Sidney Sheldon is My Idol

When I was 17 years old, my family took a summer camping vacation at Lake George, New York, out on one of the islands. When we had finished bringing all the food and supplies out of the boat and up to our campsite and set up all the tents, I was free to do as I wished. I went into my bag and got out a new book: The Other Side of Midnight, by Sidney Sheldon. 

I found a big flat rock where the sun was beaming down. It was the perfect spot, and I sat down to read. I immediately noticed that in the first chapter, he introduced one character. In the second chapter, he introduced a new character. But in the third chapter, he went back to the first character, and in the fourth chapter, back to the second. He continued to alternate like that, bringing the two characters' lives closer and closer together until, bam! their lives intertwined, and now they were in the same chapter. Then he would introduce new characters into the mix. 

I was only a few chapters into the book when I got a revelation: "This man writes just like me." I realized that the way Sheldon set up his story line was the same way I felt I wanted to set up my own story lines. It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a novelist, and Sidney Sheldon became my idol. 

I continued to read all his novels after that one. Bloodline is my second favorite. And even though it took me 51 years to achieve my goal, I never forgot or gave up on my life's dream that I had decided that day: I wanted to be a novelist. And I never changed it either. 

This year, in January, I self-published my first novel on Amazon, In Fashion's Web. It's a story of three strong independent women: Tracey, Kara and Allison and how their lives intertwine. Like Sheldon's works, my book has love, drama, intrigue, heartbreak, success and much more. 

While I continued to learn from every book I read after that and from teachers who gave me my education, I will always look up to Sheldon as my mentor and idol. Thank you Mr. Sheldon. Perhaps we'll meet in heaven one day. 

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.