Dear Reader,
Today’s guest author, Sheila Roberts, who’s written more than 50 books is best known for her holiday stories, women's fiction and romance novels in small-town settings. Sheila’s On Strike for Christmas was a Lifetime Network movie, and her The Nine Lives of Christmas is a perennial Hallmark channel movie favorite.
A long-time Washington resident, Sheila and her husband recently moved to a beach cottage with a picturesque view not unlike that of Moonlight Harbor, the fictional setting for her current series.
Sheila is giving away 5 copies of the latest book in her series, Sand Dollar Lane.
To enter the random drawing, send an email with your mailing address (in case you win) to: [email protected], with "DearReader Sheila Roberts Giveaway" in the subject line.
(All messages will be sent along to Sheila.) If you'd like to be added to her reader list, be sure to include a note to that effect.
When I Grow Up
Once upon a dream I wanted to be a songwriter. Music was a huge part of my family's life. My mother taught me how to harmonize when I was a little girl. We'd practice while she curled my hair with this vintage curling iron she'd gotten from who knows where. She'd set it on a stove burner to heat up and then proceed to burn my straight hair into curls. Looking back, I think the whole singing thing was to distract me from the torture of getting my hair singed!
Whatever the reason, it took. I sang in choirs, at church, in school talent shows and entered vocal competitions. In college I majored in music and dreamed of becoming a famous songwriter, all while working my way through as a singing waitress.
Falling in love and getting married didn't end my love affair with music. Somewhere along the way I discovered country music. And Nashville! Songwriter Mecca. I began to get serious about this songwriting thing, taking trips to Nashville, spending money on song demos. I look back on the money I spent trying to make that dream come true and realize I could have remodeled my house several times for what I spent.
But raising children and constantly running off to Nashville to try to peddle songs didn't go together like words and music. What to do? Keep dreaming, of course, but be open to other possibilities. Like writing, something I'd been doing since I was a child. One day I got an idea for a book and thought, why not write it?
Who'd have thought that would have turned the direction of my creative life? It did, and I've been happily making up stories ever since.
Of course, music is still in my bones. Over the years I've played in bands, served as a church musician, owned a singing telegram company and, yes, written more songs. I was finally able to enjoy seeing one I co-wrote with a friend make it onto an artist's CD. And I've even been able to make a music video--one of the most fun things ever! (Want to see me getting hauled off by Santa? Check out my song (written as Sheila Rabe), "Merry Christmas Mama," on YouTube.)
My career path didn't go exactly where I thought it would take me, but I think I'm living proof that if you walk through the doors that open in life you'll end up where you're supposed to be. And I like where I am.
-- Sheila Roberts
Enter to win a copy of Sand Dollar Lane. Send an email with your mailing address (in case you win) to: [email protected], with "DearReader Sheila Roberts Giveaway" in the subject line.
Here’s the YouTube link to Sheila’ song, click here.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
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