tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29090582483056954962024-02-06T20:41:21.366-08:00Sheila Deeth Editingcontinuity editing, grammar and style, English vs American word choice, copy editingSheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-70699961613845140072020-04-17T09:01:00.000-07:002020-04-17T09:01:37.039-07:00Ethical EditingSomeone told me recently "Ventilators kill people," adding, "70% of people put on ventilators die. They're killing people." So I argued with her.<div><br /></div><div>But what if she'd written an article and hired me to edit it? What if her article began exactly as above? What would I do?</div><div><br /></div><div>My first "edit" would complain that "Ventilators kill people" is stated like fact while, since it's not common knowledge and it's not yet supported by facts, it can only be opinion. I'd suggest she change it to read "<i>I think </i>ventilators kill people." Then, if the article contains an argument to prove her statement, she could end with "So, ventilators kill people" as her conclusion.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next I would complain about the 70% statement, arguing that writers should not deliberately mislead their readers. Looking for minimal edits, I'd suggest "70% of <i>victims </i>put on ventilators die" or "70% of people put on ventilators <i>still </i>die," (since people sick enough to go on ventilators are already actively dying). Better might be "70% of <i>victims </i>put on ventilators <i>are not saved</i>." If asked how I would phrase it, I'd suggest "30% of people put on ventilators are saved, but 70% still die," but that's probably because I prefer being positive.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, I'd argue that "They're killing people" is false. You might as well say bread kills people because, eventually, 100% of people who eat bread die. Maybe I'd edit it to read "<i>They're not saving everyone</i>," or "<i>They're not a magic bullet</i>" if you want to be more imaginative. But...</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, by this point, the author might feel there's a disconnect between what they want to say and what I want them to say. They'd be right, and we would part ways, not through any fault of the author, but because <i>I</i> could not be party to <i>risking lives with lies.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>So, thank you for reading my rant, and please may I conclude by ethically editing that friend's statements:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Ventilators save people. 30% of victims put on ventilators survive. Ventilators don't save everyone and are not magic bullets, but they're essential if we want to keep the death rate down. Please can we have more ventilators!</i></div><div><br /></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-17216898815878951672020-03-12T17:53:00.001-07:002020-03-12T17:53:23.541-07:00The importance of commasI saw a blogpost entitled "Can a Comma Be Antisemitic?" So of course, I had to read it.<br />
You can find the original post at <a href="https://weekly.israelbiblecenter.com/can-a-comma-be-antisemitic/">https://weekly.israelbiblecenter.com/can-a-comma-be-antisemitic/</a>. And it's fascinating. The question is:<br />
<br />
What's the difference between<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
"The Jews, who persecuted the Lord, drove us out" and</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"The Jews who persecuted the Lord drove us out."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Or equivalently, what's the difference between</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"We have to throw out apples, which are wormy" and</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"We have to throw out apples which are wormy"?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The article explains how the comma makes all the difference between a restrictive and a nonrestrictive clause. In the first (apple) case, all apples are wormy and must be thrown out. In the second, we restrict ourselves to discarding wormy apples - a much more sensible idea. (And in 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15, those commas really might be misplaced.)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In the Bible, commas matter!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In writing, commas matter!</div>
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And in editing, commas matter too!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
So now, having learned from a very cool example, I shall watch for them and treat them with care!</div>
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-76416715384853821662020-03-12T10:19:00.000-07:002020-03-12T10:19:12.897-07:00Gnarly thoughts...Gnarly? Now there's a word that struck me as singularly modern (or Lewis Carroll-ish). Of course, I'm English. Maybe it's not modern in American. And maybe there's a way to find out.<br />
<br />
Type a serious word into Google's search bar and you'll probably find a link to Wikipedia, high on the list of results. It's a great link and a great resource for serious words. But a word like gnarly?<br />
<br />
Type a word like gnarly or awesome into Google's search bar, and the dictionary answer comes first, with... an arrow at the bottom of the box, and a label next to the arrow: "translations, word origin, and more definitions." Click on the arrow and you'll find a neat little graph (I'm a mathematician; graphs are cool!) showing word usage over time. And there you'll learn that in the early 1900s, gnarly was not at all uncommon, whereas in the 1960s it had fallen out of favor, and now...<br />
<br />
It's useful information for an editor and for a writer. How can you tell if your character would have used this word at that time? Just ask Google.Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-7971360246176975022020-03-11T09:44:00.000-07:002020-03-11T09:44:25.881-07:00The joys of Word or the joy of words?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FdXaJTSue715-hnNLWu_DXRyd15_ih6tOm0HXmlhYoIQEUdn4R2PSHrEsdJJ7dMg80GwNmV1zsQFnObXE2TxpjhryImAeEJtH5SUKRbDtBaLi5d206jcKGVXxA_bORhL1-rHuFicVQM/s1600/edit+example.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="34" data-original-width="54" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FdXaJTSue715-hnNLWu_DXRyd15_ih6tOm0HXmlhYoIQEUdn4R2PSHrEsdJJ7dMg80GwNmV1zsQFnObXE2TxpjhryImAeEJtH5SUKRbDtBaLi5d206jcKGVXxA_bORhL1-rHuFicVQM/s320/edit+example.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
