A Book Lover’s Library’s February Author Hunt…

Welcome to my humble blog as you continue to make the rounds throughout this month to participate in the February Author Hunt hosted by A Book Lover’s Library.

Rules: I have cleverly scattered clues throughout today’s post, giving you the answers you need to enter the Rafflecopter set up at A Book Lover’s Library. Each correct answer is an entry. Once you’ve read through the post below, click the link to the host’s site and enter for a chance win!

Ready, set, happy hunting:

I’m offering up a signed paperback copy of my first novel, and the first in a young adult time travel series, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis. It’s a short read at 227 pages, so it will make a great escape book for a chilly weekend! I’m also throwing in some signed trading cards to use as bookmarks or share with your friends! BTW – I just love the way the cover artist used various shades of my favorite color when she created the cover. It’s so pretty!

Whew, January was such a busy month cleaning up from the holiday madness I could have used a bulldozer to help me clear away the clutter. Come to think of it, I was nick-named that in grade school because I was good at tackling the boys when we played football during recess! Anyway, once everything was settled and put away, it gave me a chance to read the first book in another the time travel series, The Infinity Ring: A Mutiny In Time, by James Dashner, while sipping on a well-deserved Spanish Coffee – good book, great dessert!

Things weren’t all that hectic over the holidays though, as I did manage to finally see the movie Brave on New Year’s Eve – yeah, we really whooped it up! I also had a chance to meet with a girlfriend to go see Les Miserables just days after it released. Loved it! And it’s got my vote for best picture!

January seems a bit of a blur now after finishing the first edits of the prequel to my Last Timekeepers series, Legend of the Timekeepers. Two weeks of working on edits and I was totally ready to enjoy a dram (or two) of single malt scotch from a bottle I’d received from Santa this Christmas. I think after a couple of shots of scotch, I could probably get up the nerve to go in front of any size audience and speak. Like the cartoon character Popeye mowing down on spinach to make him stronger, I wish there was a vegetable that would eliminate your fears, but alas, since I love all veggies, none have helped me conquer this particular fear.

As an author you tend to create scenarios in your head. Now I’ve never had an imaginary friend, but I have had alien voices invade my mind. I’m not talking about space creatures, though I’ve seen enough of the X-Files to believe in them! I’m talking about my character’s voices. All of them! It’s like those monsters in Maurice Sendak’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, trying to make me their leader, then turning on me and try to take over my story! Then I realize that these characters are just ghosts floating around in my imagination, waiting to materialize in my books. Not that I’ve ever seen a real ghost.

You know, the funny thing is that I never wanted to be an author when I grew up. My love for animals pulled me in the direction of wanting to be a veterinarian someday. That is until I found out that the job sometimes called for euthanizing animals. I quickly changed my tune and went on to be trained as a graphic artist. It was only because of a dare from a friend that I started thinking about writing a book. Crazy, right? I knew nothing about the craft and writing process, yet decided jump in with both feet to learn how to write a book from scratch.

Once I decided to become an author, I fiddled around with different pen names but always came back to the name which means a plain in Israel. Go figure. It’s not really glamorous, but a name by any other rose…wait – there’s a rose named Sharon too! Well, I’d better go feed my furry four-legged children – a slobbery yellow Labrador and moody calico cat – a since they’re stalking me as I finished writing this. Hey, at least I get to take care of my own animals! BTW – if you surf by my website – www.sharonledwith.com – you’ll be able to see a photo of them on the ‘About Me’ page.

Wishing you all the best of luck looking for clues from the other participating authors on the February Author Hunt! Cheers!