Sheila's Guests and Reviews

I've been rereading Divide by Zero ready for its rerelease (with Ink-Filled Stories... watch this space!). I guess there's something appealing about actually enjoying my own book. I like the way each chapter is a story in its own right. I'm enjoying getting to know so many characters. And I've realized it really is still a mystery, though I changed my mind so many times while writing it. It's a mystery because I didn't know (really... I have a really bad memory) quite where it was going. I remembered the crime and whodunnit of course, but, while reading, even that was gone from my mind. Whodunnit why, and how did he get from here to there? All of this was a mystery again and I loved revisiting it. Meanwhile I've been reading some "real and literary" mysteries. It must be something to do with having been in England for my mum's birthday. I picked up some English mysteries (reviewed some a week or so  ago), then came home and started picking up

An author whose books I've reviewed is revamping her Amazon page, but who...? Well, Who is one of the novels she had on that page. It's set in the not-too-distant future, here among everyday regular people, and an enticing strangeness has its characters wondering why. Here's my review: Who - a tale of not-too-future technology and very present-day relevance... Author Karen Wyle has the knack of taking present-day technology to a not-so-far-fetched future and asking those difficult questions that make it all real. In Who, she invites us into a world where selves can be digitally preserved after death. But will a digital nose still run when we cry? Do digital wrinkles increase or decrease with age? And will the digital self be true to the real? All of which leads to those central, most important questions, of life as well as fiction; how well do we truly know anyone—ourselves or anyone else? And what is self?  Add politics, perfectly tuned to seem real without offe

Today I'm delighted to welcome Debbie Lum to my blog, author of the new novel I Can Handle Him. It's her fourth novel, and she's kindly offered to share some details of how she handled the journey toward publication, so over to you Debbie, and thank you for visiting my blog. ON MY PUBLISHING JOURNEY by Debbie Lum I never set out to write a book. I’m not a reader, so books aren’t part of my everyday life. But now that I’ve written five novels, it’s fun to look back at how it all began. Here’s a countdown from the beginning on my publishing journey. 10. I had a story rambling around in my brain. One night, I got off of the treadmill, opened my laptop, and began to type. 9. Two months later, I thought maybe I had written a book. I Googled the words: “What do you do if you think you wrote a book” and devoured the answers. I read blogs. I ordered “How To Get Published” books. 8. According to the blogs and books from #9, I had done everything wrong. So, I t

My mum was delighted to have her first great-granddaughter present at her 90th birthday celebrations, and the rest of us were delighted to occasionally hold the baby... well, except for my sons who much preferred cuddling the dogs. In honor of said small child, and using her and all those wonderful celebrations as my excuse for being so late posting book reviews, here are a few reviews of children's books... or books that appeal to the child in me. (I wonder what's the difference--kids books flow fast, are instantly relatable, inform while entertaining, make me think but not too much... What appeals to the child in you?) First is Gifts of Our Lady of Guadalupe by Demi , a beautiful picture book with clear, readable text, appropriately honest history, and a beautiful blend of simplicity and opulence. It tells the story of the Patroness of Latin America, familiar to many but new to others, with pleasing cultural wisdom and well-researched history--appealing to the child in me f

Goodreads wants me to classify books by shelves, but my own bookshelves are such a jumble, especially after returning from vacation. Is this one history or romance; paranormal or science fiction; contemporary drama or... well, or romance again. Yeah, romance seems to feature a lot, but it's not always romantic. Just like vacations maybe. So, while my husband and I endure the terrifying romance of World Cup Football, here are a few reviews of moderately romantic, sometimes terrifying books. And maybe I'll catch up enough to enjoy some non-football romance afterward with my long-suffering spouse. There again, England's not been knocked out yet. Romance will be snacks and coffee on the sofa at seven in the morning to watch the next match! In no particular order (except it seems to be the order I read these in): First is Circled: Part of the Crime After Time Collection by Anne McAneny ---crime, romance, mystery, murder, and some truly intriguing questions of how the past

I went back to England for a month, celebrating my mum's 90th birthday, enjoying the countryside, coast and castles of North Wales, and spending time with family in the north and south of England. It was a great trip and I read many books; I even wrote some book reviews. But I've not written any blogposts for ages, and I've not written any more chapters of Imaginary Numbers (which is fast becoming ever more imaginary as its predecessors have now all been unpublished), and I've not... And now I'm back. I must: post book reviews buy ISBNs so I can self-publish more convincingly republish my novels (using those ISBNs, then I won't be at the mercy of publishers changing course) republish my Bible stories (which are also in the process of being unpublished, this time due to ill health) read (I'm always reading) write (I wish I had time) shop, clean, cook, wash, plant bushes, shop, clean, cook... etc. If you've ever looked at my muse you'll kn