After years of writing for newspapers and magazines, I became a technical writer. Thirty manuals later I turned to freelance writing and editing.
My books include:
Hooking the Reader: Opening Lines that Sell
WHAT hooks the reader?
This book contains original material from more than 100 bestselling authors writing about their openers in fiction (mystery, romance, science fiction, western, mainstream).
Living with Big Cats: The Story of Jungle Larry, Safari Jane, and David Tetzlaff
How I Got the Gig: 15 Writers Tell How They Got the Gig and How You Can Too!
Hello Shara, Welcome to BMK. I like your beautiful smile,,,,lol. You're a wonderful addition to the family considering experience. Would be glad to know more about you and your works.
Thank you so much Shara, and for your interest in my work. I'm just one of the few who belief we become what we position ourself to become. My book is very challenging and it creates a burning desire to suceed.
I hope to share more with you, glad to meet you once again.
Hi Shara,
Great to have another Florida writer in our midst! With the extensive writing experience you've had you'll no doubt be a valuable addition to our expanding group. Welcome!
Russ
I would like to invite you to join my Ning Book Marketing network. I have been a published author for many years and love to network with others who have a passion for writing and publishing.
If you get a chance, please visit my blog to read my special feature called The Author’s Corner. This week’s featured author is Nikki Leigh. http://www.kathleengage.blogspot.com Nikki shared some excellent tips on how an author can market themselves.
Hi Shara,
I joined the FWA last month but been going to meetings in N.P.R. for almost two years. I didn't go to Orlando, my husband and I have an electrical contracting business and we are "Chief, cook and bottle-washers," so to speak. I havn't attended a conference as yet....cost was bit of an issue too....now I'm a member, guess that will help. So anyway, how was it...did you speak to an agent....or have any other good vibes to share?
For today, have a great one....Valerie
Hi, Shara:
Thanks for the invitation. I intend to join both groups. At the moment, I am hot and heavy into a copy edit for a fellow author. Will be in touch soon. If you haven't already, check out my website www.warofwits.net. I just ghosted an article for my husband, Grayston Lynch, that appears in the current issue of Military History Magazine titled Cuban Nightmare. It is available at all good bookstores and Amazon.com..
Nice to meet you, Shara.
Electronically, at any rate.
I was kind of hoping we might be able to do it personally when I'm in Florida. That will be in late December and early January. (Book Tour. More details on my website.)
I confess I didn't know where Palm Bay is, so I looked it up.
Whoops! You're much closer to the Black Hole of Orlando than you are to Miami.
Why the Black Hole?
Well, there's a thread going on at the moment on Dorothy L. Fans are complaining that (mid-list) authors don't go there those of us who are authors are complaining that nobody seems to want us north of Deerfield Beach.
It's driving my publicist nuts.
But maybe we're wrong when it comes to Palm Bay. Nobody has checked-in from your area as yet.
Have you got any local knowledge that might give us a different perspective? If so, please join the thread and help us out!
It might already be too late for me to profit from any indications you might be able to provide (when I finish the tour I'm off to Europe for two months, then back here to Brazil for three), but if you come up with something, I 'll slot in in for the fall.
And we can meet.
And I can lay groundwork for "Buried Strangers", the book I just sent to my publisher last week and will be coming out only in January of 2009. (You ever notice how the American publishing industry seems to move with the stately pace of an elephant? I mean, really, a book that is being line-edited in the course of next week is gonna take thirteen months to bring out? Give me a break! )
But I digress. I wanted to finish with something about your kind invitation to join the FWA.
Frankly, I'm of two minds. The little guy with the halo who is sitting on my left shoulder says, "hey, a group of Florida Writers. You spend a lot of time in Florida. And you're a writer. You should join."
But the guy on the other shoulder says, "Hold on a minute, fella. You're already a member of MWA and, by extension, their Florida chapter. And you're also a member of SIC, which has a Florida chapter. And you're a member of the Thriller Writers Association and the International Crime Writers Association and just keeping up with the e-mails from all of them is a drain on writing time. So do you really need to join another group? Forget it, pal. You got books to write and the internet is already draining too much of your time."
While the two little devils fight it out, I'll be following the FWA forums. I've got the site bookmarked.
Hi Shara, I went and joined the Florida Writers Assoc. as you suggested. I went to the members websites page and tried to email the person listed to ask that my website be listed there, but the email (fwasecretary@floridawriters.net) came back as no such person listed there. Can you put me in touch with the correct person so that I can get my website listed on their page? I would like to list http://www.creativewordspoetry.com - Thanks!
Somehow your post got lost! It just now came through my inbox. Sorry to reply so late.
I've attended my local FWA quite regularly and gleaned great information. Just that recently life has been overwhelming and making the meetings aren't always easy. That's one of the reasons I've turned to the Internet to connect with writers.
Thank you for your suggestion about joining. Perhaps after christmas.
Have a good night.
