Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 81
January 8, 2017
Out and About with Cynthia Woolf
The first interview of the year is up. I'm dishing secrets with Cynthia Woolf. You're invited to stop on by and see the answers to questions such as "Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?" and "advice for aspiring writers." There are also a couple of special questions answered just for my readers.
Hope you'll stop on by and leave a comment. The post is at http://cynthiawoolf.com/?p=6732
~till next time, Helen
Hope you'll stop on by and leave a comment. The post is at http://cynthiawoolf.com/?p=6732
~till next time, Helen
January 5, 2017
Characters Have Favorite Things Too. #MFRWauthor
For the first time I'm attempting a challenge. Not because I'm bored (as a 24/7 caregiver for an elderly family member time is limited) or that I don't have anything else to do (2 novels, 6 poems, and 4 interviews await the pen). No, I accepted the challenge as a symbolic gesture for the new year.
The immediate reaction to the topic "A Few of my Favorite Things" was Julie Andrews singing "raindrops on roses..."
Stop right there by mind said. Too prosaic.
Take two. Friends, family, Smokey Mountains, sitting on a lakeside dock. Nope. Too common. Back to "whiskers on kittens..."
Favorite things should invoke warm fuzzy happiness. "Ain't gonna happen," my darkside snarled. With the release of the last book in a series, I'm saying goodbye to a world I created. A book pirate's complaint that I wouldn't gift him all my books and the anniversary of one of the worst days in my writing career didn't put me in a light-hearted frame of mind. So I reached out to books--and their characters. So here's some of my favorite characters' favorite things.
Dal of Clan Daimh, Archmage (Windmaster Legacy)
Taerneach, the stallion and I've been together since before I was a fetlock high. He's helped me accept I'd never be clan chiefthe magic dagger given me by Gabrielle when she could no longer practice magic.Lord Branin of the Dragshi (Hatchlings Curse)/span>
the freedom of flight when I take on my soul twin's dragon form. Even if it comes with heavy responsibility and the curse of childlessness.the protector of Mt'wan, the enspelled sword has saved my life on more than one occasionAnastasia of Clan Miller (Dragon Destiny)
the feeling of belonging to clanthe dragon comb that was a present from Branin at the special naming day party given me by the dragshiAnd lastly, a few favorite things of Ellspeth of the House of Cszabo, captain of Sea Falcon. (Windmaster)
the breeze in my face as I stand a midnight watch at the helm of my ship,shipfish dancing on their tails as the silver notes of my flute float across the waves.the sun glinting off my gold bracelets of rank.To visit more with the characters who shared their favorite things, click on the covers. Each appears in the entire series, but I listed the cover they appear on. To read other posts about favorite things, click on the list below.
~till next time, Helen
The immediate reaction to the topic "A Few of my Favorite Things" was Julie Andrews singing "raindrops on roses..."
Stop right there by mind said. Too prosaic.
Take two. Friends, family, Smokey Mountains, sitting on a lakeside dock. Nope. Too common. Back to "whiskers on kittens..."
Favorite things should invoke warm fuzzy happiness. "Ain't gonna happen," my darkside snarled. With the release of the last book in a series, I'm saying goodbye to a world I created. A book pirate's complaint that I wouldn't gift him all my books and the anniversary of one of the worst days in my writing career didn't put me in a light-hearted frame of mind. So I reached out to books--and their characters. So here's some of my favorite characters' favorite things.
Dal of Clan Daimh, Archmage (Windmaster Legacy)
Taerneach, the stallion and I've been together since before I was a fetlock high. He's helped me accept I'd never be clan chiefthe magic dagger given me by Gabrielle when she could no longer practice magic.Lord Branin of the Dragshi (Hatchlings Curse)/span>
the freedom of flight when I take on my soul twin's dragon form. Even if it comes with heavy responsibility and the curse of childlessness.the protector of Mt'wan, the enspelled sword has saved my life on more than one occasionAnastasia of Clan Miller (Dragon Destiny)
the feeling of belonging to clanthe dragon comb that was a present from Branin at the special naming day party given me by the dragshiAnd lastly, a few favorite things of Ellspeth of the House of Cszabo, captain of Sea Falcon. (Windmaster)
the breeze in my face as I stand a midnight watch at the helm of my ship,shipfish dancing on their tails as the silver notes of my flute float across the waves.the sun glinting off my gold bracelets of rank.To visit more with the characters who shared their favorite things, click on the covers. Each appears in the entire series, but I listed the cover they appear on. To read other posts about favorite things, click on the list below.
