Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 44

Cruising? Maybe? #mfrwauthor

Welcome to Week 21 of the MFRW 52-week challenge. The topic is "Love Cruises Or Not."

In order for me to answer this prompt a cruise has to be defined. The first thought was one of the immense floating cities with pools, zip lines, and for entertainment Broadway shows or reunions of big-name bands. I can't answer if I love them or not because I've never been on one and most likely never will. Besides the costs and logistics, a spouse who couldn't sit still for the 7 or 14 days would argue against such a trip. News of reports of passengers and crews stranded aboard ship for weeks due to COVID-19 is another strike for cruising.   Although I admit the writers' retreats/conferences aboard ship sounds intriguing.


Then there are what I call tourist cruises. Smaller vessels geared toward specialty itineraries. The themes could be food and wine or a specific area such as up close to glaciers, a paddlewheeler up the Mississippi River, or a windowed boat up the Rhine. I think I would enjoy all three, especially the castle cruise up the Rhine River.
  The last type of are local, short cruises, with to without a meal being served. Over the years a few have been part of our vacations and were enjoyed. Before we moved, we took another kind of cruise. Although we had talked about it for years, we had never taken the plunge to buy tickets for the 4th of July fireworks cruise to New York City to see the Macy's display. The trips were rain or shine, and since tickets had to be purchased well ahead of time, it was a roll of the dice. No rain for the trip to Manhattan, nor the hours waited for the fireworks, and even the several fireworks displays on both sides of the Hudson went off fine. However, returning to the dock, a storm rolled in and the ship was pounded. The night ended with dashes to the parking lot to drive to the pickup zone rather than everyone walking back to the cars. The commuter ferry we were on was large enough that other than watching rain on the windows the storm wasn't bad. I felt sorry for the people on the smallest of the three ships. Intended for the short run from northern New Jersey across the river, there was less interior space and commuters generally sat aside. Not a pleasurable thing in bad weather.
~Happy sailing from a landlubber, till next time, Helen
Be sure to see how the other authors answered the question. https://mfrw52week.blogspot.com/




Signup is open for Week 21 on the topic: "Love Cruises Or Not"

https://mfrw52week.blogspot.com/

Dead Plants and Weeds #mfrwauthor

Welcome to Week 20 of the MFRW 52-week challenge. The topic is "How (what) does your garden grow and why." The topic is similar to one in a previous years challenge, whether gardening was pleasure or a pain.

Brown... that is the color of my thumb. It has been said that I could kill a cactus. In point of fact, I have done so. At present I have an ivy and an African violet in my home. But they don't constitute a garden.

I've tried growing tomatoes and peppers in containers. I succeeded in feeding the birds and squirrels who took great pleasure in sneaking in to steal the items just before they could be picked.



In my younger days, I grew up on a farm. Besides the fields of wheat, rye, and corn raised for sale and seed, there was a plot next to the house. We grew a variety of vegetables that we ate straight from the garden and canned or froze the rest for eating in the cold season. I remember pulling weeds, canning pickles, and making ketchup.


Perhaps the most interesting thing about the garden was the plants that weren't planted. Tomato plants grew up from seeds dropped by the local critters who plucked their meal, took a bite or two, then dropped the rest onto the ground. Peelings from potatoes were tossed in a corner of the garden to create compost. We didn't use the more modern potato peeler but a small knife. And the peelings weren't always thin slicings and sometimes contained an eye. Not surprisingly, potato plants appeared in that area the following year.

~till next time, Helen

Color Doesn't Matter #MFRWauthor

Welcome to Week 19 of the MFRW 52-week challenge. The topic is "Do Blonds Have More Fun."

My short answer is "No." One reason is that I don't give my characters blond, yellow, golden, or flaxen-colored hair. I found that it was too difficult to find an appropriate model with blond hair. Stock photo sites have more brunettes or models with dark-color hair which means I have more choices. The closest I came was Ellspeth of the Windmaster Novels (lower left). Her light-colored hair isn't a true blond. It actually was silver because the price of using her magic is for her hair to turn gray.


