Sheila Deeth's Blog, page 97

New release books and book reviews

It's kind of fun to be part of a book release. I'm eagerly looking forward to Divide by Zero's release next July, but in the meantime it's nice to learn the ropes a little as I watch new books released through the WoMen's Literary Cafe. And today there are two from WLC... plus part two of a serial novel, plus two delightful books of animal tales... So grab that coffee and I'll tell what fun books I've been reading while Mum revisited Erin Hunter's Warrior cats (we both love those Warrior cats!).

First is Nickels by Karen Baney, a Christian romance set in a world of software engineers against a background of post-9-11. Office politics intrude on computer code and schedules, while out of office romance slowly heals the wounds of the past. There are some interesting questions raised and discussed in the tale, and the Arizona sunshine is warm and wonderful. Enjoy a 2-star easy-drinking coffee as you read.

Next in the 99-cent 3-get-1-free deal from Women's Literary Cafe is Andy Holloman's Shades of Gray. A father suffers the twin crises of sick child and failing business in the wake of 9/11 and looks for creative ways to rebuild his world. Sadly the black and white sureness of his youth turns into shades of gray, but there's a pleasing ray of hope despite the darkness of the material. Enjoy a 5-star bold dark coffee with this one.

Book two of the Start-Up is The Anti-Social Network by Sadie Hayes, another interesting story arc in the tale of computer genius Amelia and her more earthly twin Adam as they start up a business together. Guided by the wise, preyed on by the foolish, but never quite sure of their place in this high-finance world, they're approaching the point where their wonder-product will be announced. The atmosphere is great though I'm not too sure of the product details... still, that's just me. An enjoyable tale, short enough for a long lunch break with a 3-star smooth cup of coffee.

And finally the two books that I'm sharing with my Mum. These cats and dogs aren't warriors, but they have very determined opinions, mythology and points of view and they're truly delightful. Amy Neftzger's Bedtime Stories for Cats and Bedtime Stories for Dogs are fascinating and amusing individual books, but even better read together with 2-star bright lively coffee and bright lively pets at your side.

Fidelity, Faith and Natural Law

I'm honored today to welcome John Wijngaards to my blog today. He's the author of Amrutha: What the Pope's Man found out about the Law of Nature. (Click here for my review of Amrutha)

Founder of the website http://www.thebodyissacred.org/, Dr John Wijngaards draws on his background as a spiritual writer, professional journalist and international college lecturer in this novel, a beautiful tale of spirituality, sensuality and ethics, spanning multiple cultures. I found the whole concept of Natural Law truly fascinating as I read Amrutha and asked the author if he'd be willing to tell us more. So, over to you Dr Wijngaards, with my thanks.




