Sharon Clark
Authors-Readers International

Sharon Clark has lived in Alberta for over 50 years. Born in Medicine Hat to an Air Force father, Sharon moved with her family to a number of bases across Canada during her childhood. She eventually settled in Calgary. The first books she was introduced to in elementary school, the Dick and Jane series, began her lifelong love of reading. As a pre-teen, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Cherry Ames were all favourites that she devoured over summer holidays. At about the age of 13, she submitted comments about an article in a previous issue to Ingenue Magazine. She was thrilled the magazine published what she wrote and this began her love of writing.

Sharon has had four children. Her first book, Not Our Baby was published in 1984 by Detselig Enterprises (now Temerin Books). She wrote it after her first-born child, a boy, died of a brain tumour just before his second birthday. This devastating experience made her want to work in cancer research. So, when her youngest daughter began Grade 1, she returned to university to obtain a degree in Cell, Microbial and Molecular Biology. The degree allowed her to follow her dream and she worked for seventeen years in cancer or immunology labs.

During Sharon’s research career, an idea for a novel formed, persisted and pestered her. Finally, she relented and began writing Timelag, a novel about a researcher who discovers a gene that controls the aging process. Then in order to test the topic’s appeal and her writing abilities, she decided to submit a few chapters to a contest (inspired by Susan Toy) called Coffee Shop Author. She was surprised and thrilled to win second prize, which was a weekend writers’ conference in Fernie, British Columbia. Winning the prize was a validation of the novel’s potential, so she renewed efforts to finish it. Unfortunately, the death of her second child in 2013, her oldest daughter, brought the project to an abrupt halt. The grueling task of writing and editing the novel became impossible.

Yet, keeping her mind busy became imperative to retaining her sanity. Over the next few years, she wrote a series of fun science (nature) and math books for elementary school-aged children. Two of them won Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards and her last book, 11X Magic, also won Finalist in the Book Excellence Awards.

Since retiring from the University of Calgary, Sharon continues to live in Calgary and now spends most of her time marketing her children’s books.

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I first met Sharon Clark when she entered Coffee Shop Author the second year the contest ran and won second place. But I had already heard about Sharon and, more importantly, of the strength of her writing, from Betty Jane Hegerat (previously promoted in this A-RI Series) with whom Sharon was studying creative writing at the University of Calgary. Sharon went on after the contest to publish five fun and educational picture books for kids, and has continued to receive recognition for her work through these books. (I really hope Sharon will one day complete her novel Timelag. I want to know how that story ends!)

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11X Magic

A Children’s Picture Book That Makes Math exciting by showing some cool secrets
for multiplying by 11
Educational Science (Math) Series
Recipient of
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
&
Finalist-Book Excellence Awards

This award-winning book will appeal to any child between the ages of 7 to 10. Inside, a wizard shows the magic of 11X math of one-digit, two-digit and three-digit numbers, by revealing some amazing tricks to help kids find the solutions easily and without the use of a calculator.

Children will be able to amaze friends by obtaining the answers using only mental math. But best of all – kids will see that math can not only be magical, but also FUN!

For information on Sharon Clark’s books and how to order them, please see her website.

Sharon Clark has twice been a guest on Reading Recommendations: May 2014 and Jan. 2016.