Sharon L. Clark

Sharon L. Clark, Author

Tag: writers

“I’ll Call You Home” Reviews – And a Chance to Win Free Stuff!

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On January 16, 2026

In Book Reviews, Messages From Sharon

There are very few things that warm this author’s heart as thoroughly as a positive book review. After pouring my blood, sweat, and tears – not to mention the many hours and mirror pep talks – into this piece of literature, my soul craves just a little validation.

I cannot possibly be alone in this. 😅

Reader’s Favorite is a website that provides detailed, honest reviews written by authors for authors. I’ve submitted both of my books to them, and I’ll Call You Home received 5-Star reviews from all three authors who read my work!

That’s a bit of dopamine I’ll dine on for quite a while.

#1 Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite

In I’ll Call You Home by Sharon L. Clark, Charlotte receives a call informing her that her father has been injured and is in the hospital. Charlotte immediately flies back to her hometown of Zearing, Texas. Since her mother’s passing, Jason Archer has been her source of strength, though after graduation, he encouraged her to pursue her dreams in San Francisco. When Charlotte returns home, she learns the family ranch is in serious financial trouble and on the verge of being lost. A streak of misfortune has plagued the ranch, and Gerard Chancellor, who holds the mortgage, is pressuring them to sell. To make matters worse, a new horse breeder in the area has been poaching their clients. Determined to fight back, Jason teams up with Charlotte to find ways to save the ranch. As they work side by side, old feelings resurface, but can love and determination be enough to save it all?

I’ll Call You Home by Sharon L. Clark is a heartwarming and emotional story. It was filled with family drama, romance, love, and loss. The pace was steady, giving me time to take in every moment. The struggles of Charlotte and her family were suspenseful, keeping me on edge from beginning to end. I found it impossible to put the book down, eagerly turning each page to see what would happen next. Themes of family devotion, perseverance, second chances, and the redemptive power of love are beautifully woven throughout the story. The writing style was engaging, and I was drawn into the emotional struggles of Charlotte and her family. The characters were authentic and relatable. Charlotte was strong and determined to save the ranch. Jason is compassionate and refuses to let Charlotte slip away again. Overall, the story is compelling, heartfelt, and captivating from start to finish.

#2 Priya Mathew for Readers’ Favorite

I’ll Call You Home by Sharon L. Clark is a second-chance romance with an element of suspense. Charlotte Trevino rushes back to Zearing, Texas, when her father is hurt, only to find out that the family ranch is almost on the edge of collapse and her past is waiting in the wings in the form of Jason Archer, the boy who once held her heart and then broke it in two. Their unresolved feelings push them toward each other, while strange accidents and a seedy land buyer circle their property. As Charlotte attempts to transform the ranch into a working farmhouse and untangle the financial mess it’s in, Charlotte and Jason must confront their past to get to the future they didn’t think could be theirs.

In the second book of the Enderlin Calling series, Sharon L. Clark gives us a story built on nostalgia and the pull of returning home. I’ll Call You Home reads like a story you’d share across the table after a long day. The characters felt authentic. Charlotte’s impulsiveness, loyalty, and vulnerability feel true to her experiences. Jason, in contrast, holds steady to her fire. His guilt over their past adds another layer of depth to his grounded demeanor. The secondary characters – Brandon, Dr. Angus, Mitch, and Arthur – add more life and color to the storyline. I’ll Call You Home is a mix of romance and a slow-burning mystery around the ranch’s troubles. If you enjoy second-chance romances with strong family dynamics and a touch of danger, you will find much to love in this novel.

#3 Jennifer Senick for Readers’ Favorite

In I’ll Call You Home by Sharon L. Clark, Charlotte Trevino races back to her small Texas hometown after her father is injured on the family’s struggling horse ranch. Though her relatives try to assure her that things are under control, the ranch’s financial troubles, a string of “bad luck,” and a persistent developer circling their property tell a different story. Determined not to let her family’s legacy slip away, Charlotte throws herself into fixing things, only to be confronted by her own past and the return of her high school sweetheart, Jason Archer. Jason is managing his own challenges, like caring for his mother and balancing loyalty between his family and the renewed spark with Charlotte. As tensions rise and threats to the ranch become more dangerous, Charlotte and Jason find themselves drawn together, trying to protect what matters most as secrets and old feelings surface, with everything on the line. The question is whether love or the past will win.

