Thursday, September 10, 2020

Guest Author Day with Sharon Williams

 


Please welcome author Sharon C. Williams tot he Reading Nook blog as we talk about their new book series, Jasper the Amazon Parrot.

Talking with author Sharon C. Williams

How did you start writing fiction?  

I came to the writing game late. In 2009 my husband told my friend, Debbie, that he felt I wrote well. After she told me it got me thinking. I had always thought of writers as special individuals. How it was reserved for people with talent, skill and a master of the language. How could I ever entertain the thought that I could write? But hearing what my husband thought I started to wonder what could I write about. I literally looked around my house trying to come up with an idea. That is when my eye landed on Jasper. He is our rescued and adopted parrot who came home to us in 1999 at the age of five.

 Thinking I could write a children's book for any future grandchildren I decided to go in that direction. 

I found out how much fun it was to write and from that day since the stories have continually formed in my head. They are forever begging and screaming to be let out. At the moment I write in a few genres which include comedy, action and adventure, short stories and drama. 

The fever has hit me. I hope it never burns out.

  

Are you a Plotter or pantster?

 

I’m a proud pantster. I love letting my characters decide where my WIP will go. I also don’t want to take the time to plot. I feel, as far as I am concern, that it restricts my creativity. I love to free style. Majority of my books have arrived from me free styling. I just want to write and than figure out the mechanics after it is done.

 

What are three things you have on your writing desk? 

I have a big day planner which I use to schedule posts on my different social platforms, interviews, guest posts and seminars that I am heading and any other events pertaining to writing. 

 I also have a big tumbler for my water or sweet ice tea is a must for me as well as speakers so I can play good music as I work. 

 

Tell us a little about your new release. What character in the book really spoke to you? 

My latest book is volume three to my Jasper, Amazon parrot series. This may seem an easy way out to this question but I have to go to my main character, Jasper. With each volume his character arc keeps growing and expanding as readers learn more about this incredible animal. He continues to show his bravery, his love for his family and friends. But more importantly he continues to show his way of continually learning to get along with those different from us that we may encounter.

  

Finish this sentence: I write because ____… 

I write because it gives me absolute and utter joy, filling and giving me purpose that literally makes me smile from ear to ear. 

 

What is your favorite type of character to write about? 

When it comes to my children’s series I incorporate a new character, in this case an animal. in each volume. Writing about a new animal to share is absolutely one of my favorite things to write about. I love learning about the animals of the Amazon rainforest. 

You see, my main character to this series, Jasper, is based on our own Yellow Cheek Amazon parrot we rescued in 1999 at the age of five. After being around him for so long I started investigating where he is from, the animals he would have seen and the issues that plague this region. 

To share any information with my readers in hope they will have empathy for the animals as well as the issues of the region is something I just love to pass on. 

When I write outside of this genre that changes. I love writing characters that have character personalities I would love to have. I want strong and independent people who can take a hit and keep on going. Who know what they want even when obstacles tries to stop them. I want to explore their inner flaws to show they are human. I love writing characters who the readers can relate to. 

 

What is the sexiest scene you ever wrote? 

The genres I write in are children's, comedy, short stories, action/adventure and drama. So far none have required me to write a sexy scene. But there is a scene in one of my WIP where I wrote for the first time a murder scene. 

Without meaning to, or expecting, I had so much fun creating the scene for this WIP.  It was new, exciting and I did not want it to end. I wanted to shout to the world that I had completed my first scene on this topic. So, in a way, that was  my sexiest scene. Here’s to more.

  

What is next on your writerly horizon? 

 I’ve finished volume four to my Jasper, Amazon parrot series and just completed the first round of edits. I’ve finished volume two to my Squirrel Mafia series and I’m working on the first round of edits. I am also working on a drama that is untitled at the moment, a YA novel titled Lost Faith as well as a true story novel called A Woman of Color. Even with all of that said I have in mind the next installation of the Jasper, Amazon Parrot book which would be book five.



Genre of the book and series: children’s chapter book series

series name is the Jasper, Amazon parrot series. 

Publisher is Peculiar Possum

Jasper is no ordinary parrot. 

He lives in the rainforest, which secrets he’s eager to explore. Jasper loves his home and his family, and he's also in charge of his younger brother Willie - a responsibility Jasper takes very seriously.

When he meets Charlie - a spider monkey with a penchant for food and a laid back attitude - he realizes he’s in for an adventure he never thought possible.   Even if this means getting into danger and worrying his mother to no end.

Exploring the boundaries of the forest, Jasper understands that there is more to the world around him. Who are the strange new creatures that have come there? With Willie and Charlie by his side, he will soon find out.

 Buy links:

Audible: https://www.audible.com/author/Sharon-C-Williams/B00CSAFL8Q

Itunes:  http://tinyurl.com/o7jpqj6

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sharon-C-Williams/e/B00CSAFL8Q/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1390329738&sr=8-1


Teaser Excerpt:

Seeing Willie by the entrance, he asked, “What’s going

on, Willie? You woke me up from a good sleep with the ruckus

you’re making.”

