Helen Lowe's Blog, page 269
February 12, 2012
Update On The Big Writing Goal 2012
From the Residency Desk
It's just on a month now since I posted about my big writing goal for 2012, here—namely that:
"I would like to try and complete Daughter of Blood, The Wall of Night Book Three, by 31 July of this year–without compromising on the quality of the work."
I should add that 31 July is the end date for my current writer's-in-residence stint at the University of Canterbury, so that is one reason for aligning my 'big goal' to that date.
I also talked last month about how I...
February 11, 2012
My 'Terribly Important Thoughts' on the Writing Life …
When I was updating my website yesterday, I was thinking about writing a short piece on "The Writer's Life is Like …" And then I thought: "Nuh—because it's so obvious!" (Plus done before by just about every other writer—big press, small press & indie–under the sun!)
I mean, of course the writer's life is like any other small business! You do the book writing (and or doughnut selling, whiteware repairs et al) by day and everything else "after hours." (That's night times and weekend, folks....
February 10, 2012
We Pass The 10,000 Mark …
February 9, 2012
Maori Mythology in New Zealand SFF: A Few Favourite Tales
Monday 6 was Waitangi Day, the holiday that celebrates New Zealand's founding as a modern nation, and in my blog post, here, I talked briefly about the importance of contemporary Maori writers in the NZ literary scene.
The day before I had discussed a few of my favourite retellings of the Arthurian legend, here, and yesterday I followed up with a few more favourites that draw on the Arthurian cycle without actually being retellings, here.
But doing the post for Waitangi Day and then following u...
February 8, 2012
My Favourite Arthurian-Influenced Fantasy-Fiction
On Sunday 5 I highlighted some of my favourite Fantasy retellings of the Arthurian cycle, here. And commenters mentioned a few more too, which was great—so do check those comments, too!
But once I started thinking about it, I realised that there are actually a whole lot of Fantasy tales out there that are influenced by the Arthurian cycle, and draw on its mythology, without being actual retellings. So I thought I'd share a few of my favourites today.
First up, I just have to start with The...
My Favourite Arthurian-Influenced Fantasy
On Sunday 5 I highlighted some of my favourite Fantasy retellings of the Arthurian cycle, here. And commenters mentioned a few more too, which was great—so do check those comments, too!
But once I started thinking about it, I realised that there are actually a whole lot of Fantasy tales out there that are influenced by the Arthurian cycle, and draw on its mythology, without being actual retellings. So I thought I'd share a few of my favourites today.
First up, I just have to start with The...
February 7, 2012
A Poetry Launch: "The Happiness of Rain" by Jan Hutchison
Yesterday evening I had the great pleasure of attending the launch for poet Jan Hutchison's third collection, The Happiness of Rain (Steele Roberts.)
You may recall that I featured Jan's poem Unwinding Matariki's Hair (which is part of this new collection) as my Tuesday Poem on December 6 last year–you can read it again, together with Jan's personal comment on the poem, here.
The Happiness of Rain follows Jan's prior collections, The Long Sleep is Over and Days Among Trees, both also published ...
February 6, 2012
Tuesday Poem: Tauparapara—"Te Tangi A Te Matui"; Traditional
Kia wkakarongo ake au
Ki te tangi a te manu nei
A te matui
Tui-i-i Tui-i-i Tuituia
Tui i runga
Tui i raro
Tuia i waho
Tuia i roto
Tuia i te here tangata
Ka rongo te po
Ka ronga te ao
Tuia i te muka tangata
I takea mai i Hawaiki nui
I Hawaiki roa
I Hawaiki paa mamao
Te hono i wairua
Ki te whaiao
Ki to ao marama
Tihe mauri ora!
~
I listen
To the cry of the bird
Of the matui, calling
Tui-i-i Tui-i-i Tuituia
Let it be woven above
Woven below
Woven without
Woven within
Interw...
February 5, 2012
Waitangi Day: "He Iwi Kotahi Tatou"
Today, 6 February, is Waitangi Day, New Zealand's national holiday. For blog readers who are not Kiwi (aka a New Zealander) the significance of Waitangi Day is that it marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi 172 years ago by the Maori chiefs of NZ and the British Crown. As a result of the treaty, NZ officially became part of the British Empire. It's celebrated on 6 February and called "Waitangi Day" because although the treaty was subsequently taken all around New Zealand, it was first s...
February 4, 2012
My Favourite Arthurian Retellings
Do you remember when it seemed like every other Fantasy novel or series that came out was a retelling of the Arthurian cycle? I love the "Matter of Britain" (as the Arthur legends were termed in the Middle Ages) but there definitely came a time when I felt "Arthurian-ed out."
But as with all trends there are some books that remain enduring favourites. Here are a few of my favourite Arthur retellings:
Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon", first published in 1983. I recall being...