~till next time, Helen
January 4, 2017
You Made a Resolution - Now to Keep It
Last week, the post was about resolutions. Following the focus of beginning the new year on a positive note, I thought I'd pass along an article by Fae Rowan which contains advice on how to keep your resolutions--especially if you resolved to write more, write better, or set certain goals for your writing career.
Fae lists seven key words. While they may or may not be familiar to you as a writer, you can say they are battle-tested. According to Fae, "These are the Seven Keys to Excellence that are the basis for Navy SEAL training."
I can hear your denials now. "I'm not a Seal," or "I don't jump out of a helicopter into the ocean." And my own, "I can't swim more than two strokes and I'm a couch potato, what do I need the keys to their training."
To learn the answer how seven words will help you meet your resolution,you have to go read the article at seven-tips-to-level-up-your-writing-career/. Fae explains how they fit into her writing life, and it sounded a lot like mine. And probably yours too.
One of the things that caught my interest was the similarity between Fae's bio and mine. Fae Rowen discovered the romance genre after years as a science fiction freak. Writing futuristics and medieval paranormals, she jokes that she can live anywhere but the present. As a mathematician, she knows life’s a lot more fun when you get to define your world and its rules.
My primary genre was fantasy (with some short science fiction stories sprinkled in.) Then a romance writer in my online critique group helped me develop that side of my writing and romance learned to take its rightful place alongside the fantasy. The comment about able to live elsewhere also resonated with me. Although my variant is that I get to hang out with mages and fly with dragons.
~till next time, Helen
December 28, 2016
New Year's Resolutions - What's yours?
New Year's Resolutions. They are meant to encourage us to start off the next year in a positive frame of mind, to make the new year better than the outgoing one. Yet the older some of us get, the worst each year seems to be. It might be the aches and pains from the damp and cold of winter or the melancholy left over after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. For some, the darkness is caused by the simple handwritten message scrawled in the yearly card, "We lost xxx this past spring." A reminder that with the passage of another year, another friend, won't be there to share the new year with.
With all that it is easy to lose the passion and joy that marked earlier times in my writing career. The happiness when a story is completed or the excitement of a new contract paled in the face of the reality of the sales and royalty numbers in each month's email.
I came across what is for me as a writer, the best New Year's resolution and one I hope to adopt for the upcoming year. So with acknowledgement to Linda S. Clare who voiced the resolution, "In 2017, my goal is going to be to fall in love with writing again."
So to all my writer friends, that is my wish for you. And for the readers my wish is for you to find a new favorite author and to enjoy your old ones."
The person behind the resolution, Linda S. Clare, is described in her bio as a daydreamer, artist and storyteller. Read more about this resolution and why authors need to at least consider it at http://lindasclare.com/2016/12/the-best-writers-resolution/.
~till next time, Helen
With all that it is easy to lose the passion and joy that marked earlier times in my writing career. The happiness when a story is completed or the excitement of a new contract paled in the face of the reality of the sales and royalty numbers in each month's email.
I came across what is for me as a writer, the best New Year's resolution and one I hope to adopt for the upcoming year. So with acknowledgement to Linda S. Clare who voiced the resolution, "In 2017, my goal is going to be to fall in love with writing again."
So to all my writer friends, that is my wish for you. And for the readers my wish is for you to find a new favorite author and to enjoy your old ones."