I’ll Call You Home by Sharon L. Clark pulled me in right away. I really enjoyed the natural, down-to-earth writing style—the dialogue feels real, the humor and bickering are familiar, and the plot doesn’t get bogged down with fancy language. The way Clark brings Charlotte’s stubbornness and big heart to life made her so easy to root for, and Jason is genuine and steady, not your usual brooding hero. The back-and-forth between past hurts and present hopes is handled honestly, with enough detail so that I felt what they were going through without any over-the-top drama. I loved how the story balanced second-chance romance with family ties, small-town quirks, and just enough suspense to keep things tense but not overwhelming. It’s the kind of book that makes you think about what “home” really means.

Have you read I’ll Call You Home? Have you left a review? Reply to this email or send me a direct message with a link to – or a screenshot of – the review you wrote, and you’ll get an entry into a drawing for a FREE signed copy of I’ll Call You Home and a set of stickers and bookmarks!

A humanoid robot artist paints a picture in an art workshop.

Artificial Intelligence in Creativity: Blessing or Curse?

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On August 9, 2023

In Messages From Sharon

Does anyone else miss the days when artificial intelligence was used strictly for goofing around? Those ridiculous scripts created by feeding 100 hours of romcoms into a system definitely cracked me up, and my son generated some serious fever-dream images by inputting weird phrases into a different program. It was all fun and games, right?

Then the programs started ‘learning’.

I do not claim to know much of anything about AI other than it’s an atomic topic. From my understanding, programs pull bits and pieces of existing works of art or literature or academia to create something ‘new’ and shiny. Do I use it? No. Do I think it can be helpful? Sure.

Do I think it’s a dangerous, slippery slope? One hundred percent yes.

On one hand, work created by other people is being copied and used without permission or acknowledgement in something cobbled together by another person who then takes credit and possibly gets paid for the result. Maybe the people using it don’t realize that’s what’s happening, or they have no idea how to find the author/artist to give credit. No matter what, it’s already a difficult world for artists of any kind, where talent isn’t appreciated or rewarded.

‘Starving artist’ is a well-known phrase for a reason.

On another hand, artificial intelligence can be a useful tool for lightning-fast research and putting a concept into visual form. Programs like ChatGPT will find the information you ask for quickly, and will even build something with the word count and topic emphasis you want. Or if you have a rough idea of the image you want for a book cover but can’t draw to save your life or feel like the artist may not understand what you want, an AI image generator can build your idea visually. People who need to output a lot of content would find this gadget to be a lifesaver.

With a few caveats, of course.

There are limits to what a computer can do, even when using the most advanced AI. Using ChatGPT as an example again, it is limited to only what is available through the internet and will never know everything that humans know. Because it has access to only what has been digitally catalogued, the information generated may be outdated and incorrect. AI doesn’t have common sense or emotional intelligence, and can’t decipher sarcasm or humor. It will draw in ‘facts’ from anything and everything available on the internet – and I mean EVERYTHING. We know how reliable that can be. It doesn’t have the capability to differentiate between an article from The Onion or NPR or some delusional manifesto-writing lunatic.

Is it that helpful if you still have to vet every source? You may as well do your own research from the start.

There are a lot of opinions about using AI, and this is only one, only mine, and only that: an opinion. I can’t say whether we are heading toward humanity’s future as depicted in Disney’s Wall-E or in the Terminator franchise; that remains to be seen. What I can say is that I am going to continue creating the best way I know how and hope that it continues to make me happy.

What do you think about Artificial Intelligence? Is it a god-send or a device from hell? Will it make creating easier or render humans obsolete? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Join the ‘Christmas Book Flood’ with Indie Authors

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On December 6, 2019

In Messages From Sharon

In Iceland, there is a holiday tradition called Jolabokaflod (Christmas Book Flood) in which books are given as gifts on Christmas Eve and the family spends the evening reading and drinking hot chocolate or a non-alcoholic Christmas ale.

I love this idea!

Not only does it expand the reader’s horizons and support authors, but it also gives everyone a moment to just relax. The holiday season is so fast and wild, filled with shopping and parties and traveling that you need to allow your family – and yourself – time to just slow down and enjoy the moment.

