Helen Lowe's Blog, page 68
May 26, 2019
Them, Their: It’s! (Nods To E Nesbit.)
Some years ago when I lived in Sweden, I was told that in the main language of neighbouring Finland (i.e. Finnish, as opposed to Swedish, which is also an official language there) there are only two pronouns: one personal, denoting ‘he/she’ for people; and one impersonal, denoting ‘it’ for inanimate objects.
This, I felt, was a straightforward and sensible state of affairs and would also make writing far easier, because it disposes with the perennial awkwardness of personal pronouns when the...
May 22, 2019
A Geography Of Haarth: Telimbras (Updated)
The Wall of Night Series map; artist 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. Each locale is accompanied by a quote from the relevant books where the place occurs.
From January 25, 2013 to November 25, 2014, the series explored locations encountered in The Heir Of Night and The Gathering Of The Lost. Now the series has resumed to ensure the geography of Daughter Of Blood (The Wall Of Nigh...
May 19, 2019
“Non Player” Characters In The Wall Of Night Series
The Wall Of Night series
“Player” vs “non player” characters are a roleplaying (i.e. roleplaying game) term. Broadly speaking, “player” characters are those developed (i.e. “rolled up” since dice—or more correctly, die—feature in this process) and then played by the participants in the game. “Non player” characters, aka NPCs, are usually those generated by the Game Master to help along whatever campaign she or he is running.
In writing terms, I tend to think of those characters that exist in...
May 15, 2019
About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players in “The Wall Of Night” Series — Meet Guyon
USA
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.”
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 simultaneo...
May 12, 2019
What I’m Reading: “The Only Thing To Fear” – A Web Shifters Novella by Julie Czerneda
A short while ago, I reported very favourably on my reading of Julie Czerneda’s Search Image, a new science fiction novel in her Web Shifters universe, and the beginning of a new trilogy, Web Shifters’ Library. (The first Web Shifters trilogy comprises Beholder’s Eye, Changing Vision, and Hidden In Sight.)
As part of the release of Search Image, Julie also released a standalone novella, titled The Only Thing To Fear, which is a very near-in-time prequel to Search Image, reintroduces readers t...
May 8, 2019
A Geography Of Haarth: Stoneford
The Wall of Night Series map; artist Peter Fitzpatrick
From January 25, 2013 to November 25, 2014, the series explored locations encountered in The Heir Of Night and The Gathering Of The Lost.
Now the series has resumed to traverse the geography of Daughter Of Blood (The Wall Of Night Book Three.)
The new series comprises updates of previous entries as well as new listings.
—
UK/AU/NZ
USA
Stoneford: a village in Southern Aralorn, near the border with Jhaine
The smith, Baz, was standing besid...
May 5, 2019
“Gorgeous Words” Revisited
On Thursday, I linked to my current Supernatural Underground (SU) post and Intalment #3 of my Year Of Romance in Fantasy post series there: Constancy Amid Tumult, which features Patricia McKillip’s Riddlemaster trilogy.
In the post, I also refer to Patricia McKillip’s “gorgeous writing” – which featured in a post series here a few years back, titled “Gorgeous Words.”
Writing the SU post sparked me to have a quick re-read of the Gorgeous Words post — and also made me think you might enjoy doin...
May 1, 2019
On Supernatural Underground Now: Year Of Romance In Fantasy #3 — “The Riddle-Master Of Hed” Series
In March, I kicked of my Year of Romance (#YOR) in Fantasy Fiction (#RIFF) on Supernatural Underground by looking at The Lord Of The Rings Effect — aka When Romance is Missing-In-Action. 
April 28, 2019
A Present Of The Word “Present” – Including A Sneak Snippet From WALL#4
Recently a The Wall Of Night series reader asked me – via Twitter – for a “cheeky” sneak preview of WALL #4 (working title: The Chaos Gate.)
Naturally, I replied that sneak previews were risky business when a manuscript (ms) is not yet done, not because of the risk of spoilers, although that’s always a consideration, but chiefly because until it’s done, anything in the ms is up for grabs and any sneak previews could be gone by the next day. #GoneByLunchtime 
April 24, 2019
About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players in “The Wall Of Night” Series — Meet Gray Taan
UK/AU/NZ
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.”
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 simul...