Misapplying 'Natural Law' . . .
John Wijngaards
            Natural Law? Why bother about it youmay think. And why make it the principal target of my novel AMRUTHA: What the Pope's man found out aboutthe Law of Nature, as people keep asking me.  Is 'Natural Law' not just a piece of moldyphilosophy we can safely leave rotting in the attic? Unfortunately, no. Wecan't. Misunderstood, socalled 'Natural Law' turns into a hazard to ourspiritual wellbeing.Philosophy is not an arcane past-timeindulged in by spectacled men who  squabbleover obscure questions in the closets of dusty old libraries.  Philosophy underlies education, commerce,politics and religion. Get your philosophy wrong and you will pay a heavyprice. I have always been distrustful of'Natural Law' as applied by Church authorities. I remember how it wasdisastrously applied to issues such as the castrati and slavery. But it was PopeBenedict XVI's address at Regensburg in 2006 that alerted me to its continuingdanger. This in spite of the fact that I agree with what Benedict XVI saidabout the need of coupling faith and reason. Assent to faith should be guided byreason, and its contents probed and plumbed with the help of reason. No one mayclaim a monopoly on reason, in particular the modern sciences who tend toreduce all reality to what is perceived by the senses. The Pope was right todecry 'a reason which is deaf to the divine and which relegates religion to therealm of sub-cultures'. But does the ideology of the Pope himself stand up toscrutiny? We need to examine more fully what Anthony Carroll calls 'theunfinished project of correlating or aligning faith and reason in ourpost-secular age'.            For, in spite of claiming not towish to return to a time before the Enlightenment, and in spite of concessionshe promised in his discussion with Jürgen Habermas, our Pope defends aphilosophy that has its roots in Aristotle (384-322 BC) and that culminated inthe thought of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). The main thrust of the Pope'sRegensburg speech was to affirm that Europe, and the Christian faith, shouldhold on to Greek thinking. We should resist 'de-hellenisation' which, heaffirmed, has assaulted the Church in three waves. The Pope, in fact, proposedAristotelian and Thomist metaphysics as a mode of 'universal thinking' that hasbeen sanctioned in Christian tradition and that could convert today's secular sceptics.I believe he is mistaken.
An Imprimatur on Greek philosophy?
            ThePope believes that the inspired Scriptures somehow have stamped divine approvalon Greek philosophy. This is clear from his Regensburg speech, but also fromthe Encyclical Fides et Ratio (1998) whichhe wrote for John Paul II as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine ofthe Faith.            It is true that the Book of Wisdom,which was written in hellenist Alexandria, draws on Greek thinking when statingthat the Creator can be known from power and beauty in nature (Wisdom 13,1-9).Paul knows this argument (Rom 1,29) and quotes some Sophist texts whenaddressing philosophers on the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17,23-31). But doesthis prove an endorsement of Greek philosophy? Are such arguments not rather anadaptation to the hellenistic audience? The Pope himself cites the Qur'an inhis address. Are we to understand by this that he commends the Qur'an as aninspired writing?            The Old Testament expression 'I amwho am' or simply 'I am' (Exodus and Isaiah) do not constitute, as the Popeclaims, an almost Socratic attempt to overcome and transcend mythical thinkingabout God. The expression means that God is the one who is there, who ispowerfully present, who shows his presence in deeds, mainly by liberating hispeople.             The New Testament was written inGreek and we do find allusions to Greek philosophical thinking. But may we reallymaintain that Greek thought and revealed faith have been inextricably linked? Thefirst lines in John's Gospel read: "In the beginning was the Word (logos) and the Word (logos) was God, etc." The Pope pointsout that 'logos' could also mean 'reason'. Yes, but rarely so, for instance inPlato and Aristotle. In ordinary Greek speech it simply meant 'word'.  It does so here as its reference to thecreation story implies. "God said:'Let there be  .  . .   and it happened'." The Logosis God's plan (Hebrew dabar, 'word') tocreate us and communicate with us, a plan that unfolded with creation andbecame flesh in Jesus Christ.            The point of this sketchy analysisis to show that while Scripture no doubt affirms rationality, it does notendorse Aristotelian metaphysics as a necessary ingredient of Christian faith,which brings me to Thomas Aquinas.
Talk of 'being' and'nature'
