Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 74

What is a Pet? #MFRWauthor

The official topic was "meet my pet." The first problem with writing this post is the definition of "pet."

The fish won at the county fair and brought home in a plastic bag was to many children of my acquaintance their first introduction to a pet and to the responsibility of feeding and caring for them. Later, there was the puppy that was officially a farm dog, but you know who you got the task of feeding and combing burrs out of his long hair. The beautiful sable collie became what I consider the first pet from my childhood. 

A few years later, a tri-color collie took his place. Salt and Pepper came from championship stock. Both his sires held multiple best-in-show awards. Neither dog was an indoor animal, both had their own coop complete with a shingled roof, straw bale insulation, and all the dirt they could dig.


On the farm there are pets... and there are pets. One might say a domesticated animal that responds to its name and is cared for is a "pet." Betty's Pride and Joy, a Nubian goat, would meet that criteria of a pet. At least until she ate my mother's rose bushes to the ground, thorns and all. 

To me, responding to their name doesn't qualify a creature as meeting the definition of a pet. Bronco, a beefalo steer, was definitely not a pet. A true pet would not cause the trouble he did by breaking out of the pasture on my high school graduation night. In an unusual display of cantankerousness, he refused to respond to the food call and I had to chase him around the orchard--in my cap and gown and high-heeled shoes.



I'll end this post with what is now considered a "pet" by today's standards. And they aren't called a pet, but a companion animal. Some people call them "grand-puppies" or "fur babies." If you're following the challenge, you've met this particular animal before. Just don't call him an animal, he gets upset. He's aristo-cat-ic, sophisticated, and always in a tuxedo. To paraphrase another tuxeco-clad male, the last pet introduces himself as "Cat, Tigh Cat."



~till next time, Helen. And be sure to visit some of the other pets in the challenge.

Memories of Firsts #MFRWauthor

Welcome to Week 42 of the 2017 Challenge. This week's topic required some thought. First Love. Now that can be taken a lot of ways. As a child my first love was a sable collie named Bumps. More on him next week. Or I could write about my love of horses which also began as a child. Which could be why magical equines with attitude seem to insert themselves into my fantasy novels.

The romance writer said, "No. The post is supposed to be about your first encounter with love. Or it could be about the first boy you kissed or maybe the first man to steal your heart." Note to self: circle date on the calendar. Put string on finger. Don't forget 45th anniversary.

Of the options presented that feature romance, I won't reveal the name of recipient of that first kiss. The topic didn't specify the love had to be reciprocated so I will tell the story of the encounter--I was six. A boy in my class asked his mother for a ring. He preferred her diamond engagement ring. (He had good tastes). The reason was he wanted to give me the ring for my birthday because he loved and wanted to marry me. Obviously his mother didn't provide the ring. We weren't pampered that much back in the day. No cars to graduate high school, no computers at age three. No, for the birthday a gift from the local five and dime store sufficed. The jewelry is long gone, the boy moved on to another. However the memory remains as a family "remember when" story.

After deliberation, I'm going to write about my first love -- books. Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries and the Cherry Ames nurse books (prophetic since I'm now a caregiver) flew off my parent's bookcase shelves, then I moved to emptying the county library. Action adventure, westerns, and spy novels gave way to E. E. Doc Smith and Isaac Asimov. In time, the titles were by more contemporary authors, Barbara Hambly and Anne McCaffrey. Romance entered the mix with the works of Carole McPhee and Judy Griffith Gill (who also crosses genres to science fiction.)

I still love reading books. So my first love still remains a true one.

So that's my post. "Who" or "What" was your first love? Read the other posts in the hop to see what their creators reveal.