When Word red-underlines things like we'll, they'd, hadn't etc., you might be excused for thinking the program's gone crazy. And you might be right. The problem, if you happen to be running spellcheck (or even trying to read without distraction), is to figure out which particular kind of crazy. After all, those red underlines do kind of draw the eye, distracting from the joy of the author's words. So what's an editor to do?<br />
<br />
As usual, the first answer is to try Google. Then try asking the same question 300 different ways. And finally, fix it. Which means I've now learned how to tell Word that certain words are not English (and that others are), <b><i>and </i></b>how to make Word make all the wrongly flagged Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish words revert to English (US) - or even English (UK) or English (Australian) if desired. So here's how it's done:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Open your document.</li>
<li>Go to one of those wrongly flagged words, and right click, then select language to determine which language Word thinks the word is written in.</li>
<li>Now open the advanced search dialog and the find/replace tab.</li>
<li>Do not type any words or characters to be found or replaced. Instead, click in "find what," then click on the format button at the bottom of the box. Click on language, and choose the language you want to remove.</li>
<li>Then click in the "replace with" box, followed by format and language, and choose English.</li>
<li>Then replace all.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Easy, right? Though how 8 different languages crept into one English file is a mystery yet to be solved.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The joys of Word, the joy of words, and the joy of editing, all in one!</div>
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-15448803534785047862020-02-15T13:48:00.001-08:002020-02-15T13:48:16.756-08:00What's in a Title?The headline read "Pope says no to married priests." It grabbed my attention, in part because my brother is a (celibate) priest, and in part because a friend's son-in-law is, in fact, a married priest. So what would the article have to tell me...<br />
<br />
Nothing at all about married priests if seemed! It described how the Pope had addressed various items brought up in a letter to him--how he supported environmental issues and wanted groups to move forward, etc. But, it said, he didn't address the suggestion that allowing married priests might be a good idea in that particular situation... so maybe he sort of said "no" by default, maybe...<br />
<br />
And I felt cheated. I should have known better. Headlines are clickbait for readers. Click more and the owner of the site earns more. So who cares the article matches the headline's attraction?<br />
<br />
Book titles might look like clickbait too. We want the reader to pick up the book or click on Amazon's "look inside" to learn more. But we don't get paid by the click. We get paid if someone buys the book; if someone decides the contents are worth paying money for. So... best not to cheat the reader; best to give them some reason to believe the title will make sense when they've finished the read.<br />
<br />
I called my first book <i>Divide by Zero</i>. I think it made sense. The first pages introduce a very conflicted character--a man divided against himself perhaps. Then <i>Infinite Sum</i>--a woman who felt weighed down by a wealth (a sum?) of tribulations. Then <i>Subtraction</i> and a man who felt as if everything he'd had was taken from him. I think the titles made sense, though the novels didn't sell. And I'm wondering, perhaps...<br />
<br />
Perhaps book titles need to be clickbait AND make sense; who's going to click on math when they're looking for fiction? Could my editor have helped?<br />
<br />
Editors don't normally edit your titles for you. But you're welcome to ask. Because editors love words, and we do like to help.Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-76113582555721963032020-01-30T09:26:00.002-08:002020-01-30T09:26:53.385-08:00A Six Week WaitMy Christmas letter reached my nephew yesterday, having spent, it seems, six weeks orbiting the planet. So what went wrong? Nobody knows. We proofread the letter and the envelope. We added the right postage (albeit in a rather strange, printed stamp because the Post Office ran out of "forever international" stamps). We posted it only a few days later than we should have. But six weeks!<br />
<br />
And sometimes, no matter how carefully you (or your editor) edits, how well you (or your editor) proofreads, and how perfectly you (or your editor) make sure you've obeyed all the rules, some little errors slip by. The advantage of Print on Demand is you can fix them before too many people see them. If you have friends willing to point things out, and a sweet deal where new uploads of files (to your print or ebook service) are free, that's a really big advantage. If you have to pay for uploads, maybe less so.<br />
<br />
If you have to pay for changes, you'll probably want to balance perfection against profit (except there's really no profit in this business). Or you'll have to take an honest view and remind yourself, there's no perfection in this business either. There are probably yet more typos hidden in there that you, your editor, and your best friends have all failed to find.<br />
<br />
Never release your book till it's as close to perfection as you can make it. Then accept that it won't be completely perfect and move on. In six weeks, someone might even read it!Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-70718873669924578962020-01-11T15:56:00.001-08:002020-01-11T15:56:32.377-08:00If I'd only put an X instead of oneIt was an old song, sung on an old scratchy record, and I loved it. The protagonist in the musical tale had won some kind of lottery, and wished he hadn't. At least, that's how I remember it. So now he lamented, "If I'd only put an X instead of one." Maybe it was the tune. Maybe it was the fact that the song really did tell a story. Or the singer's voice. Or knowing I could only hear it if Mum and Dad would put the record on for me...<br />
<br />
