The Effects of a Global Pandemic on the Writing Process with Sharon K. Middleton
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect you overall?
I closed my law office at the end of February, with the intention to close out my last few cases and to concentrate of a) writing and b) retirement. The pandemic meant I had plenty of time to write, which was good, because for the first time, I contracted a book before it was finished.
What was it like releasing not one, but two novels (Diary of the Reluctant Duchess and Path of the Guiding Light), during a global pandemic?
It was fun and yet frustrating. I have not been able to hold any book signings yet. Usually, I can at least hold those at the courthouse. At least one book fair I was scheduled to attend cancelled. However, I had a promotion when Duchess came out and 3000 books were given away. I had a promotion two weeks ago for Path, and 5000+ books were given away. I have another promotion next month for Beyond McCarron’s Corner. Hopefully, I am building reader base.
As an author with several other works published, how have the publishing, editing, and release processes for Diary of the Reluctant Duchess and Path of the Guiding Light differed from your usual experience?
Editing is going much easier than at first. In fact, I re-edited my first novel, Beyond McCarron’s Corner, because one of the biggest complaints had been poor editing. I use a couple of editing programs which have helped improve my editing skills.
How have the events of this pandemic impacted you as a writer specifically?
I had Covid-19 when Path of the Guiding Light was released. It is hard to market your book when you are sick as a dog in bed sleeping. Other than that, I would say the pandemic kept me home writing. Now that I am recovered from Covid-19, I am trying to go walk every day. That gets me out of the house and out of the chair. It is very easy to sit in this chair by the window in my living room and write until midnight if I am not careful.
What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your writing process in the wake of COVID-19?
As I said, it is very hard to stop writing sometimes. That is a mixed blessing.
I was sorry I missed the book fair in Austin. Hopefully, we will have it this year, and other book fairs as well.
Has the COVID-19 pandemic had any positive impacts on you as a writer or on your craft?
Closing the law office, moving home, and writing every day on schedule has helped my craft. The pandemic kept me inside writing longer hours than I might have done otherwise.
Have you attempted to incorporate any of the events of the COVID-19 pandemic into your writing?
Yes, but those books are not yet published. There are references to Covid-19 in the book contracted for release in October 2021.
What advice would you give to other authors and writers who might be struggling in their own writing journeys and creative processes during this time?
Keep at it! I wrote for years as a hobby before I got up my nerve, entered a book contest, and wound up published. Dreams can come true.
And write what you like to read, and tell the story from your heart. You love horror? Write what you love. You love romance? Write what you love. Don’t let anyone tell you what to write. Write the story screaming inside of you to get out.
Sharon K. Middleton
I am a fourth generation Texan who grew up in San Antonio. My first relative was a twelve-year-old boy who came to the Colonies in 1747 as a Scottish indentured servant. Children were indentured until age 21, not for the regular 7 year indenture. My great-grandmother immigrated from Mexico in the 1890’s. My grandfather taught me Spanish. I am a semi-retired attorney with a family practice near Houston, Texas. I write, quilt, and raise and show Skye terriers. I love North Georgia and we hope to retire there next year – if I can manage to get my husband to retire! He claims he is still having too much fun working.
The McCarron’s Daughter is not a typical romance. Fancy has been seriously abused both while growing up by her older brother by adoption, Tom Selk, and is later abused as a young woman during the Revolutionary War. War is never kind to women and children. Fancy must learn to love herself despite the abuse she has suffered, and to allow herself to move beyond her youthful abuse to be able to find the love of her life. Although not a typical romance, the McCarron’s Daughter won two awards for literary excellence, the Pencraft Award for Historical Romance in 2019, and the Texas Best Book Awards in Historical Romance in 2020. Hint: she will find her happy-ever-after in Diary of the Reluctant Duchess.
The most recent book in the series, Path of the Guiding Light, was released on 12-20. It is about Baylie Smith, the Cherokee woman who goes back in time to help fulfill part of the prophecy only to be sent back to the future to resolve a problem. Once returned to the future, she learns she is expecting a ‘differently abled’ child. Will she be able to return to the past and help her people avoid the Trail of Tears? Will she be reunited with Shadow Wolf, the love of her life? and how will her ‘differently abled’ baby fit into the prophecy?
My current work in progress is about Charles Ranscome Hobbs, who will be going back in time to assume his duties as Duke Ranscome. Didn’t you always wonder how on earth Fancy could be a Duchess? It will be explained in Charlie’s Story.
The McCarron’s Daughter is not a typical romance. Fancy has been seriously abused both while growing up by her older brother by adoption, Tom Selk, and is later abused as a young woman during the Revolutionary War. War is never kind to women and children. Fancy must learn to love herself despite the abuse she has suffered, and to allow herself to move beyond her youthful abuse to be able to find the love of her life. Although not a typical romance, the McCarron’s Daughter won two awards for literary excellence, the Pencraft Award for Historical Romance in 2019, and the Texas Best Book Awards in Historical Romance in 2020. Hint: she will find her happy-ever-after in Diary of the Reluctant Duchess.
The most recent book in the series, Path of the Guiding Light, was released on 12-20. It is about Baylie Smith, the Cherokee woman who goes back in time to help fulfill part of the prophecy only to be sent back to the future to resolve a problem. Once returned to the future, she learns she is expecting a ‘differently abled’ child. Will she be able to return to the past and help her people avoid the Trail of Tears? Will she be reunited with Shadow Wolf, the love of her life? and how will her ‘differently abled’ baby fit into the prophecy?
My current work in progress is about Charles Ranscome Hobbs, who will be going back in time to assume his duties as Duke Ranscome. Didn’t you always wonder how on earth Fancy could be a Duchess? It will be explained in Charlie’s Story.
It has been fun writing about the children as they have been growing up. This will be the first book of the next generation as we move closer to helping the Cohutta Cherokees move westward to Oklahoma before the infamous Trail of Tears. I will be having a promotion of the series from February 24 through February 27.
I hope you enjoy the books. You can reach me at sharonmiddleton359@gmail.com if you have ideas about future plots or other constructive suggestions. I also have a reader’s group on Facebook, Beyond Reader’s Group, where we discuss plots, prospective characters, and even the clothes that the characters wear in the books. We often have votes on ‘what does this character look like’. Those help me select my covers for books. Charlie’s cover will be quite different from earlier covers!
I hope you enjoy the books. You can reach me at sharonmiddleton359@gmail.com if you have ideas about future plots or other constructive suggestions. I also have a reader’s group on Facebook, Beyond Reader’s Group, where we discuss plots, prospective characters, and even the clothes that the characters wear in the books. We often have votes on ‘what does this character look like’. Those help me select my covers for books. Charlie’s cover will be quite different from earlier covers!