            When the Church in the Middle Ageswas in dire need of a consistent system of thought to express its beliefs,Aquinas was the genius who did the job. He discovered Aristotelian thought inthe translated works of Muslim scholars and he successfully adapted it for usein Christian theology. Aquinas was indeed a master mind. Not only could he holdvast quantities of data in his memory, he managed to mould these into a logicalwhole not less impressive than the majestic Gothic cathedrals that began toadorn Europe.            Central to Aristotelian/Thomistthought is that each object has a 'nature' that expresses the substance oressence of that kind of object. A horse has the nature of being a horse.Accidentals of colour, size, height, etc. do not change a being's nature. That is why a grey,  an Arab, a palomino and a Shetland pony allshare the same nature. They are all horses. In more general terms, there is apyramid of natures, from inanimate beings to plants, then to animals, to humanbeings, to angels and finally to God. Each has its kind of nature.            A being's nature is universal andfixed. The natures of original beings have been fixed by the Creator. Birdshave wings by nature, so they fly. Pigs cannot fly. Flying goes against theirnature, or to put it differently: goes against the natural law for pigs. Onceyou accept this premise, the main task of theologians is to define everything'snature: the nature of a sacrament, the nature of the Church, etc. and byanalogy the nature of God.            Pope Benedict recommends this 'philosophyof being' as the ideal bridge between faith and reason:"Set within the Christianmetaphysical tradition, the philosophy of being is a dynamic philosophy whichviews reality in its ontological, causal and communicative structures. It isstrong and enduring because it is based upon the very act of being itself,which allows a full and comprehensive openness to reality as a whole,surpassing every limit in order to reach the One who brings all things tofulfilment." (Fides et Ratio § 97).            The problem is that Thomistphilosophy no longer matches the real world as we have come to know it. Pigs dofly. The Pope's failure to recognise the misfit damages Christian life.
Natural law and sexualethics
            Take the question of marriage. Thomistsdefine openness to conception as belonging to the nature of the marriage act. When Cardinal Ratzinger joined theCongregation for Doctrine, Pope Paul VI decreed that 'each and every marriageact must remain open to the transmission of life'. The Pope declared the use ofcontraceptives which render procreation impossible 'intrinsically evil' (Humanae Vitae, 1968, §14), that is: theygo against the nature of marriage as established by God. In this view,contraceptives may not be used as a means to space the planning of children.They are not even allowed to women who need to protect themselves againstdrunken husbands infected with AIDS.            But what is this assessment of thenature of marriage based on? Originally men and women had intercourse withouteven being aware of its link to the procreation of children, as anthropologyhas documented. In the course of thousands of years marriage arose as a socialinstitution with a multiplicity of forms. Its main purpose was to givestability to families and to protect common property. Marriages were polygamousor polyandrous. Trial sex before marriage was common. What was natural orunnatural in all such marriages?            Rather than ascribing a fixed,unchangeable nature to marriage, whynot accept marriage as a dynamic, complex, interconnected reality, alwayssomehow original between specific partners, with unique biological, social,cultural and psychological aspects?            Again and again the Pope's philosophybetrays reality. Sex is forbidden to gays and lesbians by 'natural law' (Persona Humana 1975;  reaffirmed in 1986, 1992 and 2003). A woman'snature bars her from ordination (MulierisDignitatem 1988). The Pope says violence 'goes against God's nature for Godis reason'. What reason? The burning of heretics under the Inquisition wasjustified with refined Thomist sophistry. The 'common good' (bonum commune) of scaring the publicaway from heresy was said to overrule mercy for the individual. The same'common good' argument has been invoked in our own day to refuse communion toCatholics who are divorced and remarried even though they are reconciled withthe Church, to refuse priests who have left the priestly ministry permission tomarry in church, and to deny victims of clerical child abuse their full rights.            We are responsible for our sexualbehaviour, like for everything else we do in life. But the rules of what isright or wrong may not be based on an arbitrary interpretation of an imaginary'Natural Law'. They must be based on the informed judgment of our reason, thatis: of our conscience. And this is the whole thrust of my book AMRUTHA. Readand enjoy!
John Wijngaards
I would add that I did indeed read and enjoy, both this article and the novel Amrutha. Thank you so much for visiting my blog today. And here's a link for Amrutha on Amazon. Enjoy.           