A review of my character worksheets showed that I broke my own guidelines. Subcommander Pelra of the House of Pirri (upper right) is listed as having blond hair. The rest of her physical description is slender build and strong hands from driving a wagon.

Now as to the "fun" part of the topic. If being refused the rank you've earned by leadership and bringing profit to the house is your idea of fun, then the answer is "yes." Pelra was relegated to a backwater assignment, eventually stripped of her rank, and disowned by her own house. In her case, I would say blonds definitely don't have more fun.

Even if they are not kick-ass warriors, the ladies in my books need to be able to hold their own with with sword or bow or spell. They are strong enough to lead men and to walk beside their mate, not behind him.



More on the ladies of the Dragshi, the Windmaster Novels, and Maerva of Imprisoned in Stone can be found by clicking on the covers in the banner.


~till next time, Helen

Star Wars Day 2020

In honor of Star Wars Day,  a free download of the short story, PIRATES REPRISE. Just click on the FREE READS button on the sidebar.

Star Wars Day was first observed by Star Wars fans worldwide on May 04, 2015. It is a day to celebrate the Star Wars culture and honor the films.

Leave a comment in the comments of the title of your favorite Star Wars movie.


~ till next time, Helen. Remember, click on the button on the sidebar to claim your free download of PIRATES REPRISE.

It's The ?? Life For Me #mfrwauthor

Welcome to Week 18 of the MFRW 52-week challenge. The topic is "City Living Or Country." Queue the theme from "Green Acres."




The prompt only gives two options. The hustle and bustle of the city or the more laid-back lifestyle of the country. After experiences living in the shadows of New York City and Philadelphia, and where at the time was a rural farm area, I choose a third option -- a small town. You have the familiarity of country neighbors and the advantages of local businesses within reach. I prefer walking or bicycling to the store rather than taking a cab, bus, or subway. Small town parades and concerts on the square provide culture and entertainment.


Instead of the porch of my youth overlooking farm fields, now I sit in the sunroom watching neighbors' dogs romp in the woods and cardinals flit from tree to tree.

What do I miss? In my new locale the river is too long a drive and doesn't have a promenade so no nightly walks on the boardwalk or watching a parade of books. 

And for cravings? Down here seafood is catfish or shrimp. While I love shrimp, I miss eating a fried scallop platter while sitting on the boardwalk and watching the sunset. Or, for a special occasion sauteed scallops over garlic rice at the local diner.


Cities are fine to visit. I've made more than a few excursions around New York City (always with subway and city maps in my backpack.) Born a country girl, and even though I still love the mountains, my other half converted me into a townie and I now call a town as home.

~till next time, Helen

Z is for Zoo

"Z" is one of the hard letters of the challenge. None of the fantasy worlds nor the characters who live in them have names that begin with "Z." The one exception was used in the 2019 A-Z in April Challenge where the letter stood for Zethar, the golden mare from Windmaster Legacy . So I picked writing about a zoo.

Now you might ask what does a zoo have to do with writing?

A zoo is one of my favorite places to photograph animals. Some of the images have appeared in print articles, others in blog posts. Sometimes the animals are the inspiration for creatures that appear in my novels. One such inspiration was a giraffe who graciously posed for me. He became the animal called a tree-trimmer in Windmaster Legacy.


The stunning black leopards became the jungle dwelling black cats called night dwellers and the monkeys the howlers that acted as an alarm system in First Change: Legends From The Eyrie . Tigers inspired the gryphlor that appear throughout the Dragshi Chronicles.



You might notice there are no pictures of my favorite creatures. The dragons really don't like being confined and have a habit of melting the fences so they can go wandering.

This is the last post in the challenge. I hope you've enjoyed the trip to worlds of imagination.
 

If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.


~till next time, Helen 

Y is for You

Two of the things authors cherish most are their readers and reviews. However, since both of those things begin with “R” and that letter was used for Redemption, I decided to take a different path and chose the letter “Y” in the hope that my reader is YOU.

To those of you who have read my tales of fantasy and adventures in worlds of imagination, thank you. I hope they help you escape from your everyday lives and bring you a touch of joy. To those looking for well-written fantasies to read, I hope you’ll consider adding one of mine to your to-be-read list. And as an enticement (or outright bribe) a special gift. Click on the FREE READS button in the sidebar for your choice of a science fiction, fantasy, or scifi romance short story.

