Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 82
November 17, 2016
Come to Linda Mooney's - 100 Titles Party
100 titles is an accomplishment. Come help Linda Mooney celebrate hers. The party is at www.facebook.com/events/1721341048185615/. Join Linda and a cast of talented friends. I'm one of the hosts.
November 22nd 6 PM - 11 PM EST
~till next time, Helen
November 22nd 6 PM - 11 PM EST
~till next time, Helen
November 15, 2016
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.
Ebook Available At: Amazon Amazon.UK
We're all hooked on books. Click on a link to hop to the next blog. (Powered by Linky Tools)
If you have difficulty or the list doesn't display, go to mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com to join the party.
(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.
Ebook Available At: Amazon Amazon.UK
We're all hooked on books. Click on a link to hop to the next blog. (Powered by Linky Tools)
If you have difficulty or the list doesn't display, go to mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com to join the party.
November 14, 2016
Tuesday's Title - Dream World
You waded into the Waters and caught a glimpse of the Dream World.
Now immerse yourself and discover what lies beyond the trees.
Title: Dream World
(Book 2 of the Dream Waters series)
Author: Erin A. Jensen
Date of Release: October 31, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Publisher: Dream Waters Publishing LLC
Buy Links:
http://amazon.com/dp/B01L62Y89O
Blurb:
Recently released from a psychiatric facility after learning that his Dream Sight is not a delusion but a gift, Charlie Oliver sets off to accept an invitation extended by a powerful Dark creature and potential mentor to join his “family” of Sighted individuals. As his demon guides begin to instruct him, Charlie quickly discovers just how little he actually knows about the Dream World and the creatures who inhabit it.
While Charlie stumbles through his lessons and struggles to harness his natural abilities, Emma Talbot has her own struggles to deal with now that she’s been taken from the facility and placed under house arrest. Imprisoned within the same walls as the man she suspects of being an adulterer and a murderer, Emma grows weaker while her world continues to crumble around her.
As Charlie begins to tap into his dormant instincts, he learns more about Emma’s past and becomes increasingly convinced that he needs to save her. But what if the very prison that binds her is the only thing protecting her from what lurks beyond?
Behind the Scenes:
People often ask me if I've always wanted to be a writer. I've always been a reader and a bit of a daydreamer, but I'm not sure I always consciously planned to be an author. Several years back, I'd just finished reading a wonderful series. It's always bittersweet coming to the end of one of those series where the characters have become so familiar that you feel like you're saying goodbye to old friends. I was dying to find another series of characters to fall in love with, and I was toying with the idea of writing one. When I casually mentioned it to my husband and immediately followed the thought with, "but who does that?" His response was, "You do." If he hadn't been so amazingly supportive I might never have started writing books. And I'm so glad I did because as it turns out, I absolutely love writing novels.
I actually kept the fact that I was writing a book secret from everyone but my husband, my sons and my best friend. It was difficult to get over the fear of what everyone would think of my work. My husband sent it off for a few professional reviews to boost my confidence and the positive feedback I received from those gave me the courage to share my book with the world. Had I known how supportive and enthusiastic everyone in my life would be, I would've told them all much sooner!
The whole process has been an emotional roller coaster ride, and I wouldn't trade a moment of it. Life is too short not to get out there and follow your dreams. No matter what the outcome is, you'll never have to wonder what might have been!
Author Bio:
Erin Jensen is a part-time pharmacist and a full-time creator of imaginary worlds. She lives in upstate New York with her ridiculously supportive husband, two wonderful sons and a Yorkshire terrier who thinks he's the family bodyguard.
You can find her on the web at:
Amazon.com, Goodreads.com and follow her on Twitter as @ErinAJensen.
Now immerse yourself and discover what lies beyond the trees.
Title: Dream World (Book 2 of the Dream Waters series)
Author: Erin A. Jensen
Date of Release: October 31, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Publisher: Dream Waters Publishing LLC
Buy Links:
http://amazon.com/dp/B01L62Y89O
Blurb:
Recently released from a psychiatric facility after learning that his Dream Sight is not a delusion but a gift, Charlie Oliver sets off to accept an invitation extended by a powerful Dark creature and potential mentor to join his “family” of Sighted individuals. As his demon guides begin to instruct him, Charlie quickly discovers just how little he actually knows about the Dream World and the creatures who inhabit it.