~till next time, Helen

Out and About at Romance University

Today I'm a visiting professor (love that title) at RomanceUniversity. Hope you'll stop by and read the post on comment netiquette. Find out if you are a comment spammer or an etiquette queen.

http://romanceuniversity.org/2017/10/16/are-you-a-comment-spammer-or-an-etiquette-queen-by-helen-henderson/

~till next time, Helen

Narration or Imagination #MFRWauthor

This blog focuses on books, writers, and the writing life. The only recipe you will find apart from one made by one of my characters or one uncovered in historical research is the one from the challenge later this year. So when the topic of inspirations appeared on the challenge, that presented a challenge. Do I narrate the world around me, take the easy way out, or chose the option behind door number 3. I'll let you decide for yourselves as here are some inspirations for posts, either from the past or yet to come.



legends from the world of the dragshi
rides with the magical equines of Imprisoned in Stone and the world of Windmaster
 
legends from the world we inhabitresearch sources and information that intriques for possible storylinespictures that inspired a storyline


other blogs on writing, writing life/li>
how-to articles on writing, writing life, marketing snippits from books, both mine and othersshare news. Releases of my books and those of friends, colleagues, and even some strangers. The best kind of news -- when books get stars or win a contest.That's just a few of the inspirations for a blog whose tagline is "Journey to the stars and worlds of imagination. Here's your itinerary for your trip into fantasy or the future." Be sure to click on the links below to see what inspires the blogs of the other authors in the challenge.

Hooked on First Change, An Undefended Wall #MFRWAuthor #MFRWHooks

Book Hooks - First Change
(Book 5 of the Dragshi Chronicles)
The dragshi are more than just a man or woman. Each are two beings–one a dragon, the other a human–sharing one body in space in time and able to change forms with the other at will. Their world and the adventures of the dragon shifters are recorded in the Dragshi Chronicles

Within each of the chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and teachers of the present, recount some legend. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost. Sometimes embellished, the ceoltiers use the stories of times and actions past to educate and inspire.

Unlike the previous works in the series which related to the trader girl Anastasia and Lord Branin Llewlyn, First Change features the real story behind the legends told in the previous volumes. First Change contains five stories of duty and honor, love and loss, happiness and despair from the chronicles. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost.

Excerpt from Between Swords and Sickness:

Geelneach balanced his last arrow in his hand, ready to be strung. Exhaustion made the bow useless and he tossed the worthless bolt to the ground. Voices from the other side of the wall told of the enemy’s approach. He pulled his sword and stepped into the open.

“Time for us to tangle, Drust.”

~ * ~

Buy Links: Available October 15th. Pre-Order at https://www.books2read.com/u/49PMZp



And if you missed Hatchling's Vengeance, an excerpt from the fourth book in the series can be found by clicking on the cover at the top of the page or this link.

Quote Unquote #MFRWauthor

Week 40 of the year-long challenge. The end is in sight. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Following is a  selection of quotes that struck my fancy or those of my characters. Over the years I've read various genres, and you'll notice the quotes reflect the same eclectic mix.

THE WORLD

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." How To Build A Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later, Philip K. Dick

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J. K. Rowling

ROMANCE & LOVE

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein

“Nay, this is not wise at all. But sometimes the heart tells us to venture where the mind fears to tread.” River of Tim, Lisa T. Bergren

“Love is not about conquest. The truth is a man can only find true love when he surrenders to it. When he opens his heart to the partner of his soul and says: 'Here it is! The very essence of me! It is yours to nurture or destroy'.” Lord of the Silver Bow, David Gemmell

“Quit being so hard on yourself. We are what we are; we love what we love. We don’t need to justify it to anyone… not even to ourselves.” The Republic of Thieves, Scott Lynch

WHO WE ARE or WHO WE SHOULD BE

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

"If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J. K. Rowling

“Courage isn’t the absence of fear, Owen. Courage is moving forward even when you’re afraid.” The Queen’s Poisoner, Jeff Wheeler


"All you have is what you are, and what you give." The Dispossessed, Ursula K. Le Guin

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

"The heart dies a slow death, shedding each hope like leaves until one day there are none. No hopes. Nothing remains." Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden

"Even darkness must pass.” Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, J. R. Tolkien

"Everyone must leave something in the room or left behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there." Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

And lastly, just for fun.





I hope you enjoyed the quotes. Visit the other authors in the challenge to see what words they chose to quote. ~till next time, Helen

Out and About - Glyn Gives An Interview

Glyn of Clan Miller, from HATCHLING’S VENGEANCE, dishes secrets about the human-dragon pairings known as dragshi. Stop by Bonnie Phelps to read the full interview. ow.ly/N7kw30fl4Cc

Hope you'll stop by.