Since this is the next to last post of the challenge, I hope you’ll grant me a moment of promotion. It is a few words from those of YOU who have read my work and been kind enough to leave a review.



Windmaster



action and adventure from start to finish



Windmaster Legacy

Don't miss this beautifully written, powerfully evocative sequel


Windmaster Legend


a great read




Imprisoned in Stone


a fascinating fantasy world with engaging characters.
A worthwhile read


Dragon Destiny


one of the best dragon shifter stories I have ever read



Hatchlings Curse


Any fantasy lover would enjoy this epic tale!
This is a very unique story with a truly exceptional plot.

Hatchling's Mate


An enjoyable fantasy read,
especially for fans of dragons.


Hatchling's Vengeance

a true keeper

 



Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge. Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry.




If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.



~till next time, Helen 

X is for Xcuses

Yes, I know the correct spelling is excuses. Auto-correct has told me that with squiqqly red lines and repeated attempts to change the work. But I needed a topic that began with "X." After all you can say the "e" is silent and doesn't count.
The number of distractions in today's world can be overwhelming. And each one is an excuse not to write. world events, which will remain nameless, can cause fear, worry, and stress. All things which can chase the muse away. Then there are the closer to home things that hamper writing efforts. For me, marketing, especially social media, is the number one excuse not to write. There is the checking email, then sending out a few tweets. Facebook is up next with a quick, or maybe not so quick, scan of items in my timeline. Some are shared to my personal profile, others get posted to my author page. Links that require special attention are emailed to their recipients.
Then there are the cute kitten videos.
~till next time. May you never have more excuses than your muse can handle.

Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge. Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry.

If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.

W is for World Building

One of the more interesting parts of writing fantasy is creating the world you'll be living in for months or years. World building includes the joy of research, but that letter was taken by "R is for Religion." Which is one aspect of world building.

While I write, photos of various setting are either in a notebook for easy reference or pinned to the wall of my writing space. There have been images of the horses that inspired the magical equines of the Dragshi Chronicles, the Windmaster Novels, and Imprisoned in Stone. Real-world setttings that inspired the fantasy ones of Windmaster Legacy included the Australian Outback and Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock.)

A trip into a Pennsylvania coal mine provied the basis for Ellspeth's experiences as she traveled in the cave of the circlet. The culture for FIRE AND ICE from the novella and short story collection First Change: Legends From the Eyrie. Besides personal experience (which is a bit difficult for writers of fantasy) there are resources such as Worldbuilding Magazine to help you design your culture.


While I may not be able to physically travel to Hawaii or Scotland, my characters, and through them you, can. I hope you'll enjoy your travels to the stars and worlds of imagination. As a special gift, I invite you to visit the planet Withym and search for artifacts. But be warned, the volcano means to protect her treasures. To join the adventure, click on the cover.


  Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge.  Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry.
 

If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.


~till next time, Helen 

Weekend Writing Warriors, #SnippetSunday, Secret Revealed

​ 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts. And now, Part two from the excerpt "Shall We Fly?" from Windmaster Legacy 



To set, the scene, Lord Dal and his mount, the gray falaire stallion, Tairneach, were in search for the captured Lady Ellspeth when the stallion snuffled a warning. Dal realized he was being herded to the edge of the plateau. They had no choice, but to jump. And now the SundaySnippet.

* * * *

​Excerpt:

Wings emerged from Taer’s side. His triumphant bugle resounded to the clouds. After a few heartbeats of free flight, Dal released his death grip. Sitting up, he adjusted his legs so they would not hamper the slight shifts Taer’s wings made during the glide toward the ground.

Dal held his breath as the earth closed to a handspan beneath the fàlaire’s hooves. Instead of the bounce he expected to experience after a hard fall, Taer’s slow trot absorbed the forward motion. His whinny when he came to a stop sounded like the giggle of a mischievous child.

“You didn’t tell me you could fly,” Dal mumbled. “After all these years, you’re still keeping secrets from me?”


* * * *

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Dal this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. ~till next time, Helen