Sheila's Guests and Reviews

  Today I'm taking part in Donna Anastasi's book tour for her new novel, Spin the Plate, with thanks to Walker Author tours. Brief Synopsis:  Jo is a survivor of a bleak and abusive childhood who roams the city streets at night as a powerful vigilante. Francis is a mysterious man she meets on the subway train. In this story, the average-guy hero battles to win the battered heart of the wary, edgy, less-than-perfect heroine. "A fast-paced, edgy, darkly comic tale of resilience, romance, and redemption that breaks over you in waves." -  Holly Robinson, author Author’s Bio: Donna Anastasi is the author of two non-fiction small animal books published by Bowtie press: The Complete Guide to Gerbil Care (2005) a popular how to breed, raise, and care for gerbils book and The Complete Guide to Chinchilla Care (2008) a chinchilla handbook promoting these exotic and intelligent creatures as companions, not coats. She lives in the woods of S...

After enjoying a talk on research at our local writers' group and various guest posts on research, I decided it was time to do... some research. So the bed in our spare room (Mum's bed during her Christmas visits here) is covered with Bibles, commentaries, atlases, picture books, history books and more. And I've written the first eight stories of my next Five Minute Bible Stories book! It's going well, I think. I'm learning lots of "stuff." And I'm preparing a Bible study to go with it since my friends at our church's Coffee Break group have very kindly decided to keep me to task by letting me lead studies after Easter on what I've learned. Accountability is wonderful! Thank you friends. For anyone wanting to read the Bible studies, I promise to post them, one a week, on my Bible Study blog --#1 coming tomorrow! Meanwhile, I'm pulling weeds from the yard and words from my Infinite Sum. The novel really should be ready to submit to a publi...

Ah, if only I'd managed to work my way properly into the paperless world. Then my coupons would go to my phone and I wouldn't have to try to print them from the internet. But here I am, neither one place nor the other, with coupons that don't come through the mail, and a printer that won't print the ones which come through email. Soon, I promise I'll buy a new printer. Meanwhile I've learned that black, while not technically a color, is a very important shade. It's not just the small-print that's invisible... However, I've read several books in real print, where black on a pleasing shade of cream is so gentle on the eyes. So here are three reviews of real, paperback books and one kindle volume (though I'm sure you can get them all on kindle really). I've just drunk some coffee, but please find a mug for yourself before you sit down. I went to an Oregon Christian Writers' Conference last weekend and happened to sit next to an author ca...

My printer's still only printing in red and blue. Very patriotic I suppose on white paper, and I can color all my words purple, so they print like those old pre-photocopies all smudged in a dark smeary wash. I almost expect them to leave bruises on my fingers when I touch them. But I suspect any publisher I submit to would take one look and say no without reading the story. Ah well, at least it gives me time for a few more edits. My excellent beta-reader friend has already dropped some hints about where the story could be stronger. So Infinite Sum enters it's next, not yet infinite, editing cycle, while I'm still dreaming it will a) be complete and b) be published before an infinite time passes by. I'm dreaming my printer might print in black before then too. I've taken the print head out again and I'm soaking it, again, in warm water. Then I'll dry it with the hairdryer. And then I'll put new inks in all the slots--I'd already bought replacements...

Today I get to welcome Lane Heymont to my blog. Lane Heymont is the author of The Freedman and the Pharaoh’s Staff , a time travel adventure set in post Civil War Louisiana. Born in Pennsylvania, he earned a BA in Liberal Arts with a focus on literature and history. He also holds a double minor in psychology and business. Currently pursing a Masters in Creative Writing at Harvard University, he has had several short stories published, one of which was recommended for a 2012 Bram Stoker Award. For more info, visit: www.laneheymont.com .  Follow Lane on Twitter: @laneheymont  Connect with Lane on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lane.heymont And find The Freedman and the Pharaoh's Staff on Amazon and where good books are sold: Jeb, a former slave, rescues his brother-in-law Crispus from the Ku Klux Klan, pulling him into a world of Creole Voodoo, hatred, time travel, and redemption. The two brothers-in-law set out to stop Verdiss and his Klan followers from using ...

It's a fun day today. I'm being interviewed over at http://wp.me/p1N9Iu-of , talking about Divide by Zero ,  and at the same time I'm delighted to welcome author SJ Byrne to my blog today with a cover reveal, teaser and blurb for her upcoming novel, Opal's Song . Only on the internet can we be in two places at once--how many places are you today?   So, double your reading pleasure; read both posts and enjoy! Living in the mountains of Western North Carolina, SJ Byrne is just trying to make her way through the insanity that comes with creativity. Writing is her passion - life is her muse. Keep an eye out for new books due later this year. Connect with SJ via: Facebook Twitter Goodreads Blogger Read more about her books on: Facebook Amazon Goodreads   A portion of all proceeds from   Opal's Song   will be donated  to help children with disabilities...more information forthcoming. Opal's Song ...