Meet Sharon Ihle

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Sharon Ihle is the best-selling author of more than a dozen award-winning historical romances set in the American West. A lifelong Californian, Sharon recently moved from the sunny beaches of San Diego to the frozen plains of North Dakota. Hard to believe, but it’s true.

Hi everyone! I’m Sharon Ihle, author of fourteen historical romance novels set in the American West.

 Little did I know when I was researching my first book, DAKOTA DREAM, that I’d find myself living in North Dakota, home of the 7th Calvary. When my husband expressed a desire to retire and move to the small western town where we reside, I have to say I had a few misgivings. Now that I’m here, I’ve fallen in love with the climate (4 REAL seasons and snow, which I love), the people, who are very down to earth, and the quiet, traffic-free lifestyle. It makes me feel an even closer kinship to my work.

All of my books feature the nineteenth century west from the 1850’s to the 1880’s. I feel very passionate about this time in our history, and loved researching the western towns of old and the very colorful characters that played such a big part in settling the West. Who isn’t fascinated by mail-order brides, (featured in THE BRIDE WORE SPURS,) or Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane (featured in WILDCAT) or Jesse James and his gang (featured in GYPSY JEWEL)? And what about Wyatt Earp?

Now that I’ve mentioned him, I should tell you that Earp plays a small role in the book Petticoats and Pistols is featuring today, MARRYING MISS SHYLO. Even though this novel is a western, it actually begins in 1888 New York City. The heroine, Shylo McBride has passed herself off as the non-existent niece of President Grover Cleveland in order to learn the whereabouts of her mother. When she meets the devilishly handsome Dimitri Adonis, a man with a few deceptions of his own, Shylo sees in him the means to travel to San Diego, where her mother has relocated. While writing this novel, not only did I get to enjoy researching the past in my hometown of San Diego, I traveled to Greece where I met the perfectly yummy hero for my deceptive heroine.

Here’s a brief description of MARRYING MISS SHYLO:

PASSIONATE DECEPTION: Shylo McBride never thought her little fib about being related to the president would result in a proposal from Dimitri Adonis. He certainly was as stunningly handsome as his Greek god namesake, but Shylo had no real desire to marry—all she wanted was a ticket out west so she could find her mother.

Dimitri had his own less than noble motives for posing as a wealthy aristocrat and seducing an American debutante. While he and Shylo struggled with their tangled web of lies, they discovered that beneath their deceptions lay true love’s sweet embrace.

I’m happy to add that my books are now available on Amazon/Kindle and Barnes & Nobel NOOK, and may be found at the following addresses: Amazon Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=sharon+ihle&x=0&y=0Sharon Ihle & Barnes & Noble Nook
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/sharon-ihle?store=ebook

 

Readers who post today will be entered in a drawing for a mass-market edition of MARRYING MISS SHILO!

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38 thoughts on “Meet Sharon Ihle”

  1. Hi Sharon, welcome to Wildflower Junction! Your books look wonderful. Who can resist these two deceptive characters? It sounds like a match made in heaven!

    Still haven’t forgiven you for moving away from California–okay maybe a little.

    Hugs,

  2. WOW! Last year was a really bad winter, snow every other day, cold, but luckily not below zero a lot. Glad that you are enjoying North Dakota. It’s quite a change from California! I’ve only driven through ND on a trip to Banff and Jasper National Parks.

    Thanks for the chance to find out what happens between Shylo and Dimitri when their true stories are revealed!!. Sounds great!

  3. Hi, Sharon

    I must confess I have read all your books and highly recommend that everyone here get their hands on them.

    I really loved the Bride Wore Spurs. That was the first one I read and couldn’t wait to read more.

  4. Hi Sharon! Welcome to Petticoats & Pistols. I’m another California transplant — from Los Angeles to Lexington, KY by way of Washington DC. I thought those moves were pretty extreme, but North Dakota! What a great start for a story about a woman who . . . well, you know!

    Shylo and Dimitri are intriguing to say the least!

  5. Hi Sharon!

    I love North Dakota, and can understand why you’d move there.

    The Bride Wore Spurs is a wonderful story, and I look forward to reading Shylo and Dimitri’s story.

