Helen Lowe's Blog, page 263

UK Release Day Done: But The Blog Tour Rolls On!

Yes, the sun has indeed set on the UK release day—although the giveaways and name/character draw all remain open until midnight today, April 6, NZ time (to allow a time zone 'buffer') so need to pick up all the streamers and confetti quite yet (blows another toot on the vuvuzela!)

And meanwhile, the Blog Tour rolls on:

* Right now I'm with Gillian Polack's on her blog, Even In A Little Thing where I'm talking historical influences on The Gathering of the Lost and The Wall of Night series...

It's Publication Day—"The Gathering of the Lost" Touches Down In The UK

Nine days ago — and already I can't believe it's been that long — you joined me here to celebrate the release of The Gathering of the Lost, The Wall of Night Book Two in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. And today it is out in the UK—where of course I hope the story will take wings!

.

But right here, now, today, I would like to celebrate what really does feel like the final milestone in the publication process.

.

Here's what's happening to do just that:

.

 

First Up — The Draw To Give Your Name...

There Has been A Slight Delay …

… on the UK release day post & launch celebrations due to "technical difficulties" (which I suspect lie chiefly with the technician — moi!) but it should be with you shortly.

Technical difficulties now resolved — with a little help from my friends! — & we are about to launch. Yahoo!

"The story is …" A Great Quote From Ursula Le Guin

"The story is not in the plot but in the telling." – Ursula K. Le Guin

I love this quote—and what better way to begin April 5, which is also UK release day for The Gathering of the Lost (yahoo!) than with a quote that so perfectly exemplifies my own feelings about story.

(Although as Paul Mannering from SpecFicNZ observed on Twitter, given received wisdom, shouldn't it be "in the showing" — he he, thanks Paul )

But no, entirely in the joy and love of the storytelling, in my humble option.

—

And ...

Fabulous Launch!

Just a quick note to say that we had an absolutely fabulous realtime launch for The Gathering of the Lost last night—with big thanks to Philip King, Gillian Newman and the University Book Shop for hosting, my NZ publisher Hachette for their support, and to Dr Christina Stachurski, my lead editor Kate Nintzel,  and my partner Andrew for their good words on the occasion.

The gathering crowd

And a huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make it a great party—you all rock!

'Talking to...

Tuesday Poem: Haiku—"yellow admiral"

.

yellow admiral –

……..in the stone garden

……..a leaf falls

.

(c) Helen Lowe

Published in the taste of nashi, Windrift, 2008

Submitted by E Berry, NZ selector, for the Red Moon (US) international haiku anthology 2008

* Note: a "yellow admiral" is a rare NZ native butterfly

—

To read the featured poem on the Tuesday Poem Hub and other great poems from fellow Tuesday poets from around the world, click here or on the Quill icon in the sidebar.

And it's the Tuesday Poem's second birthday today so we're s...

The Tour Rolls On — & This Stop Is With Civilian Reader

Yes, the Blog Tour has taken on whistlestop dimensions today—largely because of time zone complexities—but here is another in-depth interview, this time with bookblog Civilian Reader.

And yes—there's another chance to win a copy of The Gathering of the Lost, so rock on over and check it out—

Right Here.

Podcast Interview on Galactic Chat

I did my first podcast interview via Skype last week, with Sean Wright of Australia's Galactic Chat.

You can check it out here.

I understand it is reasonably lengthy, aka "in depth", so you might want to download the mp3

It's The Next Stop On the Tour: R is for Romance in "The Gathering of the Lost" on the Supernatural Underground

US cover

UK/AUS/NZ cover

Where would we be without a little romance to make the world go around?

It's no different in the Wall of Night series world of Haarth — and where better to talk romance than on the Supernatural Underground. So I'm there right now with a post on romance in The Gathering of the Lost:

"Because Malian and Kalan, the two central characters from the first book, The Heir of Night, aren't kids anymore. They are five years older and so of course romance is going to be there in...

Reviewing the Week That's Been & What's Coming Up For This Week

USA Cover

It's been quite a week, with the launch of The Gathering of the Lost, The Wall of Night Book Two for the USA/Canada, Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, as well as commencing the Blog Tour, with stops this week at:

* SF Signal — launching the tour in North America with a post "Celebrating Epic Fantasy & Publication of The Gathering of the Lost."

* Orbit — where I kicked off the Australian tour with a discussion of The Power of Environment in my writing

* John Scalzi's Whatever — with ...