While Charlie stumbles through his lessons and struggles to harness his natural abilities, Emma Talbot has her own struggles to deal with now that she’s been taken from the facility and placed under house arrest. Imprisoned within the same walls as the man she suspects of being an adulterer and a murderer, Emma grows weaker while her world continues to crumble around her.
As Charlie begins to tap into his dormant instincts, he learns more about Emma’s past and becomes increasingly convinced that he needs to save her. But what if the very prison that binds her is the only thing protecting her from what lurks beyond?
Behind the Scenes:
People often ask me if I've always wanted to be a writer. I've always been a reader and a bit of a daydreamer, but I'm not sure I always consciously planned to be an author. Several years back, I'd just finished reading a wonderful series. It's always bittersweet coming to the end of one of those series where the characters have become so familiar that you feel like you're saying goodbye to old friends. I was dying to find another series of characters to fall in love with, and I was toying with the idea of writing one. When I casually mentioned it to my husband and immediately followed the thought with, "but who does that?" His response was, "You do." If he hadn't been so amazingly supportive I might never have started writing books. And I'm so glad I did because as it turns out, I absolutely love writing novels.
I actually kept the fact that I was writing a book secret from everyone but my husband, my sons and my best friend. It was difficult to get over the fear of what everyone would think of my work. My husband sent it off for a few professional reviews to boost my confidence and the positive feedback I received from those gave me the courage to share my book with the world. Had I known how supportive and enthusiastic everyone in my life would be, I would've told them all much sooner!
The whole process has been an emotional roller coaster ride, and I wouldn't trade a moment of it. Life is too short not to get out there and follow your dreams. No matter what the outcome is, you'll never have to wonder what might have been!
Author Bio:
Erin Jensen is a part-time pharmacist and a full-time creator of imaginary worlds. She lives in upstate New York with her ridiculously supportive husband, two wonderful sons and a Yorkshire terrier who thinks he's the family bodyguard.
You can find her on the web at:
Amazon.com, Goodreads.com and follow her on Twitter as @ErinAJensen.
November 6, 2016
The Perfect Gift for Authors is Free
Recently, I chatted about 7 Ways to Help Your Local (Or not-so-local) Author. In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, I want to continue in that vein, inspired by Carolyn Howard-Johnson's post, about The Perfect (Very Frugal!) Gift for Authors. Of course there is the word play on "frugal. She is the author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers.
Frugal or free doesn't mean without value. What can be one of a writer's most cherished items is a review. Per Carolyn, "It’s free and it’s a full-of-love gift." Go here to read the full story. Writers On The Move: The Perfect Gift for Authors is Free! She provides a few steps on how to ensure the author gets the most benefit out of your generous gift. Be sure to check out her books as well. Besides the HowtoDoItFrugally series, Carolyn is also the author of a novel and several books of poetry including her most recent, Imperfect Echoes.
And for other ways to help your favorite author? Mystery author Heather Weidner summarizes the ways as Review - Tell - Share - Buy - Nominate - Blog. Her suggestions are at heatherweidner.com/blog/2016/8/28/7-ways-to-help-your-friendly-neighborhood-author.
Carolyn encourages that the holidays are "a time to let your spirit of giving overcome any reticence you may have about contacting a favorite author."
I promise you, there is no gift greater for authors than hearing a positive comment from a reader. Whether you give a book, leave a review, or attend an author meet and greet, to all the readers out there-- you are appreciated.
~till next time, Helen
Frugal or free doesn't mean without value. What can be one of a writer's most cherished items is a review. Per Carolyn, "It’s free and it’s a full-of-love gift." Go here to read the full story. Writers On The Move: The Perfect Gift for Authors is Free! She provides a few steps on how to ensure the author gets the most benefit out of your generous gift. Be sure to check out her books as well. Besides the HowtoDoItFrugally series, Carolyn is also the author of a novel and several books of poetry including her most recent, Imperfect Echoes.
And for other ways to help your favorite author? Mystery author Heather Weidner summarizes the ways as Review - Tell - Share - Buy - Nominate - Blog. Her suggestions are at heatherweidner.com/blog/2016/8/28/7-ways-to-help-your-friendly-neighborhood-author.