    –Kirsten

  6. Welcome to Petticoats and Pistols, Sharon. Love the idea of Shylo and Dimitri. What a delicious story!
    I’ve never been in North Dakota, but I have a friend who taught at a university there for years. He still talks about the winters. My other impression is the movie “Fargo” which I love. It must be a beautiful place, and such fascinating history!
    Great to have you as our guest.

  7. Hello Sharon, I too love the four seasons, Even the heavy snow cannot get me down unless the electricity goes off, which it has done for days. Then we get a feel for what the early settlers went through for then we have no water, heat, lights, cookstove, or bathroom. We do have better shelter than what they did.

    I have not read any of your books but will be lookong for them.

  8. Frankly I wouldn’t mind getting away from the snow lol. You are a new to me author but your books sound intriguing.

  10. Hi everybody! I finally made it down to my office. Got a flu shot and managed to get a small case of the flu. Happens every year, but I no longer get the flu.
    Love your comments, and thank everyone for the kind words. Elizabeth Lane mentioned that the movie Fargo gives her an impression of ND, but actually, most of that movie was made in Minnesota. The only real shot of ND was at the end when the husband gets captured in the little motel. That motel is just outside of Bismarck, near where I live, and it’s still there!
    l had to LOL over Connie Lorenz and her description of what happens when the electricity goes off. Happened to us a couple of time during thunder storms this year, but we’re always prepared for downed lines. It certainly does give insight into how the pioneers lived!

  11. Sharon, a big welcome to P&P. We are thrilled to have you. Like I’ve already told you, I’ve long been a fan of yours. Your stories provided many hours of pleasure. I’m so glad they’re being re-released. I’m wishing you much success!

  12. Thanks so much, Linda. I think I’m finally getting the hang of this blogging thing. Tried to check in on the Guest Blogger button and got tossed into cyberspace. I won’t do that again. I’ll be back again before noon, central time.

  13. Hi Sharon,
    What an interesting post about your move, books and writing. You are an inspiration since your books are compelling and special. Best wishes and much success. It is gratifying that you are enjoying your new locale.

  16. Welcome Sharon! You are a new author to me and I am looking forward to your works. I love historical romances and I’ve been looking for more American West stories to read. Looks like I visited the right saloon 🙂 Shylo and Deimitri’s story sounds like a great one.

  17. I am captivated with your lovely books and the stories. Your trip to Greece and the research done for the novels sound fascinating. Wyatt Earp is my hero. His marriage to Josie Markus, his bravery and principles are exceptional. I am glad to hear that you appreciate your new town.

  19. I’m back after a lovely lunch. Hi Ellie, and thanks for your kind words. I guess if you’re going to live somewhere, you’d best like it! I’m lucky that way.

  20. Oh, Winnie, do I love the sound of my books going on a TBR pile. The interesting thing to me about putting them up on Kindle/Nook, etc., is that I had to proof-read them line by line. In that way, I had a chance to fall in love with my characters again, and ‘freshen’ some of the key point/words while I was in the area. It was a great opportunity! And yes, I got rid of a lot of these, too…!!!

  21. Thanks so much Tracy…I hope you get a chance to read Marrying Miss Shylo and meet that Greek hero. He’s based on my son-in-law’s (he is also Greek) friend I met while visiting with the in-laws in Greece. I almost fainted when this guy got introduced to me. My Dimitri is very much like him in looks and in the way he slaughters english! He might be my favorite, but then I swoon over thoughts of Dane, from Wild Rose, and definitely go crazy for Hawke from The Bride Wore Spurs. Hard to pick. Tough call.

  23. Hi Na! Great hearing from you, and welcome to the ‘saloons’ in my stories. You’re a new reader, so I’ll let you in on a little fact that a few regular readers have discovered about my books…in each one, somewhere in the story my characters stumble across a saloon called The Bucket. Many years ago, before I was writing, my husband brought me to the town I now live in to visit with his brother who had a home here. The only businesses in this town were/are; the post office, a church, and a saloon, The Bucket. I never forgot it, as the townfolk (around 60) gather there to swap stories. I certainly NEVER dreamed at the time that I’d live here one day. Hope you enjoy the book(s)…

  24. Sharon Ihle, you are a new to me author! I always enjoy finding new to me authors to read… thank you for sharing with us today… I am going to add you to my list! 😀

  25. Hi Sharon,
    I have read a few of your earlier books. Off hand can’t remember which ones. This set that you have featured today sound really great. I have to put them on my TBR list. The covers of each one are very pretty. I like the gilt edge.

