Sharon Srock
The Women of Valley View. Ordinary women using their faith to do extraordinary things.
Three dire circumstances. Three desperate prayers. One miracle to save them all.
Callie Stillman is drawn to the evasive girl who’s befriended her granddaughter, but the last time Callie tried to help a child, her efforts backfired. Memories of the tiny coffin still haunt her.
Samantha and Iris Evans should be worried about homework, not whether they can pool enough cash to survive another week of caring for an infant while evading the authorities.
Steve Evans wants a second chance at fatherhood, but his children are missing. And no one seems to want to help the former addict who deserted his family.
For Steve to regain the relationship he abandoned, for his girls to receive the care they deserve, Callie must surrender her fear and rely on God to work the miracle they all need.
Here are some questions I asked Sharon about her writing in general and Callie in particular.
1. Your book is published by Pelican, yet you are doing a blog tour and all this marketing and promotion yourself. Briefly, can you advise aspiring writers about some keys to promoting?
So much of the marketing and promotion is left to the author these days, regardless of the publisher. It’s sad in a way, I’d much rather be writing. Advice? Nothing new really. Get an Internet presence. Blog, tweet, facebook. I don’t know that any of these things, taken individually, make a lot of difference, but I’m hoping that as a whole my reach is increased beyond my circle of friends.
2. The brief teaser for your Callie story reminds me of the Classic Boxcar Children books — Children who may have thought they had to hide from their family. The circumstances may be different, but are there similarities?
Is it bad to say that I never read those stories? I can say that Samantha and Iris are hiding, but not from any family that they are aware of. I hadn’t thought of this till recently, but one of the first books I remember reading was a little story called Tomas Takes Charge. Cut to the basic plot, from my youngest character’s POV, yes there are similarities. When I realized that I was just amazed that God never wastes any experience in our lives.
3. Could you comment on the conflict people go through when deciding to ‘get involved”, especially in modern times, and whether that influenced your story?
How many times have you read a news story about someone trying to do a good thing and ending up sued or arrested? It’s a sad commentary on the world we live in. Did that trend influence my story? Not so much. Callie is hesitant more for personal reasons than anything to do with social trends.
4. Addiction seems to play a large part in your story. Was it hard to be realistic about someone recovering from addiction?
Well, I’ve never had an addiction unless you count chocolate. When Callie’s story opens Steve is well past his addictions, so I didn’t deal with that subject in more than just passing mention. The second in the series, Terri’s story deals more closely with that issue and in the first draft I got a lot of stuff wrong. Thank goodness I have people reading my stuff that have been delivered from these issues and could steer me in the right direction.
5. Is Callie your first published book? Do you write in any other genres, or do you hope to someday?
Yes, Callie is the first. Terri is set to release in April of next year. I’m planning six stories for The Women of Valley View series, Callie, Terri, Pam, Samantha, Kate, and Karla. These will all be women’s fiction with touches of romance. That isn’t by any specific design on my part, just the stories that God seems to be giving me right now. Who knows where He’ll lead me once these are done?
Sharon is offering a chance to win a gift package as part of her blog tour. Check out what will be included in the gift package.
They are:
A copy of Callie’s story
A certificate for Terri’s story when it releases in April
A 6 piece Cherry blossom bath set
A cosmetic bag
A Bath Wrap
A Cozy pink eye mask
A Pair of aloe infused booties
A Hair Turban
A Tennis Bracelet
A 25.00 Amazon gift card
Leave a comment if you’d like to be entered in the drawing. I will send the list of everyone who comments to Sharon. Be sure to provide an email so she can contact you if you’re the winner. A winner will be drawn Monday November 19th. The items add up to well over 100.00 in value.
Here’s where you can get the book Callie, or get in touch with Sharon.
Barnes and Noble — http://tinyurl.com/9ahy3tg
Amazon — http://tinyurl.com/9dreu8g
Pelican Books — http://tinyurl.com/8ncbjnl
The Women of Valley View: Callie, Available 26 Oct 2012
The Women of Valley View: Terri, Available April 12 2013
Visit my BLOG at: http://www.womenofvalleyview.blogspot.com/
Connect with me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/SharonSrock#!/SharonSrock
Follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/SharonSrock
Find me on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6448789.Sharon_Srock
To view an on line AVON book please visit my website: http://ssrock.avonrepresentative.com/?CUST_ID=0&SECURITY_TOKEN=&BRAND_ID=0&setlang=1#
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FINDLEY FAMILY VIDEO 
If Sharon wrote it, it has to be good! I’d love to read it!
Mary, I’m excited to be on your blog today!