Sheila Sheeran, Author of 'Tu Peor Error: Materia Oscura,' Talks Benefits of Self-Publishing, Romantic Fiction

This article is part of "Palabras," the Latin Post Latino Author Series.

Sheila Sheeran, Spanish-language Puerto Rican author of "¿Te acostarías conmigo?" and "Tu Peor Error: Materia Oscura," was motivated to become a writer by her cumulative life experiences. At nearly 40 years old, the daytime marketing executive borrows from her own life to fuel her provocative romantic fiction.

Three years ago, Sheeran (pen name S.Sheeran) decided to write for the public, determining that she'd be a published author. She began to pen fiction that stealthily traced moments from her own existence and imagination, feeling she was finally ready to write and release those stories.

"When I decided to really, officially write and self-publish, it was my experiences in life that really gave me the maturity to turn what I had in my head, my ideas, into stories that could give joy to readers," Sheeran told Latin Post.

"I work as marketing manager for a health care company and a part of my job involves traveling throughout Latin America countries. I use that time traveling ... in the air, in the night, in the hotel, to really do something productive when I'm away from my home. I started writing my stories, and decided to move forward and to publish."

Sheeran explained she writes to keep readers on the edge of their chairs and to compel them to turn the page. She wants them to be anxiously awaiting the next read. It was always her dream to see her writing somewhere other than her own computer screen, enjoyed by others on their devices.

The author never felt that traditional publishing was the best route for realizing her dream, as she was unwilling to compromise her voice or the stories that she developed. For her, self-publishing meant empowerment, the ability to monitor herself, accessibility to important information about her book, and connecting with other self-published authors who are always willing to offer advice.

"I didn't want publishers to question if my book was good or not, or debate whether to publish it or not, I just wanted to do it, so I found a way to do it. I chose self-publishing," Sheeran stated.

Her books, which are gaining recognition in the realm of romance suspense, are available on Amazon, published through Kindle Direct Publishing. The books touch on the charms and challenges of romantic adventure.

"¿Te acostarías conmigo?" is a sensual story that depicts budding love; it also describes transformation, misfortune and potential heartbreak. The sequel to that book, "¡Fuiste tú!" revisits characters two years later and depicting their struggles as new parents, deception and the aftermath of a horrific accident. Likewise, her other titles, "El ángel de Sol" and "Tu Peor Error: Materia Oscura," investigate intersecting lives, challenges and resilience.

"I learned that anyone can write. You just need your imagination and motivation to do that. Also, you need to be responsible. Now that we have tools available to us that makes self-publishing possible, it seems easy. But, we really need to take care of the work that we're putting out there," Sheeran said.

"We want people to take us seriously, which can be a challenge because we don't have the support of big publishers. In order to have that, we really need to invest in revision and enrichment. The opportunity will not be worth anything if we don't put out good work, do revisions and elevate text."

"¿Te acostarías conmigo?" will be released in English during the month of August, published under the name "Miranda." Her book "El ángel de Sol" is in the process of being translated into Portuguese and will be published by the end of the year. Also, the author is completing a book to be published early 2016.