~till next time, Helen

Book Hooked on Windmaster Task's End #MFRWHooks

Windmaster
(Book 1 of the Windmaster Novels

Prophecy decreed Ellspeth marry the Archmage. However, despite the attraction to him, Ellspeth’s heart fought the announced destiny. For to be with Lord Dal meant she had to take all that came with him, including magic. Love meant the loss of her ship and crew because to a mage the sea meant death.

Excerpt:
The millstream looked so inviting he dropped the makeshift towel and stripped off his shirt and breeches. Three steps took him into the cool water. Several quick splashes cooled his sweat-drenched skin and ran in rivulets down the muscles of his chest.

Olier’s stentorian yell disrupted the peacefulness of the swim. “Dal, you lazy beast. Get your bones in here. The syrup needs to be cooled.” Long strokes of Dal’s tanned arms brought him to the stream’s edge. Snatching up the towel, he dried off. His toss landed the makeshift towel on the knob protruding from the mill door.

Windmaster - published by BWL Publishing

Complete List of Ebook sellers
Ebook and paperback Available At: Amazon / Amazon UK


SPECIAL:  Start your holiday shopping now. 30% off Windmaster Legacy at Smashwords. Use code  ZJ23F .


  ~ * ~

We're all hooked on books. Click on a link to hop to the next blog.



If you have difficulty or the list doesn't display, go to mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com to join the party.

Time to splurge on the Windmaster Novels

Woohoo! My BWL Publishing are 30% off at Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi.... Yay! Don't miss this sale. Smashwords has all formats for all devices. Go ahead and splurge with the complete series of the Windmaster Novels. #fantasy #romance


Hope you stop by and check out the Windmaster Novels. The sale won't last forever.

~till next time, Helen

Hope and Kindness #MFRWauthor

Words to live by. As I thought about this week's post,  I heard voices. No, not the voices of a crazy person. 

First there was my grandmother's soft, but stern, admonition that, "If you can't say something good, don't say anything." Which is one of the reasons why I won't discuss politics (from either side), or review a book if it is so poorly written I couldn't find any redeeming factors.

Then, there was my father. "Do onto others as you would have them do onto you." Now that could be taken as an old country warning not to cross someone, or positive words of hope--the belief that if you treat people well, they will respond in kind. He would help a friend get their crop in from the field or don an Indian-pack to help a neighbor fight a brush fire. Before the days of ubiquitous cell phones, he changed tires for women or elderly couples stranded on the side of the road and asked nothing in return. He just hoped that if one of his needed help, that someone would step up.



Over the years I've helped with what for me was a simple service, usually with a "You're welcome, I'm just returning a favor once done me. Shoveling a path to a neighbor's door so they could get to the street (or the ambulance team in) or helping the booth next to you at a street fair set up a recalcitrant canopy were among the methods I paid forward a kindness given me.

I still remember the joy in a "then" young writer's face when he read my edits. He couldn't afford to pay for any help, so no repayment at least in earthly coin was expected. My notes were preface with "It's your story. These are suggestions to toss or use as you will." That simple accommodation made his day. He read the suggestions and his mother later told me he used every one, that they made a dramatic difference. I don't know if he ever published the story, but at that point it time it was enough to pass along the knowledge.

Of course there is the other interpretation of "do onto others" that is not so positive, when trust is not proven out. That emotion rose recently as I looked at the results of a major contest. Not one but two of my books made it past the first round and since I was with a publisher (who urged us to support each other) and active in several groups (where we were supposed to help each other) I had hopes that because there was a relatively small field I had a chance to move onto the next round. After all, of all those people I helped promote, those who when asked for votes in other contests received them, at least a few of them might have the integrity to return the favor.

You can guess what's next. Even after I lowered myself to ASK FOR HELP, the response was more than disappointing. Neither book made it to the finals. Their support could be counted on less than one hand. Will I continue to pay it forward and give help when others ask? Right now I don't want to. In fact I don't want to write ever again. But the reality is, I will hear my ancestors' voices and will.



What's your words to live by and why? Share if you care to and visit the other posts in the challenge. ~till next time, may hope and kindness be yours. Helen