Today we want to celebrate the life of our favorite author. In some ways it would be fitting to enumerate her literary accomplishments, including a list of her books and her best-seller status. But that sort of attribution would be sterile and redundant. If you are reading this, you already know that Sharon Penman had an unparalleled skill with story. She had a unique ability to capture the intricate details of real life in the times and places she wrote about. She also had a deep understand of humanity, its foibles and strengths, allowed her to write characters readers connected to on a personal level.

Literary talent is admirable, but it’s not why she is beloved. It’s because she touched the hearts and lives of her readers on a very personal level. Her sincere interest in their lives, her compassion and tender heart toward their hardships and woes, found her constantly reaching out via letter and email, on social media and in person.

And so to honor her birthday, readers have submitted their favorite memories of our dear Sharon.

Stephanie Churchill Ling – My own story of connection to Sharon begins like so many others – it started as an email which turned into an ongoing, regular correspondence. She became a writing mentor and friend. But more than that, she became family. I visited her many times over the years, spending a week at a time with her. Some of my best memories include simply existing. We would often sit in her living room, working on our various pieces of writing, only now and then chatting. It was companionable silence, but a companionship of kindred spirits. This was interspersed with hours and hours of non-stop talking, spending evenings talking about history, politics, and her always-beloved football. I miss her gentle spirit, her sweet smile, and her unfailing heart of concern for people. I miss Sundays during football season texting back and forth to celebrate or comiserate over our favorite teams. I even forgive her love of the Philadelphia Eagles and Aaron Rogers. I miss her New Jersey accent. I miss my friend!

Mary Roberts Glassman Jones – Happy birthday Sharon! (Penblwydd hapus iawn) I am fortunate to have had so many that it’s hard to pick just one.That being said, probably my very favorite times with Sharon, were when I had her to myself!I would go to visit at her home in New Jersey, a short 90 minute drive from me, and we spent the day talking for hours about all kinds of things. Books, the Philadelphia Eagles, authors that she hated, authors that she loved, how we should be cleaning out her garage! I would bring lunch, she provided the wine and it was lovely getting to know each other better. I was also fortunate to be on both her Eleanor of Aquitane and Richard III tours. We miss you so much Sharon, but will always have your words and memories of times together. Diolch yn fawr!

Linda Hein – I was visiting Sharon in NJ, and we were taking about pets, and about what a hellboy cat Butterscotch was. I had only had him for a few months. She was so kind and gentle, and talked me into keeping hellboy, so it’s because of her that Butterscotch and I are still in the same flat. He turned into a naughty but loving cat and I cannot imagine life without him. I think of Sharon often when he is laying in my shoulder, purring. She sent a huge gift box for Butterscotch soon after I left from visiting her, and we still have many of those toys!

Lisa Adair – I don’t even know where to start. I wrote Sharon a couple of fan letters in the 90s and she graciously wrote me back. When the chance arose to meet her in France on the “In the Footsteps of Eleanor of Aquitaine Tour,” I greedily signed up. Sharon was as delightful in person as she was on paper. My first day there, a group of us went to lunch with her and I found myself surrounded by people that had my same interests, and Sharon shared stories of her research, her books, her behind the scenes snippets of writing. In that one lunch I felt it was already worth the price of the tour, and we hadn’t even started yet. After lunch, Sharon and a few of us walked over to Shakespeare and Company – a bookstore, naturally. Sharon and I were chatting and she told me her guilty TV pleasure was watching BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, and I could totally see that. There were too many moments on that tour with her to recount. But after the tour we kept in touch. Every time she came near my town on a book tour, I would be there and we’d go to lunch or dinner then go back to her hotel after the signing to talk even more. We had a small tour reunion at her house in 2014 and myself and a couple of other fans got to stay at her house for a few days. I miss her. I miss her laugh. I miss her emails. I miss her wit. I miss her sharp intellect. I miss her checking on me when she heard of bad weather in my area. I even miss her talking about football, though I’m not a fan of it. She was special and was truly a gift to us all.

Priscilla Royal – Sharon was the ultimate storyteller. She not only wrote brilliant books after impeccable research, she was equally compelling in her speech. She also had a wonderful sense of humor. Once we were talking during a dinner and she started to laugh. “Have you noticed how many people have just stopped talking and suddenly become interested in medieval sex?” she asked. Then she flashed that wonderful smile of hers…

Larry Steele – I first “met” Sharon at a reading she did at Denver’s Tattered Cover bookstore. By meeting I mean that she autographed the book I purchased that evening. I began following her on Facebook and began interacting with other Penmanites — engaging in coup attempts and the like. When she came back to Denver for the Historical Novel Society meeting, I took all of my books to the signing event and got to chat as she signed them all! I also met David Blixt at that event. I was later admonished for not stopping by when I was in New Jersey a few years back. Boy I miss her — and Justin.

