ABOUT THE BOOK
Twenty-something Kailyn Wilde has learned to embrace her unpredictable life as a descendant of small-town New Camel’s most magickal family. She just didn’t expect to inherit her mother and grandmother’s centuries-old shop, Abracadabra, so suddenly. The surprises keep coming when Kailyn goes to finalize the estate at the local attorney’s office—and stumbles over the body of her best friend Elise’s husband . . . As a brash detective casts the blame on Elise, Kailyn summons her deepest powers to find answers and start an investigation of her own. What with running a business, perfecting ancient spells, and keeping up with an uninvited guest of fabled origins, Kailyn has her hands full. But with the help of her uncanny black cat Sashkatu and her muumuu-clad Aunt Tilly, she’s closing in on a killer—who will do anything to make sure she never tests her supernatural skills again!
INTERVIEW WITH SHARON PAPE
Sharon, how did you get started writing?I’m not quite sure. In first grade we were taught to write sentences, so I went home and wrote my first short story, "Wild Horse Valley." I drew a cover for it too. My teacher showed it to the school librarian who put it on display. From that day on, writing has always been a part of my life in one form or another. Even when I’m working on a book, other book ideas are spinning in the back of my mind.
Do you write every day?
Yes, because I suffer from chronic migraines, and I have to write whenever I am able to.
Then again, maybe I would write everyday anyway. When I’m working on a book, it’s always running in my head no matter what else I may be doing. I think my subconscious works on plot points and characters all the time.
What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
As much as I love writing, there are definitely days when the hardest part is putting my butt down in the chair at the computer.
What’s more important – characters or plot?
Can I say it depends? Most literary fiction is character driven. Most genre books, like mysteries, are plot driven. That’s not to say that characters aren’t important in genre books.
It’s up to them to engage the reader and bring the plot to life.
How often do you read?
Whenever I can —doctors’ waiting rooms are great places to read. Otherwise it’s wasted time. Flying is another good time to dive into a book. It makes the time pass more quickly. I’m in a small book club and having a scheduled meeting forces me to make the time to read.
What books do you currently have published?
I’d have to go back to my first book that was published by PocketBooks in the ‘80s. I reissued it a couple of years ago under the title, For Everything a Season. After that I wrote The Godchildren and The Portal; all three were paranormal. In recent years, I've been writing cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist and a dash of humor. The Portrait of Crime series includes: Sketch Me If You Can, To Sketch a Thief, Sketch a Falling Star and Sketcher in the Rye. The Crystal Shop series has just the first book at this time, Alibis and Amethysts.
My new Abracadabra series debuts on May 2 with Magick & Mayhem. The second book, That Olde White Magick, will be released on November 7th. I’m presently working on the third book, entitled Magick Run Amok.
Do you have any secret talents?
Nope, not a one.
Is writing your dream job?
Absolutely!
How often do you tweet?
I know I don’t tweet enough, but when I have to choose between writing, reading, and tweeting, tweeting comes in third.
How do you feel about Facebook?
It’s a great way to engage with readers and other writers. My adult kids too. I think that young people probably share too much on Facebook and other social media. I’m from a different generation and have always been a very private person.
For what would you like to be remembered?
For being kind, for being a good wife, mother, daughter, and friend. For being a good listener if someone needs to talk, and for being a strong shoulder when talking is not enough. And, of course, for providing entertainment with my books, because we all need a little escape from reality in our lives!
What scares you the most?
Aside from normal worries about the welfare of my loved ones, there’s an item I read recently that I find truly frightening. Here it is paraphrased—As fast as technology is changing right now, it will never be this slow again. WHAT???? I can barely keep up now!!!
What do you love about where you live?
The change of seasons, though I could definitely do without winter. I also love the Long Island beaches. I spent every summer of my childhood and teenage years at the beach. It’s even where I met my husband. I don’t get there as often anymore, but I’ve always loved walking on the sand at the ocean’s edge.
What’s your favorite thing to do on date night?
I love to go out to dinner with friends — couples we’ve known for a very long time. We’ve supported each other through child-rearing ups and downs, illnesses and joys, empty nests, and the decline and loss of elderly parents. When we go out together we can always count on a lot of laughter, because we know each other so well.
What's the biggest lie you ever told?
When I met my husband he was eighteen and I told him I was sixteen — I was really only fourteen. My mom wouldn’t let me continue to date him unless I told him the truth. I thought I’d probably never see him again. Was I ever wrong.
What’s your favorite fast food?
Pizza—I’m not crazy about most other fast food, unless we’re talking ice cream.
What’s your favorite beverage?
A chocolate ice cream soda, but I would never turn down any flavor.
What is your superpower?
It probably doesn’t qualify as a superpower, but I’m like a weird magnet —strangers will often tell me their troubles whether it’s on line in the grocery store, in a doctor’s office, or other random places. It’s really odd.
What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
There’s never nothing to do!!
Where is your favorite place to visit?
Sedona, Arizona—one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I was first there in the ‘80s and have been back dozens of times since then. I just wish they would stop all the building there. It should have been made into a national park a long time ago.
What’s your least favorite chore?
Cleaning the house, because it just gets dirty again, and ironing because I put more wrinkles in than I take out!
Do you procrastinate?
Who doesn’t? Oh wait—I have a friend who does everything ahead of time.
What’s in your refrigerator right now?
Nothing all that interesting, but in the freezer there are four half gallons of ice cream, an absolute minimum in my house.
What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” -George Eliot
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
I recently wrote the eulogy for my mother’s funeral. She was such an amazing mom and best friend, it was hard to capture all that she was in a short speech.
What’s your favorite song?
I love a lot of very different songs from early rock to pop to country: "The Song Remembers When" by Trisha Yearwood, "I loved Her First" by Heartland, "Halleluiah" by Jeff Buckley, "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner, almost any ballad by Elvis Presley to mention just a few.
If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
It’s not a cliché, but I love my grandmother’s words whenever things weren’t going right: “The first hundred years are the hardest.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Connect with Sharon:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Nobel
