Simplicity: That’s My Style

‘You are your style’, or so they said, way back when I studied writing. So, how do I see my own style?

Simplicity!

And, it seems others share my view. For better or worse, I aim to write clearly, and for the enjoyment of readers. Sure, there are plenty of literary buffs who just love to mull over hidden meanings, and smile upon innovations that dismiss punctuation, or require immense concentration and effort to decipher and interpret. Very likely, these readers would reject my style as pared down and basic.

Still, others who appreciate ease of reading, which goes hand in hand with comprehension, may well enjoy my volumes of Australian Short Stories. Not to mention my most recent volume, ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’: the quickest and easiest to digest of all my offerings.

Here’s to 2012: the Year of Simplicity!?

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More Reminiscences!

Sure, I’ve just published ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’, but there’ re plenty more of the latter I’d like to share.

Do you ever look back on your early times, and vividly recall a favourite outfit?

For me, it was a two-piece suit: really, just a sleeveless top and gathered skirt, a fashion of the day. What made it special?

Ice-creams! The top and skirt were adorned by applique ice-creams, as convincing and charming as could be! And how they stood out, against the plain rosy-red fabric!

And what a conversation piece it was! Grown-ups would often ask me if they could have an ice-cream!

Will the kids of today look back with affection on any of their gear? Will they, too, reminisce?

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’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’ in the Newspaper!

 

 

Happy day! My friends, neighbours, and the community will know: ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’  has made it!

Our local paper, The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, has published an article about my books, especially this: the latest!

A look at life through the eyes of a baby boomer, ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’ strikes me as the easiest of all my books to read. It’s often funny, in an all too true way.

Are you looking for a book, maybe a gift? One that’s entertaining, at once light and yet profound?

Why not take a look at this volume’s Amazon.com web-site?

You never know, you may be amongst the first to discover the virtues of ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’, and help to put Australia’s Margaret Lynette Sharp on the literary map!

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You Can’t Judge a Book by it’s Cover: Or Can You?

You can’t judge a book by it’s cover. Or so I’ve heard, many, many times.

Sure, you can’t get an indication of the quality of the writing, yet can’t certain other characteristics be more than hinted at?

Take my four-volume collection of Short Stories, each with the common end- name of ‘Life and Love’.  Each cover features a scene photographed in Sydney by my husband, the organ-builder Ronald Sharp, set against a white background. The printed words are plain and clear. Does this suggest to you an honest, decent, intelligent read?

Likewise, our newest venture, 60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences. Again, the same unadorned printing on a simple white background surrounds a photo of a woman sitting, thinking, in a garden of flowers. A selection of topics contained within are noted in an aesthetically pleasing fashion. What do you make of this? An interesting, thought-provoking selection of articles? Something uncommon, different?

So many volumes by other authors have a feel quite different to mine, yet remarkably often of the same flavour as each other. What does that suggest? Popular, commercial images? Mass market strategy? A tried and true formula?

All in all, isn’t it true that, much like an individual’s face, a book cover can actually be a revelation?

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Off to a Good Start!

’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’ has done what none of my previous books has achieved: a ranking in the top 300,000’s of the Amazon best sellers list, within a few days of its appearance!

A complete break with its predecessors, ’60 Questions….’ must surely rate as the easiest of all to read. The setting out, language, and diversity of topics all contribute to its being a real page-turner, especially for those who relish lateral thinking combined with reality.

As always, this volume has been edited by my husband, Ronald Sharp, the builder of the Grand Organ in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.

Will its newest readers be so impressed they’ll tell their friends?

As author, I can only hope.

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Ronald Sharp and ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’

At every chance, my husband likes to Ron talk about our newest book, ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’, which will shortly become available through Amazon.com.

Many readers of this blog will know that Ron is the creator of the Grand Organ in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.

While he speaks with enthusiasm by phone, it’s the in-person encounters which provide him with the best opportunity to show what we’ve done. That’s one indisputable virtue of having a proof copy!

Yesterday’s meeting with a friend provided the perfect opportunity, and, happily, he responded with equal excitement, interest and positivity.

Although the words and ideas in ’60 Questions….’ are mine, Ron has magically enhanced their presentation by his skillful, innovative editing; not to mention his attractively designed, unusual cover with compliments those of our ‘Life and Love’ series of modern, Australian Short Stories.

If you’re reading this, please spread the word!

Thanks!

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Why not Sample Some Fresh, Australian books?

Have you read any of my books? Any day now, and there will be five on sale.

If Short Stories are your forte, why not try one (or all) of my ‘Life and Love ‘ series? Just click on Margaret Lynette Sharp via Amazon .com.,  peruse some pages, and judge for yourself.

Within days, ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’ will be up on the Amazon.com site, too. This is a quick, (hopefully) humorous and insightful look at life through the eyes of a baby-boomer: that is, me.

If you enjoy my blog, then why not go that one step further and check out my books?

Thank you.

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What Makes me Happy?

What makes YOU happy? Success, a compliment, fruition, relief?

I’m happy today because I’ve just published my fifth book, ’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’. I’m doubly happy because those respected few who’ve read it are clearly alive with enthusiasm!

The happiness of publishing this book grows when I consider the possibilities. To be recognised and liked by the wider community, especially by discerning readers, seems mind-boggling.

And then, there’s the commercial side. A popular book would translate into dollars: perhaps enough to build our long-cherished dream of a music room. Our home is small, and what a joy it would be to have a beautiful room with high, ornate ceilings, and good acoustics to compliment our musical activities. We could have a Grand Piano in one corner, and comfy lounges for listeners to sink into. Heaven!

Will it happen? Who knows? It’s all up to you, and the other readers of the world.

Whatever hand fate deals me, at least I can dream!

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Thanks!

’60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences’ is off to a great start, thanks to the speed of those involved in getting the title onto Google!

Within just a few hours of posting it here on my blog, it was up for all the world to see! Incredible!

With such a propitious start, who knows where this one may go!

Wish me luck! I need it!

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