It gives me great pleasure to welcome Sharron L. Miller onto the website today. Sharron's debut novel The Time Has Come was released in 2020. Her second is in the pipeline.
Alex: Tell me a bit about yourself, Sharron.
Sharron: I was brought up in a small village in the East Midlands at a time when everyone knew each other and no one bothered to lock their doors. I was from a working class family and times were challenging, hardships of the miners strikes were everywhere and the world seemed full of sadness. I owe my love of reading and writing to the wonderfully eccentric neighbour who would spend hours on end with me, learning me my letters and indulging my imagination. I would put pen to paper whenever I could, making stories up about anything and everything. It was my escape from the world I found so confusing.
Education was hard, mainly due to the hearing difficulties that were dismissed at the time as selective hearing. I struggled my way through school, not realising until much later in life that I had somehow learnt to lip read to get by. Conventional studying was incredibly tough because for the majority, I couldn’t compute what the teachers were saying if I was sat anywhere but the front. But even then, if they turned their back, well I was stuffed. No extra help or allowance was provided because I didn’t have anything “wrong” with me. Thank goodness things have changed now and kids with auditory processing disorder can get the help they need.
Although I continued to write into adulthood, stories took a back seat giving way to journaling and the courses I would write for work. Then, when covid hit, I found myself sat for hours at my laptop and my first real book was born.
Alex: Tell me a bit about yourself, Sharron.
Sharron: I was brought up in a small village in the East Midlands at a time when everyone knew each other and no one bothered to lock their doors. I was from a working class family and times were challenging, hardships of the miners strikes were everywhere and the world seemed full of sadness. I owe my love of reading and writing to the wonderfully eccentric neighbour who would spend hours on end with me, learning me my letters and indulging my imagination. I would put pen to paper whenever I could, making stories up about anything and everything. It was my escape from the world I found so confusing.
Education was hard, mainly due to the hearing difficulties that were dismissed at the time as selective hearing. I struggled my way through school, not realising until much later in life that I had somehow learnt to lip read to get by. Conventional studying was incredibly tough because for the majority, I couldn’t compute what the teachers were saying if I was sat anywhere but the front. But even then, if they turned their back, well I was stuffed. No extra help or allowance was provided because I didn’t have anything “wrong” with me. Thank goodness things have changed now and kids with auditory processing disorder can get the help they need.
Although I continued to write into adulthood, stories took a back seat giving way to journaling and the courses I would write for work. Then, when covid hit, I found myself sat for hours at my laptop and my first real book was born.
Alex: How would you describe your writing, and are there particular themes that you like to explore?
Sharron: I would say my writing is completely freestyle and down to earth. I have no formal training in english literature, creative writing or anything of the like. For me, writing a story that the everyday person can lose themselves in holds a far greater importance over what is deemed correct in the literary world. And if that person is one that wouldn’t usually pick up a book, then even better.
Having worked as a mind and body coach and meditation mentor for many years, I like to weave themes from this, especially past lives, into my stories, sprinkled liberally with suspense in believable way that can really get people thinking. My experience of the connection between the mind and body and how certain things shape an individual comes in very handy when I’m building characters.
Alex: Are you a writer that plans a detailed synopsis or do you set out with a vague idea and let the story unfold as you write?
Sharron: Oh goodness me, I’m not a planner at all! I guess I’m lucky that ideas just come to me when I’m least expecting them. Little snapshots at first of things will pop into my mind and I will write them down, doesn’t matter where I am or what time it is. After that, I allow my work to flow mainly from intuition. Although I write every day, for me, I don’t believe in having stringent word goals to meet because it ends up going horribly wrong.
Alex: Tell us about your latest novel.
Sharron: My latest novel, due early 2022 is a full on time slip. Two women, thousands of years apart, connected in unimaginable ways. I can’t say anymore as I’m still working on my blurb and don’t want to give the story away!
Alex: What was the first book you read?
Sharron: The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I adored that book, the quirky characters and the way it made me feel. Tucked up in bed with my torch I was off on the adventures with them! I still remember the colours jumping from the pages as I read the words, believing that was how it was for everyone. I think I was around seven or eight when I found out they didn’t. It was a few years back when I mentioned it to a work colleague when I found out it had a name, synesthesia. Fascinating!
Alex: How much research do you do and what does it usually entail?
Sharron: My first book, The Time Has Come, needed very little research.
With my latest novel, goodness me, I became so absorbed in the Bronze Age that I thought I would never finish researching!
My method is to write first and research later though. Probably not the right way round but it works for me.
Alex: Do you ever base your characters on people you have encountered in real life?
Sharron: In my debut, I had a very wise woman called Frances who had several attributes of a lady I knew when I was a child. But generally no, my characters are purely fictional although I may add one or two traits from people I’ve met on my travels.
Alex: Which was the last book you read that blew you away?
Sharron: Lamentation from the Shardlake series by CJ Sansom was just amazing. His ability to transport you to Tudor England is second to none and being the history lover that I am, I couldn’t ask for more.
Alex: How do you market your books?
Sharron: Being an indie author, I’m really still trying to get my head around all the marketing stuff but I’m currently working on my social media and website! I won’t lie, it’s hard and I don’t particularly enjoy it. I’d rather be writing.
