I am so happy to welcome author Sheryl Browne to my blog today!
I read Sheryl's earlier novel Recipes for Disaster and really enjoyed it; a great mix of humour, pets, romance, and food, written with warmth and wit. I'm really looking forward to reading Somebody to Love, and Sheryl has kindly visited the blog today to introduce this new book, and to provide us with an extract. I love the cover design of this book so much!
Hi Lindsay! Thank you so much for
inviting me onto The Little Reader Library to talk about my recently released
book, Somebody to Love. It’s never easy to talk about your own
book without wanting to say, I believe that it’s good, I believe you will enjoy
it (please read it!!). You do believe
it’s as good as it can be, of course.
Authors, who have often been writing and learning for many years, work
hard to make sure their books are. The ‘written
in blood’ adage really does apply for a writer. Passionate about what you do, you pour your
whole heart and soul into your stories, working hard on research, determined to
get the detail right and never to trivialise emotive issues that some people might
live and struggle with on a day-to-day basis.
My writing, though romantic comedy – and I am happy with that title,
because romance and comedy are the key elements – has been described as funny
but thoughtful. Thoughtful because I
feel drawn to look at the relationships of people whose lives may be little more
complicated than most and therefore their emotions a little more tangled.
Simply, In Somebody to Love, my protagonist, Mark, has a special needs son,
ergo a lot riding on any relationship he might enter into.
The story was inspired by ‘a lost little boy’. An autistic little boy, who wasn’t
lost at all, it seems, but on a mission to throw his shoes over his neighbour’s
garden fence in order to facilitate a meeting with her three-legged dog. Though I do
have experience of special needs children, still I worried about that
all-important detail, particularly as I was incorporating the little boy’s
Autism Assistance Dog (ADD) into the story.
A tremendous amount of research was called for therefore. I could go on, but I think a snippet from the
book’s first review – which actually rendered me speechless, so overcome was I
when I saw it – has dispelled those worries:
This fabulous book is
a Rom Com with a difference. It’s funny, its heart-breaking, and it will either
make you sigh with contentment or scream with frustration. At times it made me weep. The special needs
thread running through this book will tug at your heartstrings and give you a
greater understanding of what it’s like trying to find love when your life is
full of complications.
Through this book,
Sheryl Browne has captured the essence of love, life, family and the fear of
giving away your heart. She has also perfectly captured the highs and lows of
parenting a special needs child.
Thank you, Jontybabe
JB Johnston. You succeeded where no one ever has in rendering me silent.
Here’s an excerpt. I do
hope you enjoy.
Without readers and
reviewers, writers would be lost:
Donna
glanced at Karl, trying to ignore the murmur of male voices behind them, for
fear of losing his attention. ‘I think Starbuck might want to try some shoes
on, Karl. Does Karl think he does?’
Donna
watched and waited.
The
furrow in Karl’s brow deepened. ‘I think Starbuck might want to try some shoes
on,’ he eventually said.
‘Good
boy, Starbuck.’ Donna breathed a sigh of relief, then moved around the dog,
lifting each paw one by one and popping the paw-protectors on, whilst trying
very hard to ignore Mark Evans staring at her from where he stood by the door.
Mark
kept staring.
Utterly
mesmerised.
Quite
unable to tear his disbelieving eyes away from her.
Dr
Lewis leaned towards him. ‘I think we landed on our feet with Donna, if you’ll
forgive the pun.’
Mark
hardly dared to breathe, thinking if he did, he might wake up from whatever
hangover-induced hallucination this might be.
‘She
has a natural empathy,’ Dr Lewis went on in the same low voice he’d been
addressing Mark with in the last few minutes, rather than distract Donna from
her mission, and Karl from Donna.
Mark
nodded, at a loss for words that might describe how he felt about Donna just
then. How could he have been such an idiot? She was smiling
at his son. Talking to his son. Engaging with his son. Getting a reaction from
him, and he’d been bloody fool enough to
think she’d walk away at first knowledge of him.
He
kept watching, what should be a Eureka moment, feeling
sick to the bottom of his soul.
‘All
set,’ Donna said, straightening from her task, then cocking an ear in
Starbuck’s direction. ‘What was that, Starbuck?’
‘Oh,’
she said.
Mark’s
mouth twitched into a smile.
‘Starbuck
won’t go unless Karl wears his shoes.’ Donna sighed melodramatically. ‘He says
Karl might hurt his feet. And then Karl
might not be able to go walkies. And then Starbuck will be sad, because he
doesn’t want to go walkies without his best friend.’
Best
friend? Jesus. That’s where it had come from. Mark reeled
inwardly. Could almost feel a collective holding of breath, a palpable tension
as Karl climbed from his chair, walked over to his shoes, picked them up,
plonked himself on the floor and pulled them on.
‘Good
God!’ Dr Lewis stared in awe. ‘I don’t…’ He looked from a shoed and ready to go
Karl, to Donna, back to Mark, but Mark was gone, half out door.