 

“Sorry, but this is so awesome, I could not hold back. You

can sleep any time, Jasper,” his brother said. “Come check this

out.”

 

Jasper walked over to the entrance of their nest and stood

by his brother’s side. Looking in the direction Willie was

staring at, he saw a large group of birds flying across the

horizon.

 

“Wow. That looks like so much fun. I can’t wait until our

wings are fully grown.”

 

“Why wait?” Willie asked.

 

“Well, duh. We would fall,” Jasper said, thinking to himself

that Willie must have hit his head while sleeping to come up

with such a suggestion.

 

“No, we won’t,” Willie replied, flapping his tiny wings. “All

we have to do is the same as those guys and don’t stop.”

 

“Mama said it would be a few more weeks before we could

start to fly,” Jasper reminded his brother.

 

“What, you’re chicken?” Willie goaded. A smile formed

upon his face.

 

Now, if anyone knows anything about anything, they know

that no one likes to be called chicken, especially by their baby

brother.

 

“Mama just left before you woke up. She will be gone for a

bit,” Willie continued.

 

Willie apparently had forgotten it was due to him that

Jasper had been woken up from a good sleep.

 

Not wanting to be the one to back down, Jasper said,

“Okay. Let’s do it. You’re right. How hard can this be?”

 

“I saw the birds just lift off, so if we jumped out that should

do the trick,” Willie suggested.

 

Both brothers looked at each other for a few minutes and

then looked back out. In unison, they jumped out of the nest,

flapping their tiny wings. Instead of flying with ease like they’d

seen the other birds do, they started to fall, and fast.

 

“Flap, Jasper, flap!” Willie yelled as he did the same.

 

“It’s not working!” Jasper shot back.

 

Both of them continued to fall toward the ground. It didn’t

take long for the two of them to hit the soft leaves lining the

floor of the jungle.

 

Looking around, Jasper searched for his brother, but he was

nowhere in sight. “Willie ... Willie? Where are you?” Jasper

shouted.

 

Nothing.

 

“Willie ... Willieee?” he repeated.

 

Again, nothing

 

Jasper shivered. It was a bit cooler down here than it was

up in their nest.

 

Where could Willie be? he wondered. Okay, don’t worry.

How far could he be?

 

Jasper looked up and saw how far he’d fallen. This wasn’t

good. He should have never listened to Willie. The leaves

rustled from the small breeze making its way to the bottom. It

reminded Jasper of where he was.

 

Should he sit here and wait, or start looking for Willie? He

honestly didn’t know what to do. He would call out for Willie

one more time, and then move on. Sitting here wasn’t going to

help either of them at all.

 

“Willie? Willie? Come on, stop playing, Willie!” Jasper

yelled.

 

Jasper took a deep breath and walked slowly from where

he’d landed, taking the time to cry out Willie’s name, just in

case. Taking small steps, Jasper arched his head and kept a

lookout for his brother. He had to find him. He didn’t want to

be all alone in this strange place.

 

When he’d thought Willie hadn’t made it, Jasper mourned

him, not truly understanding what it meant to have a brother.

What he knew now was that he didn’t want to be by himself.

He wanted his brother with him; someone who was just like

him, who understood what it was like to be a young parrot.

 

Jasper made his way to the nearest tree and rested near it

for a tiny bit. He was scared, hungry, and now alone. He also

had no way of getting back home. Although afraid to close his

eyes, his eyelids closed from exhaustion because of the failed

attempt at flying.

 

He didn’t know how long they were closed when the

sound of movement stirred him awake. Looking straight

ahead, he saw a brown blob coming straight toward him.

Well, it was half blob and half leaves. He leaned back against

the tree as much as possible. Jasper gulped.


About the Author:

Sharon C. Williams is a native of New England raised in Northern Maine. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and son. She is also owned by a flock of birds.

 

Sharon has a B. S. degree in Chemistry and two A.S. with one being in Biology and the other in Math. She loves to read, sketch, take pictures, walk, exercise, go to the movies, and listen to music. She is a budding bird watcher, and knits on the side. Sharon has been rescuing and adopting birds since 1998. She is a huge sports fan of baseball, basketball, hockey, football and MMA. She is also a shutterbug and is always looking for the next big shot.

 

Two of her short stories were published in the anthology, Cassandra's Roadhouse, which is no longer published. Sharon also has two short stories published in the Dragons in the Attic anthology, which was written by her writing group, The Wonder Chicks. She has two short stories in the anthology The Reading Corner: Book One which was released by Fountain Blue Publishing in 2016. The second edition of her children's chapter books, Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure, and Jasper: Amazon Friends and Family were published by Peculiar Possum in July of 2019. Volume three, Jasper, Amazon Parrot: The Perils Of The Jungle, was published by Peculiar Possum on November 27, 2019. Her comedy novel about her war with her backyard squirrels, Squirrel Mafia, was released in 2015 by Peaceful Musings Publishing, followed by an anthology titled Everyday Musings, which was published in in 2016 by Lysestrah Press.

 Find the author at: https://newenglandmuse.com/where-to-find-me/



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