SHARON DOTSON

Sharon Dotson decided she wanted to be a writer when she was ten years old. That was when Stephen Brown, who went al-l-l-l the way through school with her bragged—as he held up a library book—”I’m going to be a writer when I grow up.” Sharon was astounded that anyone of her age and lack of sophistication could wish for anything like being a real writers. She decided that if Stephen Brown could be a writer so could she. Today she wishes she could find him and say thank you and tell him he was her guiding light.

Sharon attended Stephens College, University of Missouri, and University of Houston, and finally got a degree in journalism at UH. She’s retired now, but that degree led her down a crooked career path. Her first job was as a substitute teacher, which has nothing to do with writing.

After that, she can’t remember them all, so here are a few: copywriter for Skaggs Drug Company, Kansas City, features editor for Ultra magazine in Houston, assistant women’s news editor at the Temple Daily Telegram, women’s feature writer at the Galveston Daily News and the Bellaire Texan. Also, a freelance writer for The Houston Business Journal and The Houston Chronicle. She spent twenty years in public relations, and for three of those wonderful years she freelanced for Leigh Owen when Leigh was a director of marketing with the  Vickie Milazzo Institute. Those are only a few of her jobs. She has finished her first novel (90,000 words), Jack Dare’s Great American Freefall (inspired by a true story). The book isn’t published yet, but if she is extremely lucky, maybe someday it will be.