Interview with Author Deborah Sharp

Celebrating Day 3 of Random Acts of Publicity 

Sharp: Training her lens on a disappearing Florida

Mystery writer Deborah Sharp is a former reporter for USA Today. She traded the sad stories of the news business for writing mysteries, set in a little-known rodeo-and-ranches slice of her native Florida. Her books are funny, with a Southern-fried edge: Think Stephanie Plum with a plate of BBQ and a couple of cousins named Bubba.

Deborah's “Mace Bauer Mysteries'’ debuted with Mama Does Time (Midnight Ink, 2008). To research her second, Mama Rides Shotgun (2009), she saddled up for a cross-Florida, six-day trail ride. Dressing up as a tacky bride was almost as grueling for 2010's Mama Gets Hitched. For her fourth book, Mama Sees Stars, Deborah plans several red-carpet soirees in honor of her title character's grab at Hollywood stardom. Trouble is, Mama's big closeup might just end in murder.

Deborah’s short fiction and essays have appeared nationally, and she's been interviewed on the "Today" show. She lives in Ft. Lauderdale with husband Kerry Sanders, a TV reporter. No kids. No pets. They had goldfish once. Turned out badly.

Visit Deborah at www.deborahsharp.com; or direct your lonely-heart and etiquette questions to Mama at ask-mama.blogspot.com. For a limited time you can download Mama Does Time for FREE by clicking here (if you have Kindle) or here (if you have a Nook). Lots of events this month and next: a couple of big galas to launch Mama Sees Stars in Delray and Fort Lauderdale, and Sharp will be speaking on a panel about marketing yourself as an author. Click here for the full schedule.

Questions for Deborah Sharp

SoFla Writers: News, Classes, and Signings

Workshops and Classes

Hunky Dr. Sean

A FREE workshop for published authors (although I'll bet non-published ones can sneak in), sponsored by The Writers Network of South Florida: Publicity and Social Media Bootcamp, takes place September 21, featuring authors Deborah Sharp, Louis K. Lowy, and author and Survivor survivor Sean Kenniff. This is an amusing assortment of presenters, folks. Highly recommended. Contact the Writers Network for further info, or email me, and I'll forward you the announcement.

YA author Marjetta Geerling has added a second kidlit class, The World of Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult Fiction starting September 20; it runs for eight consecutive Wednesdays at The Center for Literature and Theater, Miami Dade College. Cost is $170 ($120 for students). Marjetta is the author of Fancy White Trash, selected as one of the American Library Association's Best Books of 2009. Click here to sign up.

Blue Planet Writers Room offers three adult creative writing classes beginning Monday, September 12: How to Pen a Fascinating Memoir on Monday nights; Writing the Short Story on Tuesdays (I'm teaching that one); and Reading as a Writer on Wednesdays (click here for the syllabus; I'm teaching that one, too.) Click here for full details.


NOW FOR THE WINE AND CANAPES: Book Launches