Around the Table Productions

A Sharonda Sheppard Creation...

Sharonda L’Shea Sheppard, is the author of stage/screen productions, children’s literature, as well as an avid songwriter.  To date, she has won numerous awards and recognition for literary submissions of all forms.

Born the oldest girl in a family of 13 children, Sharonda grew from very humble beginnings. She and her 12 siblings were raised by her mother in a 2-bedroom home in rural Snow Hill, NC. Countless childhood misfortunes, including the demise of her father’s church, his departure, and her parents’ inevitable divorce, forced her to grow up faster than she wished. “God will provide” was definitely the motto in our home and we had to take it literally. I thank God for my mother because she did a phenomenal job in covering us.”

 At the age of 8, her teachers began to notice the craftiness of her writing ability and urged her to take her writing more seriously; not just as a classroom activity - even requiring the she read her writing assignments aloud in class. At the urging of her school counselor, Sharonda’s mother purchased her a typewriter and upon entering high school, her English instructors assured that her summers were spent in writing camps most notably at Duke University where she was extended a full summer  scholarship two consecutive years.  At 17, Sharonda accepted an invitation to attend the Xavier University Young Writers’ & Thinkers Workshop in New Orleans, LA. Aside from writing, she also acted and worked behind the scenes in her school’s productions of “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Damn Yankees”.

 Upon graduating in the top 10 of her class, Sharonda went on to attend the University of North at Chapel Hill where writing further consumed her. “I became bored so I spent my days in the library and computer labs writing or reading when I should’ve been in class or studying.”  When advised to consider the Journalism program, she considered it but opted out as she was not interested in a career in journalism. 

 Writing dreams remain shelved when she took on the role motherhood and had to
provide for her and her son, Orion.  However, after many years,  Sharonda chose to dust off writing dreams and wrote, directed, and produced her first stage production, “The House That Joy Built” which debuted on September 2006.  “It was one of the happiest days of my life and I knew that this was where I am supposed to be.” In February 2008, she followed up with her second production “Between Friends”, which is proving to be a bigger hit.

So, why are they called Around the Table Productions? “Because that’s where I started writing. My mom made all the kids do our homework at the kitchen table every night and that where I composed my first short story at age 8. To this day, I still work around the table. Old habits die hard; but some are worth keeping.”

Sharonda currently resides in Atlanta, GA with her son Orion.

Music Credit: “Saint Petunia”, Cabin in the Sky , MGM Studio Orchestra ©1943

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©2006 Around the Table Productions, Sharonda Sheppard, All Rights Reserved