Helen Lowe's Blog, page 21
November 1, 2023
New On Supernatural Underground Now: Bands-of-Brothers in “The Gathering of the Lost”
Yep, yesterday was November 1 here in Nu Zild — & you know what that means!
Yes indeedy, time for another Supernatural Underground post. Not only that, it also means we’re looking at my 2023 post theme of the “band of brothers” in The Gathering of the Lost. Yahoo!
USA
Because I don’t know what you think, but I kinda reckon that The Gathering of the Lost (that’s The Wall Of Night #2 — though am pretty sure you’re onto that! But just in case… 
) is band-of-brothers central. With more than a leaven...
October 29, 2023
A Writing Quote from Michael Crichton, 1942 – 2008
~*~
I believe this is one of the truest observations of the writing process that I’ve read. Speaking, you understand, as the person who had to rewrite the beginning of Part VI No-Man’s-Land in Daughter of Blood around five to six times, to get the story to flow. 
I have experienced chapters or sequ...
October 25, 2023
About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players In “The Wall Of Night” Series — Meet Nerys
The About The Characters post 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 Of The Lost and Daughter of Blood — in alphabetical...
October 22, 2023
It’s Labour Day…
…and I’m labouring away on the Great Wall #4 Revision, as a good author should.
The revision rolls on!
Thus illustrating the good and bad of the Life Authorial in one hit, since one can write when and where one will, putting up the shutters on the rest of the world.
Gone Writing
Long weekends , of course, are also about taking the opportunity to spend time with friends and family, so generally I try to observe them for that reason. Having recently had my Northland holiday, however, and feeling ...
October 18, 2023
A Northland Adventure
So-o, after the Auckland writing intensive, mentioned Monday, I had a few days holiday in Northland, aka Tai Tokerau, the peninsula (effectively) that forms the northernmost region of Aotearoa-New Zealand.
Waipu Cove, Northland
I love Tai Tokerau and it was great to revisit, but also see some spots for the first time.
Taranga, aka Hen Island, from Waipu Cove
The first stop was Waipu Cove, just south of the main city of Whangarei. It’s a beautiful beach, with wonderful views of the Hauraki Gulf. ...
October 15, 2023
A Writing “Time-In”
I know I’ve kept this very quiet, but for the past few months I’ve been having time out from my normal writing milieu and concentrated “time-in” at a residence in Auckland (different city — the big smoke, in fact! — and island: North as opposed to South), where I’ve had the sole use of an apartment and where all I’ve had to do is get up every day and focus on the book, the book, the book.
City skylines featured, including views to the sky-tower.
Yep, nirvana, really. 
Plus some fab sunsets, look...
October 11, 2023
Gorgeous Words: Tan Twan Eng & “The Garden of Evening Mists”
On Monday, when reporting back to you on my read of Tan Twan Eng’s The Garden of Evening Mists (2012), I mentioned that the writing was beautiful and subtle.
In other words, the book is full of gorgeous words. Here’s small sample, to add to Monday’s post:
“In the shallows, a grey heron cocked its head at me, one leg poised in the air, like the hand of a pianist who has forgotten the notes to his music. It dropped the leg a second later and speared its beak into the water. … I knew it could not...
October 8, 2023
What I’m Reading: The Garden Of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
Just a few short weeks ago, on September 18, The Garden of Evening Mists by Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng was newly arrived on my TBR (To Be Read) table. And now I’ve read it, in quicksmart time — and enjoyed it, very much.
As mentioned on September 18, The Garden of Evening Mists was published to critical acclaim in 2012. It was shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize, and subsequently won the Man Asia Literary Prize and Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, both in 2013.
The Garden of ...
October 4, 2023
Just Arrived: “The Axeman’s Carnival” by Catherine Chidgey
Sometimes, we hear about a book long before we get to read it, either because everyone seems to be talking about it, or because the author, or the book, have won a major prize.
In the case of The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey all of the above apply. A great many people have discussed the book in very positive terms, both in the media and bookish circles.
The author, Catherine Chidgey, is a previous Ockham NZ Book Award (the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction) winner (for The Wish C...
October 1, 2023
New On Supernatural Underground Now: Bands-of-Brothers in “The Heir of Night”
So-o, throughout my posting year-to-date on Supernatural Underground, I’ve been featuring the “band of brothers” in Fantasy fiction.
So far, I’ve talked bands of brothers — and sisters — and how they lie at the heart of the Fantasy genre, as well as scooby gangs, the much-loved bromance, and sister acts. Recently, I also honed in on when brotherhoods and bromances go bad, as well as sharing a few more books that feature the trope.
Bromance!
Now I’ve decided it’s time to check out how these vario...