The person behind the resolution, Linda S. Clare, is described in her bio as a daydreamer, artist and storyteller. Read more about this resolution and why authors need to at least consider it at http://lindasclare.com/2016/12/the-best-writers-resolution/.
~till next time, Helen
December 12, 2016
Tuesday's Title - Raiders On the Saint Johns
Captain Dan Farrel feared one thing--meeting his brother in battle, at the other end of his gun.
Title: Raiders on the Saint Johns
(Sequel to Exiles on the St. Johns)
Author: Lydia HawkeFind Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
Genre: Civil War Historical
Publisher: Global Authors Publications
Buy Links: Amazon
Blurb:
His assignment to Florida to recruit a Union cavalry company meant Captain Dan Farrell was returning home to a state split by conflicting loyalties. Among them his brother Jack, a member of Confederate Captain J. J. Dickison's partisan rangers. As an officer, Dan would like nothing better than to put Jack out of action. As a brother he feared the day they would meet in battle. Complicating Dan's life is his neighbor, Sarah Cates Phillips. His return to Florida renews his acquaintance with the alluring widow. To Sarah, Dan is more than the appealing Yankee captain that once stole her heart. His worst flaw is the color of his uniform. How can she love a man who is out to destroy those she holds most dear?
Behind the Scenes: Thanks to the Florida Memory online project, Lydia discovered the Confederate pension records for her great, great grandfather. The research uncovered not only a discharge "on account of disability" but what was going on in St. Johns County at the time. Among the tales she worked into Exiles On the St. Johns was the live of St. Augustine. The town was under Federal control from March 1862 through the end of the war and was off limits to anyone who refused to take the Oath of Allegiance.
Author Bio:
Lydia Filzen has written four award-winning Civil War novels under the name Lydia Hawke. EXILES ON THE SAINT JOHNS and RAIDERS ON THE SAINT JOHNS are set in Florida. FIRETRAIL and PERFECT DISGUISE, have been adapted into feature-length movies and are now available on DVD.
Lydia was born in St. Augustine and has lived in Florida all her life. She is an avid history buff and lurks about Civil War reenactments trolling for stories and great pictures. Also, she shows champion Collies in conformation and agility. She has also written a suspense novel set in the world of dog agility trials, SILENT WITNESS.
Find Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
Title: Raiders on the Saint Johns
(Sequel to Exiles on the St. Johns)
Author: Lydia HawkeFind Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
Genre: Civil War Historical
Publisher: Global Authors Publications
Buy Links: Amazon
Blurb:
His assignment to Florida to recruit a Union cavalry company meant Captain Dan Farrell was returning home to a state split by conflicting loyalties. Among them his brother Jack, a member of Confederate Captain J. J. Dickison's partisan rangers. As an officer, Dan would like nothing better than to put Jack out of action. As a brother he feared the day they would meet in battle. Complicating Dan's life is his neighbor, Sarah Cates Phillips. His return to Florida renews his acquaintance with the alluring widow. To Sarah, Dan is more than the appealing Yankee captain that once stole her heart. His worst flaw is the color of his uniform. How can she love a man who is out to destroy those she holds most dear?
Behind the Scenes: Thanks to the Florida Memory online project, Lydia discovered the Confederate pension records for her great, great grandfather. The research uncovered not only a discharge "on account of disability" but what was going on in St. Johns County at the time. Among the tales she worked into Exiles On the St. Johns was the live of St. Augustine. The town was under Federal control from March 1862 through the end of the war and was off limits to anyone who refused to take the Oath of Allegiance.
Author Bio:
Lydia Filzen has written four award-winning Civil War novels under the name Lydia Hawke. EXILES ON THE SAINT JOHNS and RAIDERS ON THE SAINT JOHNS are set in Florida. FIRETRAIL and PERFECT DISGUISE, have been adapted into feature-length movies and are now available on DVD.
Lydia was born in St. Augustine and has lived in Florida all her life. She is an avid history buff and lurks about Civil War reenactments trolling for stories and great pictures. Also, she shows champion Collies in conformation and agility. She has also written a suspense novel set in the world of dog agility trials, SILENT WITNESS.
