CA: What do you like to do when you are not writing?


SMC: I love to paint. My medium is watercolors and acrylics. I have been fairly successful and have several venues where my art is displayed.


CA: I just realized that a lot of authors also paint or dabble in some type of art..it just must be that the mind is more creative in a writer.


CA: How many books have you written?




SMC: One and a half. Morgan’s Crossing which is the sequel to Mourning Redemption is well into the works.


CA: Which is your favorite?


SMC: I love them both but for different reasons. The first one is a classic tearjerker. The sequel will be more of a suspense novel.


CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?


SMC: Most of my characters are a part of my own personality. I tap into my own emotions exposing some of my more vulnerable sides. Some of my characters do however reflect people from my past. Some ex-husbands have reared there ugly heads on occasion. I feel a great since of relief when I can cause bodily harm to one of them or even kill a character off after they have served their purpose. It is great fun.


CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?


SMC: Yes. If you set your mind to it you can do it. Write about something you know. If you find the subject interesting other people with your mind set will too.


CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?


SMC: Glad you asked. It is available through all of the web, Barnes and Nobel.com Boarders.com andAmazon.com to name a few. Amazon however offers my book as a Kindle Edition. Interested readers can contact me directly through my website @ www.clarkebooks.com.
CA: Is there anything you would like to add?


SMC: As a matter of fact there is. I just received word two days ago that a company out of Chicago will be transforming Mourning Redemption into a screenplay. How exciting is that. I cannot even imagine what the odds are of that happening even though I always had confidence in my work.


CA: Yay congrats to you!! I hope you enjoy seeing your book on the big screen!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sharon, congratulations- it seems that things with Triad just keep getting better and better. Keep up the good work,
blessings
Yvonne

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the success of your first book. I know that I couldn't put it down when I read it.

Unknown said...

well i hope you have a long and nice carreer and imlooking forward to reading your book for many yrs to come

Anonymous said...

HI Sharon hope all is well in your world!

Yvonne- Thanks for dropping in to support a fello Triad author!

Danielle-I am sure Sharon will love your comment ;)

Blackroze- I also look forward to reading Sharon's books ;)

Anonymous said...

Sharon and I have been friends since we were little kids. She was a very creative playmate, and I am not at all surprised at her accoplishments. You go girl, the Poplar gang is proud of you!!!!

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