Sheila's Guests and Reviews

It's Thanksgiving! Thank you to all my blog readers, my book readers, and the many people who've encouraged me in writing. Thank you to my editors at Gypsy Shadow and Stonegarden for their endless patience and the wonderful lessons they've taught me. Thank you to my online friends on Gather, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Lunch, Google, Blogger, etc. And thank you to my family and real-world friends in England, the US and beyond. Above all, thanks be to God for His wonderful gifts. Today I'm privileged to welcome Ashley Dawn, author of Shadows from the Past , to my blog. You can find my review of Shadows from the Past here --one of the first books I reviewed online! It's lovely to read Ashley's post and learn some more about her. I wish you all the best with your Shadows books Ashley. And thank you for visiting my blog today. Good morning!  I thought since today is Thanksgiving, I thought a post about things I’m thankful for would be appropria...

I'm the one that's gluten-free. The son that lives with us is vegetarian. And with only three of us at home this Thanksgiving, only two of whom are carnivores, we decided to try for a gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner menu. High point: This time I didn't make a black bean casserole that looked like a loaf of cornbread piled on top of a can of beans. Even higher point: Today--Tuesday--the son announced, while studying at his computer, that... He liked my cornbread (A first. Gluten-free baking, at least my gluten-free baking, is often boring and dry, but I added salsa to the dough this time and, apparently, it worked!) He doesn't like squash, and had serious doubts when I triumphantly carried my stuffed acorn squash to the table, but it was really good As was the rice stuffing with bits of cranberry in it (so now I know what stuffing to do for Christmas). Oh, and that Indian thing I did last week apparently tasted nice too. I think my son just made my da...

Dinner in the evening since the boys won't get up till lunch - that's okay; means I can enjoy a lie-in too. Turkey and ham - both small, but make sure there's space in the oven for them, and for other things too. Cornbread casserole with black beans and goat's cheese for example, since one of the sons is vegetarian. Candied yams - one day I'll find a recipe that everyone likes, but I fell in love them our first American Thanksgiving. Potatoes and carrots too. And cranberry sauce. Vegetarian sausages with apples; not for me 'cause they have wheat in them, but I know the guys will eat 'em. Gluten-free bread for me; real bread for them. Careful separation of crumbs. And the dressing made with mine - hope it doesn't dissolve. Gluten-free apple pie because we're English - haven't quite acquired a taste for pumpkin yet. But I'm wondering how the pastry will work - it usually turns out kind of brick-like, made with gluten-free cement. Maybe cream wi...

I've had another busy and productive day at The Muse Online Writers Conference . I'm really enjoying the chats and workshops there. And they even persuaded me to buy a domain name - at last!!! So now, if you type www.sheiladeeth.com into your browser you'll end up on my home page. Meanwhile I've got the first part of the math book (no, it's really not just math) almost ready to send out. The scifi novella's ready - I'm just trying to take enough deep breaths before I push the button. And I'm polishing the picture book stories... Oh, and it's nearly November. Really! Honestly. So if you're looking for a way to make a bit more of Thanksgiving at home as well as in the stores, you could give my Thanksgiving book a look - Thanksgiving! From Eden to Eternity in 100 words a day . Hundred-word stories and bright-colored pictures for every day in November. (Click here for review.)

It's Wordstock tomorrow in Portland; I'll spend a couple of hours on the VoiceCatcher stall, telling people all about the wonderful collection of essays, stories and poems by Portland Women Writers. The rest of the time I'll listen to speakers, meet writers, read books, buy books, find books, etc... Next week I'm "going" to the Muse Online Conference. That's "going" as in "sitting still at the computer." But it's also "going" as in not going anywhere else. I'll be pitching a couple of novelette's as well, so please wish me luck. The week after's when the oldest son visits, on his way to an interview. And the week after that the youngest son will be home filing application forms and sending off portfolios. Christmas bazaar season starts at the beginning of November. I'll need to book a few more tables if I hope to sell more books. Then Thanksgiving! Then Christmas! Then.... HELP!!!!! Okay, I'm official...

Saturday's weather was rather gray. I set up my stall in the cool of the early morning, far side of the hall with a really great view of the door. It was all I could've asked for. Then I settled in to read. I'd brought a book but maybe I should've brought two. We decided that people must be staying indoors since the fair seemed so sparcely attended. Of course, if the day had been sunny we'd've said everyone was too busy enjoying the sunshine to browse our stalls. Still, I sold two books and lost one. (Someone had stopped to look at it, then turned to a neighbor, swinging the book in the air by a single page. Soon afterwards, the misused page fell out. I guess that's life.) And I gave away tons of promotional flyers and bookmarks and business cards. Maybe one day a flyer will land in the hands of someone interested - someone looking for an Advent devotional for church, or a Bible picture book for their after-school class... And maybe they'll contact me......

5. Melchisedek The king looked out over the plains where soldiers too numerous to count were filing by. “Keep watch,” he told his royal guard. “They’ll not climb up to us here.” Mobs of violent tribesmen followed, hardy and wild. “Keep watch,” said the king. “They’ll not climb up to us here.” Then sounds of fighting shattered the sky, tribesmen and soldiers, bright swords, screams like eagles, and clattering thunder like hooves. The rag-taggle nomads returned in triumph and the king went out with bread and wine to meet them. “God has blessed you,” Jerusalem’s king greeted Abraham. “Always,” was the reply. Thank you God for food and drink, good fortune and godly blessing. © 2008, Sheila Deeth

4. Tower of Babel The children of town and gown, of farmers, traders and fishermen ran round the building site. They pretended to be animals, angels and demons, or fairy folk. And the tower grew taller and higher every day. “We’re going to climb all the way up to heaven.” “Then we’ll see God.” “Maybe angels.” “Or monsters instead.” When children argued it always ended in another chasing game. When the grown-ups argued, traders broke agreements with fishermen. Farmers got into fights with the professors. Then they stopped building their tower, and never found out if there was a God in heaven after all. Thank you God for the gifts of all our different languages and cultures. © 2008, Sheila Deeth

2. End of Eden The air was warm; the sky was clear; the rain fell softly in due season. Berries ripened on bending trees, scenting the air with the savor and flavor of food. Sweetness and light was Eden’s delight, and the only rule was to obey the Lord. “But why obey?” whispered the secret, slithering voice. “Why not make your own new laws? Why should somebody else be in charge of you?” The air was hot; flames poured from the ground; gray ashes rained from the sky. “You’ve set your rules,” said the voice of the one who knew. “Now live by them.” Thank you God for freedom and failure and forgiveness. © 2008, Sheila Deeth

My Christmas and Easter Drabbles will soon be available in book form from www.lulu.com/sdeeth . I thought I might celebrate by drabbling Thanksgiving this year. 1. Creation In the beginning, God said “Let there be light.” God’s word created time and space. God’s word made galaxies, stars and planets, watered the ground, planted seeds, and defined the laws that cleared the cloudy skies. God’s word designed the insects, fish and birds, made animals and man. And then God spoke to man and told him how it all began. In the beginning, God kept it all in balance, all of time and space and nature, every plant and every living thing, every atom, every molecule, every constant, every law. In the beginning, God saw, and it was good. Thank you God for science and nature and life and the wonders of creation. © 2008, Sheila Deeth