Alex: What are your interests aside from writing? And what do you do to unwind?
Sharron: I have a real love of social history (I wanted to study history after I had left school but that wasn’t for people like me apparently) so I visit national trust properties whenever I can. Nature is another big thing for me, so I spend a lot of time in my garden or going off for walks, the connection you feel with the world around you really does get the creative juices flowing. When I’m not reading or doing the above, then I do love a good detective drama on tv, such as Shetland. The only problem with that is that I have to have cheese, don’t ask me why, I’m still figuring it out myself! I also love old comedy, Open All Hours, Only Fools and Horses and Are You Being Served being some of my favourites. Laughter is such an important need, life’s so dull without it!
Alex: Which authors do you particularly admire and why?
Sharron: CJ Sansom, for his ability to effortlessly transport you to Tudor England. James Herbert for getting me hooked on horror in a way that made complete sense to me but made me scared of my own shadow!
But I have to say I also admire any indie author out there writing simply because they love it. Regardless of the knock backs they may have had or their lack of formal training, I applaud each and every one of them.
Alex: Good to here it for the indie writing community. There are so many incredibly talented self-publishers out there. Thank you so much for sharing your writing journey with us, Sharron. And good luck with your latest book.
Sharron. Thank you Alex. I appreciate being invited over.
Sharron: I would say my writing is completely freestyle and down to earth. I have no formal training in english literature, creative writing or anything of the like. For me, writing a story that the everyday person can lose themselves in holds a far greater importance over what is deemed correct in the literary world. And if that person is one that wouldn’t usually pick up a book, then even better.
Having worked as a mind and body coach and meditation mentor for many years, I like to weave themes from this, especially past lives, into my stories, sprinkled liberally with suspense in believable way that can really get people thinking. My experience of the connection between the mind and body and how certain things shape an individual comes in very handy when I’m building characters.
Alex: Are you a writer that plans a detailed synopsis or do you set out with a vague idea and let the story unfold as you write?
Sharron: Oh goodness me, I’m not a planner at all! I guess I’m lucky that ideas just come to me when I’m least expecting them. Little snapshots at first of things will pop into my mind and I will write them down, doesn’t matter where I am or what time it is. After that, I allow my work to flow mainly from intuition. Although I write every day, for me, I don’t believe in having stringent word goals to meet because it ends up going horribly wrong.
Alex: Tell us about your latest novel.
Sharron: My latest novel, due early 2022 is a full on time slip. Two women, thousands of years apart, connected in unimaginable ways. I can’t say anymore as I’m still working on my blurb and don’t want to give the story away!
Alex: What was the first book you read?
Sharron: The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I adored that book, the quirky characters and the way it made me feel. Tucked up in bed with my torch I was off on the adventures with them! I still remember the colours jumping from the pages as I read the words, believing that was how it was for everyone. I think I was around seven or eight when I found out they didn’t. It was a few years back when I mentioned it to a work colleague when I found out it had a name, synesthesia. Fascinating!
Alex: How much research do you do and what does it usually entail?
Sharron: My first book, The Time Has Come, needed very little research.
With my latest novel, goodness me, I became so absorbed in the Bronze Age that I thought I would never finish researching!
My method is to write first and research later though. Probably not the right way round but it works for me.
Alex: Do you ever base your characters on people you have encountered in real life?
Sharron: In my debut, I had a very wise woman called Frances who had several attributes of a lady I knew when I was a child. But generally no, my characters are purely fictional although I may add one or two traits from people I’ve met on my travels.
Alex: Which was the last book you read that blew you away?
Sharron: Lamentation from the Shardlake series by CJ Sansom was just amazing. His ability to transport you to Tudor England is second to none and being the history lover that I am, I couldn’t ask for more.
Alex: How do you market your books?
Sharron: Being an indie author, I’m really still trying to get my head around all the marketing stuff but I’m currently working on my social media and website! I won’t lie, it’s hard and I don’t particularly enjoy it. I’d rather be writing.
Alex: What are your interests aside from writing? And what do you do to unwind?
Sharron: I have a real love of social history (I wanted to study history after I had left school but that wasn’t for people like me apparently) so I visit national trust properties whenever I can. Nature is another big thing for me, so I spend a lot of time in my garden or going off for walks, the connection you feel with the world around you really does get the creative juices flowing. When I’m not reading or doing the above, then I do love a good detective drama on tv, such as Shetland. The only problem with that is that I have to have cheese, don’t ask me why, I’m still figuring it out myself! I also love old comedy, Open All Hours, Only Fools and Horses and Are You Being Served being some of my favourites. Laughter is such an important need, life’s so dull without it!
Alex: Which authors do you particularly admire and why?
Sharron: CJ Sansom, for his ability to effortlessly transport you to Tudor England. James Herbert for getting me hooked on horror in a way that made complete sense to me but made me scared of my own shadow!
But I have to say I also admire any indie author out there writing simply because they love it. Regardless of the knock backs they may have had or their lack of formal training, I applaud each and every one of them.
Alex: Good to here it for the indie writing community. There are so many incredibly talented self-publishers out there. Thank you so much for sharing your writing journey with us, Sharron. And good luck with your latest book.
Sharron. Thank you Alex. I appreciate being invited over.
