Helen Lowe's Blog, page 180

The Edit: What It Looks Like

Last Thursday I posted about diving into the edit of Daughter of Blood, (The Wall Of Night, Book Three.)

I also shared that the vital precursor was “reading through The Heir Of Night and The Gathering Of The Lost — as discussed in Reading M’Own Books: How That Went — and finally the DAUGHTER manuscript.”

Anyway, I thought you might like to know what the process looks like.

Firstly, it takes a lot of space, so yay for the big table:

And then I want to make sure I don’t lose any of those “lots of n...

A Geography Of Haarth: Temple Of Night

The Wall of Night Series map; design by Peter Fitzpatrick

The A Geography of Haarth post series is exploring the full range of locales and places from The Wall of Night world of Haarth. Each entry is accompanied by a quote from either The Heir Of Night or The Gathering Of The Lost, or both.

This week the series remains focused on places beginning with the letter “T”. It’s also our third week of temples.

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Temple Of Night: the main temple precinct of the Keep of Winds, comprising temples to all...

Onward, Onward, Game Is A-Foot…

…as the great Sherlock Holmes would say (or words to like effect.)

On Monday June 30 I mentioned that I had just finished “reading through The Heir Of Night and The Gathering Of The Lost — as discussed in Reading M’Own Books: How That Went — and finally the DAUGHTER manuscript” and had “made lots of notes.”

So now it’s onward into the edit. As I mentioned in a recent interview with fellow author, Kate Forsyth, I think there is something magical about this stage of the story development process,...

It’s “Phew”, Too, Re “Daughter Of Blood”…

You’ll recall that last week I posted that I’d had some great news for the Daughter Of Blood (The Wall Of Night Book Three) manuscript, in terms of very positive, overarching feedback via the series’ lead editor, Kate Nintzel, at HarperVoyager (US.)

And as I said in the comments: “There may also have been a huge exhalation of relief as well!”

Not only because the journey of the book has been a long one, but because sometimes manuscript submission ends not being the culmination of the writing pr...

The Tuesday Poem: Refeaturing Catherine Fitchett’s “Blue”

Blue

In the first week

the sea is the dark blue of the mountains

between the blooming heather and the first snowfall.

In the second week

the sea is the greyish blue of her Sunday best sateen

which she wore when they first met.

In the fifth week

there are storms. White waves crash on the deck.

Through her porthole she sees a sea as green-blue as his eyes

that caught her gaze when he asked for her hand in marriage.

In the eighth week

her child sickens.

they are becalmed in the turquoise blue of the bracelet...

Writing Process &/or The Writing Life

On June 11, when I posted on ‘”Which Should Speak, Book or Author”, I decided that when it came to the story, I am increasingly convinced that the book should be left to speak for itself as much as possible.

But added that: ” When it comes to the author speaking, I feel there’s a little more scope for output on writing process and the writing life.”

So I am going to try and post a little bit more around both those topics — always assuming, of course, that I can think of something/anything(!) in...

A Geography Of Haarth: Temple Of Mhaelanar

The Wall of Night Series map; design by Peter Fitzpatrick

The A Geography of Haarth post series is traversing the full range of locales and places from The Wall of Night world of Haarth. Each locale is accompanied by a quote from either The Heir Of Night, The Gathering Of The Lost, or both.

This week continues the focus on “T.”

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Temple Of Mhaelanar: a temple within the Temple of Night particularly dedicated to Mhaelanar, the Defender.

.

“Korriya’s smile was bitter. “…It entered the Temple quarter...

Here It Is: The Sir Julius Vogel Award For Services To NZ Speculative Fiction :)

On 30 April I learned that I had won the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Services to Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror — a very great honour.

And yesterday the award itself arrived in my post office box: yahoo!

As we know a picture speaks a thousand words, so here’s the photo.

And thank you again to everyone who nominated and voted for me: I really am greatly honoured.

Big Worlds On Small Screens Features Miyazaki — & Rebecca Fisher Discusses “Spirited Away”

~ by Rebecca Fisher

Introduction:

I feel like this entire column has been slowly building up to the introduction of this particular movie. Spirited Away is considered Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece: the highest grossing film in Japanese history, the first Studio Ghibli film to became a global hit, and the winner of the 2002 Academy Award for Best Animated Film.

It also happens to be the first Miyazaki film I ever saw, and I really wish I could go back in time in order to experience it all over aga...

The Tuesday Poem: “Listening to Glenn Gould on Orton Scar” by Kathleen Jones

Listening to Glenn Gould on Orton Scar

From Ravenstonedale

driving north on unfenced roads,

moonlight reflects the tarmac’s

frozen wake across the moor —

a snail’s trail in my rear-view mirror.

Bach unwinds from the c.d.

a landscape of variations

into this zero night.

The grass is white; trees black.

The walls run off like staves.

The moon fingers each stone

separately, in unexpected harmonies

and structures, endlessly practising —

compelling me to stop. Listen

to the quiet significance of the moment.

Across...