Find Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
December 11, 2016
Searching For - Holiday Spirit 2016
I admit it. There are times when holiday spirit eludes me. It seems a little harder to catch each year. It might be age, stress, lack of sleep,too much responsibility, or too many memories. Beyond the usual craziness, there are loved ones no longer with us and the realization that this may be the last holiday with others. So to try to engage the holiday (notice I didn't say reclaim the childhood glow) there was attendance at a school band holiday program. It was worth seeing someone's eyes light up as they sang along. And then there was the local Christmas parade. The fake snow generated from the floats elicited the response from the crowd as the white fluff floated over their heads, "It's a white Christmas."
There are lots of holiday books, movies. There really isn't time or energy for binge watching movies, so each year I pull out the dog-eared copy of A Yuletide Wish and re-read one of the first stories I ever had published.
Then there are the blog posts. This year my favorite was by Marianne Rice. It brought back memories of the empty corner, cutting down the tree in the back field, and decorating. The only thing she didn't cover was the village of paper mache buildings inherited from previous generations you had to be careful not to lean on or step on as you watered the tree.
Visit Rice's story on "My Favorite Christmas Ornaments"
~till next time, Happy Holidays. Helen
There are lots of holiday books, movies. There really isn't time or energy for binge watching movies, so each year I pull out the dog-eared copy of A Yuletide Wish and re-read one of the first stories I ever had published.Then there are the blog posts. This year my favorite was by Marianne Rice. It brought back memories of the empty corner, cutting down the tree in the back field, and decorating. The only thing she didn't cover was the village of paper mache buildings inherited from previous generations you had to be careful not to lean on or step on as you watered the tree.
Visit Rice's story on "My Favorite Christmas Ornaments"
~till next time, Happy Holidays. Helen
December 6, 2016
Book Hooked on Windmaster Legacy, Attack in the Night, #MFRWHooks #MFRWAuthor
Windmaster Legacy
(Book 2 of the Windmaster Novels
Newly handfasted to the dark-haired archmage Lord Dal, Ellspeth and her husband escort his mother on a final journey to her ancestral lands. Their plans change 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, cure his mother, or thwart Bashim's plans. More than who lives or dies is at stake. He might be able to live with his guilt over the death of a loved one, but could he survive killing the future of magic.
Excerpt:
The street filled with the sound of pounding hooves as the true horses ran from the chaos. Swords clanged in a clash of steel that mingled with the grunts of the fàlaire. Ellspeth’s world narrowed to the bucking animal beneath her and the wave after wave of attackers. She slashed at the nearest dark shape, then hacked at another.
Although she knew Dal was too far away to help, she instinctively reached out for him. Her call vanished before it went more than a handspan, cut off by some unseen force.
Ebook Available At: Amazon Amazon.UK
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.
(Book 2 of the Windmaster Novels
Newly handfasted to the dark-haired archmage Lord Dal, Ellspeth and her husband escort his mother on a final journey to her ancestral lands. Their plans change 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, cure his mother, or thwart Bashim's plans. More than who lives or dies is at stake. He might be able to live with his guilt over the death of a loved one, but could he survive killing the future of magic.
Excerpt:
The street filled with the sound of pounding hooves as the true horses ran from the chaos. Swords clanged in a clash of steel that mingled with the grunts of the fàlaire. Ellspeth’s world narrowed to the bucking animal beneath her and the wave after wave of attackers. She slashed at the nearest dark shape, then hacked at another.
Although she knew Dal was too far away to help, she instinctively reached out for him. Her call vanished before it went more than a handspan, cut off by some unseen force.
Ebook Available At: Amazon Amazon.UK
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.
November 30, 2016
Tuesday's Title - Exiles On The St. Johns
Two families, two younger brothers (one a spy, the other a sharpshooter)
ONE WAR. The sharpshooter fears seeing his brother in his gunsights. And the spy's activites may cause the loss of their home.
