Dive deeper into the mysterious world of Moriah Jordan, led by the pen of local author and Vernon parish native, author Tammy Sharp. Sharp’s debut novel, A Fortunate Murder, weaves a tale of intrigue and murder while following its heroine, Moriah, through memory lapses, a dangerous stalker, and a high school sweetheart—chief investigator, Linc. Set in the fictional town of Bethel, Louisiana, this contemporary southern gothic story will keep readers guessing through every twist and turn.
Sharp, a graduate of Hornbeck High School in Vernon Parish, has been working on her story since she was a child. “My mom worked at Leesville State School, an all-boys, state-funded school for developmentally disabled or traumatically abused children,” she explained. “I had a lot of opportunities to be around mental illness and juvenile crime, and it sparked me to dive deeper into child abuse.”
Sharp wrote the first draft of the book while she was earning a Bachelor’s in English at Queen’s College in Charlotte, North Carolina, but shifted to poetry while pursuing an MFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, before returning home to Louisiana as a teacher and, later, a journalist. Over the years, Sharp has won numerous awards and recognition for poetry, and print and digital news coverage. Today, she splits her time between promoting A Fortunate Murder, running Hobo Holler Farm with her husband, raising two kids, and working on her next book.
Sharp's novel, "A Fortunate Murder," is inspired by her own experiences.
Readers familiar with Vernon Parish are likely to recognize some places in A Fortunate Murder. The backroads and woods that surround her fictional town of Bethel spring from Sharp’s hometown of Hornbeck; the former Silverado Bar, (which is now Cuore Coffee in Leesville) is the setting for the Desperada Bar in the book. Her next book promises ties to Toledo Bend.
“Nothing exists in a vacuum,” said Sharp. “I’m influenced by my memories and experiences, and I’ve taken those experiences and crafted them into stories. I’ve used these places as a springboard.”
The first in a forthcoming series, A Fortunate Murder is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle, or you can get a copy from the author herself at one of her book signings. Keep up to date with Tammy Sharp on Facebook.
