Share the Moon - new from Sharon Struth

I'm thrilled to once again host my friend from Connecticut, USA - Sharon Struth - on my blog today. Sharon's first book, The Hourglass, has been a runaway success, and her new release - Share the Moon - is set to eclipse this. Welcome back, Sharon! Over to you.

Sharon Struth

Thank you, Noelle, for sharing your blog with me today.

Anybody out there like shortbread cookies? I’m talking about those mouth-watering, buttery delights from the same land that gave us kilts. Shortbread was originally made as medieval "biscuit bread,” over the years the yeast in the bread was replaced by butter and…voi·là, you have the cookie we know today!

In my latest release, Share the Moon (Kensington Publishing), Scottish traditions have made their way to the pages, including shortbread cookies. Although the story takes place in the U.S.--Connecticut to be exact, the book’s heroine, Sophie Shaw, has fond memories of her nana, a woman who made the best darn shortbread cookies in New England and had a strong belief that name meanings hold true. Sophie doesn’t buy the name meaning theory, but she still carries on the shortbread ritual.

If you try this recipe, a word of caution; don’t take shortcuts. The most important part of this is letting the dough “season” at least overnight (I do 24 hours) and don’t make the mistake of thinking those fork-poked holes are mere decoration. Everything little thing matters when trying to get the best flavor from these three ingredients.

Ingredients:

 2 ½ cups of flour

½ pound of softened butter-2 sticks (or you can use ¼ lb. margarine, ¼ lb. butter)

½ cup of sugar (I use a generous half cup, no leveling)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients well. Form into a ball and wrap in wax paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight, at a minimum. Twenty-four hours (or even two days) adds to the flavor.

Baking:

Remove wax paper and let the dough warm at room temperature. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Press dough evenly into a round 8” pan. The dough will be crumbly. Once pressed, use a fork to poke holes on the top layer, spaced maybe ½-1 inch apart. Cook around 45 minutes or until the edges are nicely browned. Remove from oven. Cool before cutting.

A little more about Share the Moon…

Blurb:

"Heart-tugging small town romance with real emotion.  Struth is an author to watch!"

—Laura Drake, author of RITA-award winning The Sweet Spot

Sometimes trust is the toughest lesson to learn.

Sophie Shaw is days away from signing a contract that will fulfill her dream of owning a vineyard. For her, it’s a chance to restart her life and put past tragedies to rest. But Duncan Jamieson’s counter offer blows hers out to sea.

Duncan still finds Sophie as appealing as he had during boyhood vacations to the lake. Older and wiser now, he has his own reasons for wanting the land. His offer, however, hinges on a zoning change approval.

Bribery rumors threaten the deal and make Sophie wary of Duncan, yet she cannot deny his appeal. When her journalistic research uncovers a Jamieson family secret, trust becomes the hardest lesson for them both.

Author Bio:

Sharon Struth is an award-winning author who believes it’s never too late for a second chance in love or life. When she’s not writing, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail. Sharon writes from the small town of Bethel, Connecticut, the friendliest place she’s ever lived. For more information, including where to find her other novels and published essays, please visit her at www.sharonstruth.com

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GczH6uBi1og

Buy Links for Share the Moon:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kensington Books

Kobo

Google Books

Sharon’s Website: www.sharonstruth.com

Twitter: @sharonstruth

Also from Sharon Struth: 

A day in the life of: Author Sharon Struth

Continuing in the series of chats with authors about how, and where, they spend their writing day, I have great pleasure in chatting with Sharon Struth.

Sharon is a multi-award winning author, writer of non-fiction, and fiction. ‘The Hourglass’ is Sharon’s latest release, published by Etopia Press. She is currently working on another novel, ‘Share the Moon’, and I'm very much looking forward to discussing her books here today.

