Helen Lowe's Blog, page 18

Choose Your Poison! New on Supernatural Underground from Kim Falconer

KimFalconer

Author Kim Falconer, who also writes AK Wilder, has just kicked off a new blog series on Supernatural Underground.

The theme, for all you avid readers and Fantasy aficionados, is Weapons in Fantasy and Kim is starting with poison:

Choose Your Poison!

She’s also soliciting reader picks for the best use (weaponization) of poison in a fantasy tale—and there’s already an early contender for Maria V Snyder’s Poison Study, as well as Kim’s own Crown of Bones.

 

So rock on over, check out...

About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players In “The Wall Of Night” Series — Meet Nimor

Last month I resumed the the About The Characters series after a short hiatus. The series focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, in large part because:

“I think it’s the presence of the smaller characters that “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”

~ from my Legend Award Finalist’s Interview, 2013

Initially, the series focused exclusively on characters from The Heir of Night, but now I’m continuing on with minor characters from both The Gathering...

An Author’s Tale #3 & #4 — Conversations From The Writing Life

On January 29, I posted Parts #1 and #2 of an in-depth interview with podcaster, and audiobook creator Stephanie Frewen.

The interviews appear in Season 2 of Stephanie’s popular podcast series, The Author’s Tale, which comprises “casual conversations …between Stephanie… and prominent and influential New Zealand authors”, centered on inspiration, influences, and other aspects of their writing lives.

I also promised to bring you Part 3 once it posted, but that, as it turns out was my error: it’s p...

Look What’s Here — “The House At The End Of The Sea”!

Yes! It’s my very own copy of The House At The End Of The Sea by my very good friend and fellow author, Mary Victoria — writing as Victoria M Adams.

With—I think you will agree—a fabulous cover by Sharon King-Chai.

Having been privileged to receive an advance copy (A.R.C.) I can assure you that the story is equally fabulous — in fact here are my very words on the subject, printed within:

“The House at the End of the Sea has it all: characters to cheer for, worldbuilding that weaves together the...

Recently on Supernatural Underground: Some Great Posts

On Thursday, I drew your attention to Instalment 1 in my proposed “Villains in Fantasy” series on Supernatural Underground:

The Year of the Villain #1: The Lord of the Rings Pantheon

The one ring — definitely part of the LoTR pantheon

The rest will post on the first of every month in the usual way.

However, there were three other great SU posts recently that I enjoyed:

Romance in Fantasy Fiction

The great Kim Falconer talks romance in the genre, with a particular focus on writing for YA readers...

New On Supernatural Underground Now: The Year of the Villain #1

Hello February 1 — and the first instalment of the Year of the Villain in Fantasy fiction on Supernatural Underground.

Sauron

I’m starting off with a deep dive into the seminal pantheon of villains, and evil, in The Lord of the Rings.

The Year of the Villain #1: The Lord of the Rings Pantheon

Including a close look at the way each villain not only works in the story but also makes the story work.

Gollum

Interested? Then do pop on over and take a look.

An Author’s Tale #1 & #2 — Conversations From The Writing Life

During 2023, interviewer, podcaster, and audiobook creator Stephanie Frewen interviewed me for Season 2 of her popular podcast series, The Author’s Tale.

The Author’s Tale comprises “casual conversations …between Stephanie… and prominent and influential New Zealand authors”, centered on inspiration, influences, and other aspects of their writing life.

The conversation was indepth, so will appear as three interviews—and the first two parts are currently live:

The focus of Part 1 is on influences,...

A Writing Quote from the Great Ursula Le Guin

“A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight.”

Ursula K Le Guin, 1929 – 2018

~*~

Yes, to all of that, at least from my small corner of the writing ‘verse.

 

Book Booty for 2024

On January 8 I reflected on last year’s “book booty” (otherwise known as “What The Holidays Brought Me”) and I already have a small haul for 2024. As with last year, I’m going to see if I can fit them under my old-new-borrowed-blue headings. Here goes!

Something Old(er):

Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier (2004)

Having heard this book mentioned favourably several times, I have finally “bitten the bullet” and gotten it onto m’2024 booty table. My only debate is whether to read the book or wa...

Q&A Thursdays #16: Forrest’s Question

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted one of these—since way back on September 28, I believe.

On the other hand, I always intended it to post intermittently, although we are, in fact, nearing the end. Just a few left to go now, in this reprise of the Daughter of Blood (and by extension The Wall Of Night) Q&A series that featured in 2019.

Today’s question came from Forrest and is about research that informed the book.

USA

Forrest: You’ve said that you did a lot of research into battles and si...