Eric Pratt – I can remember with clarity when I asked members of Sharon Kay Penman’s fan club to see if I could get help in supplying my classroom with a copy of The Queen’s Man. Responses from fans specifically Stephanie Churchill put me directly in touch with Sharon who was also very sympathetic to my plight. With The Queen’s Man out of print in the U.S., she reached out to her agent, Mic, in Great Britain and found a way to get books sent to me at a discounted price, and even shouldered the price of the shipping herself. That alone would have been enough to earn Sharon a devoted fan and friend for life. After Sharon had the books sent, she continued to stay in contact with me via email, receive samples of my own writing, and be a kind ear and friend throughout some hard and happy times as a teacher. The last communication I had with Sharon was the inscription she wrote in my copy of The Land Beyond the Sea, “To Eric, my friend and fellow writer. I hope you enjoy The Land Beyond the Sea. If not, feel free to lie to me! – Sharon” I miss my friend and favorite author, and I assure you, Sharon, your book is a triumph; I enjoy it more than words can express.

Lisa Markovitz – I was in my twenties when my father gave me Sunne in Splendour to read. I didn’t think I would enjoy this massive book, but I loved it. We would go on to impatiently await each of Sharon’s new books. Time and Chance came out just after my father’s death. I drove an hour in the rain with my beloved books to a bookstore to meet Sharon at a signing event. As I pushed my pile in line, along with everyone else, I worried I was expecting too much. When I met her, I ended up blubbering my story. She sweetly, patiently sat me down next to her, signed all my books, wrote “to Edward” in Sunne, as I cried next to her. That was the beginning of a decades long friendship that included two European tours. She was an amazing author, friend, and kind person. She is so very missed.

Sara Bornstein – My favorite memory of Sharon is the time I not only got to meet her at a book reading, but she gave me a cupcake! Because her book When Christ and His Saints Slept is the reason I decided to select History as my major in undergrad, I was beyond excited when I discovered that she’d be doing a book reading in Seattle, which was only a two hour flight for me. I posted in her Facebook Fan Club that I was flying from Alaska to see her. At her book reading before she started she said she was so surprised that I and another reader, coming from Vancouver, had flown in from so far to see her that she had a cupcake for each of us as compensation! Sharon was so nice and humble and I’m so glad I had the chance to meet her! (I even wrote about the encounter in a blog post!)

Dayle Jacob – An emergency book purchase (couldn’t have lunch without a book!) led me to Sunne in Splendour in paperback. Halfway through, my book was a victim (along with most of my house) of a brutal hurricane…OH, NO! Luckily, my Mom was able to replace it saying I was going to love it and she had already purchased all of the rest of Sharon’s books, the Welsh Trilogy. Love it I did, and wrote to Sharon through her publisher. An invitation to a reading of her latest, The Queen’s Man, had me driving Mom 6 hours one afternoon to hear her. She recalled my letter and we had a lovely time. A thank you email to her led her to send a hardcover edition of Sunne, beautifully inscribed to me. Birthday love to this beautiful soul gone way too soon. Thank you for the joy.

Rozie Haines – I was never fortunate enough to meet Sharon although it was wonderful reading her regular Facebook posts. The Land Beyond the Sea accompanied me during my baby daughter’s open heart surgery and recovery. It’s a testament to Sharon’s fantastic skill that she was able to capture me during the long 7 1/2 hour wait for surgery to be completed. The book kept me occupied for a number of days while I sat by her bed in ICU – several doctors and nurses commented on the size of the book and progress through it! I’m so grateful to her that I had it to read at such a difficult time in my life and so sad we’ll never have the joy of a new SKP book again. I’m pleased to report my daughter is now a thriving 3 year old!

Tracey Pyke – Some 16 odd years ago I sent Sharon an email just to thank her for writing such incredible books that enriched my life and expanded my love of history. I didn’t expect a reply, but reply she did and we had a brief email chat. That meant a great deal to me, and she will forever remain a loved and respected presence on my bookshelves.

Ana Marija – I first read The Sunne in Splendour in the 90s, as a teenager, and it made me an instant and lifelong Ricardian. I was incredibly happy and honoured to be friends on Facebook with Sharon and that we interacted on several occasions, and one of my favourite moments was seeing her react to the discovery and confirmation of Richard III’s remains in Leicester. I’m so glad she got to experience that in her lifetime.

Rona Goodall – I first came across Sharon Penman on my honeymoon in California in 1987. I picked up Here Be Dragons in a bookshop. I was attracted by the cover in the first instance, and then reading the blurb on the back, I knew I wanted to read this book. It was the start of a love affair with this author, who loved the Plantagenets as much as I do. She brought this period to life. I was also delighted to come across The Sunne in Splendour, which fed my Richard III obsession. When she had completed all the Plantagenet stories, I fell in love with the Land Beyond The Sea. Justin de Quincy was a super character and his medieval mystery adventures, were a joy to re-read in the last year. I counted myself very fortunate to be able to ‘speak’ with Sharon on Facebook. We disagreed about Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I, but in a very fun way. I was very sad to learn of her death.

