Friday, August 3, 2012

Sharon Srock: An Ordinary Woman Using Her Faith To Do Extraordinary Things

Everyone's Story is pleased to welcome soon-to-be debut author Sharon Srock. I became acquainted with Sharon on her lovely blog, The Women Of Valley View, saying that when both of us are published we'll be siting next to each other in a book signing since our last names are almost alike. Well, I may have some catching up to do with Sharon, but I'm happy for her that the first in a series she has sold to Harbourlight Books will be released in 3 months. It's been great getting to know Sharon better; like her own characters, Sharon is indeed a woman who uses her faith to do extraordinary things but truthfully, I should have used the term "extraordinary" to describe Sharon in the title of this segment!

Sharon will be sharing an interview, as well as an excerpt from her first book. If you're an author with an unexpected debut story, or a reader looking for inspiration within a novel, Sharon looks forward to hearing from you. Plus, she has a special treat:


Book Giveaway

If you don't mind first receiving Book 1 of the WOMEN OF VALLEY VIEW, CALLIE, upon its release in October, Sharon is offering one copy to one viewer who leaves a comment. The randomly chosen winner will be announced on Friday, August 10th. Please leave you email within the body of the comment. Thanks!

Here's a blurb (the excerpt follows):
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.



WOMEN OF VALLEY VIEW: CALLIE
By Sharon Srock


1
Callie Stillman dabbed raindrops from her face with a linen napkin as Benton dodged a server with a loaded tray and took his place across from her. She smiled into her husband’s blue eyes and reached across to wipe water from his beard. “We’ll both have pneumonia if we don’t dry off soon.”
Benton took the napkin and finished the job. “I’ve been told the food is very good. A few sniffles should be worth it.”
Callie’s gaze roamed the room. “It’s…” Recognition slammed into her chest, forcing the air from her lungs. The man crossing the room behind her husband nodded and continued to his table. Was that the bailiff? Do you swear to tell the truth… She gulped for breath and fought the familiar darkness that crowded the edges of her vision.
Callie ran a finger around her collar, tugging the neck of the blouse away from skin suddenly dewed with a fine film of sweat. Too hot. She took a sip of water, dismayed at the tremor in her hand as she lifted the glass to her lips. Not here, not tonight. Callie closed her eyes and practiced the breathing techniques she’d learned over the last six months. In through her nose, hold for a few seconds, and out through her mouth. Concentrate only on the current step in the process, the next breath. The tightness in her chest began to fade away. Thank you, Jesus. She raised her water again and held the cold glass to her flushed cheek.
“Callie?”
Callie met Benton’s eyes across the table. The concern etched on her husband’s face threatened to break her heart. Benton had been so supportive during the last few months, so protective while she tried to heal. She would beat this. For him, she would move on.
“You OK?”
Callie smiled. “I’m fine. It’s just a little warm in here all of a sudden.”
Benton cocked his head to the side. “You sure? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
A ghost? She closed her eyes, the images unbidden but ever present. Sawyer’s pale, lifeless face. Callie’s hand reaching out to stroke baby-fine hair, bruises the mortician’s makeup couldn’t hide. That tiny coffin lowered into the ground. Callie could have lived with a ghost, but her haunted memories and the never-ending what ifs that traveled with them would drive her crazy.
Two more breaths, another swallow of cold water. Callie smiled at Benton. “This was a nice surprise. Thanks for thinking of it.”
Benton took her hand. “Anything for the woman I love. Have you decided what you’d like for dinner?”
“I—“ A vicious bolt of lightning lit the dark Oklahoma sky outside the windows of the restaurant. Thunder exploded across the sky. The lights flickered and went off, plunging the room into sudden darkness and silence except for the terrified cries of a frightened child.
Callie jumped to her feet. Her chair tipped sideways onto the carpeted floor. Oh Jesus, please make the crying stop. A harsh voice cut across the child’s frantic cries. “Andy, sit down and stop that noise. It’s just thunder.”
The lights came back up and Callie’s awareness narrowed to the cries of the child. Is that how Sawyer sounded? Frightened howls as his eighteen months of life surrendered to the beating his father dealt him. Oh Jesus, I’m so sorry. So sorry I let Janette deceive me. So sorry I didn’t ask you before I testified. I know you’ve forgiven me. Please help me forgive myself. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Callie bolted from the restaurant.
“Callie!” Benton called.
She was letting him down. Still she ran for the door.
When Benton found her several minutes later, she stood by the car. Rain cascaded over her, mixing with her tears. Benton pulled her into his arms, wet and all. He held her close, his bearded chin rested on her head. “Shh, baby, it’s OK. I’m sorry. This was a bad idea.”
Callie clung to him like the lifeline between sanity and madness he was. “Benton, no. It was a great idea. I know you were trying to distract me. Trying to make me forget Sawyer’s birthday. I thought I could.” She allowed Benton to help her into the car, only to bend double in the seat as the panicked adrenalin gave way to nausea. “How could I have been so stupid?”
Benton started the car and turned the heater up to high. “Callie, you weren’t stupid. You thought you were doing the right thing.”
Callie shook her head. “I just wanted to help. I knew Janette wasn’t abusing her kids. She didn’t deserve to lose them. Testifying to that…being at the hearing to support her…celebrating when it was over. I just wanted to help,” she repeated.
Her husband navigated the rain-washed streets while Callie huddled in the seat, head down, arms wrapped around her middle. The images in her mind took on a life of their own. Janette, sitting in her office, tearful over charges of alleged child abuse, frantic because her babies had been taken from her. Callie’s unhesitating agreement to appear in court as a character witness. The custody hearing, her nervous testimony, the endless waiting for the judge to make a decision, the joy of seeing those two babies reunited with their mother. And Sawyer died because of my interference. Jesus, give me strength. Give me the wisdom I need to never put myself in that situation again.