We signed up for healthcare recently - got help with it, because, well, it's kind of a really big deal and we didn't want to make any mistakes. But then I couldn't create my online account, so I called the helpline. "Ah, we're having problems with the website. Just wait till January," they said. Then, "Ah, we're having problems with the website. Just wait a few more days." Then, "Ah, it's the website. Don't worry; you really are insured." Which helped, a bit.<br />
<br />
Then I phoned my doctor's office, gave them my new insurance information, and was told it didn't work! Which didn't help. So I phoned the helpline again. I suspect "My doctor says my insurance doesn't work" carried more weight than "I can't create my account." They asked all the same questions - name, date of birth, address, last four digits of my social, member ID number, group number, more... then passed me on to someone else who asked all the same questions... and then worked out what was wrong. My date of birth had been typed in incorrectly!<br />
<br />
If they'd only put an X instead of one (where X and one could be any other digit too).<br />
<br />
I'm glad to say, it's all fixed now. But it offers an interesting lesson in editing. After all, every person I spoke to on the phone asked that same set of questions, and checked the same set of answers. But nobody spotted the error until that final call. If people whose job is to confirm the caller's information can't spot a wrong number, how can we authors expect to check all our letters, words, and sentences?<br />
<br />
And how can authors expect editors to get everything right? I almost certainly won't find every mistake when I edit for you. But I'll help you get rid of lots of typos, polish lots of sentences, fix lots of continuity or historical errors, and more. And I'm sure you'll be pleased with the result. (I might still leave an X instead of one somewhere, but I'll try to avoid its affecting your book's health or insurance.)Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-39547174398345439322020-01-09T19:14:00.003-08:002020-01-11T14:39:58.731-08:00Fools, Heretics and FictionThere was a live-streamed debate at church today, involving two prominent scientists, one a "heretic" who accepts evolution, and one a "fool" who doesn't - they're the authors of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fool-Heretic-Scientists-Christian-Evolution/dp/0310595436/">The Fool and the Heretic</a>, a book I really must read!<br />
<br />
These two men described how, on first meeting, they were each quite sure they'd correctly defined the other. But then they talked, prayed, ate dinner and talked some more. Gradually they realized that, while each believed the other's position to pose a threat to Christianity, they could still respect each other's intelligence AND each other's faith, and they could be friends.<br />
<br />
In novels, characters often hold differing opinions. Sometimes those opinions agree with the author's; sometimes they don't. The author's job, at the start, is to keep their own opinions separate from the characters' - just because you believe all creationists are fools, you don't have to make them all look foolish in your book. A second task is to make sure the characters, even those you don't agree with, are self-consistent. Just because you believe all scientists are heretics, you don't have to make them anti- all things good (including good math and science).<br />
<br />
Then the editor's job is to spot when characters fail to be true to themselves, protect the author from preachiness or accidental heresy, and make sure the potential publisher's rules are obeyed. (Just because you think publishers appreciate debate doesn't mean they want real debatables in their fictional characters.)<br />
<br />
The best part of the editor's job is reading such fun books and meeting such fascinating characters, be they fools or heretics. I really must read that book!Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-89853648410528938452020-01-08T11:39:00.002-08:002020-01-08T11:39:36.989-08:00Do you get what you pay for?A friend is trying to mail a parcel from the US to the UK. It's not an overly large or overly heavy parcel. And the cheapest postage she can get is $94 !<br />
<br />
I gave up mailing parcels to the UK when they wanted $56 to send a slim paperback book. And I still don't understand how it can cost so much. But what results from the high cost?<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>People stop sending parcels. (That's me.)</li>
<li>People still send them and complain a lot.</li>
<li>People make very, very sure that the address label, customs declaration, contents list, and even choice of contents are absolutely right and perfect and exactly what they want before sending the parcel. (That's probably my friend.)</li>
</ol>
<div>
So... what's that got to do with the price of editing?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Reading, fact-checking, commenting on, and editing a document takes a lot of time. Editors need to be paid for the time they give, of course. And... well, it could always take more time, and we could always charge more... and more... But at some point:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>People stop hiring editors. (A lot of self-published authors take this route.)</li>
<li>People hire editors and complain a lot (and expect perfection for the money they pay).</li>
<li>People make very, very sure that the work is written as well as they can possibly make it, before hiring the editor.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Unlike with mailing parcels, option 3 really does keep the author's costs down, while also creating a better relationship between author and editor. Meanwhile if you want to create good books without hiring an editor, why not consider sharing the job with another writing friend - "I'll beta-read your book if you'll beta-read mine"? Just remember option 2, and don't expect perfection from a beta-reader, best friend, parent or editor. You'll get what you pay for, whether you pay in time, cups of coffee, or in money.</div>
</div>
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-2695833707948923222019-07-18T03:25:00.000-07:002019-07-18T03:25:00.583-07:00Come into my ParlorI believe the spider once invited the fly into her parlour, or was it her parlor? The answer probably depends on whether you're English or American. But the question is, which spelling would you expect in a novel, and what difference would it make.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When a Regency heroine invites the "Honourable Fred" into her "parlour," English readers accept the words (and spellings) without a second thought, while American ones, those attuned to Jane Austen movies at least, hear and smile at a peculiarly English tone of voice. Meanwhile, when the Regency heroine says "parlor" (or "honor"), English readers hear an American voice, quickly setting the scene as somewhere across the Pond... but what do Americans hear? (Or Australians even?)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If it matters that your readers hear an English intonation, it might be good to use English spelling, in dialog at least. But that gives rise to the vexing question of what spelling to use in narration. Is the narrator English or American, anglophile or purist, part of the story or a disinterested observer?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Most readers, of course, won't notice which spelling is used. But the human eye is attuned to "change," so changing the spelling midstory, or even between dialog and narration, will almost certainly attract attention. Will it distract your readers? Will it make them stop to question the voice (or spelling)? Will it draw them out of the story?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sometimes the narration is a vehicle for the author's commentary, in which case an American author must surely use American spelling. But if the author's intent is invisibility, letting the story absorb readers' attention to the exclusion of the world around them, then the choice of spelling and consistency of spelling become important. At this point the editor, also trying to remain invisible, might ask which spelling the author wants, which voice the author wants the reader to hear, and even, in the case of a series author, which spelling was used in the rest of the series.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Parlour or parlor; the honorable or honourable Fred; debts of honor or honour; color or colour... not all words need to be consistently English or American, but perhaps each individual word should be self-consistent... perhaps. The editor (also trying to invisible) might notice and offers a suggestion, but the author makes a choice. And that's as it should be, at least in this editor's parlor.</div>
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-61715942566985725142019-07-08T18:02:00.000-07:002019-07-08T18:02:16.834-07:00How to be invisibleOnce upon a time--when the kids were young and phones were fastened to walls, in the days before computers, scanners, image editing software, and other wonders we now take for granted--I was asked to combine 60 self-portraits, drawn by three and four-year-olds, into one tea-towel sized image, with names of course. If you've ever looked at a three-year-old's self-portrait, you'll know it might be very strange and singularly oddly designed. Taking 60 such images, shrinking them down, fitting them together like a jigsaw... it was a time-consuming task. And I felt much like an art forger, trying to guess for each child, how did they hold the pencil, where did they first put it down, which way did they lean, how hard did they press, and how did they make that swirling shape at the end... After all, my job was to disappear, and only the children's artwork should be seen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyqjOKMIqe8gEduKsbH34q_cAd468LTcNEwdxcJASMnN8Zi-t-jfIGNtehQ18MJwnKuqWqcxgprsXbdHpETra9dFQyoPoK7YvobI1s2Jx17gtAmNI2qGlCqijtiOI9SmhAoZ1gOkWbQs/s1600/playgroup+tea-towel+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="703" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyqjOKMIqe8gEduKsbH34q_cAd468LTcNEwdxcJASMnN8Zi-t-jfIGNtehQ18MJwnKuqWqcxgprsXbdHpETra9dFQyoPoK7YvobI1s2Jx17gtAmNI2qGlCqijtiOI9SmhAoZ1gOkWbQs/s640/playgroup+tea-towel+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now I edit essays and novels, and sometimes feel that same sense of forgery, learning the sound of the author's voice, the way they put down words, which way their sentences lean, how fiercely they press their ideas, and wondering, was that swirling word at the end an accident or design?<br />
<br />
Just as my job was to disappear in creating that wondrous tea-towel, so now I try to vanish again, hiding behind the author's voice, making the work more completely theirs, not mine. I hope I succeed. And I really enjoy the task. I really believe, editors should be invisible.Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-70974786235324698152019-06-20T10:22:00.002-07:002019-06-20T10:22:38.472-07:00Hymns Ancient and ModemDid you spot the typo in the header?<br />
<br />
Spotting weird typos can depend on several things:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>What font is being used. Some fonts offer plenty of white space between letters; others run them together, which makes weird typos like this much harder to notice.</li>
<li>How involved were you in the reading. Perhaps, like me, you tend to gloss over unimportant stuff like chapter headings - let me get to the story!</li>
<li>If you already know what the words should say (if you're the author perhaps), why would see something different from what you expect?</li>
<li>And of course, if the words are deep in a complex plot or argument, your brain may be just too busy understanding what's going on to spot what's not.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Creating weird typos depends on several things too:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Perhaps you typed "moderm" instead of "modern" and spell-check made the wrong guess.</li>
<li>Perhaps you scanned in a document, and image-to-text failed to see the white space betweeen r and n.</li>
<li>Perhaps you used text to speech and the words sounded the same.</li>
<li>Or perhaps you mis-type the way you mis-speak; sometimes the word your fingers create really isn't what your brain intended.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Whatever the cause, fixing weird typos is fun, and it's part of why I love my job!</div>
</div>
<div>
Meanwhile, yes indeed, that heading should have read "Hymns Ancient and Modern."</div>
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-8661499509345131372019-06-10T20:01:00.000-07:002019-06-11T20:31:00.421-07:00Are you looking for an Editor?<div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Are you looking for an editor?
I have experience editing novels for</span><span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">continuity
and consistency, </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">readability,</span></li>
<li><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> style,
typos, spelling and grammar, </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">historical
and scientific plausibility, </span></li>
<li><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> American-isms
vs English-isms, </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">and
more</span></li>
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<span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
have worked with various authors, including </span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Novelist of British History <a href="https://www.donnafletchercrow.com/"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #24890d; padding: 0in;">Donna
Fletcher Crow</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Fabulous Novelist <a href="https://peterjosephswanson.weebly.com/"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #24890d; padding: 0in;">Peter
Joseph Swanson</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> USA Today Bestselling author <a href="https://www.lazarbooks.com/"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #24890d; padding: 0in;">Aaron Paul Lazar</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> USA Today Bestselling author <a href="http://uviart.blogspot.com/"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #24890d; padding: 0in;">Uvi Poznansky</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
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And I'd love to know more about your
project.<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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If you want to know more about me,
please ... <a href="http://eepurl.com/vXgjT" target="_blank">Click here to... </a></div>
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</span></span>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-64133655452713746562009-10-06T21:05:00.000-07:002018-12-14T22:58:25.122-08:00Sheila Deeth's Books<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.sheiladeethbooks.com/">Www.sheiladeethbooks.com</a></b></div>
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-88294916110990178462009-10-04T11:41:00.000-07:002009-11-08T21:48:05.551-08:00Sheila Deeth on ComputersOnce upon a time I had a job writing computer programs. And it was fun.<br /><br />Then I had a job bringing up kids. That was fun too. Computers are a bit like kids - ridiculously literal, always looking for ways to trip you up if you make a mistake...<br /><br />Then the kids got bigger and I got a job breaking computer programs. How cool it that? They paid me to break stuff. It couldn't last...<br /><br />And now I'm jobless and the kids are grown. On the plus side, that means I have more time to write, which is what I really want to do. And it means I can play at blogging and creating a website, under the guise of "promoting" those books that I'm dreaming of selling.<br /><br />If you want to know what hoops I've been jumping through to create this web site (with many thanks to blogger), just follow these links:<br /><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/10/turning-blog-into-website.html">Turning a Blog into a Website 1</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/10/turning-blog-into-website-2.html">Turning a Blog into a Website 2</a><br /><br />And for a curious but not necessarily profitable journey into the realm of webmaster tools:<br /><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/10/brands-labels-and-catch-phrases.html">Brands, Labels and Catchphrases 1</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/10/brands-labels-and-catchphrases-2.html">Brands, Labels and Catchphrases 2</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/11/brands-labels-and-catchphrases-3.html">Brands, Labels and Catchphrases 3</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/11/brands-labels-and-catchphrases-4.html">Brands, Labels and Catchphrases 4</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-26732351039415734332009-10-04T11:05:00.000-07:002019-01-04T18:11:57.162-08:00<div style="color: purple;">
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<a href="mailto:sheiladeeth@gmail.com"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b><br /></b></u></span></a>
<a href="mailto:sheiladeeth@gmail.com"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>CONTACT ME HERE</b></u></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/vXgjT" target="_blank">or click here to... <u><b><br /></b></u></a></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/vXgjT" target="_blank">...I promise not to deluge your inbox! </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">ABOUT ME:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">See my social networking sites, book reviews and books at <a href="http://about.me/sheiladeeth">http://about.me/sheiladeeth</a></span><br />
Visit my refracted muse at <a href="http://refracted-muse.blogspot.com/">http://refracted-muse.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">or view my complete profile on </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164">Blogger</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">ABOUT MY BOOKS:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Find my books at <a href="http://www.sheiladeethbooks.com/">www.sheiladeethbooks.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">or visit </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.inspiredbyfaithandscience.com/">www.inspiredbyfaithandscience.com</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">to learn more about What IFS: Inspired by Faith and Science books.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">EDITING:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">To find out more about my editing, rates, schedule etc, please <a href="mailto:sheiladeeth@gmail.com">Contact me</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">BOOK REVIEWS:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Read my book reviews on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2853735.Sheila_Deeth">Goodreads</a>.</span><br />
I'm seriously overbooked, but please feel free to c<a href="mailto:sheiladeeth@gmail.com">ontact me</a> if you have a book you would like me to review.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">SOCIAL NETWORKING...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">FACEBOOK:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Meet me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Sheila-Deeth/1657387508">Facebook.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Visit my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheila-Deeth/200071435198?v=box_3">Facebook Fan Page</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Visit my Face Book Pages: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FiveMinuteBibleStories/">Five Minute Bible Stories</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MathemaFiction/">Mathemafiction</a>, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TailsOfMystery/">Tails of Mystery</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">TWITTER:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Follow me on <a href="http://twitter.com/sheiladeeth">Twitter</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">LINKEDIN:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Connect to me on <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sheila-deeth/17/21b/3b9">LinkedIn</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">GOOGLE+:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Find me on </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/103201831333829897233/about">Google+.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">FUN STUFF:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Visit <a href="http://refracted-muse.blogspot.com/">My Refracted Muse </a></span><br />
or read my drabbles, dribbles, drips and twits at <a href="http://sheiladeethdrabbles.blogspot.com/">http://sheiladeethdrabbles.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">FREE STUFF:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Try reading my <a href="http://sheiladeethhome.blogspot.com/2009/11/free-stuff.html">free Bible Study notes </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">or go to <a href="http://www.sheiladeethbooks.com/">my book page</a> to find free short stories in online magazines.</span><br />
<br />Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-9161787133656286082009-10-04T10:51:00.000-07:002010-04-26T16:18:15.576-07:00What IF... Studies: Inspired by Faith and Science<span style="font-weight: bold;">Who am I?</span><br /><br />Follow my <a href="http://sheiladeethstudies.blogspot.com/">IFS BLOG</a> to see what I'm working on...<br /><br />I am a Catholic, Methodist, Church of England, Free Evangelical, Presbyterian (USA), Christian reformed Christian, so maybe I should just call myself a mongrel. But I am a very committed Christian. I'm also a rather well-qualified mathematician, with a particular interest in mathematical astronomy. I like science. I like history. And I sincerely believe God speaks to us through them both as well as through the Bible. If any of the three seem to disagree with each other, I'm convinced we need to look more closely at them all.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The aim of my Bible Studies:</span><br /><br />To keep the emphasis on the Bible. <span style="font-style: italic;">To remember God’s word is always more important than my interpretation.</span><br /><br />To be ready to encourage people to read the Bible and hear God’s word, rather than risk them rejecting what God says because of man’s word. <span style="font-style: italic;">My interpretation may be valuable to me, but it’s God’s word that might make a difference to my neighbor.</span><br /><br />To know what the Bible says, <span style="font-style: italic;">even if it’s not what I think it ought to say.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_67/7885000/7885722/2/print/7885722.pdf">Click here for a free download of What IFS: Genesis</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_67/8430000/8430988/3/print/8430988.pdf">here for a free download of What IFS: Exodus</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_67/7885000/7885688/1/print/7885688.pdf">here for What IFS: Christmas</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_67/8493000/8493011/1/print/8493011.pdf">and here for What IFS: Easter</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-86864499252156584112009-10-04T10:38:00.000-07:002014-03-04T13:24:42.467-08:00Sheila Deeth Reads...Okay. I admit it. I read too much (and too fast). But if you want to see some of my bookshelves, and read my book reviews, you'll find a lot of them on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila">my Goodreads page</a>.<br />
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My schedule is full for the rest of this year, but it you would like me to review your book, please feel free to <a href="mailto:sheiladeeth@gmail.com">contact me</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=christian">Christian Books</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=suspense">Suspense</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=mystery">Mystery</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=romance">Romance</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=humor">Humor</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=scifi-fantasy">Science Fiction</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=historical">Historical</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=childrens">Children's Books</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=young-adult">Young Adult</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=poetry">Poetry</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2039269-sheila?shelf=cookery">Cookery</a></div>
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I also write book reviews forthe Lunch Break Ebook column in <a href="http://www.nightsandweekends.com/search/?auth=Sheila+Deeth">Nights and Weekends</a>.<br />
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-79515667181577089642009-10-04T10:30:00.000-07:002009-10-08T10:37:14.747-07:00Sheila Deeth on Self-PublishingI really didn't want to self-publish. But I really did want to be published.<br /><br />When I lost my job and began writing seriously (spending way too much time on it probably), I started researching all the publishers I knew. But they didn't want to publish un-agented authors. So I researched all the agents I could find in the backs of books that I was reading. They didn't want to agent unpublished authors.<br /><br />I didn't give up. I tried all the publishers and agents I didn't know, studied their interests, submission requirements, and even contacted them. But soon I was becoming an expert in knowing why I'd be rejected before it happened. It was kind of discouraging.<br /><br />Then there were those "publishers" that require their authors to make an "investment" in their work. I was already spending too much time. Spending too much money as well didn't seem like a good option.<br /><br />And then there was self-publishing.<br /><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/10/self-publishing.html">Self-publishing 1</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/10/self-publishing_31.html">Self-publishing 2</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/11/self-publishing.html">Self-publishing 3</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/11/self-publishing_03.html">Self-publishing 4</a><br /><a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-publishing-blues.html">Self-publishing Blues</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-57167667264931525902009-10-04T10:06:00.000-07:002018-12-14T23:07:36.728-08:00Sheila Deeth On WritingTo find out what I learned about writing while reading tons of books as a judge for the <a href="http://awardsforebooks.com/">Dan Poynter Global eBook Awards</a>, try following this link: <a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/search/label/Global%20eBook%20Awards">Writing lessons from an avid reader</a><br />
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Or look at these blogposts on drabbles:<br />
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<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/10/drabble.html">I drabble</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/10/drabble_16.html">How to drabble 1</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/10/drabble_24.html">How to drabble 2</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/10/drabble_31.html">How to drabble 3</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2008/11/drabble.html">How to drabble 4</a><br />
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these on writing:<br />
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<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/05/top-ten-reasons-for-not-writing.html">Top Ten Reasons for Not Writing</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/06/not-liking-sound-of-my-voice.html">Not Liking the Sound of My Own Voice</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/07/trying-to-write-novel-from-beginning-to.html">Trying to write a novel from Beginning to End</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/09/recipes-and-writing.html">Recipes and Writing</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/10/blocking-writing-prompts.html">Blocking the Writing Prompts</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/11/now-i-know-why-i-needed-plot.html">Now I know why I needed a plot</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/12/wondering-how-i-write.html">Wondering How I write</a><br />
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and these on the Snowflake Pro software that I've recently started using:<br />
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<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/11/snowflakes-on-my-computer.html">Snowflakes on my computer</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/11/snowflakes-in-sun.html">Starting to use Snowflake Pro for editing</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/12/working-backwards-is-fun-too.html">How I'm using Snowflake to work backwards</a><br />
<a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/2009/12/sliding-final-achievement-under-wire.html">And how Snowflake even helped me make a poetry collection</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-28153289755805898272009-10-03T23:10:00.000-07:002009-10-09T09:31:20.664-07:00Reviews of A Bible Book of Numbers<span style="font-style:italic;">All reviews posted with permission.</span><br /><br />This is special book of numbers that starts with the number zero and works its way up infinity. Just how this happens you will learn by reading this great book.<br /> <br />Starting with Zero our author reminds us before there was God there was nothing? Instead of her usual lesson learned created questions that children might want answered after reading the short explanation about the number or chapter heading and its meaning. The number one reminds us that there is one God and there will always be only one and that he is everywhere and in everything. Two people to look after his garden but since they broke it cannot live there anymore. Questions children might ask as to why this happened and more follow this. The explanation as to why and how God made the world in 6 days and rests of the seventh are followed by questions that remind us that even though he is resting on the seventh day the author lets us know he is always watching over us. Why ten is a good counting number and that God made the ten commandments for his people is a great way to help children learn more about God’s laws and the questions that follow support that and explain the meaning of the commandments in simple terms for children to understand.<br /> <br />But, my favorite two numbers were 11 and 12, which brings people together and explains the love God has for Jewish people and for those who believe in Jesus. I love the way the author describes why God had special people to help mend the world in one day and how it helped bring everyone together. But, the biggest number and the one that goes on and on forever is the last one Infinity, which tells how much God, loves us and he will forever. Thank you Sheila we all love this book and you for writing it.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Fran Lewis<br />author of the Bertha Series of books</span><br /><a href="mailto:www.gabina49@wordpress.com">www.gabina49@wordpress.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha">www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-8060488375062340532009-10-03T23:01:00.000-07:002009-10-09T09:30:45.580-07:00Reviews of A Bible Book of Colors<span style="font-style:italic;">All reviews posted with permission.</span><br /><br />What a great way to teach children colors and the understanding at the same time. How we came to have darkness and how God created light and the rain and wet gray earth. Each page teaches the meaning behind a color and the significance that color plays in the creation of our world and its meaning. God lived with the people in the light until they disobeyed him and had to once again live in the dark. This tells the reader that the colors are gift from God and you need to earn them and listen and obey him to have the light. But, when God restored the colors after sending in a flood to do away with the darkness, he created the most beautiful of all sights: A Rainbow. I love rainbows and the colors are so perfect: Red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, dark blue, and purple. A rainbow to remind us that he loves us. But, when she tells how he gave the priests medallions and twelve precious jewels and their descriptions how brilliant of the author to explain the meanings behind these precious gifts and more. God lived in the middle of his temple and gave his people light but those on the outside lived in darkness and were not part of his temple. So God created made a world that will be his city and his temple with streets lined of God and the walls filled with all of the precious stones and jewels that he has created. This amazing book teaches not only the meaning of the creation but colors and living in the light of God forever.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Fran Lewis<br />author of the Bertha Series of books</span><br /><a href="mailto:www.gabina49@wordpress.com">www.gabina49@wordpress.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha">www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-19211792752418414392009-10-03T22:58:00.000-07:002009-10-09T09:30:25.974-07:00Reviews of Thanksgiving! From Eden to Eternity in 100 words a day<span style="font-style:italic;">All reviews posted with permission.</span><br /><br />Thanksgiving is a time when we all give thanks for the things we have whether no matter how large or how small. The most precious gift I feel to give thanks for is good health and of course the love of your family and friends.<br /> <br />Words are powerful. They can encourage your to soar or they can make you feel sad. They can tear you apart when they are meant to be mean or cruel or they can redeem you when you repent or say you are sorry. Whether it is one word or a thousand it does not matter as long as the messenger sends it and the recipient understands and gets it.<br /> <br />In her book Thanksgiving! From Eden to Eternity in 100 Words a day author Sheila Deeth reaches out to young people of all ages to help them understand the true meaning of giving thanks and the wonders of the Bible by creating a 30 day calendar for the month of November with each day bearing the name of something important that happened when God decided to create this beautiful world for us to live in.<br /> <br />Each story is 100 words that capture the reader’s attention from the first sentence. For children this book will help teach them many lessons taught in the Bible in a way that they will not only enjoy learning but make them hunger for more.<br /> <br />Starting with the Creation of the world on the first day of the month and explaining how God created the sun, the moon, nature and more the author draws you in and captures and envelopes your mind to help answer those questions you might never have answered. Ending each story in her unique way a special thank you to God for the lesson he taught in the story that was read. Answering questions like why we live by God’s Laws to how we learned to share God’s meal and embrace his wisdom, this book is filled with lessons that can fill hours in every Sunday sermon or Sunday school class. <br /><br />My favorite story The Tower of Babel teaches children that they are not the only ones that argue and have misunderstandings. It ends with thanking God for the gifts of all our different languages and cultures. I love that. We need to learn to understand our differences and embrace the cultures of others to have a better way of living in this world as friends. In the story Abraham’s Sons we learn the meaning of forgiveness and healing and hope. Every story, every one hundred words are so powerful and so inspiring you have to read this book with your family and children.<br /> <br />Each of the lessons learned and the thank yous at the end of each story really help to bring to light the true meaning of Thanksgiving and more. I love the story about the Ten Commandments and how Moses returned with the gift of law from God. I love the story about Esther and how she became queen. You need to read this book to find out more. But as the author so aptly puts it on the last page. The Restoration and the world and its beauty are restored. If everyone would put aside their differences and remember the wonders that God created for us and the laws and wisdom to learn what is safe and what will harm more and us: We might truly eliminate hate and wars and the mean. Thank you God for giving us all that you have and thank you Sheila Deeth for writing this book to remind us of how lucky we are.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Fran Lewis<br />author of the Bertha Series of books</span><br /><a href="mailto:www.gabina49@wordpress.com">www.gabina49@wordpress.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha">www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-38071094814243560582009-10-03T22:55:00.000-07:002009-10-11T15:08:10.090-07:00Reviews of Easter! Creation to Salvation in 100 words a day<span style="font-style:italic;">All reviews posted with permission.</span><br /><br />This book is a must for Sunday school teachers, children, teenagers, and all of those seeking answers to so many of life’s myriad questions. Highlighted by wonderful color illustrations, Sheila Deeth has captured verses from the Bible and given them new life. Every page teaches us a lesson, asks us to question and correct our ways, and finally leads us to follow the good road. An excellent gift and a book you’ll want as a part of your permanent library.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Ann B. Keller<br />Author of BRIGGEN, The Devil's Crescent and Crenellations<br />Available through Amazon.com and Lulu.com</span><br /><br />This clever little book takes the reader on a quick trip thru Old and New Testaments from the creation in Genesis to Easter Sunday as revealed by St. John. The language is concise yet colorful, cleverly executed in exactly 100 words (a drabble) per entry, each of 47 days. The stories reveal lessons applicable to modern living. Some are so modern, if you aren't familiar with certain Bible stories, you might not realize the reference. But Bible references are given for each drabble, so they can be looked up for those who want to know the Old or New Testament source. The illustrations for each day,every page are little gems of art in themselves, cleverly drawn by the author using a computer mouse. Knowing her method contributed to my enjoyment of the little book. Good for adults and teens, and for parents to read to children under 10, with some explanation probably needed. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Siobhan Harkin</span>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2909058248305695496.post-63312309906092408942009-10-03T22:44:00.000-07:002009-10-11T15:06:57.682-07:00Reviews of Christmas! Genesis to Revelation in 100 words a day<span style="font-style:italic;">All reviews posted with permission.<br /></span><br />Sheila Deeth leads us into Christmas with Genesis and so many Old Testament stories, lovingly illustrated and told in a style that all can understand. The reader is brought into the lush and beautiful garden of Eden, through Babylon, to the tales of Joseph and Moses, on into the promised land, the land of milk and honey, where a wandering people found a home and David became king. How incredible it must have been for young Mary to be visited by a light that was neither angel nor man, for Joseph to bring his very pregnant wife to Bethlehem and there, bring forth the Christ child, the new light of the world. This is the perfect accompaniment for Sunday school lessons and for youth seeking answers in the Bible’s teachings.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Ann B. Keller<br />Author of BRIGGEN, The Devil's Crescent and Crenellations<br />Available through Amazon.com and Lulu.com</span><br /><br />It starts with how the planets and the earth came to be and the questions of a child as to why the fruit of a tree was forbidden. It continues with the story of Noah and how Joseph was sold and how he was welcomed home.<br /> <br />The importance of the ten commandments, the slaying of Goliath and David crowned as King of Israel and the plight of Daniel help enlighten the reader and help them learn more about the book of Genesis and the eventual birth of the Christ child by Mary in Bethlehem as her husband Joseph brings her there creating a new light in our world.<br /> <br />Reading about the destruction of the Temple and the questions asked by the children of the grandfather and his complaints help make the story more enjoyable for children to love and read. Stories 28-31 tell what finally happens to the child and his fate. The thirty- first story of the last day of December as this book is also a calendar of 31 days of events that helped create our world using the December Calendar days. I love the ending where God says that he is not a symbol and wants to be called by his name.<br /> <br />We calculated dates and times, as the author states, neglected wisdom and love. Once again numbers play an important part in her books as it does in the ending of the last story: 7 for God’s plan, 2 for trust, 3 for God, 4 for earth, 10 for man and 12 for the chosen.<br /> <br />Thank you Sheila for giving us another reason to embrace the words of God and understand Genesis to the Revelation in 100 words a day.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Fran Lewis<br />author of the Bertha Series of books</span><br /><a href="mailto:gabina49@wordpress.com">www.gabina49@wordpress.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha">www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha</a>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com