In encouraging all of you to try this tradition on for size, I’d also like to make a few suggestions on books to gift. Through the local and online writing community, I have met some talented authors from all over the world: Australia, Central Iowa, Chicago, England, California, Florida, Pennsylvania. Their genres span everything from saucy romance to horror to dystopian sci-fi to women’s fiction to inspiration and more. And I’d love to share them with you.

Here is a list of some of my favorite indie authors:

Taylor Hohulin: “Your Best Apocalypse Now”

Sarah Latchaw: “Hydraulic Level 5”

Laura A. Barnes: “Rescued By The Captain”

Michael Stoneburner: “He Was A Boy Who Smiled, Book One: Phoenix Rising”

Jeanine Lunsford: “Remembering First Love”

Kelly Fumiko Weiss: “The Cube”

Rev. Rebecca Holland: “Through My Good Eye”

Jethro Weyman: “Two Halves of the Candle: Volume One”

Ben Monroe: “Dying of the Light: A Short Story of Survival Horror”

Adam Wing: “Matriarch”

Some of these authors have series, some write poetry and novels, some write more than one genre, so be sure to check out each author to see their other work. Keep in mind that by purchasing one or more of these books, you’re giving two gifts: one to the recipient and one to the independent author through supporting their dream.

What is a favorite book you received or gave as a gift? Leave a comment below or send me an email!

Have You Met…Jo McMillen

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On November 18, 2019

In Stories & Excerpts

In a previous post, I asked for advice on deciding which project to focus on for NaNoWriMo and I’m thrilled with my decision. Finishing my work on Bradford Mansion has been a lot of fun so I’d like to introduce you to my heroine!

Have you met…Jo McMillen?

Hilarie Burton is exactly how I picture Jo!

Growing up, Jo found her calling in woodworking and home renovation, but struggled to fit in. None of her girlfriends were interested in getting dirty in wood shop and none of the boys knew how to talk to her, much less date her. Now thirty years old and independent, she’s grown to be a level-headed and stubborn woman who’s fought her way to the top of her industry. So when she comes across a dream opportunity to purchase and restore a local mansion, she doesn’t think twice.

It doesn’t take long for her to realize her rash decision may have been a huge mistake.

Strange things happen on her first night in Bradford Mansion, but she refuses to be scared away. In fact, the bizarre occurrences only make her more determined to stay put. She is forced to confront the mischievous ghost of the estate’s long-dead heir, Nathan Bradford, and the two immediately clash. He can’t reconcile his old-fashioned ideas in her, and she’s done trying to fit anyone’s mold. Both want solitude, both claim ownership of the mansion, but neither will give an inch. Instead, they fall into a rocky friendship that gives them strength to face challenges that could destroy them.

I adore writing this character and putting her in some pretty strange situations. While it sounds insane, I’m always surprised to find out how Jo reacts to the things I throw at her!

Bradford Mansion has been so entertaining to write. I can’t wait to finish this novel so I can share Jo, Nathan, and all the other players with you!

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this story, feel free to comment below or send me an email.

Behind The Scenes: Editing Week 1

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On January 9, 2019

In Messages From Sharon

Every author I have spoken with decries editing as the worst part of writing a novel. They pour their blood, sweat, and tears into writing for weeks (NaNoers) or months (normal people), creating stunning images and weaving fantastical tales with their words. Then they are asked to take this beautiful thing they love and ruthlessly slash and burn until it’s barely recognizable.

Yep. That’s where I am right now.

This is my first time editing a novel. I wrote one years ago, I got feedback on it, then promptly put it on a literal shelf and haven’t looked at it again. The daunting task at hand is to pare down my monstrous 163,000-word giant baby into an entertaining and coherent story. I started editing earlier this week and I have to admit it’s slow going.

I’ve edited 10% so far and am 0% confident that I’ve made it better.

In an attempt to be impartial during editing, I haven’t looked at this project since July or August. This story has been simmering out of sight since then. I wrote another novel in the intervening months (Okay, practically wrote another novel…) but I think I’m still too close to this one and am struggling to edit it objectively.

These are my words and I love them all dearly.

And boy howdy, do I LOVE my words! I pack words into a sentence like I’m padding a fragile item for shipment on a jackhammer. Apparently I find it necessary to describe every single movement from action to action – saying, turning, walking, looking – and I blame my third grade teacher, Mr. Holman, and his “peanut butter and jelly sandwich instructions” exercise. *More information available on request.

And those pesky adverbs, so reviled by Stephen King and many other writers, seem to have multiplied while I wasn’t looking! That makes it marginally easier to make cuts. I’ve had to re-write some clumsy scenes and I’ve deleted others entirely, so maybe I’m not fully in love with ALL the words. Thus far I haven’t chucked my computer out of the window, burst into tears, or curled up into a ball in the corner. Maybe that ambitious end-of-January deadline could happen!

Now, if I could only find my focus…

What editing techniques do you find most helpful? How many rounds of edits do you go through before handing your work off to beta readers? Drop your advice, suggestions, and discussion points below!

 

Have You Met…Katie Parker

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On December 8, 2018

In Stories & Excerpts

I can’t wait to meet my characters again as I start the editing process on my previous novel. That behemoth has been riding on my back since November of last year, finally coming to a close in July. It is a rambling pile of garbage consisting of roughly 163,000 words and 346 word processor pages. Following the advice of a number of prominent authors, I finished WIP2017 (current working title) and set it aside to percolate for six weeks.

Okay, well, for nearly five months. Don’t judge.

I have to admit I am both terrified and excited to look at the story again. In my memory there are blazing triumphs of literary genius as well as festering bits of nonsense. But I can’t wait to revisit some of my characters! Here, I will introduce you to my Main Character and Protagonist, Katherine “Katie” Parker.

Katie Parker grew up in a small town in Iowa, and couldn’t wait to leave it behind. She moved to San Francisco, took a job at a prestigious marketing firm, and quickly hit it off with attractive and engaging Derek Franklin. Katie and Derek lived a satisfying life filled with work and friends until Katie started receiving threatening letters. Tragedy struck, turning her world upside-down, so she moved home searching for a sense of safety. But it wasn’t long until she realized she was putting everything and everyone she cared about at risk. Katie knew she would have to fight if she wanted to keep the new life she’d built.

There is a lot of me in Katie Parker, especially her sense of humor and her insecurities. I like to have a visual representation of my characters, making artistic adjustments here and there to make them unique. For Katie, I immediately saw Ginnifer Goodwin. She’s adorable and seems friendly, accommodating, and harmless. But we come to learn she has hidden depths and a fierceness underneath her sweet appearance.

I had a lot of fun bringing her to life, but what I most enjoyed about writing Katie was watching her grow. When we first meet her, she is fairly naïve, living in her boyfriend’s shadow where he calls the shots and seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. She’s intelligent, but complacent. People like her, but don’t take her seriously – and she doesn’t fight that perception. Throughout her story, however, a series of events create a dark cloud over her head, making her look at herself and the people around her in a different light. She learns to stand up for herself, to go after what she wants, and to take her future into her own hands.

December may pass before I get a chance to revisit Katie’s story but I’m excited to get to know her again, hopefully with fresh eyes and a renewed sense of the way she sees the world. I can’t wait to share her and her story with you!

Join Me On A Short Story Writing Adventure!

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On November 9, 2018

In Stories & Excerpts

Recently I was introduced to a writers’ sharing website called Channillo. Here, you can post poetry, essays, nonfiction articles, short stories, and a variety of other written platforms. Readers pay a small monthly fee for unlimited access to content and can subscribe to a writer’s channel or follow one or more of their posted series.

This is a beautiful thing, especially for a fairly green author like me.

Most authors have a particular genre. I, on the other hand, am kind of all over the place these days. My current work in progress is a fantasy story. The previous one was a romantic thriller. I recently had a suspenseful short ghost story, “Return To Me,” published in a Halloween anthology. My particular writing niche hasn’t revealed itself quite yet – but I hope this little endeavor will change that!

Through the short story structure of Channillo, I will have an opportunity to try my hand at all the genres that appeal to me. I can produce bite-sized morsels of whatever strikes my fancy each week and serve it up to people who love to read. No matter if I’m feeling like a Disney princess or like a patient who flew over the cuckoo’s nest, I don’t have to commit myself to an entire novel in one style and end up hating my creation in the end. Yay!

Throughout this adventure, I will be posting snippets of whatever I’m working on, whether it’s a short story or part of a NaNo project or something entirely new. If you’re curious about “Return To Me” it can be found in the Halloween anthology, Chills Down Your Spine, or on my new Channillo channel.

I invite you to follow along, make suggestions, and hopefully enjoy some interesting and entertaining writing in the process!