Sharon McGregor #2–Author Interview

Dear friends, I’m so delighted to have Sharon McGregor with us today! Sharon is a terrific author and a wonderful person. She is extremely kind and thoughtful, and she has an outstanding sense of humor that always makes me smile. Having her on my blog makes me feel very honored!

Danele: Sharon, I’m so glad that you’re able to be here! I’ve been really looking forward to talking with you!

Sharon: Thanks, Danele. I’m so glad you invited me today. I enjoy reading your blog posts and love your time travel series.

Danele: That’s so nice of you to say! Thank you! I love writing my books, and knowing that other people are enjoying them makes me so happy! Sharon, you’ve been such a voice of encouragement during my writing journey! I can’t wait to learn more about you! I know that God plays a central part in your life. Can you tell us why you think it’s important to attend church?

Sharon: When I was a child, church played a great role in our everyday life. I grew up on a small farm on the prairies. Our fellow worshipers were our next-door neighbors—the men who helped thresh our grain, the women who rushed to help when someone was in trouble, and the children we attended school with. Our society has changed so much over the past few decades. While we are in constant contact with each other through all forms of social media, the contact through cyberspace remains an arms-length one. We have developed the ability to discuss extremely private details in an impersonal medium. I think we need the intimacy of church, not only for our spiritual health, but also for our social and mental well-being. When we worship together in church, we are connecting our souls on that personal level that cannot be reached anywhere else.

Danele: That makes so much sense! I hadn’t thought of it that way before. Thank you! Now, here’s another question for you—if you could be a Bible character, which one would you choose to be?

Sharon: I would choose Mary Magdalene. We first hear of her bending to wash Jesus’ feet and drying them with her hair. His followers are astounded at this as she is considered a woman with loose morals, and “possessed by seven devils”. Jesus said to her “Thy sins are forgiven. Thy faith hath saved thee: go in peace.” From that time on, Mary Magdalene became one of a group of women apostles, who followed with Him and ministered. Mary Magdalene was present at all of the steps on the way to redemption. She was at the cross when He was crucified, offering comfort and suffering along with His Mother Mary and His aunt Elizabeth. She was at His tomb when she discovered the stone was rolled away and she ran to call the disciples. It was to Mary Magdalene that Jesus said His first words after resurrection. She was a chief apostle in the early days of the Church. I think Mary Magdalene touches a chord in us because we see that no matter what we have done in the past, we are redeemable. She epitomizes the importance of women in the Church and the role they can take.

Danele: That’s lovely, Sharon! What a beautiful answer! Now, let’s approach things in a different way. If you could be a Bible character, which one would you NOT choose to be?

Sharon: I think that would be Noah’s wife. I sympathize with her for those forty days and forty nights at sea with all those creatures to care for. Now, I know it was Noah that build the ark to God’s specifications. It was Noah that organized the animals and ticked them off, two by two, as they entered the ark. But, I’m sure as can be that, once they were ready to sail and the rains began, Noah retreated to the deck with his pipe and busied himself with sailing the ship and charting a course. I’m sure he turned and said to his wife, “The rest is up to you. You’re in charge of below deck.” Now, anyone who has traveled across country on a rainy journey with a carload of offspring, listening to a chorus of “Are we there yet?” will surely sympathize with Noah’s wife. Not only did she have to look after sleeping arrangements and ration food, she also had to organize the removal of—well, whatever required removing with all those animals on board. She had to make sure the mice didn’t frighten the elephants, act as marriage counselor to those argumentative jackals, comfort the moaning lion who insisted that Noah chose his least favorite wife to accompany him, and deal with a seasick giraffe. I’m sure she also had to act as midwife to those small creatures whose gestation period is less than forty days. I’m certain that in some cases more than two of each animal debarked. In addition, she had three daughters-in-law. Imagine trying to sort out all those petty jealousies over forty days! But, I think the biggest problem of all came when she realized that, no matter how much she wanted to, when one of those pesky mosquitoes landed on her arm, she had to refrain from smacking the little blighter. Oh, I wish Noah’s wife had been less resolute in carrying out her duties.

Danele: Oh, Sharon! You just made me laugh! I really love your sense of humor! You are such a delight! Now, before I let you go, can you give us a list of the books you have written?

Sharon: Of course! Autumn Dreams, Acres of Dreams, Fiona’s Knight of Dreams, Northern Lights, and All’s Fair In Love and Arson.

Danele: Your book, Fiona’s Knight of Dreams, is one of my favorites! Another one I really enjoyed is your Christmas book, All’s Fair In Love and Arson. Since it’s getting close to the holiday season, can you please tell my readers more about it?

Sharon: Sure! All’s Fair In Love and Arson came out in time for Christmas last year with Prism Book Group. It’s a seasonal love story with a dash of mystery and suspense and a dollop of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this story with its small town setting and the interaction between mother and daughter. Along the way, Bella falls in love, regains a closeness to her mother Izzie, and learns what Christmas really means.

Danele: Can you share its back cover blurb and some purchasing links?

Sharon: Bella is back at her childhood home. When her mother took a fall in the Nuisance Grounds (garbage dump) and broke her leg, Bella came back to help her and run her shop, Izzie’s. Soon Bella discovers she’s also been handed Izzie’s role in the town’s Christmas theater production, a musical version of a well-known mystery that threatens to become more bizarre each day. A serial arsonist is frightening the townspeople, a family feud threatens young romance, and intrigue and rumors are the order of the day. On top of everything, Bella’s high school sweetheart Jake, who dumped her for a cheerleader, is now Chief of Police. Poor Bella! Christmas in St. Christopher’s is not what it used to be.

My book may be purchased through Amazon: https://goo.gl/y0Tr3N. It may also be purchased through Barnes and Noble: https://goo.gl/Za9W63.

Danele: Sharon, it has been so much fun talking with you! I really enjoyed it!

Sharon: Thanks for inviting me, Danele. It’s always a pleasure to chat with you.

 

Friends, Sharon McGregor is a wonderful person! If you would like to learn more about her, or her books, please follow the links below. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Amazon.com Author page: https://goo.gl/vtWft4

Twitter: @sharonmcgr

LinkedIn: https://goo.gl/RDivMC

Webpage and blog: www.sharonmcgregor.com

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/SharonMcGregorauthor/