Helen Lowe's Blog, page 186

Points Of View

Recently I read two posts that touch, in their very different ways, on the value of creative writing courses.

The first is my friend and fellow poet, Joanna Preston’s, thoughtful and in-depth look at:

Some Reasons why Creative Writing Classes Might Actually Be GoodThings


I enjoyed this post and feel you may, too: so hie thee and take a look.



Fellow SFF (but otherwise unknown to me) author, Robert Jackson Bennett’s post on the writing process is in a lighter, but no less apposite, vein and touch...

The Sir Julius Vogel Award 2014 For Services To Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror

New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Awards were announced at a ceremony in Auckland on the evening of Saturday 26 April and I was delighted to receive the award for Services to Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.

Unfortunately I was not able to attend the ceremony, but if I had been, this is the acceptance speech I would have given:

“I was both moved and honored to learn that I had been nominated for the Sir Julius Vogel Award for services to NZ science fiction, fantasy and horror – and pleased, t...

Tuesday Poem: Refeaturing Lorna Staveley Anker’s “Bedroom on the Pavement”

Bedroom on the Pavement

Lyttelton

.

Since they widened the road,

the house every night

takes a deep breath,

holds it and swells its walls

suitably enlarged

…………..under lamplight

as it edges onto the pavement.

Warns the stray dog not to dawdle

against its bright bedroom wall,

tells after-dark strollers

to cross the road

and settles into its alter ego,

preens a little, shakes out

its cream-painted skirting.

They say, in the town,

a strange lady-writer

once lived alone in its

…………..shadowy sadness.

As the twin chimn...

Just Arrived: Dreams Of Gods and Monsters” by Laini Taylor

UK/AUS/NZ cover

As I said on Thursday with Words Of Radiance, the “Just Arrived’s” are coming in thick and fast — Laini Taylor’s Dreams Of Gods and Monsters is another book I have been looking forward to.

I loved Daughter Of Smoke and Bone when I did not really expect to, thinking it would be too romantic for my taste, and enjoyed Days Of Blood ad Starlight as well — AKA this was not one of those series where I was bitterly disappointed by the sequel : yahoo!

So what does the back cover text hav...

A Writing Quote for Sunday, From Stephen Fry

“I write … as a way of speaking to myself. But most of all for pleasure.”

~ Stephen Fry

—

Regarding the “for pleasure”—for me, this is the secret heart of writing that makes any/every associated trial and tribulation worthwhile.

Inside Middle Earth: Another Shot From The Road Trip

And it’s another shot from The Shire — but we can never have too many, right? Right!

credit: B Miller

Like some of the others I’ve featured under the “Inside Middle Earth” heading, this one, too, made it into the road trip calendar for – you’ve guessed it — April.

A Geography Of Haarth: Road Gate

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.

And this is the final entry for “R”!

—

Road Gate: the gate where the great Main Road enters the River city of Ij

.

“Bunting fluttered from the city walls, dominated by the heraldic colors of the Three: gold for...

Just Arrived: “Words Of Radiance, The Stormlight Archive Book Two” by Brandon Sanderson

Can you tell I’ve just finished a manuscript with the “Just Arrived’s” coming in thick and fast?

This one, Words Of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson is one I have been keenly awaiting because his The Way Of Kings, the first (published in two parts) in the Stormlight Archive series, was one of my top reads of 2011 and quite possibly my favourite new epic fantasy series of recent years.

To check out my report back on the read click on: The Way Of Kings

So I am very pleased to have all 1080 pages of...

Big Worlds On Small Screens: Rebecca Fisher Discusses “Angel”

by Rebecca Fisher

Introduction:

In developing a spin-off series for Joss Whedon’s cult hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the character of Angel seemed the natural choice for a leading role in his own show. Always on the outskirts of Buffy’s inner-circle, and a character whose story-arc in Season Two made him a danger to Buffy’s well-being, Angel eventually makes the decision to move to Los Angeles in order to fight the good fight there.

Much of Angel’s backstory was already covered in Buffy, althoug...

Tuesday Poem: Refeaturing “Ellen’s Vigil” by Lorna Staveley Anker for ANZAC Week

Ellen’s Vigil

……..Benjamin……..Isaac…….Tom

Passchendaele…..Ypres…and Somme

…………….three ovals float

…………….on the cold wall

plastered whiter

………………………………..than their bones,

young, khaki’d,

…………………..their bud-tender eyes

…………………..premonition filled.

Ellen,

her three boys gone,

………………transplanted seventy years

……………………from Lurgan’s linen

no longer counts crops

……………………………………in season

…..but digs, diligently, delicately,

…………………………………….digs down

……………………………………….further down

…..her spade searching

……………………her garden fo...