Meet Sheila
 As I get older, it’s become a challenge to write a bio or resume for myself. What on earth am I supposed to say? Do I write about my education, professional accomplishments or job experience? (very dull) Or do I “tell all”? (I do laundry on Fridays, dust once a week, ok, once every two weeks, have a “thing” for purses . . .) Or do I really tell all? I enjoy my writing career; love my grand-child, roses and hot buttered popcorn? Too much information? Too little information? How do you tell people who you really are?
I’ll get the boring stuff out first: born and brought up in Columbus, Ohio; educated in the Columbus Public Schools (and they did a darned fine job of it, I think); attended Ohio Wesleyan University (there’s a story there . . .) and graduated from The University of Louisville (Kentucky has been very, very good to me). I’ve worked as a legal secretary, corporate paralegal and mutual fund product manager. I have served time in law firms, a Fortune 500 corporation and two banks. Fortunately, I escaped -- ran away, crossed a bridge and burned the darned bridge behind me!  (Don’t believe the crap about not burning bridges -- sometimes you have to do it in order to keep the jerks from coming after you!). I wrote my first book a hundred years ago on a manual Smith-Corona typewriter and used my kitchen table as a desk. My children were seven and four and wondered what the heck I was doing. Twenty plus years later, I got my first book contract. Who says good things don’t come to those who wait . . . and wait . . .
That was 2001. Since that time, Dancing on the Edge of the Roof (GOG New Author of the Year Award, 2003), The Shade of My Own Tree, On the Right Side of A Dream (both nominated for the Kentucky Literary Prize for Fiction) and Girls Most Likely (July, 2006) have been published.
Girls Most Likely is my most recent novel and one that is very dear to me. It chronicles the friendship of four women (Vaughn, Irene, Susan and Audrey) from age ten through their thirtieth high school reunion. People magazine said that it was “cheerfully addictive”. I also tried to make it fun, poignant, realistic and thought-provoking and dedicated it to the memory of my lovely mother, Myrtle Jones Humphrey. It will always be my mother’s book.
I am a Sagittarius for those who calculate those kinds of things. I’m also a constant student -- learning is good for the little gray cells -- currently, I’m studying Buddhism, yoga and American history (yes, again -- I’m afraid I napped through Mr. Butler’s eighth grade class). I’m passionate about reading, writing and promoting literacy for all. I love to travel and I’m learning to garden. I get the digging part; the rest is a little muddled. I am a wife (married thirty-two years to my first  husband), parent, grand-parent (Leah Dawn is the most beautiful, intelligent, dynamic, brilliant, exceptional child alive. I try to be objective about these things), sister, aunt and, most recently, dog lover. Cisco and Pancho joined our household, giving us instant membership into the Shih Tzu lovers of America group. My husband and I are going to write a dog-lovers book with the working title of: Don’t Pee on your Brother’s Head: Life with Fur Balls.
TMI?
Writing Tips from Sheila: Once upon a time . . . Reflections on storytelling
Recipe for First Draft *Photo Copyright © Steve Schaefer of KET |
