Helen Lowe's Blog, page 201

Frankenweenie

Introduction:

The long history behind Frankenweenie is of particular interest to anyone settling down to watch the film, as it reveals plenty of things about the career trajectory of Tim Burton and his distinctive love of the macabre.

The story originated as a live-action short film directed by Burton back in 1984. As both a parody and a homage of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, it told the story of a young film-maker whose dog is tragically run over by a car, who goes on to resurrect his beloved...

Tuesday Poem: “One Girl” by Sappho, ca. 620 BC – 550 BC

One Girl

~ by Sappho

…………………………………..I

Like the sweet apple which reddens upon the topmost bough,
Atop on the topmost twig — which the pluckers forgot, somehow, —
Forget it not, nay; but got it not, for none could get it till now.

.

…………………………………..II
.
Like the wild hyacinth flower which on the hills is found,
Which the passing feet of the shepherds for ever tear and wound,
Until the purple blossom is trodden in the ground.

Translated by Gabriel Dante Rossetti

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Click here to find out more about Sappho

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To r...

Favourite Questions From Recent Interviews: Tim Jones Asks About the Epic Continuum

USA

Recently, The Gathering Of The Lost was shortlisted for the David Gemmell Legend Award, and as a finalist I was interviewed on a number of fora around the traps.

I was asked a number of great questions so thought I’d share a few of them—plus my answers, of course!—here on the blog over a number of weeks.

Tim Jones, in his interview with me on SF Signal, asked a very interesting question on the epic continuum—and generated an indepth answer!

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“Tim: High or epic fantasy can range from the deepl...

Comment Of The Week: From Courtney Schafer

“…Heir of Night is a great tale in its own right – and I liked the second novel, The Gathering of the Lost, even better. Deeper, more complex, and includes some impressive narrative risk-taking … along with a pretty cool payoff.”

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This comment appeared on Teresa Frohock’s review of The Heir Of Night, here.

A Writing Quote for Saturday, from Toni Morrison

“The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar, is the test of their power.”

~ Toni Morrison

A Geography Of Haarth: Landward

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.

Landward is the second entry under “L.”

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Landward: an island in the city of Ij, immediately to the north of the river port and joined to Minstrels’ Island by a pontoon bridge, the Bridge of Boats

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“The walls on either side were high, the lane deserted, but the thoroughfare at its far end was crowded. A fresh burs...

“Here’s SpecFicNZ–Wellington”: Featuring Richard Parry

I am currently running a blog “mini-series” titled “Here’s SpecFicNZ Wellington”in which my fellow members are introducing themselves using a series of common headings:

Here’s Who: a short, first person introduction to the member

Here’s Why: the member writes or works in speculative fiction

Here’s What: an example of the member’s work

Here’s Where: you can find out more about the writer and their work—and I really hope you will!

And now I am delighted to welcome this week’s guest, Richard Parry.

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H...

Something I Didn’t Know Until Now…

… but which makes sense, when you think about the two together:

Apparently Neil Gaiman’s Stardust was inspired by the early 17th century poet, John Donne’s, Song:

“Goe and catche a falling starre,

…Get with child a mandrake roote,

Tell me, where all past yeares are,

…Or who cleft the Divels foot,

Teach me to heare Mermaides singing,

…Or to keep off envies stinging,

………………….And finde

………………….What winde

Serves to advance an honest minde.

…”

Now I’m trying to think of any other books or films that owe their...

Tuesday Poem: “Remember” by Christina Rossetti, 1830 – 1894

Remember

by Christina Rossetti

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann’d:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by f...

Favourite Questions From Recent Interviews: Sharon Stogner Asks About Being Nominated For Awards

USA

Recently, The Gathering Of The Lost was shortlisted for the David Gemmell Legend Award, and as a finalist I was interviewed on a number of fora around the traps.

I was asked a number of great questions so thought I’d share a few of them—plus my answers, of course!—here on the blog over the next few weeks.

Sharon Stogner, of the ismellsheep genre site, asked a great question about what awards mean. Here it is:

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“Sharon: The Heir of Night … won the Gemmell Morningstar, and now The Gathering of...