Sharon Kendrick's Blog
February 2, 2023
LONG TIME...
Since I've just finished a book (early), and while I'm searching around in the recesses of my mind for a new story - I decided to return to my blog. Eek. What a huge tranche of time has passed since the last time I wrote here (about inspiration). So much has happened in the interim but I'm not going to touch on history, or corruption - because this is a place of happiness and romance.
So instead, I'll give you a photo of my latest book, which is out right now in the US & UK.
It's a story of lost love, and idealism, and hope. There's a hunky and arrogant hero - and a runaway bride! Most of the action takes place in delicious Greek setting which moves to the glamorous South of France. So let me transport you there...
I'd be interested to know what you think of Theo and Mia's powerful and passionate story. And also, your views on her dress...
October 10, 2019
PEOPLE SAY
"Where do you get your inspiration from?"
I get it wherever I can find it. On a train, a bus, a plane. Eavesdropping is the writer's greatest ally, that and watching people's faces when they think are unobserved. My daughter is always saying, "Stop staring, mum!"
Of course, other times - I just let the sheer other-worldliness of a place soak into my skin. For a while I live a completely different life, and I had one such experience recently. We stayed at the fabulous Villa Joya in Portugal, courtesy of a charity auction held in aid of Action Against Hunger.
It was sublime. I love Portugal (even if the language is pretty impossible).
Blue skies and palm trees...
Lunch by the pool (with not a cheese & pickle sandwich in sight)
Flowers everywhere...
Course after course of fancy food, served in teeny-tiny exquisite portions...
And romantic sunsets which must have been set up by Central Casting...
And now it's back to the train...
I get it wherever I can find it. On a train, a bus, a plane. Eavesdropping is the writer's greatest ally, that and watching people's faces when they think are unobserved. My daughter is always saying, "Stop staring, mum!"
Of course, other times - I just let the sheer other-worldliness of a place soak into my skin. For a while I live a completely different life, and I had one such experience recently. We stayed at the fabulous Villa Joya in Portugal, courtesy of a charity auction held in aid of Action Against Hunger.
It was sublime. I love Portugal (even if the language is pretty impossible).
Blue skies and palm trees...
Lunch by the pool (with not a cheese & pickle sandwich in sight)
Flowers everywhere...
Course after course of fancy food, served in teeny-tiny exquisite portions...
And romantic sunsets which must have been set up by Central Casting...
And now it's back to the train...
November 7, 2018
SPECTACULAR NAPOLI
Here you go:
Stunning Neapolitan architecture
And scrumptious Neapolitan pizza:
Because?
Just because I love this amazing city soooo much.
Who else has visited here?
Stunning Neapolitan architecture
And scrumptious Neapolitan pizza:
Because?
Just because I love this amazing city soooo much.
Who else has visited here?
November 1, 2018
SPOOKS AND POMEGRANATES
I'm just back from an amazing olive-picking trip to Umbria, where this year we broke the record by harvesting over 17 crates of beautifully-coloured fruits (at least, I think they're called fruits..).
The days (although we sometimes had to dodge the showers) - were spectacular and enlivened by luscious pomegranates still hanging from the trees.
Later that evening we played dress-up...these are the kind of clothes I would wear all the time, if I could!
Though not quite so sure about whether you could get away with wearing these...
Did you do anything exciting over the Halloween weekend?
The days (although we sometimes had to dodge the showers) - were spectacular and enlivened by luscious pomegranates still hanging from the trees.
Later that evening we played dress-up...these are the kind of clothes I would wear all the time, if I could!
Though not quite so sure about whether you could get away with wearing these...
Did you do anything exciting over the Halloween weekend?
October 30, 2018
TEFLON-TOUGH YET VULNERABLE...MY NEAPOLITAN HERO
Okay, I know it's still November but already in the shops I can see twinkly lights, stars - and cards with impossibly green triangular-shaped trees. So, do you love Christmas, or are you like my latest hero, Salvio de Gennaro - and hate every minute of it?
I've just fulfilled a long-held dream and visited the beautiful city of Naples.
Naples has 366 churches and the best sea-food and mozzarella in the world. (Oh, and properly juicy tomatoes).
I've gazed on Mount Vesuvius and seen the famous bay.....
I've eaten the most delicious pastries known to mankind (sflogliatelle). In fact, you can read an earlier blog post on this very subject.
And I've watched the vibrant and colourful life of this unique and spectacular city....which brings me to my latest book THE ITALIAN'S CHRISTMAS HOUSEKEEPER, which is set in Napoli.The hero is a once-famous football star who's known his share of bad times. He isn't looking for love - but then he finds Molly and suddenly, all bets are off.If you want an emotional roller-coaster - if you want to remember all the things you love best about Christmas - then look no further than this seasonal read of passion and heartbreak.
