Helen Lowe's Blog, page 84
November 22, 2017
About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players In “The Wall Of Night” Series — Meet Baris
UK/AU/NZ
Recently, I resumed my “About the Characters” post series that focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, 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...
November 19, 2017
Artefacts of the Writing Life #1: Pen and Paper
Over the next few weeks, as we all ease into the holiday season and maybe even the new year, I thought I’d share a few artefacts* of the writing life.
First up, the pen.
And, of course, paper.
The two go together like…er…well.. “pen and paper”! 
November 15, 2017
A Geography Of Haarth: Haarth (Updated)
The Wall of Night Series map; design by Peter Fitzpatrick
The A Geography of Haarth post series is exploring the full range of locales and places from The Wall Of Night world of Haarth — including Haarth itself!
November 12, 2017
“Firsts”: A Supernatural Underground Round Up!
As well as keeping up my own blog I also post on the Supernatural Underground on the first of every month — so I thought readers here might like a wee update on what’s been featured there on the last few “firsts” of the year… 
November 8, 2017
About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players in “The Wall Of Night” Series — Banath
USA
This year, while concentrating on writing The Chaos Gate (working title—aka The Wall Of Night Book Four) I’ve resumed my “About the Characters” post series that focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, 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 bo...
November 5, 2017
So You Want To Read Steampunk? Try This List
Posting with reference to the steampunk subgenre, as I did over the past two Mondays, made me reflect on some of the reads that are well regarded in the genre, which generally features mechanical and steam technology and an alternate Victoria age.
This post is my first stab at a list — but do add more through the comments. The only order is alphabetical (and all “The’s” are “silent”.)
The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
The Clockwork Angel and sequels (Infernal Devices...
November 1, 2017
A Geography Of Haarth: Gray Lands (Updated)
The Wall of Night Series map; design by Peter Fitzpatrick
The A Geography of Haarth post series explores the full range of locales and places from The Wall Of Night world of Haarth.
From January 25, 2013 to November 25, 2014, the posts traversed locations encountered in The Heir Of Night and The Gathering Of The Lost.
Now the series returns to gazette the geography of Daughter Of Blood (The Wall Of Night Book Three.) The new series comprises updates of previous entries as well as new listing...
October 29, 2017
Should Authors Have a Persona?
In last Monday’s post I mentioned the creation of the steampunk subgenre, largely credited to William Gibson and Bruce Sterling’s The Difference Engine.
It’s a subgenre that loans itself to cosplay and the creation of personas, one of the most well-known being author Gail Carriger’s public image associated with tea, vintage clothes, and etiquette, consistent with her Parasol Protectorate series. In short, Gail—like her books
October 25, 2017
About The Characters: Meet The Minor Players in “The Wall Of Night” Series — Bajan
UK/AU/NZ
This year, while concentrating on writing The Chaos Gate (working title—aka The Wall Of Night Book Four) I’ve resumed my “About the Characters” post series that focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, 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 fr...
October 22, 2017
Authors Who Kicked Off A (Sub)-Genre
Writing about Georgette Heyer as I did last Monday (and also on August 28) put me in mind of authors who have effectively kicked off their own genre or subgenre of literature.
Georgette Heyer certainly did so, generating the subgenre of the Regency romance via novels such as Friday’s Child and Cotillion. Her imitators are legion and in almost all cases, can only generate pale–and unsatisfying–shadows of the original (imho).
In June I did a guest post on Five Fabulous worlds of SFF for Shaun D...
