Helen Lowe's Blog, page 131
November 22, 2015
Black Gate Calls My Books “Future Treasures”
UK/AU/NZ
USA
Black Gate, a speculative fiction site based in the US, dubbed the forthcoming Daughter Of Blood a ‘future treasure’ over the weekend. Which is kinda cool. 
Aside from the title, it starts as follows:
Helen Lowe’s The Wall of Night has been getting some good press. The opening volume won the Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Debut, and the second was nominated for the 2013 David Gemmell Legend Award …
USA
To read the rest, you’ll have to check out the full post, here:
Future Tr...
November 21, 2015
A Final Speculation On Arthurian Fantasy — & When It’s Most Popular
Well, obviously it’s enduringly popular, else I wouldn’t be penning all these posts…
However, on Friday I did reflect on whether the period spanning the 1970s and 1980s (and either side) had been a Golden Age of Arthurian and Arthurian-influenced Fantasy. It certainly enjoyed a hey-day of intense popularity, but as I also pointed out, that has happened at least once before, over a similar 20-odd year period in mid-19th century Britain.
Something that occurred to me, although by way of reflec...
November 20, 2015
Speaking of Arthurian-Influenced Fantasy …
… particularly for Junior/YA Readers, I realised that — of course (duh!) — Thornspell is also Arthurian-influenced Fantasy.
It’s not the main focus of the story, which is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale from the perspective of the prince, but I did manage to weave in elements of the Parsifal legend. And Parsifal, dear readers, is definitely part of the Arthurian cycle.
It’s not really part of “The Matter of Britain”, though, or at least not as strongly as other parts of the cycle...
November 19, 2015
Was There A Golden Age of Arthurian Fantasy?
Recently, I posted on ‘The Matter Of Britain” — the Medieval term for Arthurian cycle — and its influence on Fantasy fiction in two posts, one looking at adult Fantasy, the other at works for Junior and YA readers.
In the first post, I reflected on “the swathe of Arthurian-based works for adult readers that dominated 1970s and 1980s Fantasy literature—with the theme continuing to maintain traction through into the 1990s.”
The Junior/YA fiction had a slightly wider sweep, with The Sword in the...
November 18, 2015
About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players in “The Wall Of Night” Series — Kyr
USA
UK/AU/NZ
With the Prologue to Daughter of Blood unveiled on SF Signal on Monday, publication day feels like it is getting close — and that has inspired me to spend some time with characters from The Wall Of Night series, in the same way I featured worldbuilding in A Geography Of Haarth.
I’ve been focusing on minor players for now, because: “I think it’s the presence of the smaller characters that “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”
Today’s character is Kyr,...
November 17, 2015
Big Worlds On Small Screens: Rebecca Fisher Discusses “The Others”
~ by Rebecca Fisher
Introduction:I’ll admit to having a fascination with failed projects: shows that were promising enough to get on the air, but which lacked that special something to ensure their continued survival. I’ve touched on some of these in the past, such as Roar and Sinbad, and The Others serves as another example of a show that was cancelled after its first season and so consigned to relative obscurity.
(So obscure in fact, that I was only able to find two pictures for this artic...
November 16, 2015
Unveiled! The Prologue to “Daughter Of Blood” Makes Its First Appearance on SF Signal
USA
UK/AU/NZ
I’ve revealed snippets and small excerpts here’n’there — but today the first, complete chapter of Daughter Of Blood, The Wall Of Night Book Three was unveiled on SF Signal:
Do go and take a look: 
And you know what this means, too — the official countdown to publication day on 26 January 2016 has begun! w00t!
—
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PLUS there’s a The Heir Of Night/The Gathering of The Lost giveaway as well!
And this time it’s not...
The Tuesday Poem: I Am Guest Editor On The Hub, Featuring Wade Bishop
Today I am the guest editor on The Tuesday Poem Hub, featuring Abdullah, Servant of God by Christchurch poet, Wade Bishop.
Wade Bishop
Wade has kindly provided a background to the poem, which begins:
” Syria was never on my “must see” list when I was traveling, but just happened to be “on the way” when I planned an overland trip from Turkey to Egypt in 1997. … Syria has always been sold as the “hotbed of terrorism”, the home of “tea towel wearing extremists” … I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
A...
November 15, 2015
“The Matter Of Britain” Part 2: Arthurian-Influenced Fantasy for Junior/YA Readers
Last week I reflected on how well Mary Stewart’s The Hollow Hills had stood the test of time, which led me to check out other Arthurian-influenced Fantasy, for adult readers, on Friday.
I also promised to come back in a day or so and discuss YA and/or Junior fiction that addressed “the Matter of Britain” (i.e. the Arthurian cycle) in some way. Firstly, though, I should stress that this is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but rather a look at once or two examples that I consider signific...
November 14, 2015
The Quest For The Holy Grail Continues…
Out of the oven & cooling
… the Holy Grail of the perfect orange cake recipe, that is.
I commenced my quest for Orange Cake optimus maximus* on 24 October.
Yesterday, I tried my hand with the second recipe off the blocks.
Syrup glaze & zest topping applied
The recipe is known as “James Stapley’s Orange and Almond Cake” — attributed to the (then, anyway) Executive Chef of Wanaka’s Whare Kea Lodge (do check out the link to their site btw, if you love pics of stunning scenery!), via Ruth Pretty...
