Sheila's Guests and Reviews

I'm not sure where the year is going, or how it's getting there, but rumor has it Thanksgiving's almost upon us with Christmas following after. A time of giving and thanks... A time to remember those in need perhaps... And a new book, coming soon, offers the chance to do both. It's called Christmas Lites III , and it contains stories from twenty-one authors who've given their time and their writing to aid victims of domestic crime: Addison Moore A.F. Stewart Amy Eye Angela Yuriko Smith Ben Warden Cassie McCown Elizabeth Evans J.A. Clement JG Faherty Jonathan Tidball M.L. Sherwood Monica La Porta Ottilie Weber Patrick Freivald Phil Cantrill Robert Gray Ron C. Neito S. Patrick Pothier Tricia Kristufek Vered Ehsani *Brandon Eye bonus story Editor/compiler: Amy Eye of The Eyes for Editing Cover Design Kyra Smith Link to the charity: www.ncadv.org What a gorgeous coer! And what a wonderful list of author...

Our book group picked a very big book for November--Seven Pillars of Wisdom, by T. E. Lawrence! I'd often thought of reading it, but fitting so many close-typed pages into my schedule, not to mention such a wealth of detail, seemed impossible. Still, the book group had made its decision, and the meeting was coming soon. Yay for book groups; with a little encouragement from spouse and friends, and the deadline of delicious food and friendly conversation looming, it was truly amazing how many words could seep into my brain. Of course, the book has pictures too, and they help. And there's always the movie, or memories of the movie, to keep things together. All the same, I've decided I'll have to say no to at least some book review requests, or I'll never find time enough to write. But here are the books I've read recently, including those world-famous pillars, with coffee recommendations because if I don't drink more coffee I'll fall asleep over words w...

I read Cassie Scot, ParaNormal Detective a while ago (click on the link for my review) so I was delighted to be offered the chance to read the second in Christine Amsden's Cassie Scott series. Secrets and Lies was released in October of this year, and takes Cassie a whole leap further in her mixed-up world, as she rationalizes magic and investigates murder with equal aplomb, while trying to deny the leanings of her heart. Imagine a female Harry Dresden, living in small-town American rather than down-town Chicago, with some serious romantic problems and magical weaknesses, then you’ll have the feel of this fun novel and series. Family ties, self-fulfilling prophecies, mysterious magic, and that fine line between love and control all play their part in this tale, and the whole is a fascinating mystery where the characters hide as many secrets and lies as the plot, and the magic is filled with surprises. Read on to find out more about the book and the author, and enjo...

I wonder when Christmas shoppers start looking for books. I rather suspect ebooks might be the perfect last-minute gift, since they don't require any time outdoors or waiting for deliveries. But I'm still not sure about ebooks for kids... or am I? A friend had been hoping my Bethlehem's Baby might come out in print so she could share it with her grandson at Christmas. But her grandson loves the computer--he plays games on it, reads on it, draws on it, keeps in touch on it... And now she's wondering if it might not suit him better to read the ebook. He could demonstrate his computer skills, enlarging pictures and text, while she reads the words. Or they could read together. It's his medium, so maybe presenting the story in his medium is part of the gift. Of course, if that's true, I might have to wait until Christmas to see my book become a best-seller. As my husband says, I might have to wait until Christmas of which year ? Anyway, here are some children...

Today I get to welcome author Lakshmi Menon to my blog with her new novel, Cherished. I love novels that take me to different places, especially when I know the author has the experience to bring those places to life. And I love questions of identity. As Jyothi searches for her father in Cherished, I imagine a young woman seeking her future in the past, and her present in heritage, and I'm intrigued.  Of course, as an immigrant t the US, I wonder how my own children will cherish their English heritage. And as a writer of children's Bible fiction, I wonder how real my depiction of a distant world can be. The world of Bethlehem's Baby is lost to history, though there's plenty of research available to help me imagine it. And the world of India? I'm glad there are authors to help me see the world through different eyes, and broaden my horizons. And I cherish the experiences their books invite me to share. About the Author: Born and brought up in Kerala, Laksh...

I've already read and reviewed Untraceable,   Unspeakable , and Uncontrollable , so you can tell I'm enjoying this teen series which blend romance, action adventure, respect for the earth, and neat survival skills. Click the links for my reviews on Goodreads, or read on to learn how the series continues with Unstoppable. I'm delighted to be part of the author's blog tour today, revealing the cover to Nature of Grace #3 (the others were #1, #1.5--a short story--and #2). Maybe I'll even read and review Unstoppable one day.   Unstoppable by S.R. Johannes  After everything that has happened, Grace goes to the Everglades to live with her grandmother, Birdee. Even though she is now home-schooled by her bird-obsessed grandmother, the move gives Grace time to relax. She learns to scuba dive and starts boating with old man Rex, Birdee's casual friend/boyfriend. One day while out in the marshes of the Everglades, Grace rescues an abused Florida panther, currently...

Today I'm welcoming Peter Adler, author of Wyndano's Cloak, to my blog with a post on narrative voice. If you're not sure what that means--or even if you are sure--you're in for a treat. So, over to you Peter, and thank you for visiting my blog:   Voice, by Peter Adler I’ve noticed something interesting on my eighty-minute commute to work: it’s not the plot or characters that hold my attention in the audio books I listen to; it’s the narrative voice. For those unfamiliar with the term, voice is that unique tang you hear-feel in the narration. It’s that intangible magic in the words, that thing that catches your ear, makes you smile, laugh, or cry. It’s the style of the writer, but it’s so much more than that. There are probably as many definitions of voice as there are writers. Here’s my take: voice-magic happens when the attitude of the story’s character, currently on stage, comes through in the narration. The novel that knocked this home for me was The A...