Sheila Deeth's Blog, page 14

Winter is Coming?

It's cold outside. I love the blue skies, gold sunshine, and red leaves of fall. But I'm not so sure about the ice-cold mornings, tomato plants frost-bit (I bought in the last of the green...), and the "snow" of falling shapes across the window-pane. I need to rake them into piles or else they'll block the drains (and after last year's flood, I've no desire to see any drains start blocking). I need to wear an extra sweater. I need to drink hot cocoa... Okay, now that's a serious advantage of...

What happens when music, history and mystery coincide?

I've loved historical fiction set in Scotland, ever since I was a child (when I was hooked on Nigel Trantner), so I could hardly resist when I was offered the chance to interview Laura Vosike, author of the Water is Wide. Join me as I learn more about Scotland, the book and the author.

Laura, I'll just go pour some coffee while readers find out about you and your book.

Laura Vosika is a writer, poet, and musician. Her time travel series, The Blue Bells Chronicles, set in modern and medieval Sco...

Who is the other thief?

Today I'm delighted to welcome author Frank McKinney to my blog. His book, The Other Thief, has just come out and took 6 months to design and finalize. Each of his last three book covers were painstakingly designed to look like a coming-attractions movie poster. The novel took  over a year to write because the author went back and rewrote much of the middle and ending after receiving valuable input from his editor, her 24 year-old intern, and from an acclaimed filmmaker. So it should be...

When is it darkest?

Today I'm pondering unwanted changes in my day-to-day, life and the question of whether they're truly dark or light comes to mind. Putting the spotlight on a book called Darkest Before the Dawn seems singularly appropriate to my feelings. I shall look forward to dawn. Meanwhile, enjoy.

DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN
Author: Mike Martin
Publisher: Ottawa Press and Publishing
Pages: 266
Genre: Mystery
Price $14.99 paperback
Darkest Before the Dawn is the latest adventure of Sgt. Winston Windflower, a Mo...

Are strange new worlds scary or good?

My world's not feeling as good as it might--job uncertainties, aging, insurance all rearing their heads. So perhaps it's a good time to escape into a strange new world, seek out new lives, new civilizations... or something. Which I suppose answers my question, "Are strange new worlds scary or good," because Star Trek sought out some pleasing ones as well as scary ones.

Anyway, many worlds reside in good books, so here are three, all science fiction based, and all truly intriguing.

First is Wate...

Sweet, sharp or dark?

Do you prefer sweet, sharp or dark... or all three rolled into one. With two romances recently read, my book reviews should surely be sweet, except those romances had the sort of sharp insights and even dark (or stark) reality, they can't be simply classified with only one kind of flavor. Then there were all the other books. And then time ran out, so here are just a few book reviews while I snatch moments from trying to get my own volumes released.

Sweet William by Sherrie Hansen and Goldenrod...

Tomorrow, tomorrow and... when?

I started writing this on a Thursday afternoon. "Tomorrow" I would do the next edits on a book. Tomorrow, the day after, I hoped to play board games with sons. Tomorrow, the day after that, I'd be at church. And tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow... all leading to an uncertain future, globally warmed, socially falling, maybe... So then I stopped and read a science fiction novel, and the possibilities are endless - not all good, but definitely endless.

Here are some reviews of the science fiction...

Cozy or dark?

I love cozy mysteries; they're usually light, crisp reads, like eating an apple neatly cut up on the plate. But I love dark mysteries too, messy and sharp, like plums dripping juices like blood. Sometimes I just want an easy, quick read, then I'll pick up my kindle and start one of those easily downloaded cozies, or raid the library or bookstore for a pretty cover... And sometimes I want something meaty and long, to draw me away from the present day and trap me deep in someone else's problems...

Would you rather be an animator for Disney, a puppeteer for Jim Henson, or an author of middle-grade horror?

Today I'm delighted to welcome Nancy Gray to my blog. She's the author of the thrilling middle-grade horror Spine Chillers, and I'm sure my sons would have loved her books when they were young. (So would I!). Big Bad Wolf has just come out, with a very cool cover, and you'll find an excerpt lower down this post. But first, please join me in welcoming Nancy, who is now going to tell us ten things about herself, since TEN is a delightfully significant number:

Ten Things You Might Not Know About...

How do you make time for serious reading?

So much to do. So much to catch up on. So much to prepare for things to look forward to. So much... and so many books to read. So how do you make time (or find time) for serious reading?

My recent technique has been to read and walk while waiting. While the kettle boils, while the microwave turns, while the timer ticks on the oven... while I wait for the washing to finish, or search for the missing sock (yes, I can read while searching for socks - I pace and my pacing takes me somewhere real o...