Title: Exiles on the Saint Johns
Author: Lydia HawkeFind Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
Date of Release: September 18, 2010
Genre: Civil War Historical
Publisher: Global Authors Publications
Buy Links: Amazon
Blurb:
Northeast Florida seethes with hostilities during the War Between the States, pitting father against son and neighbor against neighbor. Confederate sharpshooter Jack Farrell returns home to recover from his wounds but faces conflict with his Unionist father and Yankee raiders. Martina Sanchez, a young Minorcan woman, struggles to hold onto her St. Augustine home despite threats of banishment by Union occupiers. She fears her younger brother's spying will bring more disaster into their lives. Union Lieutenant Richard Prescott pursues Martina ruthlessly, blackmailing her to achieve his ends. Her only help comes from the disreputable Jack Farrell, who appears to be just as dangerous as her tormentor.
Excerpts and reviews of both Exiles On The St. Johns and the sequel, Raiders On The St. Johns can be found at here.
Behind the Scenes: Thanks to the Florida Memory online project, Lydia discovered the Confederate pension records for her great, great grandfather. The research uncovered not only a discharge "on account of disability" but what was going on in St. Johns County at the time. Among the tales she worked into Exiles On The St. Johns was the live of St. Augustine. The town was under Federal control from March 1862 through the end of the war and was off limits to anyone who refused to take the Oath of Allegiance.
Author Bio:
Lydia Filzen has written four award-winning Civil War novels under the name Lydia Hawke. EXILES ON THE SAINT JOHNS and RAIDERS ON THE SAINT JOHNS are set in Florida. FIRETRAIL and PERFECT DISGUISE, have been adapted into feature-length movies and are now available on DVD.
Lydia was born in St. Augustine and has lived in Florida all her life. She is an avid history buff and lurks about Civil War reenactments trolling for stories and great pictures. Also, she shows champion Collies in conformation and agility. She has also written a suspense novel set in the world of dog agility trials, SILENT WITNESS.
Find Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
ONE WAR. The sharpshooter fears seeing his brother in his gunsights. And the spy's activites may cause the loss of their home.
Title: Exiles on the Saint Johns
Author: Lydia HawkeFind Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
Date of Release: September 18, 2010
Genre: Civil War Historical
Publisher: Global Authors Publications
Buy Links: Amazon
Blurb:
Northeast Florida seethes with hostilities during the War Between the States, pitting father against son and neighbor against neighbor. Confederate sharpshooter Jack Farrell returns home to recover from his wounds but faces conflict with his Unionist father and Yankee raiders. Martina Sanchez, a young Minorcan woman, struggles to hold onto her St. Augustine home despite threats of banishment by Union occupiers. She fears her younger brother's spying will bring more disaster into their lives. Union Lieutenant Richard Prescott pursues Martina ruthlessly, blackmailing her to achieve his ends. Her only help comes from the disreputable Jack Farrell, who appears to be just as dangerous as her tormentor.
Excerpts and reviews of both Exiles On The St. Johns and the sequel, Raiders On The St. Johns can be found at here.
Behind the Scenes: Thanks to the Florida Memory online project, Lydia discovered the Confederate pension records for her great, great grandfather. The research uncovered not only a discharge "on account of disability" but what was going on in St. Johns County at the time. Among the tales she worked into Exiles On The St. Johns was the live of St. Augustine. The town was under Federal control from March 1862 through the end of the war and was off limits to anyone who refused to take the Oath of Allegiance.
Author Bio:
Lydia Filzen has written four award-winning Civil War novels under the name Lydia Hawke. EXILES ON THE SAINT JOHNS and RAIDERS ON THE SAINT JOHNS are set in Florida. FIRETRAIL and PERFECT DISGUISE, have been adapted into feature-length movies and are now available on DVD.
Lydia was born in St. Augustine and has lived in Florida all her life. She is an avid history buff and lurks about Civil War reenactments trolling for stories and great pictures. Also, she shows champion Collies in conformation and agility. She has also written a suspense novel set in the world of dog agility trials, SILENT WITNESS.
