Sheila's Guests and Reviews

I haven't seen the new Beauty and the Beast movie yet. Somehow it seems odd to look for a live-action version of a Disneyesque version of a familiar fairytale. But I might see it one day. Meanwhile I was given a copy of " Beauty and the Beast: Classic Tales about Animal Brides and Grooms from around the World " to read. I suddenly found that Disney's version wasn't so strange, and that there are far more versions of the familiar fantasy than I'd ever known. Myths and legends, from Greek, Native American and more... stories of wisdom and folly, warnings, and messages of love that sometimes conquers all... a fascinating collection... and not for kids! " Sammy's Broken Leg (Oh No!) and the Amazing Cast that fixed it " isn't strictly for children either. A fun picture book, it includes, very naturally, an image of the instructions for care of Sammy's cast, plus a very realistic look at how a small child will struggle when unable to play, ...

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...