Shara Smock

Profile Information:

Something About Me and My Book:
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!
Website:
http://www.sharasmock.com

Comment Wall:

  • Lawrence Abiola Olaifa

    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.
  • Lawrence Abiola Olaifa

    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.
  • PG Forte

    Hi, Shara. Thanks for the add.
  • Russ Heitz

    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
  • Cameron Chambers

    hey there...happy to be on board.
  • Kathleen Gage

    Hi Shara,

    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
  • Cameron Chambers

    my pleasure
  • Valerie Anne Faulkner

    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
  • ElenaDB

    Thanks for the invitte Shara.

    Best,
    Elena
  • SusieSunshine

    Thank you for inviting me, Shara, into your circle of friends. I hope we get to share a lot.

    Blessings from my spirit to your spirit!
  • Aithne Jarretta

    Hi Shara,

    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.
  • Karen A. Lynch

    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..

    Karen Lynch
  • Shelagh Watkins

    Hi Shara,

    Thanks for adding me as a friend!
  • Marilyn Gross

    Hi Sarah;
    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
  • Doug Hanau

    Shara,

    Thanks for the offer. Yes, I would like to join and look forward to networking with others in the area.

    thanks,
    Doug
  • kim ortloff

    Hi Shara,
    thanks so much for the offer.. i would love to join and look forward to what the future holds!

    All the best,
    kim
  • Leighton Gage

    Hi,

    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
  • Ruth Y. Nott

    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!
  • Aithne Jarretta

    Hi Shara,

    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
  • Anita C. Lee

    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"
  • Jenny Gallagher

    Shara,

    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
  • Vicki M. Taylor

    Shara, it was great to meet you as well. Yes, I agree, the time we spent together was too short.
  • Janet Conner

    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
  • Author & Book Promotions

    Hi Shara,

    I'm glad to meet another Florida writer. Your profile is quite impressive. I'm looking forward to learning more about your work.

    Nadia
  • Susan Haley

    Hi Shara

    Thanks and it's good to 'see' you! You are one busy lady. Sorry I missed Orlando this year.
    Have a great Thanksgiving!

    Susan
  • Charleen Micheles

    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
  • Susan Haley

    Hi Shara

    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.
  • Winona Rasheed

    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.

    Winona
  • Winona Rasheed

    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?

    Chat with you real soon,

    Winona
  • Shara Smock

    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.

    Take care,
    Shara
  • Paul H. Kogel

    Thanks Shara. I will certainly look in to this. Thank you for the invitation to do so.