Carolyn encourages that the holidays are "a time to let your spirit of giving overcome any reticence you may have about contacting a favorite author."
I promise you, there is no gift greater for authors than hearing a positive comment from a reader. Whether you give a book, leave a review, or attend an author meet and greet, to all the readers out there-- you are appreciated.
~till next time, Helen
October 31, 2016
Tuesday's Tile - Dream Waters by Erin A. Jensen
A tale that blurs the lines between dream and reality, fairytale and history, love and obsession
Title: Dream Waters
(Book 1 of the Dream Waters series)
And Available October 31st -- Dream World (Book 2)
Author: Erin A. Jensen
Date of Release: April 4, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Publisher: Dream Waters Publishing LLC
Buy Links: https://amzn.com/B01E7VZHA0
Dream Waters can also be purchased from the Apple ibooks store, BarnesandNoble.com and Kobo.com
Blurb: All his life, Charlie Oliver has watched the people around him morph into creatures that no one else sees. Unlike the rest of the world, Charlie remembers the Waters that transport him to the Dream World each night and he sees glimpses of people’s Dream forms in the waking world. Condemned to spend his waking hours in a psychiatric facility because of his Dream Sight, Charlie doesn’t expect anything to change. But everything starts changing the day Emma Talbot walks through the door in the middle of a group therapy session.
Haunted by memories of the events that led to her admission, Emma plans to end her life the first chance she gets. But something about Charlie stops her. From the moment they shake hands, his friendship feels safe and familiar. As Emma begins to let down her guard, Charlie catches a glimpse of the fiery-eyed dragon that lurks behind her Dream form. Each night, as Emma dreams of the man who’s been banned from visiting, Charlie searches the Dream World for the monster that shadows her. But when Emma’s suppressed memories begin to surface, Charlie finds more monsters than he bargained for.
Behind the Scenes: My career as a pharmacist has afforded me the opportunity to interact with mentally ill individuals at various points along the spectrum of sanity and in every conversation, no matter how coherent, I've looked into their eyes and seen a soul struggling to connect. It was out of respect for that struggle and my own curious need to understand why some souls have been burdened with such tortured disconnected lives that I dreamt up a world to make sense of it all.
Author Bio: Erin Jensen is a part-time pharmacist and a full-time creator of imaginary worlds. She lives in upstate New York with her ridiculously supportive husband, two wonderful sons and a Yorkshire terrier who thinks he's the family bodyguard.
You can find her on Amazon.com, Goodreads.com and follow her on Twitter as @ErinAJensen.
Title: Dream Waters (Book 1 of the Dream Waters series)
And Available October 31st -- Dream World (Book 2)
Author: Erin A. Jensen
Date of Release: April 4, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Publisher: Dream Waters Publishing LLC
Buy Links: https://amzn.com/B01E7VZHA0
Dream Waters can also be purchased from the Apple ibooks store, BarnesandNoble.com and Kobo.com
Blurb: All his life, Charlie Oliver has watched the people around him morph into creatures that no one else sees. Unlike the rest of the world, Charlie remembers the Waters that transport him to the Dream World each night and he sees glimpses of people’s Dream forms in the waking world. Condemned to spend his waking hours in a psychiatric facility because of his Dream Sight, Charlie doesn’t expect anything to change. But everything starts changing the day Emma Talbot walks through the door in the middle of a group therapy session.
Haunted by memories of the events that led to her admission, Emma plans to end her life the first chance she gets. But something about Charlie stops her. From the moment they shake hands, his friendship feels safe and familiar. As Emma begins to let down her guard, Charlie catches a glimpse of the fiery-eyed dragon that lurks behind her Dream form. Each night, as Emma dreams of the man who’s been banned from visiting, Charlie searches the Dream World for the monster that shadows her. But when Emma’s suppressed memories begin to surface, Charlie finds more monsters than he bargained for.
Behind the Scenes: My career as a pharmacist has afforded me the opportunity to interact with mentally ill individuals at various points along the spectrum of sanity and in every conversation, no matter how coherent, I've looked into their eyes and seen a soul struggling to connect. It was out of respect for that struggle and my own curious need to understand why some souls have been burdened with such tortured disconnected lives that I dreamt up a world to make sense of it all.
