Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 78

Hooked on Windmaster Legacy, The Meeting #MFRWHooks #MFRWAuthor

Book 2 of the Windmaster Novels -
Chose between magic, revenge... or the life of a loved one.


Blurb:

Newly handfasted to the dark-haired archmage Lord Dal, Ellspeth and her husband escort his mother to her ancestral lands. The journey is interrupted when mercenaries under the control of Bashim, a rogue mage, attack. Dal's mother is severely wounded and Ellspeth is captured. Her sole hope for escape is Nobyn, an untrained wizard going through the throes of awakening magic. However, Nobyn is Bashim's apprentice and under the mage's total control.

Dal must make an impossible decision whether to rescue his wife, save his mother, or thwart Bashim's plans. More than who lives or dies is at stake. He might survive killing the future of magic, but would he be able to live with his guilt over the death of a loved one.


Excerpt:
 
The sight of armed guards blocking her path did little to settle Ellspeth’s rising agitation. She edged Zethar forward. “We request an audience with Lady Karora.”
 
A guard with corporal’s chevrons on his sleeve stepped from behind the gate. “State your purpose,” he challenged. His thumbs hooked behind the buckle of his wide belt put the man’s hands too close to his sword for Ellspeth’s peace of mind. Out of consideration for diplomacy, she wore only a short sword. Neither the new throwing knife she’d purchased in Letralia hidden in one boot nor Gabrielle’s dagger stuffed into the other gave Ellspeth comfort.

 
Windmaster Legacy Available At:  Ebook: Amazon / Kobo / Barnes&Noble / Smashwords / iTunes   Paperback: Amazon

Click here for another excerpt and a free read of the first chapter. And if you missed Windmaster, an excerpt for the first book in the series can be found here.

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.

I Need a Hero #MFRWauthor

Welcome to week 19 of the challenge. The first thought that came to mind for the topic, the ideal romance hero, was the chorus from "Holding Out For A Hero" by the welsh singer, Bonnie Tyler. I first heard the song when it was used as the theme for the television program, Cover Up, and have found myself humming it as I created a character. Even though my two series, the Dragshi Chronicles and The Windmaster Novels, are fantasy, they also cross the fence into romance.

So what marks an ideal romantic hero? If you're holding out for a hero, what do you want?

I write fantasies filled with strong women. Ellspeth was a ship captain, respected by her men. The women of the Dragshi Chronicles were of equal strength. Anastasia held her own in a marksmanship competition against three men. Glyn was a strong enough fighter to protect her mate's back in battle. So a man worth walking alongside my heroine. He has to balance his urge to protect her with the understanding that sometimes she has to fight alone. In Windmaster, Lord Dal proved that when he allowed the woman he cared for to exact her own revenge for the murder of her cabin boy. So the first attribute of the heroes I create are that they have to be worthy of the women they love--or to paraphrase Lois L'Amour, "a man to walk beside a woman, not in front of her."


Often a hero is described as tall, dark, and handsome. I'm short, so tall isn't a requirement, as long as he can tuck my head beneath his chin when he holds me. Dark? Well, I've known some hero blonds. Which leaves handsome. My heroes don't need to be drop dead gorgeous. But easy on the eyes doesn't hurt.

An accent can melt a hardened heart, especially the deep, melodic burr of a Scottish highlander. Or a tanned hunk from Australia. Especially if he's in a jeans, bush hat, and slicker. Oh, did I forget to say "shirt?"


Not all heros are alpha males bearing the scars of battle. Some are just ordinary men with a sense of duty and honor doing what needs to be done to survive day-to-day. I will also confess that I've always had a thing for men who can fix things. Back in the day, the original MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson) would have been on my short list. Of course since I always wanted to fly amongst the stars, so Anderson gets an additional point for the Star Gate SG-1 series.

Whether proud or fearless, rugged or sophisticated, there is a special something that makes a man. And our task as a writer is to create such a character for our readers--and ourselves. And my apologies, I took the prompt literally, "romantic hero." Heroines are a topic for another day, and an attitude shift.

~till next time, meet the men of the Dragshi Chronicles. And be sure to visit the other authors in the challenge. Helen

Countdown to the next round

Today is the last day to vote in the #fantasy category of the 2017 Rone Awards. Five of the 25 nominees goes on to the next selection round where the judging will be by our professional peers. It's a blind count so until those going through are announced, we won't know.

