In my One Writer Responds posts, I will attempt to answer the most-asked questions about my writing and my life. Some readers may have this image of a memoirist sitting in a raggedy bathrobe next to their writing desk, clutching a bottle of Jack Daniels and a framed photo of their loved one as they sob through their memories. I'm not that dramatic. (Okay, I am that dramatic, but I don't smoke and I drink only when I've lost my ability to giggle, which is hardly ever.) Without a doubt, writing ,,Mad About Hue: A Memoir in Living Color was more challenging than when I wrote my novels. The proje ..read more

Recently I unplugged from social media and the news. Some people were worried, but there really was no need because it was a good decision. What I didn’t mention was the reason for this sudden change in my daily habits. I’m an empath. If you’re not familiar with that word, basically it means you absorb the emotions of everyone around you. The world is hyper-noisy and you are like an involuntary sponge, soaking up all the grief, fear, and confrontations the Universe has to offer. I suppose I’ve always known I was a highly sensitive person, but being an empath is much more than not being able t ..read more

My father used to get a real kick out of blasting Stars and Stripes Forever on the stereo. He would turn the volume up so high that the living room would tremble and you could swear the Thunderbirds were flying directly overhead. I’m sure the neighbors weren’t thrilled but no one ever complained and I doubt Dad would have cared anyway. When you’re a war veteran, you’ve already sacrificed enough for your country without having to turn down the volume, too. To this day, I’m a big John Philip Sousa fan and I particularly enjoy 4th of July concerts, where Sousa’s patriotic marching music is as st ..read more

Let’s be honest here. Living on Planet Earth these days is no piece of cake. Truly, it’s become increasingly difficult to find the sweetness in Life with all the anger, violence, depression, viruses, dictators, and corrupt politicians fighting for space on the newsreels. And let’s not forget the ire from friends and family members whose opinions differ from ours. Sadly, whenever we open our mouths to share an opinion we risk offending someone. Or, in the case of writers, whenever we write anything. Convincing people to do the “right” thing can be challenging, but that doesn’t mean we should n ..read more

Tarot for Writers author Corrine Kenner got my attention when she wrote that writers are fortunetellers. I had never thought much about it, but when I read that famous authors like Stephen King and John Steinbeck brainstormed with tarot cards, I decided to try it myself. I had hit a snag with Seaglass Christmas. There was a gaping hole at the end of the manuscript where it is explained why the antagonist did what he did. The problem? I still had no idea for all his actions — and that was part of my job as writer! When consulting my intuition or Higher Self, I tend to use oracle cards, but for ..read more

One of my favorite writing tools on the planet is crystals. Some may laugh, but I believe crystals have a consciousness. They’ve inspired me, calmed me, grounded me, and I can’t imagine my life without them. I have amassed a collection of hundreds of crystals and gemstones and they’re all over the house. My home office hosts the majority of crystals — big and small — which is why I call it my crystal cave. I even created a “relaxing” Crystal Spa with salt baths and selenite slabs to pamper them. One day I was searching for something crystal-related on the internet when I stumbled upon a websi ..read more

https://soundcloud.com/user-462422585/color-for-peace-meditation?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing My Color for Peace Meditation was originally broadcast on Color Healing Radio in September 2015 in celebration of the International Day of Peace. You are welcome to share this free recording and script in a public or private setting. Should you share this meditation in a public event, please credit Eleyne-Mari Sharp as the author. (PLEASE NOTE: This meditation is a gift and may not be sold or reproduced for sale.) Tools needed: One white candle One clear Qua ..read more

https://soundcloud.com/user-462422585/garden-labyrinth-meditation-for-manifesting?si=a5e1967f49744e21a22e7fabc9b1c7f0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Close your eyes and imagine you are sitting on a rustic, wooden bench at the edge of a beautiful garden labyrinth. The bench is made of lovely, twisted grapevines, and sitting on it makes you feel grounded and connected, like you are a very tall tree with your roots firmly planted in the earth. You remove your shoes for you know you will walk on a sacred path today. Take three deep breaths, inhaling th ..read more

Let me establish from the get-go that I love love candles. They create a relaxing ambience in any room and there’s nothing so romantic as a dinner with tall, flickering tapers, even if the meal is a boring plate of baked beans. I’ve read that famous Victorian authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens wrote by candlelight, as did Mark Twain and other writers who grew up without the luxury of electricity. Surprisingly, even 20th century writer Jack Kerouac wrote by candlelight, even though it would have been much simpler (and brighter) to turn on a switch. In fact, the On the Road author sup ..read more

Let me establish from the get-go that I love love candles. They create a relaxing ambience in any room and there’s nothing so romantic as a dinner with tall, flickering tapers, even if the meal is a boring plate of baked beans. I’ve read that famous Victorian authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens wrote by candlelight, as did Mark Twain and other writers who grew up without the luxury of electricity. Surprisingly, even 20th century writer Jack Kerouac wrote by candlelight, even though it would have been much simpler (and brighter) to turn on a switch. In fact, the On the Road author sup ..read more