Sheila's Guests and Reviews

I'm delighted to welcome Toi Thomas to my blog again. She's the author of Eternal Curse, and the keeper of the ToiBox of Words . We decided to drink virtual refreshments and enjoy virtual cookies while catching up on each other. You can find half our very real conversation here, and the other half over on Toi's blog at  http://etoithomas.com/long-time-no-talk-with-sheila-deeth/ So, Toi, what's new and special in your life? TOI: In April I’ll celebrate 10 years of marriage to my best friend. It almost makes me feel old, but who cares about getting old when you’re happy. This has been a rough winter for me, I’m feeling pretty blessed right now. I have big plans for the spring. I'm glad you're not caring too much about the "old" word (say I, trying to hide those gray hairs). But what's "new"? What are those great spring plans for your blog? TOI: In 2014 I started something new that I’m happy to continue. I’ve stepped up my r...

Okay, so I love fantasy--I love the chance to test the world against other realities, to imagine what-ifs and their dire conclusions, and to let my imagination roam. I love children's fiction with its simple rules and well-directed flow. But I love real-world novels too--present day and historical. Which makes sense, since my novels are very real-world, and my children's books (until Tails of Mystery comes out) and very firmly historical. I love real people, living real lives. And I love books that bring those people to life--my chance to talk with strangers who might never otherwise enter my home. This week's reading included some fascinating strangers, from a teenager backpacking through Asia with her family, to Lincoln riding a river-raft on his way to New Orleans, via a very everyday mother, rebuilding life and relationships after the birth of her child. (To be honest, the mother probably would come through my front door, but the other characters wouldn't). So pou...

Do you read fantasy? Do you write fantasy? If the answer to the latter is yes, that should be the answer to the former too. And there's a great collection of fantasy stories from 16 authors just about to go on sale. So mark your calendars - March 10th - get reading, and get your 99 cents worth!     Grab your copy now for just .99 cents ! FIERCE: Sixteen Authors Of Fantasy with Mercedes Lackey For a limited time only! Join epic fantasy legend Mercedes Lackey and fifteen additional New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestselling authors on the adventure of a lifetime! Over one million words and sixteen realms of fantasy brought together for your reading pleasure.  Discover courageous characters fighting for justice and order. Journey between kingdoms of dragons and lands of anarchy as tales of magic and mayhem unfold. Grab it today, before it's gone! AMAZON * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Google Play * iBooks Find out more informat...

I went to a Christian Writers' Conference last weekend. It was wonderful, uplifting, inspiring, thought-provoking, and, yes, even a little depressing. The main speaker, Bill Giovannetti, was fantastic, funny, and wise - I'll include reviews of a couple of his books below (one read on Sunday, the other on Monday) - and I enjoyed his talks so much I even switched plans for a workshop to hear him again. Thus I began to learn how to write a non -fiction book proposal. And the timing's good. I have a non-fiction book in my head (two or three chapters on the computer) and I'd been wondering if I should try to do something with it. Chance would be a fine thing though, since I'm frantically writing Subtraction , editing Infinite Sum , researching Peter's Promise , dreaming of resurrecting Love on a Transfer , and reading and reviewing in as many genres as I can find. Oh, and washing, shopping, cleaning, weeding the borders, cutting the grass... you get the idea. But his...

Do you write horror? I do sometimes, so I guess that's why I got an email about the Inkitt contest which opens today. I thought I'd share it, just in case any of you would like to enter. If you've tried this free writers platform before, I'd love to know your thoughts. Please leave them in the comments. And here's the information... Inkitt, a free platform for writers to cultivate ideas and watch their stories grow, is holding their second horror writing contest this month! Inkitt is a place where writers and readers collaborate, giving each other feedback and improving their work. Inkitt wants to help writers get the exposure they deserve and the publishing deals they covet without suffering the frustrations and bias of traditional printing and self- publishing. Okay... and I certainly need more exposure, or at least, my writing does... The theme of Inkitt's March horror contest is "Running Scared: The Most Terrifying Tale Ever Told." I...

Seriously, it doesn't take long to read a children's picture book. Sometimes it almost takes longer to write a review. But then I read it again, more slowly, listening for the cadence of the words. Does that make me too serious for the job? After all, kids are just looking to feel excited, not to listen. But part of me thinks a smooth cadence will draw children in, while a jolting one might fit with childish distraction. Perhaps that means I should rate smooth reading higher for bedtime and jumpy reads for activities. Or perhaps I should just leave the reader to decide. That's what I try to do - 4 stars; a good and pleasant read. It's why reviewing picture books can take more time, and more words, than just reading them. But it's always fun. I love picture books and I love kids! So here are a few offerings for your child's reading enjoyment (but the coffee ratings are definitely for the parent). Oliver and Jumpy, stories 7 – 9, by Werner Stejskal , continues...

Today I'm delighted to welcome Kyle Prue to my blog. He's the (seventeen-year-old!) author of the The Sparks, book one of the Feud Trilogy, and he's touring the internet with PRBytheBook. I'm delighted to have him here on my blog to answer a few questions. I hope he drinks coffee, but I do have tea and soda as well. So please pull up a chair and join our conversation. A Q&A with Kyle Prue, author of The Sparks, Book One in the Feud trilogy So, Kyle, could we start by asking where  you got the idea for the Feud series? This is a coming of age story for young adults and I am a teen in that demographic. Everyone struggles to find their path in life and my characters are all struggling with not wanting to let people down and to find their way; forgiveness and hope is a part of that journey as well. One night, at the age of 15, I had terrible insomnia and I couldn’t sleep. I was thinking about the different personalities of my siblings and myself and h...