Some Questions For Sharon:

You openly admit your age (you brave woman) on your blog site, The Women of Valley View. Unlike actors, models, or just about anyone in a field that is deemed by society as age-controlled, writers have a bit more leeway that publication can begin at any age. Please share with us about your journey to publication. Do you accept the status of “late-bloomer” or do you see it as a misnomer?

I know that God called me to write 25 years ago. But looking back at the things I’ve walked through between now and then, and the flood gate that opened in my heart 3 years ago, I have to think that I’m blooming right where, and when, God wanted me to. Late in life, maybe. Late in God’s plan, nope.

Your characters are women who attend church together. They are ordinary women that through faith accomplish extraordinary things. Did you keep this in mind when writing your novel to entertain a specific reading audience or did you write the novel you wanted and hoped to reach the masses?

I think ordinary women accomplish extraordinary things in their lives every day. With the three stories I’ve written, Callie and Terri (contracted) and Pam (my almost completed work in progress) I tried to settle on that one thing. Callie’s was trust, Terri’s will be obedience, Pam will learn to forgive. I hope those things speak to all of us.

On your blog you also admit to following God’s call to writing 25 years ago…yet, it has taken a while. I say this as a person with a similar history. Now that your novel(s) has sold, and you have an agent working on your behalf, are you able to look back in hindsight and take a few guesses as to why God may have taken you on a detour? Or, do you believe it was all a matter of 25 years of honing your writing skills, hard work, and being in the right place at the right time?

Any detours in my life were mine, not God’s. I wonder, often, where I’d be right now if I’d stuck with writing 25 years ago. That’s a pointless question. Like I said, I’ve come to accept that I’m right where God wanted me, when He wanted me there.

How do you manage to write efficiently around working full-time at an air force base, selling Avon products, and being a loving wife, mom, and grandmother?

I’ve given up just about anything that resembles entertainment. I don’t get to read much anymore. I had to switch from reviewing books on my blog to offering excerpts because I was having problems reading a book every 2-3 weeks to review. I write on breaks and lunch periods. An hour here, thirty minutes there. I had just about developed a system that worked pretty well then the need for social media involvement raised its ugly head. That’s an hour plus out of my home time every evening. I’m thankful that my daughters are grown. My youngest grandchild is almost 12, so they are all to the self involved teenaged stage, and my husband is understanding enough that if he has to make his own dinner an extra night a week, he’s good with that.

