Sharon L Hamilton Interview Published on: 31, Jul 2017
What are some your favourite memories growing up? Did you always want to be a writer?
My two grandmothers were writers, but not published. But they appreciated the writing skill. I used to dream I could be a writer some day, but I never found the time until later in life.
What is it about writing that soothes you?It's very satisfying to write about true love, heroes rising up to do the right thing, and the world the way I'd like it to turn out sometimes.
Where do you find the models for your book covers? Are you usually present during the photoshoot or do they just send you the pictures once they're done?I have several photographers I buy pictures from. They know what the look is I'm going for. I don't use couples, so I generally want well-muscled guys that haven't been on tons of other covers. I buy the photograph so I can have that exclusively as the look.
What kind of things do you grow in your vegetable garden? Which plant is your favourite?I grow everything! Fresh peppers, potatoes and tomatoes (I grow 12 varieties) are probably my favorite. Green beans fresh picked from the vines are also yummy with fresh butter!
A lot of your books feature men from the Navy SEALS. What is it about the SEALS that particularly stands out to you? Is anyone in your family in the army?I have a close relative who was a SEAL. Through him and his friends, I have learned a lot about the community. They are the ones who don't quit. No one in my family in the Army, no. Just the Navy or Air Force.
What is a stressful, but often overlooked aspect of being a writer?To stay relevant and not disappoint fans, it is important to write more often than is natural. I try to do 3-4 books and 2-3 novellas a year.
Kiss, marry or kill: Paolo Monteleone (Mortal Bite), Nick Dunn (SEAL the Deal), and Alex Kowicki (Band of Bachelors: Alex, Book 2).That's an easy, I'd marry them all if I could! But certainly kiss them. I have in my dreams.
What is one story you've always wished you could share with the world and have you written it yet? If not, when do you plan on writing it down?I have a couple of time travel and futuristic books I'd like to do (big concept) that wouldn't be considered romance. No time yet!
Do you have a special mantra that you live by?I like the Navy SEAL motto: Only Easy Day Was Yesterday.
What inspired you to write the Guardian Angels series? Was it harder or easier writing about supernatural romance rather than your usual army or servicemen?I started writing paranormal romance first. An editor told me to write heroes instead, and with my relative on the Teams then, I gave it a try, not sure if my voice fit. It did. The rest is history. Guardian angels were something I felt and saw after a home fire tragedy. They actually made me a writer. My first book.
After ending a books series, do you find yourself feeling relieved or sad?All my SEALs are really one large series. They are all SEAL Brotherhood. I named them in a sub-series so people who know what the difference was between the heroes, but they all are the men on SEAL Team 3.
What do you think the future holds for literature and their writers?Future is good for good writing. More and more people are readers every day with the advent of easy tools that are portable. Our per unit cost may go down, so we have to write more, write faster but still keep the quality up.
What is a writer's biggest nightmare and how do you overcome it?Not every writer has my problem: I'm a slow reader. I write fast, but I read slow, so I don't have much time to do anything recreationally. It's a treasure when I can. I have a problem with focus. My husband has started being home more and more, and it's terribly distracting, but I'm working with headsets and music.
What is the hardest part about promotions and marketing with social media? Has AllAuthor eased your workload at all in this aspect and would you recommend it to other authors?Promotion is a multi-faceted project. Hard to know who to use for what book. We have to try to do as much as we can, but keep costs in mind. I think some authors spend everything they make. Trying to buy the business. With so many things to do, easy to get overloaded on salaries, advertising costs. You just have to be careful, and have a budget of what not to go over.
