Helen Lowe's Blog, page 214
July 27, 2013
Comment Of the Week: from John Davidson
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John’s comment came via webmail and as I said in my reply: “The Curse of Chalion—this is high praise indeed.”
He is also quite right, I do really care about my characters and getting the story ‘right’—both for its own sake but also for that of my readers.
July 26, 2013
Another Book Quote for Saturday from Ursula Le Guin
“…the story boat is a magic one. It knows its course. The job of the person at the the helm is to help it to find it’s own way to wherever it’s going.”
~ Ursula Le Guin, Steering The Craft
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As I said last week, Ursula Le Guin’s, Steering The Craft, a book on writing subtitled “Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew” is Absolutely My Favourite Work on the art, and craft, bloodstained toil, and sheer joy of writing.
And as this quote so perfectly ex...
July 25, 2013
A Geography Of Haarth: Gate 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. Currently, we’re in “G.”
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Gate Of Winds: the main entrance into the Keep of Winds and a fortress in its own right.
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“But he was far away and Aikanor’s madness raged unchecked. He flung Tasian and the other House of Stars dead outside the Gate of Winds for the carrion eaters…”
~ © The Heir Of Night: The Wall of Ni...
July 24, 2013
Three Fast Questions On ISmellSheep Genre Site
When the David Gemmell Legend Award longlist came out and The Gathering Of The Lost was on it, the wonderful Sharon Stogner of the ismellsheep genre site asked me over to answer three fast questions about the award and being on the list.
To find out what I have to say (which as always is immensely worthwhile 
) please click on:
Sharon Stogner Interviews Helen Lowe
If you have questions or comements just leave ‘em there, because I’ll be checking in to answer as required.
By the way, don’t you just...
July 23, 2013
Influence On Story: Epic Poems & An Excerpt From “The Gathering Of The Lost”
UK/AU/NZ Cover
Those of you who follow my Tuesday Poem posts, will know that I’ve been featuring legendary and/or epic poems each Tuesday while the voting period is open for the David Gemmell Legend Award shortlist (voting closes on 31 July.)
Yesterday’s poem was an extract from Sir Gawain & The Green Knight, and its influences on contemporary Fantasy include the importance of the Arthurian cycle, which was also known as ‘The Matter Of Britain’ in the Middle Ages, as well as the hero’s quest, t...
July 22, 2013
Tuesday Poem: Sir Gawain & The Green Knight
This king lay at Camelot nigh on Christmas
with many lovely lords, of leaders the best,
reckoning of the Round Table all the rich brethren,
with right ripe revel and reckless mirth.
There tourneyed tykes by times full many,
jousted full jollily these gentle knights,
then carried to court, their carols to make.
For there the feast was alike full fifteen days,
with all the meat and mirth men could devise:
such clamour and glee glorious to hear,
dear din in the dayli...
July 21, 2013
A New Review For “Thornspell”
It’s been a while since I had a new review for Thornspell, but it’s great that it’s still getting them nearly five years out from original publication.
This review appeared on the Empathic Teacher blog and Thornspell was reviewed together with The False Princess by Ellis O’Neill and The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater—all thoughtful reviews and well worth a look.
Here’s a snippet if you’re pressed for time:
“…freshly imagined and not simply rehashed.”
The full review is here:
It’s Monday! Young Ad...
July 20, 2013
It’s Update Month On The Supernatural Underground!
We’ve made July our “update” month on the Supernatural Underground with plenty of busy-ness and fun stuff going on for all our author crew
The newest author up today is Nicole Murphy with:
Spaceships and Magic — What’s New With Nicole Murphy
plus there’s a giveaway so well worth popping over to check out all Nicole’s news.
And for the full Supernatural Underground update to date, take a peek at any or all of the following:
Syked: What’s New With Kim Falconer
Revisiting Old Friends: What’s New With...
July 19, 2013
A Book Quote for Saturday: from Ursula Le Guin
“Somebody asked Willie Nelson where he got his songs, and he said, ‘The air’s full of melodies, you just reach out…’ The world’s full of stories, you just reach out.”
~ Ursula Le Guin, Steering The Craft
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Ursula Le Guin’s, Steering The Craft, a book on writing subtitled “Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew” is Absolutely My Favourite Work on the art, and craft, and bloodstained toil, and sheer joy of writing.
I aim to bring you a few quotes fro...
July 18, 2013
A Geography Of Haarth: Gate Of Dreams
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. Today, we’re already on to “G” — although this time the place is part of Haarth’s magical realm, rather than a physical “geography.”
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Gate of Dreams: a place between worlds and time that can be reached through dreams or via mind- or spirit-walking.
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“He stood on a path surrounded by banks of fog that stretched b...