I've just fulfilled a long-held dream and visited the beautiful city of Naples.
Naples has 366 churches and the best sea-food and mozzarella in the world. (Oh, and properly juicy tomatoes).
I've gazed on Mount Vesuvius and seen the famous bay.....
I've eaten the most delicious pastries known to mankind (sflogliatelle). In fact, you can read an earlier blog post on this very subject.
And I've watched the vibrant and colourful life of this unique and spectacular city....which brings me to my latest book THE ITALIAN'S CHRISTMAS HOUSEKEEPER, which is set in Napoli.The hero is a once-famous football star who's known his share of bad times. He isn't looking for love - but then he finds Molly and suddenly, all bets are off.If you want an emotional roller-coaster - if you want to remember all the things you love best about Christmas - then look no further than this seasonal read of passion and heartbreak.
March 16, 2017
MY HOTTEST-EVER SHEIKH
I love every book I write and get to know my characters so well that I miss them when I finish the story. Every hero makes me shiver with pleasure and envy the heroine her future life with him, but I have to say that Zayed Al Zawba is one of my favourite heroes of all time.
Well, see for yourself...
He's flawed. He's arrogant. And proud...so proud. He doesn't want to marry until he's sixty or seventy, when he plans to take a young virgin for a bride as custom allows. Trouble is, he needs a bride right now - and the only way he can contemplate a short-lived marriage is to choose a woman who doesn't attract him, so that the union won't be consummated.
Enter Jane. Plain Jane Smith - the earnest academic who hates Zayed almost as much as she loves his rich and historic country.
It's an explosive combination of two strong-willed people who have no desire to be together, but who cannot deny their growing desire for each other...and you can win an advance copy by contacting me directly (see contact details on home page of this blog) and telling me which heroes you like best. Italian? Brazilian? Greek?
And good luck!
Well, see for yourself...
He's flawed. He's arrogant. And proud...so proud. He doesn't want to marry until he's sixty or seventy, when he plans to take a young virgin for a bride as custom allows. Trouble is, he needs a bride right now - and the only way he can contemplate a short-lived marriage is to choose a woman who doesn't attract him, so that the union won't be consummated.
Enter Jane. Plain Jane Smith - the earnest academic who hates Zayed almost as much as she loves his rich and historic country.
It's an explosive combination of two strong-willed people who have no desire to be together, but who cannot deny their growing desire for each other...and you can win an advance copy by contacting me directly (see contact details on home page of this blog) and telling me which heroes you like best. Italian? Brazilian? Greek?
And good luck!
October 20, 2016
NO NIGHTINGALES* BUT PLENTY OF POLICEMEN
When people ask where I get my ideas from, I always mention that I like to do as many quirky and adventurous things as possible. No, not skiing. I mean, doing things which are completely different from the things I do in my own life. Which is how I found myself in Belgrave Square this morning, for a visit to the Argentine Ambassador's residence.
It's situated in one of those leafy London squares which thrum with behind-the-scenes activity. You can sense the presence of a zillion hidden CCTV cameras and there are London *Bobbies* prowling around everywhere.
Inside, it was gorgeous. High ceilings, lots of paintings, tapestries, souvenirs from South Africa and a shiny dining table which seats 24. I particularly liked this mantlepiece in the Ambassdor's office:
And this (rather kitsch but very beautiful) Italian light, which features the Madonna and child plus lots of little cherubs.
But the weirdest thing of all is that when I wrote my one and only story with an Argentinian hero (THE HOUSEKEEPER'S AWAKENING), the book opened with my heroine making the hero's favourite biscuits, which are called Alfajores. I even made some myself (to add a little authenticity to my story) and wrote a blog post about it.
So imagine my delight (and surprise) when I was offered a biscuit to have with my coffee when I arrived - and the biscuits just happened to be....
ALFAJORES!
Spooky, or what?
* And the title of this post refers of course, to the dreamy old-fashioned song: A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BERKLEY SQUARE, sung here by Vera Lynn
It's situated in one of those leafy London squares which thrum with behind-the-scenes activity. You can sense the presence of a zillion hidden CCTV cameras and there are London *Bobbies* prowling around everywhere.
Inside, it was gorgeous. High ceilings, lots of paintings, tapestries, souvenirs from South Africa and a shiny dining table which seats 24. I particularly liked this mantlepiece in the Ambassdor's office:
And this (rather kitsch but very beautiful) Italian light, which features the Madonna and child plus lots of little cherubs.
