Sheila's Guests and Reviews

I love books. I love being transported to other worlds, historical, geographical, futuristic, fantastical... I guess they free me from thoughts of this world, allowing me to look back with a different perspective, maybe seeing the present differently because I've imagined myself into somewhere else. To some extent, reading a good book is like becoming an immigrant again. And being an immigrant gives anyone a perspective unique to their past as well as their future--a perspective the judge told me never to forget when he welcomed me into American citizenship. So I like books... ... and since I like reading and writing books, I also like writing book reviews. Here are a few. Find some coffee (the rating is for flavor, not quality), and see if you'll want to read any of these. Marriage Before Death by Uvi Poznansky transports readers to WWII France, where an American tries not to be caught as a spy, while the girl he loves tries to save him. It's fifth in the author's...

A friend was told she shouldn't write for teenagers as she didn't live with any. But she was a mother of teens, now grown, and a teen herself, not so very long ago. Why shouldn't she set her tales in the teen-hoods she knew for today's teens to read? After all, we're not a different breed; we're not even history. We're just the same people growing in different worlds. That, of course, led to my wondering about historical fiction - not that my teen-hood is history yet. Some authors build on family records and letters; they know, or knew, the people of the time and words they used. Others write of distant lands, and ages only remembered in history. Do we have to read all those ancient documents to write? Do we have to carry certificates around to prove we've done our research? Or can a wary mathematician develop a love of history in later life, then write her tales of Bible times? Science fiction might need some scientific consistency of course. Histor...

Recreating ancient history can be fraught with interpretations. But recent history must surely be just as hard. They tell us we should "write what we know" but I'm always afraid what I know might be skewed by what I thought I knew. If I painted the world I grew up in, I know my brothers would disagree. My older brother has already complained about things I said as a young adult that I can't even imagine wanting to say. There again, in fiction, the world is seen through a character's eyes. So perhaps I can write what I thought I once knew through a stranger's eyes and make it real, even if it's not what was really there. Mesu Andrews recreated the ancient world of Israel in Egypt beautifully in Miriam . Her ancient history includes interpretation of Biblical events, scientific theory, historical record and more. It convinces me. Fill a suitably complex four-star cup with coffee and enjoy. War Brides by Helen Bryan is set (mostly) in England before a...

Once upon a time I wrote a novel in which two timelines intertwined. In one, the protagonist was middle-aged, trying to resolve the issues she still had after childhood abuse. In the other, the abuse was yet to take place, and readers followed along with the child while innocence headed to betrayal. I was told the novel would never sell - it never did - and that writing multiple timelines was a strict no-no, especially for relative unknowns. The novel truly never sold, but it's been rewritten since then. The later, much better version is called Infinite Sum and I'm eagerly awaiting its release from Indigo Sea Press. Meanwhile, I've snatched some very enjoyable moments from the (also very enjoyable) time of my mum's visit, and read some excellent books that do, in fact, blend more than one timeline successfully and enticingly. I dream and hope my novel might be up to the quality of these. So, grab a coffee; remember the rating is just to tell the blend of coffee to c...

Looking for a really intriguing read today? Then I have just the thing for you--Simplifying History, by Kathleen Flanagan Rollins, author of the wonderful Misfits and and Heroes ( click here for my review ) and the new volume Past the Last Island . I loved Misfits and Heroes and can hardly wait to read Past the Last Island too. Simplifying History             When I was growing up, dioramas were popular exhibits in museums.   Maybe you remember them.   They ranged from miniature battle scenes with scores of carefully painted tin soldiers to life-size spreads featuring dead, stuffed animals of specific areas, like the Northwoods or the African Plains.   They were at once appealing and simplified, or perhaps appealing because they were simplified.   Yet ultimately, their simplification robbed them of truth. Diorama, Denver Museum             T...

I'm so lucky to have another great guest author on my blog today with another fascinating historical post about the joys of England--specifically the joys of researching English history to create an authentic historical novel. Meet Anne Brear, author of The Gentle Wind's Caress, just released by Knox Robinson. And thank you Anne for visiting my blog!  Over to you...    For any historical author, and most contemporary set writers, too, researching has to be done to make the book read as authentic as possible. The smallest item can seem suddenly very interesting, and also extremely difficult to find the history about! Hours can be spent pouring over library books and the Internet searching for the right answer. We tear our hair out wondering if a certain item was invented and widely used in our period, etc. It can be terribly frightening, but also very rewarding when we do find the correct answer. I think it is very important for historical authors to ge...

I've been reading some wonderfully thought-provoking novels this last week--three historical novels from Knox Robinson, plus one very contemporary novel with seriously historical underpinnings. Not the sort of thing I could put down very easily, though I was re-reading my own novel at the same time (and finding so many more mistakes as I read it on paper instead of on the computer). First is Harald Hadrada: the Last Viking, by Michael Burr . What's not to like about Vikings--well, there's all the raping and pillaging I suppose, but Viking's must be amongst the most fascinating peoples of European history. The thing is, I never quite understood how they got involved in 1066 and all that, but this novel brings a completely new side of that era to vivid life and I just couldn't put it down. Drink a 5-star bold intense coffee as you enjoy this excellent weave of plot and adventure. Moving forwards in time, the next novel is  Evan Ostryzniuk's Of Faith and Fideli...

Today's your chance to meet Minnette Meador, author of The Gladiator Prince... and to learn about the history of London. Be prepared to discover some truly fascinating facts... and when you've discovered them, go look for the book: KINDLE:    http://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Prince-Centurion-Three-ebook/dp/B005O1AITI/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316487178&sr=1-3 NOOK;     http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gladiator-prince-historical-romance-centurion-series-minnette-meador/1033891034?ean=2940013390867&itm=1&usri=the%2bgladiator%2bprince ***** This is part of the Virtual Book Tour for The Gladiator Prince . Please leave a comment for a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate at the end of the tour in addition to the weekly prize. Follow the tour at Goddess Fish Promotions . ***** Minnette describes herself as... Somewhere between thirty and dust...red hair, blue eyes...six kids, one slightly used husband, and any ...

Author Minnette Meador has a new book out this month, set in the same very real, very English historical world as The Centurion and the Queen and The Edge of Honor . In the Gladiator Prince , Prince Thane is the last surviving royalty of the Trinovantes Tribe in Roman Britannia, having surrendered to the Romans after the Boudicca Revolt to save his two daughters, whose identities he sacrifices his freedom to protect. He is condemned by Nero himself to become a gladiator, to fight until he dies in the arena. When his two daughters are taken in a slaver's raid, Thane escapes, forcing the daughter of his master to take him to Rome to save his children. Little does he know that the beautiful Syrian woman holds not only the key to his passion, but a secret that triggers a disaster that ignites the world. Will this spoiled willful girl betray him in the end or sacrifice herself to save them all? Book III of the Centurion Series. If you've been following Minnette's b...