Find Lydia on the web at www.lydiahawke.us/
November 29, 2016
Windmaster Legacy - Casting Off Into Adventure and Love
Chose between magic, survival, or the life of a loved one.
Windmaster Legacy is a romance-filled, action-packed fantasy described by readers as a fascinating story that will keep you up all night turning the pages.
Buy Links: Amazon
With her newfound magic, a ship to sail the far seas, and the dark-haired mage Lord Dal standing at her side Ellspeth thought her future secure. However, danger looms on the horizon and threatens not only her happiness, but the future of magic itself.
Dal's mother is fatally wounded in a mercenary attack during which Ellspeth is captured. Betrayed by a kinsman, she is imprisoned, her magic bound and preparations underway to enslave her mind, 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 Ellspeth, save his mother, or thwart Bashim's plans. As archmage, Dal might be able to survive killing the future of magic, but as a man could he live with the knowledge he caused the death of a loved one.
Click here for an excerpt.
Windmaster Legacy is a romance-filled, action-packed fantasy described by readers as a fascinating story that will keep you up all night turning the pages.
Buy Links: Amazon
With her newfound magic, a ship to sail the far seas, and the dark-haired mage Lord Dal standing at her side Ellspeth thought her future secure. However, danger looms on the horizon and threatens not only her happiness, but the future of magic itself.
Dal's mother is fatally wounded in a mercenary attack during which Ellspeth is captured. Betrayed by a kinsman, she is imprisoned, her magic bound and preparations underway to enslave her mind, 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 Ellspeth, save his mother, or thwart Bashim's plans. As archmage, Dal might be able to survive killing the future of magic, but as a man could he live with the knowledge he caused the death of a loved one.
Click here for an excerpt.
November 17, 2016
Settings - Find a Place in The World
Setting is one of the major components of writing. A challenge is to make the world real to the reader. An author has to draw a reader into the story and keep them centered in a given time and place. Since machines to travel through time or to other dimensions are not parked in every garage, it falls upon the author to make the setting detailed and familiar enough for the reader to be able to visualize it without turning the novel into a history book or encyclopedia.
Pictures are a way for an author to take themselves to foreign places and exotic locales that we cannot go to in person. Calendar images are beautiful, but not all novels are set in picturesque woods, alongside waterfalls, or on the beach at sunset. Artwork can take me to a world where dragons fly and magic rules, or to abandoned ruins.
A new book, Abandoned Asylums caught my eye for settings of a different mindset. Although I usually showcase fiction as a Tuesday's Title, I decided to shift the format a little to a darker side and feature Abandoned Asylums.
The images captured by photographer Matt Van der Velde of abandoned asylums and psychiatric facilities are powerful, haunting and emotive. One image showed the perfect corner to write a book in, as long as you don't look at the rest of the interior.
Find out more about the book online at http://www.abandonedasylums.ca/ or facebook.
Available: Nov. 17, 2016 at Amazon / Barnes & Noble.com. Buy links and more can be found at http://www.abandonedasylums.ca/
Pictures are a way for an author to take themselves to foreign places and exotic locales that we cannot go to in person. Calendar images are beautiful, but not all novels are set in picturesque woods, alongside waterfalls, or on the beach at sunset. Artwork can take me to a world where dragons fly and magic rules, or to abandoned ruins.
A new book, Abandoned Asylums caught my eye for settings of a different mindset. Although I usually showcase fiction as a Tuesday's Title, I decided to shift the format a little to a darker side and feature Abandoned Asylums.
The images captured by photographer Matt Van der Velde of abandoned asylums and psychiatric facilities are powerful, haunting and emotive. One image showed the perfect corner to write a book in, as long as you don't look at the rest of the interior.Find out more about the book online at http://www.abandonedasylums.ca/ or facebook.
Available: Nov. 17, 2016 at Amazon / Barnes & Noble.com. Buy links and more can be found at http://www.abandonedasylums.ca/