History, mystery, fidelity and faith

I've been reading some wonderfully thought-provoking novels this last week--three historical novels from Knox Robinson, plus one very contemporary novel with seriously historical underpinnings. Not the sort of thing I could put down very easily, though I was re-reading my own novel at the same time (and finding so many more mistakes as I read it on paper instead of on the computer).

First is Harald Hadrada: the Last Viking, by Michael Burr. What's not to like about Vikings--well, there's all the raping and pillaging I suppose, but Viking's must be amongst the most fascinating peoples of European history. The thing is, I never quite understood how they got involved in 1066 and all that, but this novel brings a completely new side of that era to vivid life and I just couldn't put it down. Drink a 5-star bold intense coffee as you enjoy this excellent weave of plot and adventure.

Moving forwards in time, the next novel is  Evan Ostryzniuk's Of Faith and Fidelity. It's interesting how important faith turns out to be in history. This novel follows the misadventures of a young squire in the time of two Popes as alliances shift and politics tries to snatch the reins of church. There's a nice counter-play between the lives of rich and influential vs the life of a nobody, and the whole is researched and portrayed in fascinating detail, from weapon to clothes to pack of cards. Drink a 4-star rich complex coffee with this complex tale.

Next we reach the early 1800s and one of Britain's earliest detectives, Stephen Lavender in Karen Charlton's Catching the Eagle. A robbery in Northumberland brings Lavendar rushing from Bow Street to Kirkley Hall where a farmworker is accused and jailed and brought to trial. The details of 1800s policing, courts and life in farm and village are vividly retold, and the farmworker's plight is nicely matched with an eagle's attempts to stay free. Enjoy a 3-star well-balanced full-flavored coffee with this pleasingly balanced tale.

And finally, in the present day (or near future), John Wijngaards' Amrutha: What the Pope's man found out about the Law of Nature, brings that topic of faith and fidelity to the modern world's questions of Catholicism, women and morality. I put off reading this because I didn't like the cover--what a feeble excuse! Once I opened it I loved the story. Definitely thought-provoking, shades of Life of Pi, touches of church history and the fact that rules do change, curious humor and innocence, gentle spirituality and genuine curiosity, this one pushes many boundaries but never quite steps over them. Enjoy with a 4-star complex coffee and be prepared to be inspired.

Okay, back to re-reading my own novel and making sure those edits all happened correctly without my deleting the wrong sets of words... There's many a slip betwixt keyboard and 'script.

Christmas is coming....

This is just a quick post to welcome my Mum. She arrived in the States yesterday and her arrival always heralds Christmas. So... Christmas is coming. And welcome back, Mum!

Wish me Luck !

 I sold two calendars, one bookmark, and four greetings cards today. Wish me luck and maybe I'll sell some books tomorrow.

A best-selling author gives her characters a genuine sense of self

I'm delighted to welcome Melissa Foster to my blog again today, celebrating the release of her best-selling novel, Come Back to Me. Click here for my review of Come Back to Me. Melissa doesn't just write great novels but she supports lots of other new novelists through the Women's Literary Cafe. If you head over there you'll be able to find out all about the great New Release Week starting today--what a great day to think about reading and writing good books and good characters. Over to you Melissa.
Finding a Sense of Self, by Melissa Foster
I love to read. I read everything from books and magazinesto the backs of cereal boxes and candy wrappers. I eat that candy first, ofcourse! What could be more fun than reading, learning, gathering data, or gettinglost in someone else's life? Well, I suppose, creating that life could be morefun, if you love to write. For me, I find reading and writing equally asexciting, though writing does hold a special spark for me.
Creating worlds and characters takes time, emotion, andenergy. As I writer, I want to be sure and create characters that are easy torelate to and that incite a visceral reaction from readers, but there'ssomething else that comes into play, and it's not often discussed—building thecharacter's sense of self.
As living, breathing people, there are many ways to find, ordefine, our sense of self. Some of us find that sense of self at a very youngage, while others have a more difficult time, riding the coat tails andfriendships of others until we've had time to build confidence, and recognizethe things in life that we enjoy and gain from, separate from others. It's notuncommon for people to find their sense of self late into their thirties. Whendeveloping characters, we authors don't have the luxury of knowing them forthat long (at least most of us don't). We come into their lives when they're 5,10, 18, 36, 42—when they've already lived much of their lives. We meet them forthe very first time without knowing their full history. We create their history(oh, what fun!).
I've found that the most interesting stories to write arethe ones where characters haven't quite reached a full understanding of whothey are are and their own unique value, and it's developed as the storyunfolds. I create complete backstories, including arguments characters havehad that have shaped who they are, and schools they've attended, failedrelationships and occupational achievements, all building into their sense ofself. Sometimes, as a character's sense of self is being developed, I becomeintrospective, and begin to question my own motivations.
When I wrote Beau's character, in COME BACK TO ME, he grewfrom a very confident man who drew from his career to develop his sense ofself, to showing a more vulnerable side, and recognizing that his sense of selfwas not tied to his work at all—it came from his heart. I won't add anyspoilers here, for those who have yet to read the novel, but I will say this—Idid find Beau's introspection beautiful. Painful, gut wrenching, yes, butbeautiful just the same.
While finding one's sense of self can sometimes be achieved,I'd have to say that one's sense of self is also, probably, ever-changing. Aswe mature and our skills and desires change, so does our ability to give, andour ability to look inside our own motivations. I don't believe in the oldsaying, "An old dog can't learn new tricks." When we stop learning, reaching,trying to become better, stronger, more giving, we become complacent, stoppingour personal growth, which then stops our sense of self. The next time that youread a book, let your mind wander to an introspective view point, see where ittakes you.  You might find that there isa slightly modified self waiting for you. 
Thank you Melissa. I certainly found Beau's changing sense of self a powerful image in Come Back to Me.
About Melissa: Melissa Foster is the bestselling, award-winning author of three novels, Megan's Way, Chasing Amanda, and Come Back to Me. She has also been published in Indie Chicks, and anthology. She is the founder of the Women's Nest, a social and support community for women, and the WoMen's Literary Cafe, a cross-promotional site for authors, reviewers, bloggers, and readers. Melissa is currently collaborating in the film production of Megan's Way, and hard at work on her next novel.
Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children, she's written for Calgary's Child Magazine and Women Business Owners Magazine, and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family. Melissa's interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping women see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.  Find out more at:


