Sheila Deeth's Blog, page 77

Incorporating real life into fantasy, with author Stacy Eaton

Today I have the privilege of welcoming author Stacy Eaton to my blog. I've reviewed Stacy's Blue Blood for Life and My Blood Runs Blue before--two excellent blends of police procedural,  paranormal thriller, and vampire romance. I expect to post reviews of her new release Garda later this week, and I have her other novel, Whether I'll Live or Die firmly planted on my reading list--an excellent and very prolific author. Welcome Stacy!


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What is New Adult Fiction, with Alexandra Lanc

Have you ever wondered what "New Adult" fiction means? I came across the genre when I mistakenly classified a book as Young Adult while posting a review--a fellow reviewer was most ardently furious with me. So when  Alexandra Lanc, who writes New Adult fiction and has a new series just coming out, agreed to be a guest on my blog, I was delighted to be able to ask, at last, just what is New Adult. Her reply makes perfect sense, and I shall be far more able to avoid offending fellow review...

Valentine Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on A. F. Stewart's Bloody Valentine Blog Hop where we're celebrating heartbreak, love gone wrong, romantic mayhem and tragedy, hopefully with that little splash of humour and blood... Enjoy (and afterwards, please follow the scrolling list of links on the left for more Valentine's fun).


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A few short reads

I want to write but I keep getting distracted by all these good books I'm reading. But today I've restricted myself to editing something short (and submitting it to an anthology--please wish me luck) and reviewing some short reads, so grab some slightly smaller cups of coffee and enjoy.

Since I love writing Bible stories, I'll start with a really intriguing take on a familiar story, A Favorite Son, by Uvi Poznansky. Told in a delightfully convincing voice, the familiar characters of Jacob and...

YA fantasy epics and novellas

Sometimes I just want a good long read. And sometimes I need something short. What's surprising is that both can leave me with the same sense of satisfaction, the same wealth of engaging questions in mind, and the same feeling that I've met characters I'd love to meet again.

Of course, a lot of great books are neither long nor short. But have you noticed how many really long YA books are out there (Lord of the Rings for example) and how many really short ones (the Hobbit perhaps)? Maybe it's j...

Holes

The hole in my leg's getting better. The doctor says don't stress it too much until the stitches are healed. But it's cold outside so I'm not walking or running or causing stress. I'll just type at my computer.

Meanwhile a hole in the living-room surrounds the comfy chair. Mum was sitting there just a few days ago. But now she's flown home to England again and my loss is my brother's gain.

And the hole in the novel? Where I removed those errant chapters a scant two weeks ago? I'm working on it....

Murder? For Hire?

I've read several of Steve O'Brien's novels already and thoroughly enjoyed them (Elijah's Coin, Bullet Work, Redemption Day), so I was delighted to hear he has a new novel just out--Dead Money--and I'm really looking forward to reading it. Meanwhile I'm even more delighted to have the author visiting my blog today, so read on to learn more about murder, and murderers at the Ritz... You're in for a treat.

Welcome Steve O'Brien.

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Capturing the Castle

There are some beautiful castles in England, from evocative ruins haunted by the wind to gorgeous memories of sumptuous days gone by, and everything in between. One of my favorites is Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland. We honeymooned near there, long years ago, and I remember gazing along the shore to the outline of ancient walls...

Today I'm welcoming Alan S. Blood to my blog as he tells how his book, Once Upon a Castle, was born. It seems appropriate that his story starts in Bamburgh. Welcom...

Who's your audience?

I had an email from a friend the other day. She asked if I'd be willing to come and talk to the Creative Writing Group at her school--my first request for a speaking engagement! Wow! So of course I said yes.

I'm guessing this is a high school but I don't know. And I don't know what sort it might be--one with middle school attached, church school, public school, magnet school of arts perhaps, or even a school of science... I guess I'll have to find out before my visit to glean idea who my audie...

Removed

I went to the doctor yesterday. He's been giving me antibiotics for a lump at the top of my thigh, but it wouldn't go away. So there was I, expecting he'd just say, "Keep taking the tablets." And instead he asks me, "Well, shall we take it out?" What! Now! I thought for about a minute and said yes, since sitting on the lump was rather a pain. Now I'm  sitting on a hole.

Thing is, the lump really didn't seem so big. Just something slightly out of place, not quite right, that wasn't too bad...