Tricia Hurst – Sharon was an active participant on her fan FB page. When I was wondering if I should keep perusing a career in law, Sharon spent time talking me through this. She helped me realize that while the law was not for her, it is absolutely what I was meant to do.

Lisa Belkin – My life became enhanced when while reading her new book The Devils Brood. I looked at the back jacket and saw that she wasn’t a resident in France or Wales like we thought but just a 20 minute car ride from our house! Her stature might of been small but whenever I read one of her books she becomes a giant. We gave my daughter Sara some of her Bat Mitzvah money to spend at Borders and the first book she picked out was Christ, and we were hooked. Because she only lived 20 minutes from me, whenever we could, we would meet her for lunch we would always go to Applebee’s because we knew we could enjoy a three hour gabfest at lunch and never be kicked out. Sharon had unrelenting back problems that kept her home at times and I’d stop by at lunch with my dog for a play date. No one loved dogs like she did and was such an advocate for adoption. May her memory be a blessing and go pick up a book. Rereading Christ right now. I am very honored to be among so many people who had the opportunity to read her work and those that got to meet her.

Patrice Batyski – I e-mailed Sharon quite a few times. She was kind enough to reply in depth. We finally met at a book signing and we became friends, almost family. I was at her 70th birthday party.

Kelly Stambaugh – In the days prior to meeting Sharon during her Time and Chance tour we exchanged a few emails. One has always stuck with me when I told her that I would be traveling 5 hours to meet her; she wrote “please be careful driving that far, I don’t want you to get stuck in the middle of nowhere with ravenous wolves baying in the distance. Oh sorry, it’s just my overactive author’s imagination at work again.” She was an amazing person that I feel so grateful having been able to meet. I will always treasure the memory and the photograph of us together at that meeting.

Hannah Maiorano – I read Sharon’s books for years, she was my favourite historical fiction author and inspired my love of medieval history. So when it came time to apply for an MA in Medieval history, I asked her for recommendations. She took time to write me back and offer a few different universities. First and foremost she said Aberystwyth because she had completed many hours of research at the National library of Wales. So I ended up going there where I met my now husband. Because she took the time to write back one of her many fans, my life was changed for the better, forever. I will always be thankful for her for that and her books will always have a special place in my heart.

Sherri Rankin – I first read Sharon’s book “Here Be Dragons” and totally fell under the spell of not only Sharon’s writing but also of Wales. I later found a copy of “Sunne In Splendour” at a used book stand at the Allentown Fair. I was hooked. Years later when I became a teacher at my school I would introduce my students to Sharon’s books. At one of her book signings down near Philadelphia, my best friend and I went and got to meet Sharon in person. She was the most down-to-earth person. She gave an entire set of the Justin de Quincy books to my best friend who is an English teacher. Years later my son went into the Peace Corps and one of the other Peace Corps moms I met was actually a friend of Sharon’s. We tried several times to get together for a lunch but unfortunately time, Covid and then Sharon’s passing conspired against us. I have been greatly influenced by Sharon’s books. When traveling in Wales in 2017 I made sure to go to the church where Llewelyn’s coffin is and to the church where Joanna’s coffin is supposed to be. (We couldn’t get in, construction). I miss knowing there will be more books and that such a kind and caring person inhabits our world.

Yvonne Connelly – Was it our first day in Paris in 2011 when our group of historical literary nerds first met Sharon? Every day of that incredible “Eleanor” tour with Sharon was special. Then, in 2018 I was lucky enough to book a slot on the Richard III tour in England that was special because we had incredible opportunities to view the famous parking lot and speak with the people who actually found Richard’s bones. While the group activities were great, I especially treasured her personal attention to each of us. She became a major influence in my life; e.g., while having lunch at the Tower of London, she mentioned that she particularly liked my (often irreverant) sense of humor! (I had never known I had a good sense of humor!). She continued to stay in touch and I treasure her novel-length emails. She became for me the loving mother that my soul had longed for and my love and respect for her will stay with me always.

Alan Fear – In 2012 I began writing my PhD. thesis in literature on Welsh identity and Memory in Here Be Dragons, I wrote an e-mail to Sharon asking if any other academic work had ever been undertaken on the novel and was delighted and felt honoured when I received a personal reply from Sharon. Some months later I wrote another e-mail with some specific questions and once again, despite her work-load and the “Deadline Dragon” breathing down her neck, this must have been for A King’s Ransom, Sharon took the time to honour me with a personal reply with some special insights into that great mind and the “making of” HBD. Finished my PhD. in 2017 and still read the princes trilogy every 5 years or so.

Joanne West Cornish – I own all of Sharon’s books. I have also bought many copies through the years of my favorite, her magnificent first, The Sunne in Splendour, to give away and ultimately infect others with her magical writing. She was a treasure to be shared, and a loss to all of us.