Sheila Deeth's Blog, page 18

When Fiction offers More...

There's more to life than meets the eye. There's more to superpowers than leaping tall buildings. There's more to the future than just repeating the past. And there's more, always more, in fiction, as in these books I've enjoyed reading recently.

Christine Amsden's Cassie Scott detective series sort of came to an end a while ago, except it turnjed out there was more to her characters' tales; soon there'll be more again as the next book is released. Frozen by Christine Amsden takes a paranormal...

How well do you know what you're thinking?

I write books. I dream characters who really don't exist. I get inside their minds, or they in mine. I mold their mysteries like clay until the story's done. Then I look for a publisher, the books comes out, and I dream of readers who also don't exist.

Even unread, those characters remain quite real to me, as if I really know their worlds, their struggles and pains and rewards. Which kind of begs the question, do I know real people as well as I know them? And how well does anyone know anyone e...

Why France? Why Austen? And why be a stranger?

Today I'm delighted to welcome author Evy Journey to my blog as she tours the internet with her novel, Welcome Reluctant Stranger. I trust she won't feel like a reluctant stranger visiting here. Welcome, Evy. Please find a drink and pull up a chair, and guests, please join our conversation.

First of all, Evy, I know you've visited France several times and would like to live there. Why do you like France?

·         Because it has Paris which has or does ma...

Outlines? I Don't Got to Show You No Steenking Outlines!

Today I'm delighted to welcome Harley Masuk, author of Last Puffs to my blog as he tours the internet with Pump Up Your Book. He's offered to tell us something about his writing style, and to offer some invaluable writing advice for me and any other authors reading this page. Thank you Harley, and over to you!


Outlines? I Don't Got to Show You No Steenking Outlines!
Or
Writing by the Seat of the PantsBy Harley Mazuk
Last Puffs, my latest novel, is a product of “seat of the pants” writing. I had...

Heaven, Hell and the Deep Blue Sea

Today I'm delighted to welcome author (actor, director, screenwriter, songwriter, film producer...) Nathan Day to my blog. He's going to tell us something about what's "under the surface" of his new novel, Surfacing, the first book in the Orphan Saga. It's an intriguing topic, an intriguing surface even, in a tale whose description begins with the words, "God is dead." So welcome Nathan, and thank you for inviting me and my readers to look deeper...


UNDER THE SURFACEHeaven, Hell and the Deep B...

What Makes Mysteries So Cozy?

They call them cozy mysteries. But what's cozy about murder and mayhem? Why is it cozy when the wrong person gets accused of a crime? Or when a group of geriatric gumshoes put their lives on the line?

Of course, it's not the murder and mayhem that make the novel cozy, nor the witches and sweet old ladies (or old gents). Perhaps it's that contract between author and reader--the one where we know it's all going to work out right, somehow, in the end; and the knowledge that all of the suspects ar...

But What if Nobody Comes?

Today I'm delighted to welcome author Michael Robert Dyet to my blog. Michael is a marketing professional with over 30 years’ experience in marketing and communications including trade show salesmanship, and he's kindly offered to share some information for authors on how to be successfully visible. These are lessons I certainly need to learn... especially the "But what if nobody comes?" one. So, if you've ever considered the need for a public appearance, read on!


Making the Most of Your...

Does fiction tell lies?

My older brother told me that writing stories was the same as telling lies. I was a pretty useless liar at the time, but convinced I was good at telling stories - after all, even said older brother liked my stories some of the time. Having been taught that telling lies is wrong, I struggled for a while to convince myself that telling stories was different. Eventually I concluded it's only a lie if it's intended to deceive. Otherwise it's fictional entertainment (books) or kindness (those gent...

What comes first, ashes or fire?

I'm delighted to welcome author Bob Freeman to my blog today. I enjoyed and reviewed his novel Shadows over Somerset some time ago (click on the name for my review). And now he's touring the internet with First Born, which, it seems, is first of several books to come. As Bob Freeman will now explain,First Born arises from the ashes... So, over to you Bob, and welcome to my blog.

FROM THE ASHESby Bob Freeman
A wise doctor does not mutter incantations
over a sore that needs the knife.
Sophocles
Lets...

When Sheila meets Sheila, how's life at the beach?

Today I'm visiting Moonlight Harbor with author Sheila Roberts as she tours the internet with Pump up your Book. It looks like an enticing place - as you'd expect, since the author lives on the water in the Pacific Northwest. So, as we sit down to share a cup of tea, coffee, or beverage of choice, I do have to ask:


Is life good at the beach?

You bet. No matter what the weather!
And now to books. Having read a little about Welcome to Moonlight Harbor, it's interesting to see a novel where the wif...