Would you say Sharon Srock has finally arrived at the place in life she always dreamed about, or is she still traveling there?

Still traveling. Yes, my name on that book is a dream fulfilled, but what happens when you quit dreaming? We have to keep moving forward in this world or we stagnate.

Elaine, here is my little testimony. It might help viewers to understand the 25-year-thing:

I’ve been a reader all my life, but writing was never my dream. I remember cringing in English classes when a single page paper was due. One night I went to bed a reader and woke up determined to write a book. I was very involved in Star Trek fandom, had some short stories and poetry published in a fanzine here and there. My first full length project was a Star Trek story. Now, I’m Pentecostal, so you’ll have to work with me here…One night, about 25 years ago, we were in a revival. The evangelist, who didn’t know me from Eve spoke a word of prophecy over me. In para phrase…  “I’ve put a pen in your hand and a light by your side. Use it for me.” Well at that point in my life the only Christian writing I knew about were lessons or theological works of non fiction. That didn’t seem like me, so I stopped writing altogether. Three and a half years ago, a new employee stopped by my desk to introduce herself. In the course of the conversation, she mentioned that she was a writer. I told her that that was my dream at one time. She gave me the oddest look and spoke five words that have changed my life. “You gave up too soon.” That night I started writing Callie’s story.

Author Bio:
Sharon Srock lives with her husband, Larry, and two dogs in Rural Oklahoma. She is a mother, grandmother, and Sunday School teacher. Sharon has one and three-quarters jobs and writes in her spare time. Her favorite hobby is traveling with her grandchildren. She is a member of the ACFW and currently serves as treasurer for her local chapter. Sharon’s writing credits include numerous poems and short stories published in science fiction fanzines.

You can reach Sharon at:




47 comments:

  1. Sharon, I love what you said: "I think ordinary women accomplish extraordinary things in their lives every day." Wonderful and profound and absolutely correct. Enjoyed the interview too. You go, girl!

    Linda Goodnight
    RITA Award winning author

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    1. LInda, welcome to Everyone's Story! Congratulations on being a 5-time Rita finalist!

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    2. Linda--and congrats on winning that RITA as well :)

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    3. Linda, thanks so much. I appreciate your kind words!

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  2. Wow, what an interview. Sharon sounds like a wonderful person and so warm. Are you wondering how I know she is so warm? Yes, I could tell that from the interview. How wonderful she knows that she isn't a late bloomer but all in God's time. I have a feeling that God is going to use Sharon's talent for writing in a mighty way.

    Callie sounds like a real page turner. I was just getting engrossed into the excerpt when it ended. I can't wait to read this book. Winning a copy would be a delight!

    Thanks Sharon for letting us get to know a little about you. Thanks for your book giveaway too.

    Blessings!
    Judy
    judyjohn2004(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Hi Judy--welcome back to Everyone's Story ♡

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    2. Judy, thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview.

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  3. Great interview! So excited for your book debut, Sharon!

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    1. Hello, Marji. Nice to see you here in this little--but growing--corner of the world :)

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    2. Marji, Glad you stopped by. It will be your turn, and Elaine's soon!

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  4. Please pray for Sharon and others who live in Oklahoma. They are facing horrific, threatening grass fires that are spreading out of control.

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  5. My prayers go to those in OK in the path of the horrific fires. I pray for safety and quenching rains! Loved the interview. Especially Sharon's story. Yes, God's timing is so perfect! I'd love to be in the running for her book--mpmerritt (at) earthlink (dot) net. Will keep praying for safety!

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    1. Nice to meet you, Marian. Hope you'll visit again :)

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    2. Marian, Thanks for the prayers and your visit. Glad you enjoyed the interview!

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  6. Congratulations to Sharon! This sounds like a great read. Will definitely be in my TBR.

