Helena Halme's Blog, page 24
December 4, 2015
The Past by Tessa Hadley - Book Review
I’ve been a fan of Tessa Hadley’s writing for some time, and have loved many of her novels, such as The Master Bedroom and The London Train. Hadley’s writing is beautiful and precise; she can describe her characters’ emotions to a T, but she is also brilliant at evoking a sense of time and place.
In The Past, the rambling falling-down house set next to a stream in the English countryside becomes another character in the book. Its fate, whether it should be sold, renovated or kept as it is, has to be decided by the four grown-up siblings, grand children to a respected minister and poet. The future of the house runs as a theme through the book, and is the reason the four are united for a last 3-week summer holiday in Kington.
Alice is a failed actress, and at 46, the middle daughter. She has asked a young student of economics, Kasim, who is the son of Alice’s ex-lover, to accompany her. Alice's older sister, Harriet arrives alone, while her older brother, Roland, brings his new wife – his third – the glamorous and exotic Argentinian, Pilar. There’s also a dreamy teenage daughter, Molly. The youngest of the sisters, Fran comes with her two children.
So as the reader, you think the scene is set nicely for at least some serious family fall-outs, or even some disaster, be it loss of life, dignity or virginity.
The tension is beautifully built in the first half of the novel, where we find about the siblings' childhoods, how their mother died when Fran was still very young, and how they lost their grandparents, the original occupants in Kington. There’s the promise of a burgeoning romance or two.
This is when the story moves back to the past, and we meet the grandparents, Sophie and the Vicar, and Jill, their daughter. We also get a glimpse into Jill’s turbulent marriage with her husband, the idealistic journalist, Tom.
When the story moves back to the present, the events which the author had been building up to in the first part come to pass – but mostly off camera.
And this is my only gripe with The Past. Tessa Hadley sets up the action beautifully, tantalisingly, only to let the events unfold without allowing the reader in. Only one of the outcomes is described in the present, and that too happens so quickly, as a reader you could have blinked and it’s done. The author even states this herself, ‘The whole scene was over in a matter of a few seconds.’
Still, I would recommend this novel, for the pleasure of its use of the English language and sentences such as the one below:
‘Kasim picked another stem of grass and dusted its drooping, plumy head, heavy with seeds, against Molly’s cheeks and her closed, protuberant, mauve eyelids.’
To buy The Past by Tessa Hadley click here or tap on the image above.
November 28, 2015
I’m a NaNoWriMo Winner!
When I started the National Novel Writing Month challenge, I wasn’t at all sure I’d be able to make it. Writing the best part of a novel (50,000 words) in 30 days seemed an insurmountable task.
All my previous NaNoWriMo attempts had produced less than 20,000 words, and those novels that I’d started then had taken about a year to write and another to edit and perfect. But then I was working full-time, and didn’t have any kind of routine with my writing at all.
Now I had more time, but was editing another novel already, and worried I’d not be able to concentrate on two manuscripts at the same time. During the first week in November my back went, which made sitting down and writing quite painful at times.
But I was determined, and together with the support of my family (as always) and of the wonderful Driven Women group, I started a routine, waking up at six am and making myself sit at my desk by 6.30am. Every day. On most days by 9am I had written about 2,000 words, and could get on with research, marketing, layout and design issues with the other books during the rest of the day. Sometimes, the morning stretched onto 10am, but my one limiting factor was my terrier, who had to be taken out – there’s only so long you can ignore a dog sitting in front of you asking for a walk.
During the past 28 days, I’ve missed my 6.30am appointment with my desk on one day only, due to a unscheduled wine tasting evening with a friend (you know who you are!). I also had to take three days out to do some major edits on the current novel, The Navy Wife, but during those non-NaNoWriMo days I was still writing, even though I was getting behind with my word count.
Next week, I’l post some of my tips for how to speed up your writing, in the series of Advice to New Writers, and in it, I’ll include lessons I’ve learned from this NaNoWriMo experience.
But today, later, I will have a glass of something bubbly, and enjoy my winning ways!
Me this morning – no make-up, in a dressing gown, but happy!
The post I’m a NaNoWriMo Winner! appeared first on Helena Halme.
I'm a NaNoWriMo Winner!