Paula
w/a Aithne Jarretta
Paranormal Romance Author
http://myspace.com/aithnejarretta
Shara, thanks for inviting me to be on your friends' list. Happy Thanksgiving.
Anita C. Lee
Personal Life Coach, Speaker, Writer
"Helping you become the person you were created to be"
Sounds like we were almost neighbors! I love being in central Florida. Currently spending a lot of time in Portland Oregon with my husband, and love being here too.
Thanks for writing and for the invitations.
Jenny Gallagher
Life Balance Coach, Registered Yoga Teacher, Author, and Motivational Speaker
www.jennygallagher.com
Shara, Love to know more about the Florida writers group. Where? When? Who? I turned in my manuscript last week and I'm finally coming up for air.
Janet
I would love to join Shara, I like having my site linked to one in Florida. My editing skills have no boundaries. I work for people as far away as Europe. Thanks for the heads up...
Charleen/EDITOR
My email let me know you'd stopped by. I'm afraid not much is going on for me here. I'm so short on time to take part in these sites and we I do put a post up on my blog, no one ever responds so I figured I wasn't getting many visits to my page anyway. I do try to answer folks when they contact me though. I'm busy editing myself. Copy editing a long manuscript - 640 pages! It's an incredible story, though, so I'm enjoying it tremendously.
Hello Shara,
Thanks for your message. I will look into the information that you provided with me. It would be nice being connected to Florida since I have a deep desire to move there. With this activity, perhaps it will bring me closer to my dream.
Have a great and blessed day.
Hello again, Shara. As you can see, I am still doodling around here. My day is going great, busy but great. I have a writing project that I am working on for a client. Actually, I am rewriting and editing it. This client hopes to self-publish his master piece. When all is finish, it should be a pretty good nonfiction read.
I love staying busy, what about you? When I am not working for someone else, I am working on my projects. I have a new children's book coming out in the near future. I am really excited about it and I love the cover art. I am sure it will grab the attention of our young readers.
Now, what have you been doing, since you are catching up?
I'm working on a humorous book about garbage collectors and recyclers: Let's Talk Dirty about Garbage. My co-author and I have interviewed many garbage men and women across the nation. Lots of stories!
If you know anyone who'd want to be interviewed about their stories (with their name or anonymous) let me know.
Lawrence Abiola Olaifa
Aug 26, 2007
Lawrence Abiola Olaifa
I hope to share more with you, glad to meet you once again.
Aug 26, 2007
PG Forte
Aug 26, 2007
Russ Heitz
Great to have another Florida writer in our midst! With the extensive writing experience you've had you'll no doubt be a valuable addition to our expanding group. Welcome!
Russ
Aug 28, 2007
Cameron Chambers
Aug 28, 2007
Kathleen Gage
I would like to invite you to join my Ning Book Marketing network. I have been a published author for many years and love to network with others who have a passion for writing and publishing.
If you get a chance, please visit my blog to read my special feature called The Author’s Corner. This week’s featured author is Nikki Leigh. http://www.kathleengage.blogspot.com Nikki shared some excellent tips on how an author can market themselves.
Have a great day.
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer and Author
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com
Sep 7, 2007
Cameron Chambers
Nov 18, 2007
Valerie Anne Faulkner
I joined the FWA last month but been going to meetings in N.P.R. for almost two years. I didn't go to Orlando, my husband and I have an electrical contracting business and we are "Chief, cook and bottle-washers," so to speak. I havn't attended a conference as yet....cost was bit of an issue too....now I'm a member, guess that will help. So anyway, how was it...did you speak to an agent....or have any other good vibes to share?
For today, have a great one....Valerie
Nov 18, 2007
ElenaDB
Best,
Elena
Nov 18, 2007
SusieSunshine
Blessings from my spirit to your spirit!
Nov 18, 2007
Aithne Jarretta
Thanks for the invite.
Paula
w/a Aithne Jarretta
http://www.myspace.com/aithnejarretta
Visit my site and request a Free Christmas e-book. Kissing Santa is a heartwarming short story of family, love separated and rediscovered.
Nov 18, 2007
Karen A. Lynch
Thanks for the invitation. I intend to join both groups. At the moment, I am hot and heavy into a copy edit for a fellow author. Will be in touch soon. If you haven't already, check out my website www.warofwits.net. I just ghosted an article for my husband, Grayston Lynch, that appears in the current issue of Military History Magazine titled Cuban Nightmare. It is available at all good bookstores and Amazon.com..
Karen Lynch
Nov 18, 2007
Shelagh Watkins
Thanks for adding me as a friend!
Nov 18, 2007
Marilyn Gross
Thankd for adding me as a friend. I'm a new Author and can use all the help I can get. Have a nice Thanksgiving.
Marilyn
Nov 18, 2007
Doug Hanau
Thanks for the offer. Yes, I would like to join and look forward to networking with others in the area.
thanks,
Doug
Nov 18, 2007
kim ortloff
thanks so much for the offer.. i would love to join and look forward to what the future holds!
