Love Inspired: A Story for Every Reader

A visit with the adorable Sharee Stover

Lenora Worth

I had a chat with one of the new authors on the Love Inspired team and one of my blog partners here. I first met Sharee Stover in Denver at the RWA conference. We were chatting at an afternoon get-together and when I said I was going to the drugstore to replace some things I'd left at home, she asked if I could get her some eyedrops. Of course. What happened after that was a true comedy of errors. A friend and I trekked down the street to the drugstore, both armed with lists of what people needed. Then our phones stared pinging with more requests. After that, it was snapping pictures to send back and forth and making calls to make sure we were picking up the right products. I think the sales associate was ready to boot us out, we became so loud and we were laughing so much! But I got Sharee what she needed and we made the exchange later. The beginning of a beautiful friendship. And y'all know I love to shop--even for eyedrops! How could I refuse this beautiful face?

We are so proud of Sharee. Her first book with LIS came out last April. Here's the intriguing cover:

https://amzn.to/2SALmPI

Tell us about your writing journey and first sale. We both know that was exciting.

I started writing about eight years ago and the process has truly been a wild ride. Writing for Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense is nothing short of a dream come true. And as much of a planner as I am, I can say the process completely took me by surprise! I had been working on my story for a while when I responded to a Facebook post by my now editor for blurbs in March of 2017. She was snowed in. I’ve never been more grateful for snow! I sent my blurb and that sent the wheels into motion. I had to make revisions, but by July, I received THE CALL. I was beyond thrilled and could barely speak through my giant-face-consuming-smile. I screamed, did a little happy dance, and of course, told everyone I knew!

Here’s the full story:

http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/2017/10/getting-the-call-meet-sharee-stover/

 

What made you pitch to Love Inspired? What do you like about writing for LI? What has been a challenge?

I attended a local RWA conference when I’d finished my second book and pitched my romantic suspense story to one of the editors. She was gracious and although my story didn’t get picked up, the information I gained in that conference made me want to write for them all the more. I also met several authors who write for Love Inspired and everyone spoke so highly of Harlequin and the wonderful way they treat their authors. I wanted to be a part of the Harlequin family. 

I love writing for LI because there’s wonderful support, both from the editorial team and my fellow authors. I love reading the stories LI provides. They’re clean and always leave me with that satisfied feeling in the happily-ever-after, and in the case of LIS, full of great nail-biting suspense.

One of my challenges is to find the story that hasn’t been done yet, or to be able to create a new spin off an old theme. As Ecclesiastes says, there’s nothing new under the sun, so I have to dig to find innovative story ideas. The other is to shut off my internal editor and just write without trying to get everything perfect on the first draft.

What message do you hope to give to your readers? And have you had a really great reader letter that uplifted you?

My tagline is Redeeming Suspense because my message is that there is always redemption with God. He takes the messiest people and loves them into the beautiful people he created them to be.

One of the best letters I got was from a total stranger whom I met at a book signing. She said God had put me right where I needed to be that day, so I could meet her and she could buy my book. She said she wasn’t even looking for a Love Inspired Suspense, so she knew it wasn’t by chance that I was there signing that day. That was huge!!

Tell us about your life? Family, pets, favorite activities?

I am married to my real-life hero and have three amazing children ages 9, 18 and 20. They’re my biggest cheerleaders and I am so grateful for their love and support. My husband is a law enforcement officer so he’s also my writing subject matter expert. We have two spoiled dogs, an elderly schipperke-miniature pinscher mix and a five-year-old German Shepherd.

Our family is pretty boring, and we like it that way. My eldest daughter and I both love to read, so lock us up with a stack of books and we’re thrilled. My son is gifted at auto mechanics and is always tinkering with his car in the garage. My youngest daughter is fascinated by dolphins, so I get regular lessons on all things dolphin related. Hubby and I love to take long walks with our dogs too.

What book are you reading now? Any favorites?

I am always reading several books at once, and at the moment I’m reading The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jamie Jo Wright. She’s an amazing writer! Although she has scared the tar out of me a few times. I’m also reading Fugitive Pursuit by Christa Sinclair and An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti. And of course, I’m constantly reading books on craft so I’m knee-deep in Story Trumps Structure by Steven James.

Brandilyn Collins and Terri Blackstock are two of my favorite authors, but there’s too many to name. I read in pretty much all genres except sci-fi/fantasy.

We thank Sharee for chatting with us and I'm glad to have her as a friend and fellow writer. 

Sharee had a question for me--so here goes:

What’s the best advice you received as a writer?

I think the best advice I received was to never compare myself to others. To stay focused on my voice and my writing style. That’s what I try to do. I read a lot of my favorite authors to learn and to enjoy and to pick up on the beat of the story. But I stick to my path and follow my instincts on how to continue my career and how to create the stories I love. People will sometimes push their agendas on you and your career but if it’s not the right time for you, then you have to stand your ground and do what works best in your life. With all the opportunities we have today—this is the best time to be a writer!

(PS--a shout out to Margaret Daley, our other blog partner here. Margaret will post more over the coming months!)