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    1. Hi Carla. Glad to see you visiting here.

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    2. Carla, It's very exciting!! I hope it's on a million TBR lists! LOL

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  7. I can't wait to see your book in print, Sharon. You've worked hard for it, and you definitely deserve it. Bless you and stay safe tonight with those fires.

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    1. Welcome, Robin. Hope you're safe as well from those fires!

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    2. Robin, We've BOTH worked really hard!! Thanks for being the bet critique partner in the world!!

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  8. Another big congratulations, Sharon! I'm so glad everything is coming together to make your dream a reality!
    Cheryl

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    1. Cheryl, Thanks for all the help you guys have offered over the last couple of years.

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  9. God bless, Sharon, and I'm eagerly awaiting your release! Exciting times ahead, and I pray you savor each second! Great interview, Elaine, and a lovely blog. Blessings to you both, ladies!

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    1. Marianne, Thanks so much. It is very exciting!!

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  10. Enjoyed your testimony, Sharon and I look forward to reading your book. God's timing is always perfect.

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    1. Mary, thanks so much. Waiting is hard, but always worth it!

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  11. Sharon, love the interview and can't wait to read your book! I also really love how that prophetic word spoken over you so many years ago is being fulfilled in your life in such a beautiful way. God's so cool like that. :0)

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    1. Susan, Thanks for stopping by. Cool is a good word!!

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  12. Sharon, great interview. I'm so excited for your first book to be here. Don't enter me in the drawing--I'll be one of the first in line to buy it. :)

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    1. Lacy, I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. I hope you enjoy the story!

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    2. Lacy, Susan, Mary, Marianne, and Cheryl--thanks all for your visit.

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  13. Can't wait to read this book! Great interview

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    1. Holly, thanks for the kind words.

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    2. Holly, thanks so much for Google Following Everyone's Story. You made my day!

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  14. You know those moms that scream "that's my girl!" when she does something amazing and she wants everyone to know who she belongs too? Well..... THAT'S MY MOM!!! So proud if you. So happy that you are seeing this dream, one of which you've had most of my life, realized. Love you mom.

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    1. Amber, this is so sweet that you've spoken these heartfelt words to your mom and told her exactly how you felt. One of the reasons why I didn't sleep well last night was that I'd woken up thinking about how my own mom died back in the '80s. You two are blessed to have each other ♡

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    2. Amber, Thanks, sweetheart, I love you too!

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  15. So nice to "meet" you here at Elaine's lovely blog. i live in North Central Texas, so we're almost neighbors. I, too, wish I had gotten busy writing years ago...forty years for me, but I finally published in 1998, so I haven't been dawdling all that time. Best wishes for a fulfilling career.

    caroline@carolineclemmons.com

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    1. Caroline, I am always so pleased when you visit :) Both you and Sharon are encouraging me tons not to give up my dreams of publishing my stories. Heartfelt thanks.

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  16. Caroline, thanks for your good wishes. I appreciate you stopping by.

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  17. What an awesome interview. i loved every bit of it. How many times don't we quit too soon? i would love to read and review Callie,as well as Terri and Pam when they come available. Thanks for the chance to win.

    mitziUNDERSCOREwanhamATyahooDOTcom

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  18. Marianne, I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. I hope you'll continue to track Callie's story as she moves toward Oct. 26.

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  19. Sharon can't wait to see you published. You so deserve all the kind words. Love you friend.

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    1. Welcome to Everyone's Story, "Anonymous."

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    2. Trying to decide which of my "women" this is. I'm stumped, but thanks!!

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  20. Wow--Sharon, what a wonderful week it's been on Everyone's Story. I believe you're off to a running start in a writing career that many will seek your entertaining and uplifting novels. Thanks for being a wonderful guest, and thanks too for the generous GiveAway of your upcoming debut novel.

    And the winner of Sharon Srock's novel WOMEN OF VALLEY VIEW: CALLIE is:
    Judy. Congratulations, Judy. Sharon will contact you in a private email. Happy reading :)

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