Page 14-November 29, 2006-The TIMES
Local author offers coffee-talk humour
By Wendy Soloduik
Alliston author Sharon Lockwood promises ‘coffee-talk’ humour in her new book, ‘A Large Double-Double Please,’ which is scheduled for release this spring. The coffee table tabloid promises to provide insight into the Canadian coffee obsession and was written on-site in the coffee shops we all frequent.
Lockwood is an experienced writer who has published two other novels; a book of poetry entitled Metaphorically Speaking Mostly and a reflection piece on her travels to China, aptly titled Beyond the China Sea. This third publication is a collaboration that Lockwood describes as a “fun read, like Chicken Soup for the Soul,” and was co-written with her friend, Mary Fraser.
“The title for the book started as a joke actually,” said Lockwood. “Mary said that I should write a book about coffee and coffee shops. She herself works in on, and has seen and heard it all. I took everything she said and we just made it flow.”
Lockwood’s interest in writing began after graduating from Banting Memorial High School in Alliston and initially lead her into writing screen plays.
“About 10 years ago, I woke up one morning and just decided to write a movie.” Lockwood remembers, “I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but I knew I had an original idea. I sent my script to California for evaluation and the outline was well received, but the writing itself was not in actual script format. I spent a long time reformatting it, and quickly realized that the niche ‘movie market’ was a hard sell. I decided to look at different ways to express myself.”
Lockwood had her first bread through at the publishers with her book of poetry. Metaphorically Speaking Mostly. The 79 page book was picked-up by Publish America in 2004, and contains poems that Lockwood has written over time.
“At some point in our lives, we may all begin to question what our purpose is while here on earth,” Lockwood writes on the back cover. “When we go with the flow, allowing the direction of life to take us, the most amazing things begin to happen; thus if it is meant to happen, it will. The flow of poetry is quite like that.”
Lockwood describes her ability to write poetry as “a gift, something that just comes to me.”
Lockwood was born in Barrie and grew up on a farm with four brothers. Her need for adventure found Lockwood early in life, and has lead her to travel extensively. In 2004, Lockwood left her Alliston home on yet another grand adventure.
Having already traveled throughout Europe and Australia, Lockwood decided it was time to see Asia, and this time was off to China. Lockwood made all of the necessary arrangements, starting with giving up her apartment. She also relinquished her car and worldly possessions to her daughter Tasha (then 19) and completed the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course in order to provider her with work, and interesting opportunity while overseas.
Lockwood kept a record of her experiences while teaching in the remote village of Wuhan (central China) by e-mailing home her daily journal. Since there was no English speaking television stations, Lockwood spent a great deal of her free time exploring the local countryside, markets and slums when she was not working. Her adventures made for excellent reading and would prove to be the inspiration for book number two, ‘Beyond the China Sea,’ which came together upon her return.
Lockwood’s daily e-mail home was gaining popularity, and family and friends looked forward to her stories.
“Eventually, my friends asked if it was alright if they added their own friends to my e-mail list, because they were interested in my experiences as well,” Lockwood recalls. “When I returned home, I began printing out what had essentially became my online journal, and a book just naturally came together.”
Lockwood’s third book, A Large Double-Double Please, was submitted in final draft just last week to Author House. It is scheduled to be out by late February, early March of 2007 and if it is anything like her first two, promises to be a terrific read.
Quite like her life, Lockwood’s writing is diverse and full of surprises around every corner. She writes from the heart, and gives her audience a true sense of having lived her experience; both in reality, and from her mind’s eye.
Sharon Lockwood can be reached for additional questions at her e-mail address: newwriterca.yahoo.ca. Copies of her book are available at The Millpond in Alliston, and on Chapters shelves.
