Sheila's Guests and Reviews

Easter's coming, so why am I reading Christmas stories? Probably because I am so, so, so, so far behind with my read-and-review (and post the review) list. So no, I didn't read all these books this week. I didn't even write all these reviews this week. But I want to get them posted so I can concentrate on writing for a while, so here goes... Some Christmas books for Easter! (And Christmas coffee too.) Reel Christmas in Romance by J.J. DiBenedetto is a sort of old-movie-themed You've Got Mail. Warm, romantic, blending past and present very comfortably, it's an enjoyable read for Christmas or any time you need a warming infusion of words. Enjoy with some well-balanced three-star coffee. A Miracle for Ann by Sara Fitzgerald tells the sometimes difficult story of a family facing a Christmas crisis when insurance won't pay for the child a small child needs. This one appealed to me because of the connection with autism. It's a heartwarming Christian tale of ...

I'm writing (and researching) John's Joy at the moment, a book of children's stories based on Revelation. I know it sounds odd, but I've always loved Revelation, and the more I learn about it the more I love it. So why not try to convey that excitement (and mystery) for kids. Meanwhile I'm also rewriting my old Hemlock stories, in hopes of getting them published (maybe Ink-Filled Stories will take them, but that's a mystery). I'm compiling my cat tales into Claws for Concern. And I'm editing, formating, and generally playing with other people's books. And I'm reading. So here are some more book reviews and coffee recommendations (because, of course, I'm also drinking coffee). Someone Else’s Daughter by Linsey Lanier is the first in a mystery series starring a once-abused woman who's daughter went missing as a baby. Sensually direct, never sweet, and filled with contrasts and humor, it's the sort of tale you'd love to watch o...

I've been seriously distracted. Remember that big republishing thing, with all my books retaining their old covers, all to be rereleased with a different publisher. Then came the news, via Facebook (a wonderful source of news) that book covers on Amazon might not be printing correctly. The posting was soon ammended to say that only covers that weren't formatted correctly would fail. And then I learned... yeah, half of mine weren't formatted correctly. Now we're down to only three that need reformatting, and it's not a big deal. The publisher just needs to "flatten" the pdfs and change the color profile. But, knowing how Ingram Spark refuses to accept a cover that's saved with the wrong color profile, I can't help wondering why Amazon doesn't employ a similarly simple software test. That said, I'm told they have great "human" testers who rejected some of the newly flattened covers because the text color, unchanged, wasn't diffe...

Today I'm delighted to welcome author Joab Steiglitz to my blog. He's touring the internet with his novel, The Old Man's Request, a historical suspense set in pre-Depression New York, and centering around a Russian immigrant. It's an intriguing time and place (becoming more so the more I read about the novel... reader, read on!), and Joab has generously offered to share what he's learned about setting. He's also sharing a chapter. So, over to you Joab, and thank you for visiting here. Why Defining Your Setting is Important A lot of would-be writers set out to write a specific story: a fantasy with wizards and dragons, a spy thriller with a megalomaniac villain out to conquer the world, a vampire and werewolf love story, etc. These are all fine ideas, but where they take place is just as important as the characters and the plot. Just as you want three-dimensional heroes and villains, a well-developed setting is imperative for your story to come to life...

Today I'm delighted to feature Khan Ha's novel, Mrs. Rossi's Dream , a thoroughly absorbing story of guilt, forgiveness, sense and sensitivity... echoes of war and inhabitants of peace. It's nothing to do with Lent, but it seems a perfect choice to add to the reading list. Richly sensory, gorgeously descriptive, harrowingly disturbing, and beautifully told, Khan Ha’s Mrs. Rossi’s Dream brings to life a different side of Vietnam—not just the war (though this should surely be a must-read for anyone wanting to see the different sides of conflict), but also the aftermath of peace. It’s a tale of contrasts, comparing the hard-fought freedom of a “traitor” who, after years of captivity, simply gets on with his life, and the desperate longing of a woman, Mrs. Rossi, held in thrall by the absence of her son. Vietnam’s peaceful forests are contrasted with the death and destruction haunting their past. Vietnam’s people contrast with the Vietnamese American daughter redi...

I used to give things up for letter - candies, but not at weekends 'cause that's when my granddad gave me chocolate; watching a favorite TV show, but not if it was one my brothers would be watching (it wasn't just the temptation to join them; it was not wanting them to know I'd given anything up, because they'd tease me); spending sixpence on treats (hot chocolate) at school, but only if my friends weren't spending their sixpences (same problem)... Then I started doing extra things for Lent - not complaining about homework; getting up early to go to church on a weekday; reading my Bible... And then I grew up and got busy and didn't always remember. But Lent starts on Wednesday, so here are some good books you might want to "pick up" instead of "giving up." And drink coffee. No, I'm not giving up coffee for Lent! First is a book on Holy Week, which comes at the end of Lent. I'd definitely recommend Walking Through Holy Week by Ka...

Today's the day for pancakes back home - Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday; the day before Lent begins. I loved pancakes as a child; Lent not so much, since giving up chocolate always seemed like more than I could do. I saved myself from too serious a commitment though, reminding myself that it would be "unkind" to refuse gifts of comfort food from my non-Catholic relatives. And now, here I am, a mongrel Christian indeed... and here's pancake Tuesday with me wondering if I can make gluten-free pancakes (they never quite work)... and here's Karen May with a fantastic book for Lent, Holy Week and Easter, for Catholics, Protestants and Mongrel Christians, and for anyone else wondering what the whole Lent and Easter thing is all about. Thank you for this great excerpt from your book Karen! Excerpt from Walking Through Holy Week Chapter 3: Good Friday Part I: Walking the Road to the Cross   How meaningful it must have been for the followers of Jesus t...