When I started the National Novel Writing Month challenge, I wasn't at all sure I'd be able to make it. Writing the best part of a novel (50,000 words) in 30 days seemed an insurmountable task.
All my previous NaNoWriMo attempts had produced less than 20,000 words, and those novels that I'd started then had taken about a year to write and another to edit and perfect. But then I was working full-time, and didn't have any kind of routine with my writing at all.
Now I had more time, but was editing another novel already, and worried I'd not be able to concentrate on two manuscripts at the same time. During the first week in November my back went, which made sitting down and writing quite painful at times.
But I was determined, and together with the support of my family (as always) and of the wonderful Driven Women group, I started a routine, waking up at six am and making myself sit at my desk by 6.30am. Every day. On most days by 9am I had written about 2,000 words, and could get on with research, marketing, layout and design issues with the other books during the rest of the day. Sometimes, the morning stretched onto 10am, but my one limiting factor was my terrier, who had to be taken out - there's only so long you can ignore a dog sitting in front of you asking for a walk.During the past 28 days, I've missed my 6.30am appointment with my desk on one day only, due to a unscheduled wine tasting evening with a friend (you know who you are!). I also had to take three days out to do some major edits on the current novel, The Navy Wife, but during those non-NaNoWriMo days I was still writing, even though I was getting behind with my word count.
Next week, I'l post some of my tips for how to speed up your writing, in the series of Advice to New Writers, and in it, I'll include lessons I've learned from this NaNoWriMo experience.
But today, later, I will have a glass of something bubbly, and enjoy my winning ways!
Me this morning - no make-up, in a dressing gown, but happy!
November 27, 2015
New cover for The Englishman!
So (drumroll, please...) here is the new cover for THE ENGLISHMAN, what do you think?
Don't forget THE ENGLISHMAN wearing his old uniformis NOW ONLY £0.99 !But hurry, offer ends on Sunday 29th November.
November 26, 2015
NaNoWriMo Update – Only 5 days to go!
While my American readers are celebrating Thanksgiving, I am celebrating a smaller, but an equally important day (OK possibly not!). Today I caught up with NaNoWriMo. Yay!
You may remember that the last time I reported back, I was well ahead of the game, but then something happened with the forthcoming novel, The Navy Wife, which meant that I had to concentrate on fixing some sections of the story I wasn’t happy with, and sadly, the National Novel Writing Month had to give way to this, more urgent, project.
Now, I know this goes against everything I preach about writing every day, whatever. My only excuse is that I was by no means not writing, in fact I was writing more words than my daily 2,000 on the NaNoWriMo challenge. Even so, I fell behind, and have only today been able to catch up again.
Phew!
It’s strange that these little bars on the NaNoWriMo site can have such an effect on me. Especially where they are on the wrong side of the line.
In any case, all is now well in the Halme Author Towers. I can now say that I will finish on time – bar major disasters. (Fingers crossed)
So, happy Thanksgiving to my American friends, and please congratulate me for once again being on course to finish this all-consuming November challenge!
The post NaNoWriMo Update – Only 5 days to go! appeared first on Helena Halme.
NaNoWriMo Update - Only 5 days to go!
While my American readers are celebrating Thanksgiving, I am celebrating a smaller, but an equally important day (OK possibly not!). Today I caught up with NaNoWriMo. Yay!
You may remember that the last time I reported back, I was well ahead of the game, but then something happened with the forthcoming novel, The Navy Wife, which meant that I had to concentrate on fixing some sections of the story I wasn't happy with, and sadly, the National Novel Writing Month had to give way to this, more urgent, project.
Now, I know this goes against everything I preach about writing every day, whatever. My only excuse is that I was by no means not writing, in fact I was writing more words than my daily 2,000 on the NaNoWriMo challenge. Even so, I fell behind, and have only today been able to catch up again.
Phew!
It's strange that these little bars on the NaNoWriMo site can have such an effect on me. Especially where they are on the wrong side of the line.
In any case, all is now well in the Halme Author Towers. I can now say that I will finish on time - bar major disasters. (Fingers crossed)
So, happy Thanksgiving to my American friends, and please congratulate me for once again being on course to finish this all-consuming November challenge!
