Interview with Sharon Jackson

I am delighted to have my friend and fellow author Sharon Jackson visit the blog today for a chat about her new book Ash's to Ashes. I thoroughly enjoy Shoron's crime novels, but they are not for the faint hearted as she does not shy away from violence or gory decriptions. I would recommend her books to those who enjoy Chris Carter and Jo Nesbo novels. Thank you for taking time to join me today, Sharon. Tell me all about your new book.

Thank you for having me on your blog today, Val. My most recent book Ash’s to Ashes is part of a ten book series. It is the penultimate book and the main characters have been in it from Book one. When I began writing I thought it would be just book one but I loved the individual characters so much that I felt they all needed a story and as their characters grew their stories unfolded naturally. Ash and Jen’s story was a long time coming by the time I got around to writing it. The seeds for it were first planted in Book two and have been slowly developing since. 

Who is your favourite character in this book and why? 

Now usually when I’m asked this question my answer would normally be Keri. However in this one, while she is a strong contender I loved how Ash’s character development took on a life of it’s own. Ash began as a quiet and reliable, someone who might escape notice or be lost among the more colourful characters. A deliberate choice which you learn about as the story progresses. In this book Ash becomes the ‘dark horse’ he was always destined to be. His absence from the team at the start leaves a hole that finally proves that he is as vital as any of the other characters. I personally loved that for him because people took his reliability for granted and in this story they address that mistake. 

What was the first piece you had published? 

The Haunted Past Series began as most series do with book one which is called My Cradle Your Grave and is the introduction. It also ends on a cliffhanger so be prepared to pick up book two almost immediately! I wasn’t entirely sure how the cliffhanger would go down but with so many intricate plots to weave and so many characters to introduce comfortably I felt it needed to end just as it did. 

Do you have another story planned or in progress? When can we expect to see that? 

I have a lot of stories in progress. In 2026 the last two books in the Haunted Past series will be released and that series will come to a close, though look out for Cameo’s in the upcoming planned series  ‘The Sinful Past Series’ which will follow Team Two in the MCU unit. The characters were introduced in the first series and they have stories to tell too. Also I have a co-written series in progress with the amazing Annalee Adams. The Echoes of the Damned series will feature standalone, paranormal ghost stories that will chill you to the bone. Book one entitled Last Island will be released on the 23^rd March 2026 and we are currently brainstorming book 2 Damnation’s Doorstep which will hopefully be finished and ready to begin work on this month. Besides that I have a second standalone that I’m collaborating on with the delightful Tammy Bradley. Death Dealer follows a tarot card killer and I am currently writing it as we speak. Then there is my fantasy trilogy which is in edits under my new pen name Sharona Stoneheart. The Souls and Shadows trilogy is planned for release in the second half of the year and is an Arthurian based story with a twist. The Nightwalkers will keep you spellbound and you won’t see the twists coming. The first book Lagacy of Lies is already available for pre-order.  

Who is your favourite author? 

I really dislike choosing one when there are some many talented authors to pick from. I read pretty much every genre and so I have favourites in every one.  It might sound like a diplomatic answer but I will fiercely recommend all of them. 

What do you like to do when you’re not planning or writing your next book? 

For those who have met me I never stop I’m always doing something. I crochet and knit in particular I make book characters and all manner of items, I also make dreamcatchers and I’m a chef so I also bake cake a lot. I also love to travel though mostly it has been to signings of late but I still love exploring and uncovering the mysteries of the world and of course I love reading and getting lost in stories from all the fabulous authors I meet along the way. I just wish the days were longer. 

When did you know you wanted to write novels? 

I always knew I would write from a young age I just thought I’d get around to it when I retired. I’ve been writing my nightmares into crime scenes since the age of thirteen and was often chastised for ‘writing a novel’ by my English teachers when I did assignments. Usually by the time they’d finished they were pleased I hadn’t stopped where they’d prompted I could have. It’s all about that twist ending after all!  

Do you write in other genres? 

I cover a variety of genres including crime thriller, romance suspense, paranormal/horror and historical/myths and Legend style fantasy. I’m not sure if I will be venturing into any others but I can’t wait to find out. 

What do you like most about being an author? 

I love when a story takes on a life of its own. When the characters write themselves and not even you know what they are planning until it’s written on paper. That an meeting other people who loves those stories as much as I do.

Do you have a specific routine for writing?  Is there a special place or particular tool you use? 

I work full time so it isn’t a specific routine as such. Regular and often seems to be the way it goes. I do a lot of prep work leading up to beginning, a hell of a lot of research and a chapter guide that I more often than not deviate from when the characters decide on a better course of action. Mostly I write with an enthusiasm that is hard to contain, so the story writes itself at whatever time of the day it calls to me. At work I will make voice notes here and there, in the middle of the night an idea I can’t put down will have me sitting up and typing it down before I forget. My stories consume me, the characters possess me and until it’s written it’s hard to focus on anything else. 

What advice do you have for other writers? 

Write the story you want to tell and tell it from your heart. There will be people who might not love it, but if you don’t love your own story then why should anyone else? Somewhere out there is someone who will love your story exactly the way it is. Those are your people, they are who that story is for. It might not reach everyone but for those it does reach it will make everything worthwhile. If everyone had the same story to tell it would be a dull world indeed. 

If your book were to be made into an Audiobook, who would you choose to read it? 

This one is easy since My Cradle Your Grave will be arriving on audiobook in due course and I delighted to say that the fabulous and extremely talented Conor Lewis will be doing me the honour. If you haven’t yet heard him read then I highly recommend it. I came across his work on a live and his Irish accent sold me there and then. If it hadn’t, then listening to his fully immersive reading of the ghost story Session 9 would have. He is incredibly gifted and I’m very fortunate to be collaborating with him. 

If your book were to be made into a movie, who would you like to play the main character?  

I have quite a few main characters, so I will focus on the first which is DI Devlin Doyle who began the journey and is a constant throughout the series. His is an easy selection, I have always picture Colin O’Donoghue when I imagined him. Not intentionally but as he developed I recognised the similarities. When I first began writing him I chose the name first. When I looked into it’s origin he became Irish and thus the similarities emerged. 

The Author

Sharon Jackson is originally from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire. She is a avid reader and a self proclaimed book bug! She has suffered from nightmares her entire life and documented them, converting them into crime scenes in hopes to one day create her own book series using them as inspiration. This was how the haunted past book series was born.

She is a mother to a delightful daughter and related to an amazing family. She is an avid reader of many genres and has a thirst for knowledge. She's also a well travelled, adrenaline junkie that enjoys going on adventures. She likes curiosities, mysteries and challenges and hopes that her nightmares may finally have found a purpose.

The Link

Ash's to Ashes (The Haunted Past Series Book 9) https://mybook.to/eo7Tr8z