Helen Lowe's Blog, page 164
January 3, 2015
An Epic Christmas: On The Eleventh Day…
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
Eleven Normarch damosels
‘Carick stared, but it was several seconds before he made out the first flicker of movement. A few moments later the flicker became riders, weaving between tree trunks and creeping down the last plunge of hillside to emerge on open ground. They were keeping close together, moving steadily rather than at the decoy riders’ wild gallop. Carick counted ten horses…but one mount carried a double burden—the figure in fr...
January 2, 2015
An Epic Christmas: On The Tenth Day…
UK/AUS/NZ
On the tenth day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
Ten Ijiri Assassins
‘They lay there for a long time, listening to the passing and repassing of footsteps overhead and studying the reflections cast across the water. Two black-clad figures hung head down from either side of the bridge to peer into the darkness underneath, but did not detect the heralds flattened against the struts. “Three more on the bridge overhead.” Tarathan’s mindvoice was dark. “That makes ten altogether. So fa...
January 1, 2015
An Epic Christmas: On The Ninth Day…
On the ninth day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
Nine Derai Houses
‘Malian knew the story, of course. Every Derai child was taught it young. It had happened at the end of the civil war, nearly five hundred years before, at the feast intended to confirm a lasting truce. The cup of peace had gone round, but rather than drinking some of those present had snatched up weapons instead, cutting down their guests. The shadow of that night of death still lay over the Derai Alliance, haunting the n...
Now, On Supernatural Underground—”Bird Of Passage” & Swinging Into 2015 With Story
Right now, I’m seeing in the new year on the Supernatural Underground—with Part 1 of a short story, Bird Of Passage. (Part 2 will post on 1 February.)
“She was sitting on the lowest step of the fire escape when I got home, accompanied by one of the neighborhood cats that regard the overgrown shrubbery as a kind of no-man’s-land, belonging to all their kind and to none…”
To read more, click on:
Supernatural Underground: Bird Of Passage, Part 1
But wait, there is more.
Anyone who comments on either...
December 31, 2014
An Epic Christmas: On The Eighth Day…
French cover
On the eighth day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
Eight Night Honor Guards
‘There were eight riders drawn up on the far side of the bridge, and although their black garb was mired from the road, their armor and weaponry looked well kept and the winged horse device glittered on each mailed breast. They had maintained order, despite the delay, and held their formation as the Patrol approached.
“These,” said Sarathion, “look like elite troops.”
“Honor Guard,” said Haimyr…’
~ from ©...
Happy New Year!
Pohutakawa (metrosideros excelsor); the NZ “Christmas tree”
Happy New Year, dear “…on Anything, Really” readers.
I think after all that has happened in the world this year, we’re all ready for a good one. I’m a great believer in the notion that if we take care of the pence (or cents) that we do have some influence over, the pounds (or dollars) will have a better chance of taking care of themselves.
So let’s all see what we can do as individuals to “pay it forward” and do our best to look after t...
December 30, 2014
An Epic Christmas: On The Seventh Day
On the seventh day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
a Jhainarian Seven
‘Emuun spat out a curse. “A Jhainarian Seven! Amaliannarath take them!”
“Ah, so this seven means something to you?”
Emuun shrugged. “Jhainarians are elite warriors, very hard to kill at the best of times. But from what I understand, when they are bound together as a Seven, in company with a demonhunter to focus their power, they become almost unstoppable.” ‘
~ from © The Gathering Of The Lost, The Wall of Night Book Two: C...
December 29, 2014
An Epic Christmas: On The Sixth Day…
UK/AU/NZ Cover
On the sixth day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
Six Emerian Oakwarders
‘Girvase nodded. “That’s why we get sent there—to learn to know the power that protects Emer from hidden evils.” He shrugged. “The Oakward is always based where Emer’s need is greatest.” …
Carick’s hand tingled with the memory of power blazing through it like fire as the gates slammed closed, and Malisande’s words echoed again in his head: Surely you didn’t think the Oakward was really a myth? … Erron, Ma...
December 28, 2014
An Epic Christmas: On The Fifth Day…
On the fifth day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
Five Messenger Horses
‘There were five horses, all black as night and as beautiful, with spirited heads, deep chests denoting endurance and legs built for speed. All five horses were equipped for a long journey, with a travel roll and journey bags strapped behind each saddle, and they snorted and stamped their hooves as they waited. “But—these are messenger horses!” Kalan exclaimed.
“I know,” said Malian. Her eyes were blazing with excitemen...
December 27, 2014
An Epic Christmas: On The Fourth Day…
On the fourth day of Christmas my true Muse sent to me…
Four Emerian Marches
‘ “Emer isn’t like the River,” the rider said. His eyes narrowed, as though concentrating on something seen at a distance. “It hasn’t had the cities and the Guild to build a peace, or the Patrol to keep it. It wasn’t even a united country for a long time, just a host of little kingdoms vying against each other, and what peace there is has inched its way out from Caer Argent. The four marches were the very last to be br...
