Interview with YA Author PJ Sharon

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Grab you favorite beverage and join us for this week’s Coffee Chat with author PJ Sharon and check out her featured YA novella, Broken Angel.
 
Nice to have you with us, PJ. What may I get you to drink?
 
PJ:  I drink tea and enjoy English or Irish Breakfast in the morning and herbal teas at night. Raspberry or Lemon Ginger with local honey are my favorites!
 
Ally: Tea it is. While I fill our mugs, please tell readers something about yourself. Bio:
 
In addition to her day job as a Massage Therapist, PJ Sharon is an award-winning author of young adult books, including the contemporary novels PIECES of LOVE, HEAVEN is for HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and Holt Medallion winner SAVAGE CINDERELLA. Follow the Savage Cinderella Novella Series with FINDING HOPE, LOST BOYS, SACRED GROUND and her latest release, BROKEN ANGEL. Or enjoy her YA dystopian trilogy, The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, which RT Book Reviews calls “An action-packed read with a strong female lead.”
 
A black belt in the art of Shaolin Kempo Karate, avid kayaker, and singer of Italian art songs, PJ has two grown sons and lives with her husband in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA where she writes YA…because every teen deserves a hopefully ever after.
 
Something unique that isn’t in my regular bio: “I was a competitive figure skater and taught learn to skate and power skating lessons for over twenty-five years.”
 
Social media and contact info:
 
Website: http://www.pjsharon.com
Follow PJ on Twitter: @pjsharon      http://www.twitter.com/pjsharon
“Like” PJ on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooks
Find PJ on Amazon’s Author Central page: http://www.amazon.com/PJ-Sharon/e/B005ONR4IY/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/PJSharon
Signup for PJ’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bm7rj5 INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Let’s start with talking about research. Do you enjoy it? Does your genre require it?
 
PJ:  I think every book requires some amount of research. It’s definitely one of my favorite parts of the writing process—when it’s not being used as a procrastination device…ehem. Not that I ever allow myself to be distracted from my writing, lol. But good research can make or break a book. I’m always afraid someone who knows more about a topic than I do will read and fact-check my books and give me a scathing review if I don’t get something right, lol. Something as simple as calling a Marine a “soldier” can cause a reader to call you out on social media…lesson learned! A Marine is always a Marine!
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? Be honest now. :)
 
PJ:  Absolutely! It’s impossible not to draw from our real-life experiences, and that includes using interesting features and quirky characteristics from people we know. I try not to make it too obvious, but sometimes memorable and unique traits are too good to pass up. I think it helps bring my characters to life and gives them more personality when I can visualize a real person as I write. Of course, the characters on the page take on a life of their own and seem to define themselves as individuals as the story progresses. Hopefully, by stories’ end, no one is the wiser