Guest Blog Goodness–Sharon Callender
Please welcome Sharon Callender to the blog!
Most writers I’ve known say that writing is invigorating, while some say that it’s their therapy. How does your writing serve you? Do you express your life through the story or does the theme come from your vision?
Writing is an escape for me. It’s a place where I can close the door to real life and immerse myself into an alternate reality where love always wins. My stories are inspired by my vision of crafting characters that are unraveled by love. Predictable vanilla lives are thrown into beautiful, passionate chaos when love unexpectedly arrives.
Who or what inspired you to write?
I started journaling when I was seven. I chronicled every life event in my Hello Kitty journal. But I fell in love with writing and reading in the second grade. Our class worked with a writer in residence who helped up find our voice through poetry. He taught us how to create poems based on life experiences, nature, and the world around us. It was an unforgettable and transformative adventure that I’ll never forget.
What are your five “desert island” books?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Blessings by Julia Cameron
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
Perfect by Judith McNaught
What advice would you give a new author?
Promotion is key. I didn’t realize how important book promotion was until my second book, No One to Trust, was published by Liquid Silver Books. Even before your book is released, you must have some kind of marketing plan. There are great book promoters out there who can help you spread the word.
Have you done all the things in your book with your partner? That’s what I want to know 
No. I haven’t. Sadly, I am very single and haven’t found my alpha male/prince charming yet. My main characters have spicy hot love lives that make me shudder with envy!
Amazon Link (with extended excerpt)
Barnes & Noble Link (with extended excerpt)
Blurbage
Thirty-two year old Jenna Havilland doesn’t have time for romantic relationships. Driven and career focused, she is the personal assistant to eccentric contemporary artist, Pedro Rodriguez. When Jenna inadvertently becomes the target of a dangerous international art crime ring, she reluctantly captures the romantic interest of notorious playboy and fine art management firm executive, Alex Quinlan. They are both forced into the crosshairs of this deadly storm, and Alex is determined to protect her.
Still dealing with emotional baggage from her break up three years ago, Jenna is skittish when it comes to love. She can’t deny the off the charts chemistry between her and Alex, but she questions whether she can trust the gorgeous, heartbreaking playboy with her heart and her life as they dodge danger and try to stay alive. Can they find love knowing there is no one to trust?
Excerpt
Before she had a minute to think, to process what was happening, she heard Alex’s voice from some distance place saying, “Get down, Jenna. Get down now!” With his arms around her, he pushed her to the ground, ducking them behind the shelter of his car.
The sound of bullets slicing through metal lasted for what seemed like years. When she heard the pulsating sound of a plane engine roaring to life, they ventured rising a bit to peer over the car. The gunmen disappeared in a Cessna headed over the Atlantic.
Jenna panted now, after holding her breath for too long.
“Are you okay, Jenna?” Alex held her face between his palms and then tucked a strand of wayward hair behind Jenna’s ear.
“I think so,” she croaked out, still in a daze. “What just happened?”
“I have no idea.” He reached for his cell phone and began dialing nine-one-one.
Jenna tried to get up and gasped. “What’s wrong?” Alex glanced at her, while still talking to the operator. “Oh my God, Jenna, you’re bleeding.” He knelt down beside her. “Operator we need an ambulance. The woman with me has been shot.”
“I didn’t even feel it.” Jenna clasped her left hand over the skin below her collar bone. She began to feel sharp pain course through the flesh of her upper body, throbbing deep inside her skin. The world started to spin too fast, making her dizzy. Jenna closed her eyes from the throbbing pain and to hide the tears threatening to fall.
“Hey, hey, don’t cry,” Alex told her gently. “You’re fine. The ambulance will be here any minute.” Jenna detected the fear in Alex’s eyes and wondered if she was going to die. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. She pressed her face against his chest as he stroked her hair. Her body began to tremble. Blood drained from her face.
“You’re going to be okay,” he whispered in her ear. “Help is coming.” She hung on to him for dear life, feeling helpless as she slipped away from the world. “Stay with me, Jenna, hold on.” Jenna’s eyes fluttered closed, when all she wanted to do was stay awake.