I will admit I'm more nervous than I thought. This is the fist contest where someonelse nominated me. I want to wish all the nominees the best of luck. You're all talented.

If you haven't read the review that helped get Hatchling's Vengeance through the first round, here's a snippit. Henderson...puts the reader right in the middle of the action, painting pictures vividly for their imagination. You can read the whole review at http://ow.ly/DmlW30aZW3O

It's a great lineup of nominees. Hope you'll vote. Whether you vote for Hatchling's Vengeance or Hatchling's Mate, the dragon shifters
thank you for stopping by inD'tale and voting. http://ow.ly/DmlW30aZW3O #amreadingfantasy #dragon

~till next time, Helen

Laughing... or not #MFRWauthor

Let me state up front that I am not a laughing, jubilant person. Deep belly rolls don't come easy. Especially in the confines of the rooms of a medical facility. Even the best ones are not conducive to being upbeat and happy. Rainy or snowy days bleech out the joy in life. My characters dread the long days of winter, it is the worst of time for them.

Raunchy humor and shock jock aren't my cup of tea. I don't laugh at another's expense. The funny videos of someone getting hurt don't even draw a chuckle. I will admit that some of the old slapstick, the Keystone cops in particular will pull a laugh. Abbott and Costello routines have brightened a dull night.
 

I will close with something that made me clap my hands and laugh out loud. Now keep is mind I don't surf the net looking for cute kitten videos, but I have laughed at a clip of a dog hanging its head after being caught doing wrong. The chuckle I'm sharing happened at the Westminster Dog Show. I originally looked up the show because they not only had agility trials for dogs but for cats as well. I didn't find any clips of the cats showing their prowess, but one of a beagle captured my interest. It wasn't her flawless performance that brought the audience to laugh, only a dog being a dog. The short clip is here is you want to visit it, then go see what brings a smile to some of the other authors in the challenge.

Photo by Dianne Hope at Morguefile ~till next time, may laughter always be yours. Helen

Out and Away - Dream Journeys #MFRWauthor

This week's official topic for the challenge is
"Five Places I'd Like To Visit."


Photo by ryano at Morguefile.com1) Horseback camping (or glamping) trip under the Big Sky


2) The land of waterfalls, tropical forests and pristine beaches - Hawaii. Only if Pele grants permission.

3) As a lover of science fiction, a journey to the stars has to appear on the list. But that means two decisions:  destination and transport.

Photo by seriousfun at Morguefile.com



 


Transport first, and depending on availability, the command deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise with Jean Luc Picard in the center seat, Commander William T. Riker at his right, and sorry Deanna, I'm in the left seat; or as an alternative, the small, more intimate cockpit of the Millenium Falcon.



And now for the destination--the planet of Withym. I'd love to see the artifacts and the ancient temple they reside in. If you have never heard of Withym and its archaeological treasures, click on the cover in the sidebar and the READER'S BONUS button.

Photo by Emily Roesly at Morguefile.com4) and 5) Although we're supposed to write about five places, numbers 4 and 5 are combined because they didn't fit in just one. As a writer of fantasy, the genre makes the decision. The final journey on the list is to the British Isles to see the Emerald Isle, Wales, and the heart-home of my Scottish heritage.
Photo by Emily Roesly at Morguefile.com
Another reason to have Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, take up two slots. One is the land of today and the other ticket is reserved for a trip to a time long ago--the specific date to be determined.

Well, I'm off to book my trips. if any of the sites intrigues you, leave a comment. And be sure to consider some of the other places to visit selected by the other authors in the challenge.

~till next time, Helen

I’ve Been Nominated for a RONE Award

I am honored to have two of the Dragshi Chronicles in the running for a prestigious RONE award.  

Hatchling's Mate in the science fiction - fantasy category.


And so is, Hatchling's Vengeance.


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Voting for the science fiction-fantasy category takes place from May 1st to May 7th at www.indtale.com.

I would LOVE to be in the finals. This is my first ever nomination for any award! I’m humbled and honored to be included with all of the other talented authors whose books have been selected this year. (Best wishes to all!)

If you enjoyed either Hatchling's Mate or Hatchling's Vengeance I’d appreciate your vote very much.

PS -  You MUST be registered at www.indtale.com in order to vote. Once you register, if you haven’t already, click the verification link sent via email. Verification of registration is needed to be able to vote.