All the best,
kim
Nov 18, 2007
Leighton Gage
Nice to meet you, Shara.
Electronically, at any rate.
I was kind of hoping we might be able to do it personally when I'm in Florida. That will be in late December and early January. (Book Tour. More details on my website.)
I confess I didn't know where Palm Bay is, so I looked it up.
Whoops! You're much closer to the Black Hole of Orlando than you are to Miami.
Why the Black Hole?
Well, there's a thread going on at the moment on Dorothy L. Fans are complaining that (mid-list) authors don't go there those of us who are authors are complaining that nobody seems to want us north of Deerfield Beach.
It's driving my publicist nuts.
But maybe we're wrong when it comes to Palm Bay. Nobody has checked-in from your area as yet.
Have you got any local knowledge that might give us a different perspective? If so, please join the thread and help us out!
It might already be too late for me to profit from any indications you might be able to provide (when I finish the tour I'm off to Europe for two months, then back here to Brazil for three), but if you come up with something, I 'll slot in in for the fall.
And we can meet.
And I can lay groundwork for "Buried Strangers", the book I just sent to my publisher last week and will be coming out only in January of 2009. (You ever notice how the American publishing industry seems to move with the stately pace of an elephant? I mean, really, a book that is being line-edited in the course of next week is gonna take thirteen months to bring out? Give me a break! )
But I digress. I wanted to finish with something about your kind invitation to join the FWA.
Frankly, I'm of two minds. The little guy with the halo who is sitting on my left shoulder says, "hey, a group of Florida Writers. You spend a lot of time in Florida. And you're a writer. You should join."
But the guy on the other shoulder says, "Hold on a minute, fella. You're already a member of MWA and, by extension, their Florida chapter. And you're also a member of SIC, which has a Florida chapter. And you're a member of the Thriller Writers Association and the International Crime Writers Association and just keeping up with the e-mails from all of them is a drain on writing time. So do you really need to join another group? Forget it, pal. You got books to write and the internet is already draining too much of your time."
While the two little devils fight it out, I'll be following the FWA forums. I've got the site bookmarked.
Best Regards,
Leighton
Best Regards,
Leighton
Nov 18, 2007
Ruth Y. Nott
Nov 18, 2007
Aithne Jarretta
Somehow your post got lost! It just now came through my inbox. Sorry to reply so late.
I've attended my local FWA quite regularly and gleaned great information. Just that recently life has been overwhelming and making the meetings aren't always easy. That's one of the reasons I've turned to the Internet to connect with writers.
Thank you for your suggestion about joining. Perhaps after christmas.
Have a good night.
Paula
w/a Aithne Jarretta
Paranormal Romance Author
http://myspace.com/aithnejarretta
Nov 18, 2007
Anita C. Lee
Anita C. Lee
Personal Life Coach, Speaker, Writer
"Helping you become the person you were created to be"
Nov 18, 2007
Jenny Gallagher
Sounds like we were almost neighbors! I love being in central Florida. Currently spending a lot of time in Portland Oregon with my husband, and love being here too.
Thanks for writing and for the invitations.
Jenny Gallagher
Life Balance Coach, Registered Yoga Teacher, Author, and Motivational Speaker
www.jennygallagher.com
Nov 19, 2007
Vicki M. Taylor
Nov 19, 2007
Janet Conner
Janet
Nov 19, 2007
Author & Book Promotions
I'm glad to meet another Florida writer. Your profile is quite impressive. I'm looking forward to learning more about your work.
Nadia
Nov 19, 2007
Susan Haley
Thanks and it's good to 'see' you! You are one busy lady. Sorry I missed Orlando this year.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Susan
Nov 19, 2007
Charleen Micheles
Charleen/EDITOR
Feb 3, 2008
Susan Haley
My email let me know you'd stopped by. I'm afraid not much is going on for me here. I'm so short on time to take part in these sites and we I do put a post up on my blog, no one ever responds so I figured I wasn't getting many visits to my page anyway. I do try to answer folks when they contact me though. I'm busy editing myself. Copy editing a long manuscript - 640 pages! It's an incredible story, though, so I'm enjoying it tremendously.
Feb 3, 2008
Winona Rasheed
Thanks for your message. I will look into the information that you provided with me. It would be nice being connected to Florida since I have a deep desire to move there. With this activity, perhaps it will bring me closer to my dream.
Have a great and blessed day.
Winona
Feb 4, 2008
Winona Rasheed
I love staying busy, what about you? When I am not working for someone else, I am working on my projects. I have a new children's book coming out in the near future. I am really excited about it and I love the cover art. I am sure it will grab the attention of our young readers.
Now, what have you been doing, since you are catching up?
Chat with you real soon,
Winona
Feb 4, 2008
Shara Smock
If you know anyone who'd want to be interviewed about their stories (with their name or anonymous) let me know.
Take care,
Shara
Feb 4, 2008
Paul H. Kogel
Feb 23, 2008