Helen Lowe's Blog, page 231
February 10, 2013
What’s Coming Up: “The Gathering of the Lost” Mass Market Release in the UK,That’s What!
UK/AU/NZ Cover
The mass market edition of The Gathering Of The Lost will be released in the UK on Thursday 21 February—handsprings and cartwheels!
Look out for my guest post on Gathering’s UK publisher , Orbit’s blog on the big day: the subject matter is still strictly hush, hush but an advance rumour is that weaponry may feature… 
So check in on Orbit–and here—on the 21st for the celebratory posting.
February 9, 2013
A Writing Quote for Sunday, Courtesy of Ray Bradbury
“Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed.”
~ Ray Bradbury, 1920 – 2012
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Although to be honest, much as I admire Ray Bradbury—and I do, as I discussed here when he died—I think about a novel like To Kill A Mockingbird, the one-and-only novel penned by Harper Lee and I have to say: quality, yes; doomed, I don’t think so.
February 8, 2013
What I’m Reading: Still Reading “The Food of Spain” by Claudia Roden
I posted on receiving The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden in November.
And I am still reading the book. In part that’s because I’m busy: with my own books to write, with interviewing and blogging and all the other multifarious aspects of the life literary (as opposed to ‘aquatic.’ ) In part though, it’s also because it’s a cookbook, which is more of a ‘browser’ than a sit-down-an-and-read type book.
Shall I tell you what I really love about this book, though? It’s not actually the recipes altho...
February 7, 2013
A Geography of Haarth: Academy Island
The Wall of Night Series map; design by Peter Fitzpatrick
Today I begin my new blog series, “A Geography of Haarth” featuring locales and places from The Wall of Night series. And what better place to start than at the very beginning, with “A.”
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“Academy Island: one of the central islands forming the city of Ij; location of the Academy of Sages”
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“The city itself was a sprawling jumble of roofs dominated by three soaring landmarks: the slender spires that marked the Academy of Sages, the great d...
February 6, 2013
What I’m Reading: “Miserere—An Autumn Tale” by Teresa Frohock
Just under a month ago, when I did my “Just Arrived” post for Teresa Frohock’s Miserere–An Autumn Tale, I wrote that:
“…one of the great things about the internet is getting to know fellow authors in the same field—even those on the far side of the world—which is something I particularly enjoy.”
One of those authors is Teresa Frohock, so I was very much looking forward to reading Miserere—An Autumn Tale (Night Shade Books, 2011).
I was not disappointed. In fact, as I wrote to Teresa in a subsequ...
February 5, 2013
February 6: Waitangi Day — New Zealand is 173 Years Old Today
The Treaty House, at Waitangi
Today is Waitangi Day, New Zealand’s national holiday, when we commemorate signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between the Maori Chiefs of New Zealand and the British Crown.
I posted more about Waitangi Day in a series of posts last year, as follows:
Waitangi Day: “He Iwi Kotahi Tatou”
Tuesday Poem: Tauparapara—”Te Tangi A Te Matui”; Traditional
Maori Mythology in New Zealand SFF: A Few Favourite Tales
So I don’t propose to repeat the material again today, but I hope yo...
February 4, 2013
Tuesday Poem: Haiku — “Summer grasses” by Mattsu Basho
Ah! Summer grasses!
All that remains
Of the warriors’ dreams
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by Matsuo Bassho 1644-1694
Translated by: R. H. Blyth, 1952
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Mattsu Bassho is probably the most renowned of all the Japanese haiku masters, and RH Blyth’s is my preferred translation of this particular poem.
To learn more about the poet, Bassho, his life and work, click here: Mattsu Basho
To find out about the translator, click here: RH Blyth
Why this poem — because its “ages” since I’ve featured a haiku; I’m currently focusing on summer &...
February 3, 2013
An Interview with Elspeth Cooper, Author of “The Wild Hunt” Series—Plus A Giveaway!
I enjoy doing interviews with fellow authors and am particularly pleased to be bringing you today’s interview with UK-based author, Elspeth Cooper, who like me is a new name on the international Fantasy scene. Again like me, Elspeth is currently writing a four-book epic Fantasy series, The Wild Hunt (Gollancz.) Songs of the Earth, the first novel in the series, was shortlisted for the Gemmell Morningstar Award, for Best Fantasy Debut, in 2012.
I did a “Just Arrived” post for both...
February 2, 2013
Coming Up Tomorrow: An Interview with Fantasy Author, Elspeth Cooper
Elspeth Cooper
As mentioned on Thursday, tomorrow I shall be featuring an interview with UK Fantasy author, Elspeth Cooper.
Elspeth is the author of The Wild Hunt epic fantasy series published by Gollancz, and I recently read the first two novels currently published: Songs of the Earth and Trinity Rising, as mentioned here.
I am delighted to be posting my interview with her here tomorrow—plus Elspeth is going to give away a UK trade paperback set of Songs of the Earth and Trinity Rising, to be d...
Oops! I Forgot “A Geography of Haarth”…
The Wall of Night Series map; design by Peter Fitzpatrick
Oh no! I was so busy last week, pushing really hard on Daughter of Blood, The Wall of Night Book Three, that I completely forgot to post the new blog series I announced last week, here:
A Geography of Haarth
The good news is — no one else seems to have noticed. And also that I was working so hard on Daughter of Blood… 
But I hope you will forgive me for not having delivered as promised — and I shall duly begin this coming Friday, Februar...