To Catch a Dream #MFRWauthor

Dreams are ephemeral. They appear as a shiny lure just out of reach.  And when achieved, the satisfaction doesn't always match the expectation. hence the old axiom, Be careful what you wish for. It might come true.

Dreams are not a one-size fit all, while there might be one that is held onto from childhood, in reality different dreams fit different stages of life. The childhood dream of being an astronaut was replaced by the more earthbound airline pilot. Not to tell my age, but at the time of those dreams, they were men only clubs. Since they were not achievable given the time and circumstances, they were put aside as unrealistic. Adult dreams of a college degree, family, and job were achieved to some degree. Others yielded to the pragmatism of caregiving.

I am hesitant to reveal my latest--and biggest--dream, to become a published author. Deep down there was the qualification of "New York Times Best-Selling author," to be published by one of the big New York Five. Luck can be as important in achieving a dream as talent. The right person at the right time gets the foot into the door, which is needed because talent can't be recognized if it can't be seen.

I am a published author and have been in some form or another for many, many years. Small presses, regional, and national offered contracts. Other works went the independent route. Even if book sale numbers aren't in the stratosphere, there is the knowledge that each of my works in the national and international magazines were read by more than 100,000 people.



The sad part about dreams is having to admit they won't come true. Although this is being posted in late spring, it was written during the cold dark days of winter in a hospital room. Whether you dream big or small, my wish is that your's not only come true, but that they bring you happiness. Be sure to visit some of the other authors in the challenge to see what their dreams were and if they came true.

~till next time, Helen

Where Do You Hangout? #MFRWauthor

Hanging out. One definition is "to spend time in a place, to be together socially." So here's a few if my favorite places to 'hang out' online.

Email
When going online, I hang out first on my email server. Although email isn't traditionally considered social media, I include it because I check the posts and news from the online groups I belong to via email. Another reason to include email as a 'hangout' is emails serve to initiate contact with other more traditional social media sites when the items are shared on them.


Facebook
Facebook is next up. Scanning the timeline leads to sharing selected items on my author page. With occasionally a share to twitter.

Twitter
Twitter usually gets the bulk of my hangout time. Reading tweets, re-tweeting, and programming messages for upcoming events, blog posts, and supporting other authors. I have lists set up for those I follow, people who follow me and my favorite groups @MFRW_org and @RomanceUniv.

Goodreads, Pinterest

Goodreads is an occasional hangout. I'm not there every day but check-in regularly. I love my readers and Goodreads is where the contact is more personal than some of the other sites.

To Blog or Not to Blog
The final online hangout is here on my blog where I share news of my writing, notes on writing life, and bits too long for Facebook and Twitter. A really good day is when a review is posted or a reader leaves a note.

Now that I've shared some insights, to find me at the hangout of your choice, click on the icons on the sidebar or the links below. Hope to hang out soon. And be sure to visit the other autors in the challenge.

~till next time, Helen

Facebook     Twitter     Goodreads     Google+     Pinterest     

Inspiration Floats On The Wind #mfrwauthor

Welcome to week 14 of the 52-week blog challenge. This week's topic is story inspiration.

I find inspiration in various aspects of the world around me. A verse of music, a few notes of a tune or a photo from some exotic place can trigger an idea. But not all inspiration is the same. Sometimes a dream awakens me in the middle of the night and gives the overall storyline for a new work or a scene unfolds like a scene from a movie.

Those are inspiration for a specific item. Then there is the writing inspiration. The music or image that transports you to another world. For fantasy worlds, celtic flute gives me dragon wings or lets me sail with mages. 

 



Pictures provide a ground in a setting while the music invites the muse to visit.


[image error] Sometimes the inspiration comes from the story and the characters themselves. When the end was typed for Hatchling's Mate there were several characters whose ultimate fates remained to be determined. Their paths could be sealed by vengeance or redeemed by love. The storyline was a new approach I wanted to explore and I took the inspiration from the characters themselves. And the result was Hatchling's Vengeance.

Stop by the other authors in the challenge to see what inspires them. And come back each week for new insights into the authors of MFRW and their writing life.
 
~till next time, Helen

Stars...I want a galaxy full

Stars...I want a galaxy of stars. Visit Romance University to see my post on reviews--and stars.

http://romanceuniversity.org/2017/04/03/starsi-want-a-galaxy-of-stars-but-all-i-got-was-one-by-helen-henderson/



~till next time, Helen