Melissa'sBooks Melissa's WebsiteMelissa on Facebook, Twitter,FB FanpageChat with her on The Women's NestOr visit WoMen'sLiterary Cafe, Where readers and authors unite! (for men & women)

Getting ready for the Holiday Bazaar

Stuff spreads. I've got boxes, books and papers all over the spare bed, bookmarks waiting to be sliced and diced on the desk, stray books and calendars waiting to be packed on the shelves... and my Mum's arriving next Tuesday! Luckily the bazaar's on Friday and Saturday, so that gives me plenty of time to tidy her bedroom doesn't it??? I'm glad I'm only doing one bazaar this year; Oak Hills usually run a good one.

Oh, and there are tons of leaves outside waiting to be raked. Leaves spread too.

Reading with coffee

Someone asked how many books I read in a week. I think it's about six--less if they're long (think Stephen King), more if they're short (like my own Flower Child).
Do I speed-read, my friend asked next. But I'm not sure what speed-reading means. I skip bits sometimes, then check back and work out what parts to cut from my novel.Some books grab me so I know I can't miss a word (think Stephen King again). Those are the ones I put on the outside of my bookshelves (two deep, two high... you get the picture), but they're not always the ones that take longest to read. Short books can grab me just the same.
Do I read ebooks? Yes, definitely.
And what have I read this week?

Read books. Drink coffee. (At six books a week, I need a lot of coffee!)

The Depressed Guy's Book of Wisdom, by Doug Westberg, might seem a strange choice for me, but I really enjoyed it. A book full of humor, written about depression, laugh out loud funny and deeply touching and intriguing, it's great to dip into (like Readers Digest) and full of amazing factoids, musical poetry and fascinating tales. Enjoy this beautifully balanced book with a 3-star well-balanced cup of coffee.

I met the author of The Depressed Guy's Book of Wisdom on Gather, and this next one's by another author I first met there. Aaron Paul Lazar's For the Birds tells the story of a happily married woman traveling in the Adirondacks to a hotel where she, her husband and her mother hope their pet parakeet might win an award. The author creates a very enjoyable female protagonist in this book and promises more mysteries to come. With amusing hints of paranormal strangeness, scary villains, and a truly surprising twist, this is a perfectly balanced mystery to enjoy on a cold afternoon (remember sunshine) with a 3-star well-balanced coffee. (When you've finished it, look out for some of Aaron Lazar's other great series.)

Roses are Red, by Carrie Green, is an enjoyable set of short stories introducing a horror/suspense author whose first novel comes out next year. The situations are very deftly set up with economical and very effective description and explanation, and each story comes with a trademark intriguing twist. Enjoy these with a 5-star bold intense coffee, but the suspense might keep you from drinking.

Continuing in a sci-fi direction, Karen A. Wyle's Twin Bred is what my husband would call "hard" science fiction, a novel where the science makes sense, isn't overly (and therefore implausably) explained, but contains just enough of the known to be enjoyably and convincingly unknown. Enjoy a 4-star rich, elegant, complex coffee with this science fiction epic.

