Sharon (S.A. Daynard) has received good reviews for her stories published in print and has been a regular contributor to a New England crime anthology. Her short story “Widow’s Peak” received a Derringer nomination for Best Flash of 2004 and has been used to help teach minimalist writing in college classes. She holds degrees in Environmental Sciences and Geology and often incorporates elements from them in her stories.
She is a member and current Treasurer of the New England chapter of Sisters in Crime, and has appeared as a panelist from the chapter's Speakers' Bureau.
In November of 2006, Sharon was a Short Story Panelist at the New England Crime Bake and provided their publicist with her background, complete with several true life experiences she's had as a witness to crime. The intention was to give fellow writers and mystery enthusiasts an understanding that there was more to her than met the eye. Instead, the information was released to a local newspaper and, worse, by the time it was edited down, made her sound like a rather suspicious character. In typical S.A. Daynard fashion, she dealt with it with the same sense of humor she displays in her stories, even writing a mock Press Release for her web site to clarify the publicity gone bad.
In the Contributors' Notes section of the latest anthology she's published in, Sharon decided to have a little more fun with it, writing:
"S. A. Daynard has crossed paths with a serial killer/rapist, testified before grand juries, and taken lie detector tests. She's been offered the services of professional hit men, been scrutinized in county retirement fund corruption and bank fraud scandals, and been labeled 'a person of interest' in a major drug find. In her spare time she writes mysteries."
Sharon is one of a kind.
Photo courtesy of Bill Marshall
©2008 S. A. Daynard