Sharon still lives on

Welcome to my blog. Today's guest post is going to differ a little from the norm. A friend of mine, Hywela Lyn, had booked today for a guest post but we've come up with something much more appropriate for you. I'm going to let Hywela Lyn explain...


Today is a very special day.  It's the release day of the novella 'Kiss Of Death' written by my dear friend, the late Sharon Donovan.

Sharon was working on this  story before she tragically passed away in April 2012 following heart problems and complications. For those who don't know her, Sharon had battled with diabetes since a small child.  She had a talent for painting, but when she was 25 years old  diabetic retinopathy robbed her of her sight, which meant she not only had to give up her job as a legal secretary, but could no longer paint.  With typical courage and determination she decided to 'paint with words' and so her vivid imagination and skill found another outlet/ Using specially adapted software, she wrote inspiring and moving stories, for the Inspirational Romance line of The Wild Rose Press, and 'murder and mystery' romance  for the 'Romantic Suspense' line.

She had a keen wit and a clever and quirky sense of humour, which she put to great use as a hostess for the 'Author Roast and Toast' blog on Fridays, and she was kind enough to let her 'virtual butler' Oliver,  'moonlight' to be with us on the blog.  We had such fun toasting our guest authors.

Sharon's parents, sister, and Mary

A massive heart attack followed by major heart surgery did not deter her.  As soon as she was released from hospital she was back writing.  Fellow 'Author Roast' hostess Mary Ricksen and I planned to visit her in May this year, but sadly she was readmitted to hospital just after Christmas 2011 and although another operation appeared to have been successful, we were devastated when we lost her, after several setbacks.

Sharon's parents, sister, and me.

I still made the trip to America, and Mary and I visited her lovely sister and  family.  We sat in the room where Sharon had written those wonderful stories, and felt her presence.  We were thrilled when we found the manuscript of 'Kiss Of Death' on her computer - and it features the delectable Oliver.

Her editor, The Wild Rose Press's  Lori Graham has worked closely with her family and friends to get the finished story edited and published as part of the Wild Rose Press's  'Red Christmas' series, and after a lot of hard work on Lori's part, it was today, just in time for Christmas, a wonderful gift for a friend or family member's Kindle or book reader - or for yourself.

Here's the 'Blurb'

BLURB:
Santa Must Die.

The words in Camille Lafayette's dream are a chilling prelude of events to come. She sees herself as the killer, and when the murder is actually committed, she becomes the prime suspect.

When handsome Detective Oliver Sharone turns up at her New Orleans family home, he is searching for answers. The evidence against her seems damning. An image captured on the victim's camera resembles Camille, and the red feather mask worn by the murderer came from her shop.The instant chemistry between Camille and Oliver is an added complication, which grows deeper as they work together to discover the truth. It becomes a race against time to find the real murderer before he not only loses his heart completely, but the killer strikes again. And this time the victim could be Camille herself.

More details on The Wild Rose Press Site HERE
Sharon was one of the authors on The Author Roast and Toast
Her blog is http://sharondonovan.blogspot.co.uk/
Her website is http://sharonadonovan.com/

Sharon will always be missed, but I feel privileged to have known her and to have been able to call her my friend. Her spirit lives on in her books and in the hearts of those of us who loved her.

Lyn (Hywela Lyn)

www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
www.hywelalyn.co.uk