He
couldn’t stay to watch anymore.
****
‘Mark?’
Donna stepped tentatively towards him.
He
stayed where he was, his back to her.
‘Why
didn’t you tell me?’
‘I,
er…’ He ran his hand though his hair.
Turned
around after a while.
Swallowed
hard.
Oh,
Lord. He’d been crying.
Donna
searched his face. She had no clue what to say to him. Why he was so upset. Why
he hadn’t mentioned he had a special son. Except…
‘Why
didn’t you tell me, Mark?’ she asked again, because she had to. ‘Was it because you didn’t think I’d be in
your life long enough for you to warrant mentioning him?’
‘What!?’
Mark looked at her, visibly shocked. ‘No. I…’ He swallowed again. ‘I have to
go,’ he said, dropping his gaze. ‘Can I call you, Donna? Will you please let me
talk to you?’
He
glanced back at her, hopefully.
Donna
hesitated, then nodded. He might well have a harem on his landing. She wouldn’t
be surprised if some voluptuous female popped out of the boot of his patrol
car, complete with toothbrush and tassels, but… Her shoulders were broad. She
had ears. She could listen if he needed to talk.
As mentioned, the story is fictional,
based on a little fact, and a good deal of research, particularly in regard to
Autism Assistance Dogs. To Karl, to three-legged Sadie, and with huge thanks to
Danemere
Animal Rescue Centre and Our Dog Publications.
About the story of Somebody to Love...
How do you tell her?
After
a turbulent marriage to a man who walked off hand-in-offshoot with something
resembling a twig, divorced mum, Donna O'Conner, doubts happy endings exist.
She'd quite like to find herself an Adonis with… pecs …and things. Alas, that's
not likely, when her only interest outside of work is hopping her three-legged
dog in the park, carrying a poop-scoop. In any case, Donna isn't sure she'd
know what to do with an Adonis if she fell on one. When PC Mark Evans comes
along, gloriously gift-wrapped in blue, however, she can't help wishing she
did.
Mark,
a single father, is desperate for love. He doesn't hold out much hope, though,
that there is a woman out there with a heart big enough to love him and his
autistic son. Enter big-hearted Donna, plus three-legged dog. And now Mark has
a dilemma. Pretending not to mind her house-bunny chewing his bootlaces, he's
smitten with Donna on sight. Should he tell her his situation up-front?
Announcing he has a child with autism spectrum disorder on a first date tends
to ensure there isn't a second. Or should he skirt around the subject, which
amounts to a lie? When one lie leads to another, can he ever win Donna's trust
back? Admit that he didn't trust Donna enough to let her into his life?
Publisher’s Note: Somebody to Love
has been made with love... love of animals. Sheryl Browne has done excellent
research on assistance dogs for the handicapped, specifically their use with
autistic individuals. With a focus on romance with police officers, appealing
to all readers who love our boys in blue, the author's "teasing but not
telling" style makes this read appropriate for anyone, including young
adults and older teens.
Somebody to Love (Safkhet Publishing) is published on July 1st 2012.
Available
from: Amazon
UK, Amazon, any
local bookstore, or direct from Safkhet
Publishing
Website: www.sherylbrowne.com
A loveahappyending Editor and featured Author http://loveahappyending.com/sheryl-browne/
Twitter: @sherylbrowne
Thanks so much, Sheryl!
Aw, Lindsay, thank you so much! You have done me proud. I totally adore my cover, thank you. It's just perfect for the book! I'm uber-pleased with the fabulous review, too. We really would be struggling without people to showcase and read our books. In fact, I'm overwhelmed by the positive and warm response by readers generally. Somebody to Love really is a book that is special to me. THANK YOU! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to visit and comment Sheryl. x
DeleteThank you Lindsay for this beautiful showcasing!
ReplyDeleteWe are all really happy that Somebody to Love is enjoyed by the readers and reviewers - it means a lot to us!
Me too! Thank you! :) xx
DeleteThanks all at Safkhet for the kind comment.
DeleteCongratulations Sheryl on what sounds like a fabulous book. I loved to read 'your story behind the story' about the research and I can't wait to read Somebody to Love which is on my Kindle right now!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janice! Knowing people are reading and enjoying the book is what makes writing worthwhile! :) xx
DeleteThanks for your comment Janice :) I loved reading about the research too.
DeleteLovely to read about Sheryl's 'Somebody to Love' on your blog Lins x
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and commenting Shaz x
DeleteThanks from me too, Sharon. You have to love the two bunnies almost side-to-side. Worked hard on that, we did! :) xx
DeleteGreat to see Sheryl here Lindsay, and another fab book! Can't wait to read it too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Linn, sounds like a good one!
DeleteFrom me, too, Linn. Thanks so much!
DeleteI've got this on my Kindle and can't wait to read it! Great post, ladies....
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for commenting Nicky, glad you enjoyed the post :)
DeleteOooh, thanks, Nicky. I hope you enjoy!
Delete