Hi Sharon. Thanks so much for coming to chat with me today. It's an honour to have a writer with so many credits – and experience – under her belt. With you in Connecticut, USA, and me in Australia, I’m curious to see if there are any things we do differently in our writing world. First of all, I'd love to ask you about a typical writing day. I'm interested in the 'where' and 'how' of your writing routine.

Sharon: Hi Noelle! Thanks for hosting me today.

Noelle: Even though you are currently a full-time writer, do the constraints of everyday life force you to write to a set routine in order to meet your writing goals? Special times or days?

Sharon: I treat my writing like I would any other job and work on a set schedule from about 7:30 in the morning until 5 or 6 o’clock at night. Of course, the one big difference is that after my shower, I toss on sweatpants, flip-flops and forgo any makeup. While an at-home job requires great discipline, the wardrobe perks are worth it!

Noelle: That is certainly a benefit. :-) Where do you like to write? Do you have a space where you can immerse yourself without outside distractions? Or do you feel best writing at the kitchen bench?

Sharon: I turned a spare bedroom into an office. I still keep a bed in the room, however, and one of my dogs (a miniature schnauzer) sleeps there all day and watches me work. Best officemate a person could ask for!

Noelle: Both my little dogs sit at my feet as I write, but unfortunately they often ask for attention, which is quite distracting. Is there anything in your environment that you find particularly motivating or inspiring for your writing?

Sharon: Not inside the office, but whenever I get stuck while writing, I usually go for a walk or a drive in the car. I do some of my best “writing” when I step away from the computer.

Noelle: Do you like music playing in the background as you write?

Sharon: No. I couldn’t concentrate. I was even like that years ago when in college, where I’d have go into quiet “study” rooms to get my work done.

Noelle: Your latest book, The Hourglass, was released recently. It seems that we have something in common – we both have heroines who are forging new lives, digging deep, and finding inner strength. The Hourglass deals with crushing loss, angst, guilt. These are themes that must resonate with many readers. Were there times when you had to dig deep yourself, to be able to write the book?

Sharon: Yes. I understand loss and the guilt associated with losing someone close to you. Mine was due to losing my dad at the age of fourteen. He was an alcoholic who committed suicide. A part of me always felt guilty that I couldn’t help him have a different outlook on life. It took many years for me to see that only those who want to be fixed can be fixed. But in this story the characters experience some of the same emotions I did.

Noelle: Is the character CJ Morrison what you would call the ‘typical hero’ in a book?

Sharon: Not at all. CJ is a troubled man. He made a single mistake that changed his life ten years before the book opens and cannot forgive himself. Because of this, he may seem a bit edgy on the surface at first, but the reader soon learns that deep down he’s a loyal, caring man. He simply needs to find a way to let the past go.

Noelle: Do you work on just one project at a time?

Sharon: For the most part, but lately I seem to have edits of completed books ongoing while I try to write new material.

Noelle: How long did you take to write The Hourglass?

Sharon: About a year. Then I edited it off and on for a full year while writing another book.

Noelle: During the writing process, what writing support groups do you surround yourself with?

Sharon: I just work with one other person…my first writing teacher, who has turned out to be a friend, mentor and wonderful editor of my material.

Noelle: Would you say your new book, Share the Moon, has a similar theme to The Hourglass?

Sharon: No. Share the Moon is about knowing where you belong, realizing that everything in your life points you in the direction for a reason. A reason we sometimes don’t understand until it stares us in the face.

Noelle: Sounds great! So, finally Sharon, where can readers connect with you?

Sharon: For a book trailer, excerpt and book group questions on The Hourglass, readers can go to… www.thehourglassnovel.com

Sharon’s Website: www.sharonstruth.com

Buy links:
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
All Romance E-books:

Sharon: Again, Noelle, thanks for hosting me on your lovely blog! I look forward to hearing from some of your readers.

Noelle: The pleasure is all mine, Sharon, and I hope that many Australian readers will drop by and say hello. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your world of writing, and good luck with Share the Moon.

Watch the book trailer for The Hourglass here: