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Steerpike`s sister



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Member Since: 03 February 2006
Last visited: 02 March 2013
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Name Leila Rasheed
User Name Steerpike`s sister
Home Page www.usborne.co.uk/bathsheba
Specialism Fiction
Groups Teachers Group   Creative Writing Teachers Group  
Location Other EU
Interests YA, 9-12, picture books: children`s books, books read by children, chooks and bildren...
Profile I have three children`s books published by Usborne, and a fourth was a special commission by the Stratford Upon Avon Literary Festival. My agent is Julia Churchill at The Greenhouse Agency. I teach writing at Warwick University (and elsewhere on occasion). At the moment I spend a lot of time in Italy, where my parents in law run a very affordable self-catering retreat for anyone engaged on artistic or academic work: http://wassardelea.blogspot.com/

Published Works

  Steerpike`s sister's (a.k.a. Leila Rasheed, Michael Rose-Steel, Ziqian Chan, Victoria Heath)   Heaventree New Poets Volume 3 is published . (Available Now)
  • Contemporary poetry, third in the Heaventree Press New Poets series of pamphlets.

  •   Steerpike`s sister's (a.k.a. Leila Rasheed)   Chips, Beans and Limousines: The Fantastic Diary of Bathsheba Clarice de Trop! is published . (Available Now)
  • A funny, diary-style novel, aimed at 9 - 11 year old girls. Chips is due out in Feb 2008 from Usborne Fiction, and can be pre-ordered at Amazon - click through for a good synopsis.

  • Personal Blog Posts

     From the Bookseller This article in the Bookseller (the industry magazine for booksellers (duh :)) ) is depressing reading, but there's a good deal of truth in it: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/childrens-publishing-haemorrhaging-talent.html...
    ( from http://thewritingden.webs.com/apps/blog/...)
     Hallelujah... I spent the last half of last year writing the first draft of a novel which I'd hoped would be taken by a certain publisher. Blimey, it was like pulling teeth. The publisher turned out not to want it after all, and though my agent was still interested...
    ( from http://thewritingden.webs.com/apps/blog/...)
     The latest installment in the Epic Saga of the Bit of Land Yesterday was a bit of a lost cause as far as work goes, not so much for me as for my husband, who had to spend the whole day dealing with it. We were woken by my father-in-law ringing the doorbell, and the noise of a jack-hammer under our balcony. Turns ...
    ( from http://italybymistake.wordpress.com/2011...)


    Latest Work

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    Thunderbolts of Zeus Part 5 by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 1624
    9  Comments

    This is the point at which I think the archaeology/ history might become a bit hard to follow. I have thought of a way to simplify it if necessary, but would really help to know if you found the history confusing. 
    6 Feb 2011

    Wild Dog Winter by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2476
    3  Comments

    Synopsis: 16 year old Joo Russell's life is turned upside down when her father leaves to live with another woman. She obssessively tries to get him back, and drives her friends away in the process. It is only when her Italian mother decides to go on a winter holiday to find her roots, that Joo manages to finally find closure. 
    21 Apr 2010

    Moon Rabbit version 2 by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 210
    7  Comments

    Have tried to develop the ending so it is less abrupt. 
    22 Aug 2008

    Re-worked opening for Light-Well/ The Secret of Flight by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 1427
    6  Comments

    I have worked on the opening of Light-well, now called The Secret of Flight, some more. I'm just trying to introduce the main themes and plot strands as quickly as possible, as well as getting the characters of Zak and his mother established in this first bit. 
    5 Mar 2008

    ASH by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 938
    22  Comments

    The start of a new novel. Intended to be adventure-thriller with the theme of 'faith'... 
    20 May 2007

    Absolute Zero part 4 by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 3854
    7  Comments

    I would particularly like to know what you think of Snotwhelp's slanguage. I hope to make it more like Danish in the re-write, at the moment it draws mostly on French. But maybe it is just too confusing? Does it work? 
    21 Feb 2007

    The Follower C6 Edited by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 3007
    7  Comments

    sorry to post same old story again. 
    11 Feb 2007

    Absolute Zero - cont. by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2716
    11  Comments

    Next bit! Prologue has been more or less scrapped. 
    6 Feb 2007

    Toko`s Dragon by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 3639
    28  Comments

    I can't seem to get it to end!! I've been trying for ages and the story just seems to go on and on... I was hoping for a nice neat ending at 2K words, but no. What do you think of this? 
    13 Oct 2006

    Chapter 9 The Follower by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2976
    2  Comments

    It's been a long gap between uploads - sorry about that! It is finished, and any day now I am planning to sit down, re-read, edit and do a big subs. push. 
    1 Oct 2006

    Chapter 8 The Follower by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 3074
    6  Comments

    It would be great to have some more of your helpful comments on this. Thanks! 
    15 Jun 2006

    Chapter 1 of the Follower - re-written by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2356
    4  Comments

    I'd like what people think of this new version of Chapter 1, please. I've tried to make the whole more "active". 
    7 Jun 2006

    Chap 7 The Follower by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2386
    4  Comments

    I hope I'm not posting too often here! It is just very useful to get the feedback, it really helps with revision. In this chapter, Mariposa gets some new information, and it changes her attitude (and hopefully makes her less passive!) 
    20 May 2006

    Chapter 6 The Follower by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 3213
    11  Comments

    Any comments welcome as usual! Preceding chapters with comments available in the archives. 
    14 May 2006

    The Experiment by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 1779
    9  Comments

    I've never written a sci-fi piece before, it was certainly interesting! The backwards thing made my brain hurt. Should come with a health warning :) 
    19 Apr 2006

    Chapters 4 & 5 of The Follower (Revised) by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 5099
    5  Comments

    Taking into account your helpful advice,especially on chapters 4 and 5, I've revised these chapters to try and make Mariposa less passive, while still showing that she's blocked by her fear and uncertainty. I've tried to bring out her internal dilemmas more and to make her more questioning of her situation. What do you think - has it helped? 
    17 Apr 2006

    chapter 5 The follower by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2303
    9  Comments

    Thought I'd press ahead with posting, if anyone wants to see earlier chapters they're in the archive. I feel Mariposa may come across as too passive in this chapter (see the end). Plus it probably takes too long to get started (this chapter). What does anyone think of the plot development? 
    5 Apr 2006

    The Follower Chapter 4 by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2254
    8  Comments

    Hoping for some more of your very useful feedback! I'd like to know if you're enjoying it,how the pacing is going, whether you're confused, anything that strikes you really. Having given it space for a bit, I am just looking through the draft in hopes of sending it to the agent soon, does it seem "agent-ready?" Thanks in advance! 
    2 Apr 2006

    The Follower Chap 3 by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2425
    6  Comments

    I thought I'd post chapter 3 as one tends to send 3 chaps. plus synopsis to agents/ editors, so it's useful to know how the first 3 chapters grab people as a whole. As usual, any comments are welcome, anything I've missed or could improve - etc. Previous chapters are in the archive for anyone who wants them. 
    16 Feb 2006

    The Follower - chapter two by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 1865
    6  Comments

    This continues on from Mariposa waking up in the hospital. Any thoughts on how it develops, or not, etc. the story, character, would be appreciated. Anything that strikes you at all, really. first chapter should be in the archive, I think. 
    11 Feb 2006

    Fiction YA -chapter 1 of a novel: The Follower. by Steerpike`s sister Word Count: 2656
    15  Comments

    I hope this works! I'm not sure how to make the italics for her thoughts come through, I'm afraid. 
    3 Feb 2006



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