CTR AWARD

Hello Friends and Bloggers!
Today is a red letter day in my writing world. As you know, I wrote Echo of a Raven to inspire those facing a vision loss to never give up on a dream. My goal is to prevent the children affected with this horrendous disease to have a happy and healthy future. Diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic at the age of six, diabetic retinopathy was my greatest fear, my worst nightmare and my eventual nemesis.

I struggled with the silent enemy for twenty years, never speaking my fear aloud for fear it might come true. But the word Blindness echoed in my head again and again to the point of obsession. And even though I became a legal secretary, preparing cases for judges in the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas, my passion was painting. No more pain. No more heartache. Through my picturesque landscapes and ruins of the Roman forum, I could escape and find peace and serenity. Then it happened one day while painting a Tuscan countryside, the initial bout of progressive blindness. And for the next twenty years, my life became an emotional roller coaster. Now you see it....now you don't. And after one devastating operation, I lost all remaining hope and all remaining vision.

It was then I enrolled in a sixteen week program for the blind and visually impaired where I was forced to accept my fate. Through mobility training with the dreaded white cane, group therapy where I was forced to confront my fears and inhibitions and the use of a computer with adaptive software, I found the courage to face a sighted world I was once part of. And alas, a new dream resurrected. Today, instead of painting my pictures on canvas, I paint my pictures with words.

I wrote Echo of a Raven with great apprehension. A writing instructor encouraged me to get it out there to teach, to inspire and to raise awareness of diabetes and its complications. I am shy by nature and do not relish sharing my fears with the world. But if I can help JDRF Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fight for a cure by donating a portion of proceeds and preventing one child from living in fear of losing his or her vision, Echo of a Raven will be a smashing success.

Cherokee from Coffee Time Romance and More has reviewed Echo of a Raven and has bestowed the greatest gift one could hope for in writing. Humbled and thrilled beyond words, I thank Cherokee from the bottom of my heart. She just got it. Here's what was in my in box this morning.

Wishing you all good things and the luck of the Irish,

Sharon Donovan
Romantic Suspense with a Twist of Faith
http://www.sharonadonovan.com/

Hello Sharon, (hope you are doing well today)Per my recommendation, your book has received a CTRR (Coffee Time Reviewer's RecommendAward) from Coffee Time Romance & More. This award recognizes outstanding writing styles in all book types and genres. Your book has received this award because I feel it is above and beyond a 5 Cup Rating.You can see this here:http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/I have attached a graphic that we encourage you to use on your site, your newsletter,MySpace, and any other place you use to promote you and/or your books.We have announced this in our weekly newsletter, on our blog, and put the CTRR Awardon your actual review on our site. It will stay there permanently.hugs, Cherokee