Sheila Horgan - Consequences

It is our pleasure to have Sheila Horgan with us today, promoting her book Consequences.

Where do you currently live?

Tampa Bay, Florida

Tell us a little bit about your life.

I was blessed to raise one son that came through me and several other children that came to me. I am now the proud grandmother of three, two little boys and a new little girl I've not had the pleasure of meeting in person. (That will happen this summer when I go to California to celebrate my father's 90th birthday.)

When did you first start writing?

I did a lot of technical writing in the 80s. Then I stayed home with a house full of kids and stuck with school notes and homework.

What was your very first story about?

I wrote a nice little story about my mother when I was in kindergarten. I made sure to point out that my father was the best person in the whole world and my mother made a really good ham sandwich.

Have you written anything that you were too afraid to let anyone read?

No. After having a house full of teens, not much scares me.

Did you experience anything you’ve written yourself?

I think most fiction has a bit of the writer in it.

Who are several of your greatest literary inspirations?

My tastes are pretty simple. I enjoy books that make me laugh (early Evanovich), books that make me think (The Education of Oversoul Seven) and any long series that can keep me interested.

What kind of education have you received, and how has that affected your writing?

I went to Catholic school with all of the stereotypical adventures, but my real education came from my parents. They gave me the skills to enjoy life.

How much research time customarily goes into your projects?

I tend to research as I go. I have never tracked how much time I actually spend doing research.

Who is your favorite literary character?

Auntie Mame.

Who is your favorite character of your own creation?

I am torn between Cara O'Flynn (The Tea Series) and Nora McCarthy (Consequences).

If you were ever to write an autobiography, what would its title be?

Blessed to be an Ordinary Woman.

Tell us about your featured book. 

"Consequences" is written through the eyes of Nora McCarthy. She is dealing with the ramifications of choices she made early in life and consequences of actions she didn't always have control over. We follow her through finding out that a child she loves may be in trouble with the law, or worse, and that although she has spent her entire adult life in the service of others, she has no one to turn to.

Why did you write that?

It is a story that is lived in silence all over this country. It needed to be told.

Is there anything special you would like your potential readers to know?

I've been told that Consequences is a drama-dy. That parts of it will make the reader cry while other parts will have them laughing-out-loud. That is what I hoped for when putting pen to paper.

Where is the one place you’ve traveled where you’ve felt most like you fit in?

New Mexico.

What activity or hobby, besides writing, do you find most enjoyable?

Reading.

What was your favorite childhood toy?

Jacks. My mother was the neighborhood champion. She could do her nine-sies and leave the one jack in the middle. We played with golf balls and heavy metal jacks.

What is your most valued personal possession in life? Who gave it to you?

My mother's Kaiser membership card. I helped my father care for her when she was terminally ill. We went to the doctor a lot. Hour after hour of talking and learning about a wonderful woman and her interesting life. The card reminds me of a time I shared with my mother that no one else experienced. I cherish it.

If you lost the ability to see every color but one, which one would it be?

Blue. The color of healing.

How do you treat people you’re not fond of?

With dignity and respect. How you treat others is more about who you are as a person than who they are.

What is hiding in your closet as we speak?

Pants that will never again stretch across this butt of mine.

What do you see as your greatest achievement?

My kids.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best gift you can give to a child is to allow them to see your eyes light up when they enter a room and to allow them to (accidentally) overhear you brag about them.

Our thanks to Sheila for taking the time to be with us. Check out her book below.