Now for two young adult novels. The Jinx, by D.F. Lamont, is a fun short novel about an eight-grade boy who seems singularly accident prone till he realizes everyone else is actually suffering from the accidents. Drawn into a battle to save the world, young Stephen's not sure which side he's meant to be on. But his irrepressible good humor and youthful outlook might save the day. Read this one with a 5-star bold intense coffee and give the kid a soda.

The Magi, by Kevin M. Turner, is the first book of a new teen fantasy series, telling the story of a young boy suddenly orphaned and whisked off to a rather scary boarding school. When the only teacher Elijah likes disappears he's almost ready to give up, but that's when his adventures really begin. Imagined and told in intricate detail, the plot and world are fun, the lessons learned are wise, and the series promises to intrigue. Drink a bold dark 5-star coffee with this dark tale of wise Magi, control of the elements, and the use and misuse of power.

Win a Free Copy of Chill Run!

Russell Brook's Chill Run comes out on Thursday. It's the story of a publicity stunt gone seriously wrong, and here I am, coming off my first ever blog tour--the closest I've ever come to a publicity stunt. With classic action, carchases, likeably inept hero, scary enemies, great dialog, zany twists and turns... what more could you want? Click here for my review of Chill Run, and click here for Russell Brook's Chill Run contest. All you have to do is leave your email address by the end of November 30th. Good luck! And enjoy!

A book in hand...

I love my kindle, but all the same, a book in hand is surely worth two or three on the kindle. It's visible. I notice the cover (kindle books always open at the first page so I keep missing those good pictures). It inspires my family to ask what I'm reading this time (all the more so when one of the covers looks like a favorite board game.) But... thinking of covers... I have to show you the latest cover image for Divide by Zero, my novel coming next summer from Stonegarden. I love it (look, there's even a garnet in her collar!). It makes all the editing feel worthwhile.

Meanwhile, here are the real books, with real book covers, that I've read recently, plus coffee recommendations, of course.

The Settlers of Catan, by Rebecca Gable, is a huge historical novel of Viking village life, set on the mythical island of Catan and filled with real world research that brings history instantly to life. Based on the board game, this novel stands perfectly well on its own and lingers long after the last page is turned. You'll need several cups of coffee--it's a long and beautifully balanced novel, so go for a 3-star smooth full-flavored blend.

There's a rather different take on history in Theodore Morrison Homa MD's Archimedes Claw, where a modern-day scientists stumbles on the mystery of how Archimedes held the Romans at bay in 212BC Syracuse. The ethical questions raised are quite fascinating, though the detailed science grated on my mathematical expectations on occasion. It's certainly an intriguing tale, to be enjoyed with a 4-star complex coffee for the complexities of plot and explanation.

Moving to the present day, Dancing at all the Weddings by Susan Surman looks at the ethical dilemmas facing a young woman choosing between the safe, mother-pleasing marriage option and a more exciting Hollywood alternative. Delving into the five stages of divorce when a less-than-ideal marriage turns sour, and building on very genuine human interactions, this is a nicely involving, well-travelled tale, to be enjoyed with a well-balanced 3-star coffee.

A Thinking Man's Bully by Michael Adelberg is a uniquely structured novel in which a father writes stories of his childhood and his psychiatrist critiques them. The combination works wonderfully, giving a feel of someone slowly learning and freeing himself from his past, becoming ready to face the future. Matthew's son has attempted suicide and Matthew wants to be a better father to him. In this story better becomes a choice grounded in honesty. Drink a 4-star elegant complex coffee while you read.

Still in the modern world, Code Blood by Kurt Kamm weaves a noirish mix of paramedic training, vampire fetishism, high-stakes medical research and low-life drug-and-body-part dealing into a real and gritty tale with a surprisingly real and redemptive ending. Drink a 5-star bold dark coffee with this one.

And finally, 03 by Jean-Christophe Valtat weaves a one-threaded tale of a young man watching a girl at a bus-stop... for 84 pages in one paragraph. The young man is French, precociously intelligent, lonely and all those other things stereotypical of modern French protagonists. Though the book's short, you might need several 5-star bold dark coffees to keep you reading.