Hi, I’m Shari. . .
Like almost every writer I know, I’ve been writing since I was in grade school and never stopped. Whatever my occupation–outside salesperson, purchasing agent, technical writer, associate professor, Webmaster, communications manager, newspaper journalist, freelance writer–I had an on-again, off-again flirtation with fiction writing.
My first foray into fiction writing was with Romance Writers of America. I enjoyed my time there, making many friends and good memories, and gathering tons of information about the craft. But it turns out that what I was writing wasn’t strictly romance. My writing included elements of mystery, adventure, and romance. I joined Sisters in Crime (SinC), another great writers’ organization, and my focus changed from novels to short stories. My first short story was published in my local chapter’s anthology, followed by a few others.
It wasn’t until 2020, that I summoned the courage to submit a story to a mystery magazine. To my surprise and delight, they loved it and it was published in 2021. At that point, I caught the short story bug big time. Twenty twenty-one was a banner year for me, with fifteen stories accepted for anthologies and magazines. I don’t know that I’ll ever match that year, but what an inspiring ride!
Even if none of my stories had sold, I wouldn’t give up writing. It’s so wonderful to bring characters to life for readers to enjoy. I must admit I fall in love with most of them. My detective Nick Alexander, a recurring character, comes to mind. But there are many others. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy creating them.