  26. Hi Anne…yes, Wyatt Earp has always fascinated me. I got doubly fascinated by him while I was researching my hometown of San Diego for the novel, Wild Rose (and my Spanish hero, Dane.) I discovered while researching that book (set in the 1850’s)that Wyatt Earp actually lived in San Diego and owned a couple of saloons in our ‘Gaslamp District’ during the 1800’s. That’s how I came up with the story, Marrying Miss Shylo. I wanted to feature him somewhere along the way, and I did! He and Josie moved on from San Diego to San Francisco where he lived until his death..

  27. Thanks, Colleen! I love being added to reader’s lists. I hope you enjoy the stories. If I may ask you and others, do you buy eBooks as well as paper? And which is your preference?

  28. Hi Mary J…thanks for all the kind words about my work. I was especially thrilled to hear that you like my new covers. I had those covers created for the eBook market as I couldn’t use the covers from the original paperbacks. Those covers belong to the artist who painted them, and I would have to get permission (i.e., pay a WHOLE lot of $$$) from the artist to use them. I hired a graphic artist and we brainstormed to come up with a ‘look’ that said, this is a Sharon Ihle western. I’m so happy that you like them!

  29. Wow, Miz Sharon, that really was some move! (Thus
    speaks the Texan who has lived in one city all her
    life! A city that has not known “real” winter until the past few years!) Your book sounds great and is now on my TBR list.

    Pat C.

  30. Thanks, Pat! I’ve got to tell you, leaving that city I’d lived in and loved for my entire life wasn’t easy. It took me a while to adjust to the quieter lifestyle and inconvience of the nearest grocery store being 40 miles away, but once I relaxed, I fell in love with this country way of life. I’m especially fond of the traffic here…on the way to the grocery store we rarely come across another car. The odd tractor or two, but no cars…LOL!

  34. Liz…boy did you comment ever catch my eye. I definitely need to go to a website with a name like Dakota dreams. I wonder if Kathleen knows my first book was called, Dakota Dream? It’s about Custer’s last stand and a fictional niece he didn’t have. Off to check this out now…

  35. Your retirement move was certainly counter to the normal route most people take. When we retired from the Air Force, we moved to NE TN. It is in the mountains, still has the four seasons with a bit of snow in the winter. I grew up in the Adirondacks of Northern New York and will have to admit that I really miss the winters. I was visiting family in January and had forgotten just how cold -15 was. I did adjust rather rapidly and enjoyed my stay not even being bothered by the 10 inches of snow that fell the morning I left. That amount here would shut things down for a few days. There, the roads were clear and clean by the time I was ready to leave. I would much rather deal with the snow and cold than have to deal with the heat and humidity we now have. I enjoy what cities have to offer, but enjoy our relatively quiet life in the country. We aren’t as far out of town as you are and have some pretty good sized cities within an hour or so. Close enough to take advantage of when we want to.
    I noticed your comment on the covers. They are distinct and a good “branding” for your books. I look forward to reading them. Will have to look for print until I get an e-reader. I will have to dig through my giant TBR mountain to see if there are any hiding in some of the boxes.
    Best of luck on the rerelease of your books.

  36. Thanks, Patricia…your ‘relocation’ story was very interesting, and I’m with you on preferring the the cold to the heat and humidity. I reeally appreciate your thoughts about the new covers. As for getting a paperback of one of the books, make sure to put your name in the drawing…

  37. Hi Sharon,
    I’m late in welcoming you to Petticoats and Pistols today, but I wanted to pop in and say hello. It sounds like you are perfectly content there in North Dakota. I have a friend who moved to Montana about a year ago where his wife was raised and they both just love it. Me? I’m a native Oklahoman, and I’m not crazy about the snow. Last year we had a couple of really bad snowstorms close together and my dh and I were ready to pack up and move even farther south. LOL Your books look great–I love deception, so Shylo and Dmitri are right down my alley.
    Cheryl P.

  38. This is the first time I’ve heard of you or your books, but am looking forward learning more about you and reading your books.

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