Today I’m doubly delighted to welcome fellow blogger turned author Sharon Bairden. Sharon’s debut novel Sins of the Father is published today so ‘Happy Publication Day’ Sharon and I hope this is just the first of many more.

By day Sharon Bairden is the Services Manager in a small local independent advocacy service and has a passion for human rights; by night she has a passion for all things criminal. She blogs over at Chapterinmylife and is delighted to be crossing over to the other side of the fence to become a writer.

Sharon’s debut novel, Sins of the Father, is out November 2020 and is published by Red Dog Press

Sharon lives on the outskirts of Glasgow, has two grown up children, a grandson, a Golden Labrador and a cat. She spends most of her spare time doing all things bookish, from reading to attending as many book festivals and launches as she can. She has been known to step out of her comfort zone on the odd occasion and has walked over burning coals and broken glass – but not at the same time!

Over to Sharon

Which five pieces of music/songs would you include in the soundtrack to your life and why?

Oh, this is an interesting question, I am so rubbish at remembering song titles, so I had to turn to google to help me! I think I’d probably answer this differently every time I was asked but here goes for today’s soundtrack to my life!

Billy Idol – White Wedding. This song was out when I was a student in Aberdeen. There was a very strange billposter campaign going on at the time, using the lyrics but with my name in it, so “Hey little Sharon, what have you done” instead of “hey little sister”.  I never got to the bottom of where these posters came from but of course, my imagination had me imagining someone sending them to me! I still wonder about this!

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The Cure – Lovecats. I embraced the 80s Goth life and I still miss those days! The Cure were one of my favourite bands and I always thought I looked at bit like Robert Smith back in the day!

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Pink – Trouble. When my confidence drops and I want to give myself a kick up the backside, I love blasting Pink out at full volume and Trouble is one of my favourite songs…am I trouble?…no, I’m a pussycat…honest!

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Amy Winehouse – Back to Black. Just because her story breaks my heart; I will always regret never seeing her live. Her voice is just exquisite.

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Don Williams – You’re My Best Friend. I grew up listening to country music and my dad was a huge Don Williams fan. This song will reduce me to tears in seconds as it brings back so many happy memories.

Haha, I’m looking at these songs and thinking folk are going to think I’m really weird!

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What five things (apart from family and friends) would you find it hard to live without.

Books, it goes without saying!

Toast and Tea – food of the Gods! They cure all!

My imagination – where would I go without it!

Book Festivals and launches – they top up my energy levels and inspire me; I feel a bit like a drained battery without them this year!

Internet – keeps us connected

Give five pieces of advice to your younger self?

You are enough

Believe in yourself

Avoid emotional vampires

You CAN do it!

Travel!

Tell us five things that most people don’t know about you

I applied to be a prison guard for the Scottish Prison Service, thankfully I never made it through to the final stages!

I have a fear of horses galloping through water! (Don’t ask, I don’t know why!)

I’ve flown over the Grand Canyon – I was actually green at the end of it!

I might be Scottish but I don’t really like Irn Bru and the thought of haggis makes me ill!

I have two tattoos

Tell us five things you’d still like to do or achieve.

To be on a panel at Bloody Scotland

To have my books for sale in Waterstones

To own my own bookshop

To do the North Coast 500 Route (a 516-mile scenic route around the north coast of Scotland, starting and ending at Inverness Castle)

To go back to Canada and see my family over there.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Sharon, especially on your special day. Your music choices seem very normal to me, so nobody is going to think your weird ( unless we both are!) I’m with you not being able to live without books and tea. With the current pandemic I’m also realising how much I value my festivals and book events – here’s to getting back to normal as soon as is safely possible. I love the advice to yourself and I’ve never heard the phrase ’emotional vampire’ though I understand perfectly what it means – very apt. I’m not Scottish, though I went to University in Stirling and used to live in Glasgow so I’m with you on Irn Bru, but I am partial to haggis, though not on a regular basis. I hope you get to tick off those things you’d like to achieve. I’m sure the first two won’t be too far away – fingers crossed.

The Sins of the Father

Lucas Findlay thinks he has struck gold when he marries Rebecca, but she married him for one reason only – to destroy him.

Trauma runs deep

When her past comes back to haunt her, Rebecca begins to disconnect from herself and the world around her. As secrets are unearthed, she begins to fear for her sanity … and her life.

Truth will out

With her world unravelling around her, Rebecca clings to her determination to make Lucas pay, whatever the cost.

Forgive his sins

But someone must pay for the sins of the father…

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You can keep in touch with Sharon via :-

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and her Blog