February, 2007

Author of the Month Sharon T. Jordan

Sharon Jordan novelist and actress, lives in the Los Angeles area. and appears regularly as the recurring character, Irene the Concierge, on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.    The best way to contact her is via e-mail at sharonjordan2020.yahoo.com.   What did you want to be when you grew up? And how does that  tie in with your writing life today?    When I was around eight years old, I removed the screen from my bedroom window so I could sit on the ledge and sing for hours.  I was hoping that one day a neighbor or someone passing by would hear me and jump start my career in the entertainment industry.  Well… I lived near orange groves (not talent scouts) so that didn’t happen, but I didn’t give up the dream.  I sang at church and began writing poetry.   Soon the poetry was published, and I began writing screenplays.  After a while, I started directing children’s theater and then hit the stage myself.  During this time, I kept writing and I am still writing.   Additionally, I have been blessed to act on film and TV, and I plan to direct more in the future. What books influenced your life in your early years? And why.    I remember pouring over The Chronicles of Naria by C.S. Lewis during my late childhood.  I couldn’t put his books down and read one after another.  I enjoyed the fantasy and the hidden metaphors.   At times, I fantasized about being either Lucy or Susan, although I couldn’t decide which character I liked more.     Later on, in my teen years, I became entranced in the trilogy The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.  I adored the character of Galadriel, the Eleven Queen.  It was so easy to get lost in Tolkie’s stories; I longed to be able to sit at a fireside and listen personally to the author as he wove another tale.  When I discovered that these two authors were friends who encouraged each other in their writing pursuits, I began thinking about how artists can help one another grow in their crafts and in their personal lives.  It is a philosophy that I have applied to my entire life.  I consider these two men to be great role models. What do you like to read now? And why? What is the best book you’ve read this year?    I am an avid reader of novels, screenplays, and plays.  Recently, I have been most influenced by the theatrical play Light Sensitive by Jim Geoghan.  He writes poignantly about a blind man, Tom, struggling for his independence when a volunteer, Edna, comes into his life against his wishes.   During their early moments together, these two strong willed people take mental photographs of each other which develop into long lasting love.  It is a highly moving play and I would love to  portray Edna one day. Who is your favorite character of all time and why?     There are so many wonderful women in books and on screen that I admire; I have a hard time narrowing this answer down to one character.  As I previously mentioned, I would love to portray Edna in Light Sensitive, but I would also like to say how much I admire Melanie in Gone With the Wind.  I have heard many women wish to portray Scarlett, and she was a wonderfully vivacious character; however, there is something compelling about Melanie to me.  She remained kind despite hardships.  She remained loyal in the face of betrayal.  And her strength was subtle yet never breaking. What made you choose your genre or subject matter?       My two characters shaped my first book Time Shadows.  These two women share a bond beyond death.  Similar to the women I have mentioned in the previous questions, my characters, Michelle and Jacqueline, are faced with adversity and hard times.  Each must decide how to respond; will they simply go along with circumstances or will they rise above adversity?  Jacqueline must fight to understand dreams that have been haunting her for months.  The more Jacqueline discovers, the greater her foes become until it is literally a fight for her life.        Michelle must also fight for her life when she’s falsely arrested and thrown into a concentration camp in France.  She’s pregnant with twins and lives with one thought in mind; to save her unborn children.  This plays an integral part in Jacqueline’s life. If a young person asked you for advice about the best way to start a writing career, what would you tell him or her?         Start with a journal that you write in every day.  It doesn’t have to be about huge topics; you can write about little events too.  Record what you always eat for breakfast, or if you always have to clean your room or do chores on a certain day.      You can also write about what has happened to you at school or what you’ve studied.  Some days there may be larger events to record, perhaps something that happened to you or your family or a historical event.  The main idea is to get into the habit of writing each day.  One day you might discover a topic you want to learn more about and research.  This could turn into your first book, and you could begin your search for a publisher. Five years ago, what was your goal as a writer?  And what is it now?    Five years ago, I was searching for a publisher and writing each day.  I had already completed Time Shadows and was in the process of editing it.  At night, I would dream as if I were one of my characters and would waken with ideas for sequels.  Today, I am working on the sequels. If you had a magic wish what would it be?      Besides good health, I would like my books to be on the New York Times best seller list. Is there anything that is important to you that an article about you should say, that has not been touched on in this questionnaire?     This is going to sound cliché, but I would wish for true compassion amongst all humans.  This would lead to understanding and peace.