Helen Lowe's Blog, page 202

Comment Of The Week: From Teresa Frohock

“Lowekeeps a firm grip on her world and her magic systems to deliver a well written, well told story, and I can think of no greater compliment to give to another writer.”

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This comment appeared in Teresa’s review of The Heir Of Night, which I also featured here.

A Writing Quote For Saturday, From John Steinbeck

“Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished you are always surprised.”

~ John Steinbeck, 1902 – 1968

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“Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish…” Hmm, that does feel apposite right now…

A Geography Of Haarth: Land Marks

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.

After a brief sojourn in “K”, today we venture “L” for the first time.

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Land Marks: the Emerian administrative territories lying between the six inner wards and four outer marches, ruled by the Marklords. The marks are named for heraldic beasts: Allerion, Bonacon (called Bonamark), Chough, Griffon, Lyon, and W...

“Here’s SpecFicNZ–Wellington”: Featuring Eileen Mueller

Recently I began a new “mini-series” of posts 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, Eileen Muelle...

ParaNorman

Introduction:

ParaNorman is best described as a comedy-horror, though at certain points it’s difficult to decide which of the two genres it favours most. Some scenes are genuinely scary, only to be capped off with a gag, whilst many of its jokes are surprisingly adult for what is ostensibly meant to be a kid’s movie (on being asked what he’s watching on television by his mother, Norman casually responds: “sex and violence”). That’s just brushing the surface.

Paying tribute to the B-grade horror...

Tuesday Poem: “The Great Lover” by Rupert Brooke, 1887-1915

The Great Lover

by Rupert Brooke

I have been so great a lover: filled my days

So proudly with the splendour of Love’s praise,

The pain, the calm, and the astonishment,

Desire illimitable, and still content,

And all dear names men use, to cheat despair,

For the perplexed and viewless streams that bear

Our hearts at random down the dark of life.

Now, ere the unthinking silence on that strife

Steals down, I would cheat drowsy Death so far,

My night shall be remembered for a star

That outshone all the suns o...

Favourite Questions From Recent Interviews: Ruth Todd Ask Where Malian Came From

UK/AU/NZ Cover

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.

One of the first interviews was with Bookenz presenter, Ruth Todd, on Beatties Bookblog–and she asked a great question about Malian. Here it is:

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Ruth: I love this epic adventure...

Comment Of The Week: (Again) From Kate Forsyth

“I loved it [Thornspell] so much – it’s jumped into my top 10 best fairy tale retellings ever ”

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As with last week’s comment, Kate tweeted this having completed reading Thornspell. Awesome to get such feedback for da ‘Spell.

A Writing Quote For Saturday, From Anaïs Nin

“You must not fear, hold back, count or be a miser with your thoughts and feelings. It is also true that creation comes from an overflow, so you have to learn to intake, to imbibe, to nourish yourself and not be afraid of fullness. The fullness is like a tidal wave which then carries you, sweeps you into experience and into writing. Permit yourself to flow and overflow, allow for the rise in temperature, all the expansions and intensifications. Something is always born of excess: great art wa...

A Geography Of Haarth: Keep of Winds

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 — and we’re now in “K.”

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Keep of Winds: fortress stronghold of the Derai House of Night

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” ‘For it is the House of Night that holds the Keep of Winds,’ “ Malian chanted in reply, ” ‘foremost of all the strongholds on the Shield-wall of Night.’ It was you who first taught me that, Nhairin.”

~ from © The Heir Of N...