Shelf Media hosts the annual Shelf Unbound Indie Best Book Competition for best self-published or independently published book. You can find the winner, finalists, long-listed, and more than 100 notable books from the competition in the December/January 2025 issue of Shelf Unbound.
Never Dull!
“Witty and inspirational. As Will Rogers said, ‘Everything is funny as long as it is happening to someone else.'” reviewed by Cowgirl Magazine. This book is a tribute to the author’s remarkable family and the legends of the rodeo world who illustrate life lessons such as:
* Put God first
* You can do anything
* Be honest
* Laugh at yourself
* Stand up for what you believe
* Attitude is everything
* You are never too old
* There is no such thing as easy money
* Stand by your man
* Enjoy the moment
* Know what is important
The reader does not have to be a horse person to enjoy this book. The setting of many stories is the rodeo arena, but the values apply to all of us.
About The Author: Heather Sharp
Heather Sharp entertains audiences with tales of life as a cowgirl, her journey to becoming a military pilot, and over 30 years with the airlines. She recently wrote about her amazing family in a book aptly titled Never Dull!—a family reunion could easily double as a comedy show!
Interview with Heather Sharp
What first sparked the idea for your book, and how did it grow into the story it became?
HS: My mom was a riot. Life was never dull with her. In the weeks before she passed, we looked at photos and told stories. I laughed so hard, I peed my pants, “I’m going to write a book!”
She said, “Knock yourself out. No one will believe it.”
I said, “Oh yes, they will. I have all these pictures and I’m going to call all your friends and they will confirm you were a nut!”
She laughed and said, “Oh well, I’ll be dead by then. Do whatever you want.”
I teared up. “Seriously, Mom, you had a remarkable life. I want people to laugh when they hear these crazy stories, but I also want to share the valuable life lessons you and Dad taught us.”
Introduce us to the world of your book. What should readers know about the story and the people (or ideas) at its center?
HS: I write about my grandpa, who immigrated from Ireland with $18 in his pocket. During prohibition he ran booze in San Francisco. When it was repealed he owned the longest bar in the world and became a millionaire before he was forty. He dreamt of being a cowboy and brought a ranch in San Jose. My uncle became a world champion cowboy and was part owner of RSC- the Rodeo Stock Contracting Company.
Readers tell me they laugh out loud at hysterical stories my mom, including when she got her ponytail cut off and handled to her, the Pyramid scheme and the arrest that followed, and everyone’s favorite, the inversion boot story. The common refrain she heard was, “You just can’t make this up.”
Was there a particular moment or scene that changed how you understood your own story as you were writing it?
HS: When I was a teenager, Mom and I had some hard times. I was certainly not an easy kid to raise.
In 1983, less than one percent of pilots were female. I used to believe I became a 747 pilot in spite of her, but now realize it was because of my parents that I became a success.
What themes or emotions run beneath the surface of your book—what were you hoping to explore or uncover through this story?
HS: E This book is a collection of all the funny stories about my family, I wanted to share the lessons and values I learned from them. A sampling of the 24 chapter titles are:
* Live in the moment
* It was meant to be
* The big picture
* You just can’t make this up
I want people to be motivated and know they can do anything they set their mind to.
Find a featured excerpt of Never Dull! on PAGE 39 in the December/January/February Issue: 2025 Indie Best Award Winners.
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Article originally Published in the December/January/February 2025 Issue “2025 Indie Best Award Winners”