November 23, 2015
Black Friday Offer
Black Friday week is here – The Englishman is only $0.99 ! *
To celebrate this special week and the forthcoming sequel, The Navy Wife, The Englishman Kindle copy is only $0.99! *
But hurry, the offer ends Sunday 29th November!
‘A stylish Nordic tale of long-distance love’
“The Englishman is quite the page-turner, I had difficulty stopping myself from devouring it in one go. All the small details about Finland and Sweden give the book such colour, and I love seeing England through Kaisa’s eyes! Highly recommended!” – Tania Hershman, author of ‘My Mother Was an Upright Piano’.
The Englishman
Kindle copy
now only
$0.99 *
Plus, I still have a few copies of the paperback bundle, including Coffee and Vodka and The Englishman for only £10!
Remember, you can have the books signed and posted to you for FREE ! **
Please email me on HHalme@icloud.com with details of what book you’d like and if you’d like them signed, and I will send you a bill via Paypal and ask my elves to post the book to you.
But hurry, this is a strictly limited offer until stocks last!
But, as always, don’t keep this offer under you hat, sharing is caring. Let your friends and cats and dogs know about my offers!
Thank you, Helena xx
* Excludes tax
** FREE postage to UK only. If you are in the US, Europe or elsewhere in the world, please contact me on HHalme@icloud.com. Thank you.
The post Black Friday Offer appeared first on Helena Halme.
Black Friday week is here - The Englishman is only $...
To celebrate this special week and the forthcoming sequel, The Navy Wife, The Englishman Kindle copy is only $0.99! *
But hurry, the offer ends Sunday 29th November!
‘A stylish Nordic tale of long-distance love'
“The Englishman is quite the page-turner, I had difficulty stopping myself from devouring it in one go. All the small details about Finland and Sweden give the book such colour, and I love seeing England through Kaisa's eyes! Highly recommended!” – Tania Hershman, author of 'My Mother Was an Upright Piano'.
The Englishman
Kindle copy
now only
$0.99 *
Plus, I still have a few copies of the paperback bundle, including Coffee and Vodka and The Englishman for only £10!
Remember, you can have the books signed and posted to you for FREE ! **
Please email me on HHalme@icloud.com with details of what book you'd like and if you'd like them signed, and I will send you a bill via Paypal and ask my elves to post the book to you.
But hurry, this is a strictly limited offer until stocks last!
But, as always, don’t keep this offer under you hat, sharing is caring. Let your friends and cats and dogs know about my offers!
Thank you, Helena xx
* Excludes tax** FREE postage to UK only. If you are in the US, Europe or elsewhere in the world, please contact me on HHalme@icloud.com. Thank you.
November 19, 2015
Limited Special Offer – signed paperback books for Christmas!
I have an exciting limited offer on The Englishman and Coffee and Vodka!
Normally the paperback copies of each book are £7.99, but now I can offer them to you for a very special price.
Both titles for £10, or each for £6!
Plus, you can have the books signed and posted to you for FREE ! *
Please email me on HHalme@icloud.com with details of what book you’d like and if you’d like them signed, and I will send you a bill via Paypal and ask my elves to post the book to you. Or you can simply leave a message below.
But hurry, this is a strictly limited offer until stocks last!
And, as always, don’t keep this offer under you hat, sharing is caring. Let your friends and cats and dogs know about my offers!
* FREE postage to UK only. If you are in the US, Europe or elsewhere in the world, please contact me on HHalme@icloud.com Thank you.
The post Limited Special Offer – signed paperback books for Christmas! appeared first on Helena Halme.
Limited Special Offer - signed paperback books for Christmas!
I have an exciting limited offer on The Englishman and Coffee and Vodka!
Normally the paperback copies of each book are £7.99, but now I can offer them to you for a very special price.
Both titles for £10, or each for £6!
Plus, you can have the books signed and posted to you for FREE ! *
Please email me on HHalme@icloud.com with details of what book you'd like and if you'd like them signed, and I will send you a bill via Paypal and ask my elves to post the book to you. Or you can simply leave a message below.
But hurry, this is a strictly limited offer until stocks last!And, as always, don’t keep this offer under you hat, sharing is caring. Let your friends and cats and dogs know about my offers!
* FREE postage to UK only. If you are in the US, Europe or elsewhere in the world, please contact me on HHalme@icloud.com Thank you.
