Finding Calm In A Busy World by Susie Sharp
This week I welcome Susie Sharp to my blog. Her debut novel Time for Tuscany was published on 5 September 2025. When I send authors my standard guidelines to write a blog post for me I never quite know what I am going to get by return, but Susie has sent a delightful post and I found myself thinking a lot whilst reading her words and more determined to make time for myself by the end of the piece and wanting to read her book. See what you think …
A huge thank you, Morton, for inviting me onto your lovely blog. I’ll be honest, I’m not someone who finds it easy to put myself out there. I’m far more at home tucked away in my garden shed, writing, thinking, and letting the world slow down for a bit. But sometimes, sharing the quiet places in our lives reminds others to find their own — and that feels important.
Like many women, I juggle a lot. I work part-time, care for my ninety-four-year-old dad, keep up with my grown-up children and my gorgeous grandchildren, and somehow still squeeze in time to write the stories that have been sitting inside me for years. Life is full, noisy, and often a little overwhelming, so finding time for myself has become something I’ve learned to protect. After a turbulent decade, my family and my calm are what matter most — so apologies if I’m not wildly exciting these days. But what I am is content, and that feels like something worth celebrating.
The Place I Go to Relax
When I lived in Tuscany, my sanctuary was the chestnut groves around my house. I’d wander for hours, navigating dirt tracks with the sunlight slipping through the trees, the ground uneven beneath my boots. It was the best kind of quiet –peaceful, but full of life. There was always something stirring – a woodpecker tapping in the distance, a deer darting through the trees, or the sudden rustle of a wild boar. Every now and then, I’d spot a porcupine and feel like the luckiest person alive.
Those walks became my lifeline. After years of rushing and worrying, they taught me to stop and simply be. And far from the noise of everyday life, my characters began to speak. I didn’t go out there looking for them; they simply found me when the world went quiet.
Now that I’m back in South Wales, my places look different but give me the same sense of peace. Sometimes I stroll along the Brecon Canal, watching sunlight dance on the water while ducks bicker like old friends. Other times I head up into the Brecon Beacons, where the air is sharp and clean, and my thoughts start to untangle. Walking always helps me destress – both in life and in writing. When a plot refuses to behave, a good trek usually sorts it out.
And then there are the days I stay close to home. I pull on my gardening gloves, kneel on the damp grass, and plant bulbs, dreaming about the colours that will burst through come spring. My hands might be dirty, but my mind feels still.
If it involves fresh air, birdsong, and a bit of mud, I’m happy.
Nature has always been my healer. When I went through my divorce, walking became my way of coping. Some days I cried the whole way round, but I always came home lighter, as if the hills had taken a little of the weight. Even now, when life feels too loud, stepping outside helps me find perspective again. It reminds me that the world keeps turning, and most problems shrink once you’re standing under a wide, open sky.
Maybe that’s what my stories are really about – women learning to pause, to listen to themselves, and to take one small, brave step forward.
About Susie Sharp
Susie Sharp writes compelling women’s fiction that delves into real-life issues with a touch of drama, a dash of humour, and a whole lot of heart.
Her stories explore love, loss, second chances, and the messy, beautiful realities of life. Always with a strong, empowering focus on the quiet strength of women.
When she’s not writing, Susie loves travelling, curling up with a good book, baking something delicious, and listening to music that stirs the soul.
Website: www.susiesharp.co.uk
Facebook: https://facebook.com/susiesharpscribbles
Instagram: https://instagram.com/susiesharpwrites
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/44735298.Susie_Sharp
About Time For Tuscany
You can’t change the past… but you can choose your tomorrow.
Five years after the heartbreak of losing her young son, Sara Mortimer knows her marriage is hanging by a thread. In a last attempt to save it, she suggests a summer in Tuscany, hoping the rolling hills and golden light might bring her husband back.
But as Marcus drifts further away, Sara begins to wonder if she’s fighting for her marriage – or for herself.
Then she meets Eddie Hunt, a rugged ex-traffic cop carrying grief that mirrors her own. With him, she glimpses the woman she could be… if she’s brave enough to take the chance.
And when a long-buried secret comes to light, Sara must decide where her heart truly belongs. Because if she doesn’t choose herself now, she may regret it forever…
Time for Tuscany is my debut novel, and a story that means the world to me. Set against the golden beauty of Italy, it’s a story of healing, hope, and the courage it takes to choose yourself.
Where to Buy Time For Tuscany :-Signed Copies: Here
Kindle: Here
Amazon Uk: Here
Amazon US: Here
Thank you for sharing a few moments with me. Writing, like walking, always brings me back to what matters most – and I hope reading does the same for you.
Susie x
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
The Secrets of Borteen Bay boxset at the bargain price of 99p here.
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