But the weirdest thing of all is that when I wrote my one and only story with an Argentinian hero (THE HOUSEKEEPER'S AWAKENING), the book opened with my heroine making the hero's favourite biscuits, which are called Alfajores. I even made some myself (to add a little authenticity to my story) and wrote a blog post about it.
So imagine my delight (and surprise) when I was offered a biscuit to have with my coffee when I arrived - and the biscuits just happened to be....
ALFAJORES!Spooky, or what?
* And the title of this post refers of course, to the dreamy old-fashioned song: A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BERKLEY SQUARE, sung here by Vera Lynn
October 19, 2016
THE STORY OF SEXY DANTE DI SIONE
is out right now.
It's a book I loved writing with a heroine who's had a lot of stuff thrown at her but it's made her strong and it's made her determined.
Willow Hamilton has been protected from the world for most of her life and finds herself longing for adventure. The man she picks for her particular adventure ( can you guess what that might be?) is possibly the world's worst candidate for a naive innocent like her.
He's powerful, he's tough and he's dangerous - in an emotional sense of the word - the trouble is that he's also irresistible!
The book is released this week in the USA and UK and features some amazing settings - from a crumbling stately home in the English countryside, to a luxury mansion on Long Island - with a Caribbean island thrown in for good measure. It's part of the billionaire's legacy mini-series and although it's a stand-alone novel, there are seven other great books for you to enjoy - including the story of Dante's twin by Caitlin Crews.
Hope you like it.
It's a book I loved writing with a heroine who's had a lot of stuff thrown at her but it's made her strong and it's made her determined.
Willow Hamilton has been protected from the world for most of her life and finds herself longing for adventure. The man she picks for her particular adventure ( can you guess what that might be?) is possibly the world's worst candidate for a naive innocent like her.
He's powerful, he's tough and he's dangerous - in an emotional sense of the word - the trouble is that he's also irresistible!
The book is released this week in the USA and UK and features some amazing settings - from a crumbling stately home in the English countryside, to a luxury mansion on Long Island - with a Caribbean island thrown in for good measure. It's part of the billionaire's legacy mini-series and although it's a stand-alone novel, there are seven other great books for you to enjoy - including the story of Dante's twin by Caitlin Crews.
Hope you like it.
October 18, 2016
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF*
Although the only leaf* I can see right now is an aging one, amid lots of others which are just starting to display a blaze of gold, copper and bronze. I do love autumn and am lucky enough to live in Winchester, where (I'm sure I've mentioned this before) Keats famously wrote his beautiful and evocative poem: Ode To Autumn).
I've been very lazy with this blog - but I'm not alone. I scan the websites of my fave authors to discover a dearth of info. Do you think social media has made blogging a redundant pastime? Yet I love reading brilliant blogs. Which ones? Well, The Spike is always worth a look and makes me want to buy up whatever is featured there - clothes/bags/things-I-never-knew-I-wanted-but-can't-live-without.
Have just discovered that my entire back-list is available on iTunes and am KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THAT!
So will leave you with a picture of the leaves outside my writing room while I get back to Ariston and Keeley, who are about to get married (she doesn't want to) and the words of that gorgeous poem. And the question: to blog, or not to blog?
SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run; To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease;For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cells. Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store? Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep, Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook Spares the next swath and all its twinèd flowers: And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep Steady thy laden head across a brook;Or by a cyder-press, with patient look, Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours. Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,— While barrèd clouds bloom the soft-dying dayAnd touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue; Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn Among the river-sallows, borne aloft Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies; And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft; And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
I've been very lazy with this blog - but I'm not alone. I scan the websites of my fave authors to discover a dearth of info. Do you think social media has made blogging a redundant pastime? Yet I love reading brilliant blogs. Which ones? Well, The Spike is always worth a look and makes me want to buy up whatever is featured there - clothes/bags/things-I-never-knew-I-wanted-but-can't-live-without.
Have just discovered that my entire back-list is available on iTunes and am KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THAT!
So will leave you with a picture of the leaves outside my writing room while I get back to Ariston and Keeley, who are about to get married (she doesn't want to) and the words of that gorgeous poem. And the question: to blog, or not to blog?
SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run; To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease;For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cells. Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store? Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep, Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook Spares the next swath and all its twinèd flowers: And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep Steady thy laden head across a brook;Or by a cyder-press, with patient look, Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours. Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,— While barrèd clouds bloom the soft-dying dayAnd touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue; Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn Among the river-sallows, borne aloft Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies; And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft; And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
