Hi, I’m Sharnette!
I am a former consultant who pivoted from the corporate world to follow her passions and fulfil her dream of becoming a children’s picture book author. I consider myself a natural storyteller as I have always enjoyed writing short plays, songs, poetry and stories; so publishing Ada’s Wash Day seemed like a natural step for me.
I was born in a small sleepy fishing village on the island of St.Lucia called Choiseul. I emigrated to the UK when I was 10 years old. In 2013, my husband and I relocated to Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, where we lived for 10 years. I now live in New York with my husband and 2 kids (Adalia and Gabriel - my inspiration for my stories).
When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading, listening to music, long walks in central park and cooking (& eating).
Why I write
Ada’s Wash Day is a love letter to the young Black girl inside me, my daughter, Adalia and all the other kinky, curly, coily haired girls out there as a reminder that we need to embrace and celebrate what makes us unique and different. By centering my kids and our experiences in my stories, my hope is to inspire and empower children to develop a strong self of sense and identity through positive representation of their experiences and heritage through my stories.
Author visits
I’m passionate about empowering and inspiring children to develop a strong sense of self through positive representation of themselves and their heritage.
To book Sharnette for author visits, literary events, speaking engagements, author panels, media appearances, etc, please send an inquiry.
For children who share the same ethnicity as Ada, it makes them feel less alone by holding a mirror to their own culture and experiences. For others, images of different groups of people, and cultures, helps them to activate their imagination and to develop empathy and respect for others.
Author visit feedback
“Thank you so much again for sharing your wonderful book and personal stories today! The kids loved it and it was the perfect way to celebrate International Women’s Day.”
— Kerry Nickels, Amity International, Amsterdam
“Thank you so much for your book reading today! The girls were wonderfully engaged and would have had you on screen for another hour if they could. Teacher feedback on the presentation and the activity sheets have been fantastic.”
— Donna Wellington, Old Palace of John Whitgift School, London
“A wonderful book. The students loved it! They asked so many interesting questions and we loved sharing our own wash day experiences. Thanks so much!”