Author Bio: Erin Jensen is a part-time pharmacist and a full-time creator of imaginary worlds. She lives in upstate New York with her ridiculously supportive husband, two wonderful sons and a Yorkshire terrier who thinks he's the family bodyguard.
You can find her on Amazon.com, Goodreads.com and follow her on Twitter as @ErinAJensen.
October 30, 2016
50 Authors from 50 States: Jaleta Clegg - "There's No Place Like Home"
Stop by and find out why there's no place like home in Utah with one of the final posts for the 2016 50 authors - 50 states. And if you have a favortie state, check out it's post and author. Mine was Tennessee. 50 Authors from 50 States: Jaleta Clegg - "There's No Place Like Home": We recently moved our family from Utah to Washington state. It was a huge move for us. We'd always lived within twenty miles of whe... ~till next time, Helen
October 28, 2016
Out and About with Fiona Mcvie
Some interviews are fun... some reveal yourself. Some are both. Fiona Mcvie is a mum and granny. Her "About" section mentions a love of reading and baking. She is also a great interviewer. Stop by her blog to see mine.
I pulled one question as a teaser, selected because of the nearness of All Hallow's Eve.
Fiona: What do you want written on your headstone and why?
This is definitely a different question. Surprisingly, it is one that has been on my mind recently. Name and dates don’t capture the imagination of the viewer when they walk through the cemetery. I prefer the old-fashioned sandstones with epitaphs rather than the new-fangled markers with a video embedded in it. So here goes.
Here lies an author, storyteller and historian.
She captured the past for the future
and cared for all.
The rest of the story is at https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/here-is-my-interview-with-helen-henderson/.
Hope you'll stop by for a visit.
~till next time. Helen
I pulled one question as a teaser, selected because of the nearness of All Hallow's Eve.
Fiona: What do you want written on your headstone and why?This is definitely a different question. Surprisingly, it is one that has been on my mind recently. Name and dates don’t capture the imagination of the viewer when they walk through the cemetery. I prefer the old-fashioned sandstones with epitaphs rather than the new-fangled markers with a video embedded in it. So here goes.
Here lies an author, storyteller and historian.
She captured the past for the future
and cared for all.
The rest of the story is at https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/here-is-my-interview-with-helen-henderson/.
Hope you'll stop by for a visit.
~till next time. Helen
October 24, 2016
Characters Meet and Greet - Need a Name Tag?
When you walk into a large party or business meeting with dozens of people in attendance you never met before, do you have trouble remembering the names that go with the faces as everyone is introduced? I sure do! Thank goodness for BIG name tags is all I can say. (Yes, I stole these lines from Veronica Scott in her 10/24/16 post for Romance University.)
It is no easier for readers when they encounter large groups in a single scene. Characters with similar names, unusual names, or even just a lot of names can be confusing and make a reader's eyes glaze over. As a writer of fantasy - and it's being a series - there is by definition of multiple volumes a lot of characters to keep track of. As their creator, I can use a spreadsheet with crib notes so I know the name, relationship, and if they play a pivotal role. (Or if they get killed, secondary characters are not always known to survive the hazards of their world or the machinations of the bad guy.)
But a reader can't do that. They have to keep things straight in their own heads.
Best Selling Science Fiction and Paranormal Romance author Veronica Scott tackles that issue in her article, Meet my Characters – All of Them at Once. Go over and find her tips on how to handle the the meet and greet that happens in the first chapter (and beyond).
~till next time, Helen
October 18, 2016
World Building For All Genres by Janet Lane Walters
World building is something every writer in every genre needs to pay attentio1n to. Sometimes it's to build a town similar to the one we live in, or it could be a fantasy world where magic rules and dragons fly. Read a informative article by Jane Lane Walters of tips and traps on world building. Be sure to read all the way through. The ending is one every writer can relate to. And then go back to read parts 1 and 2. Or pick up one of Janet's books.
~till next time, Helen
Books We Love Insider Blog: World Building For All Genres Part 3 Janet Lane Wa...: The next area of World building to consider is Characters. There are a number of areas where people help weave the world web. ...
~till next time, Helen
Books We Love Insider Blog: World Building For All Genres Part 3 Janet Lane Wa...: The next area of World building to consider is Characters. There are a number of areas where people help weave the world web. ...
October 16, 2016
Volunteers, Dragons and Fantasy - Tennessee
Join me at Annette Synder's blog where I take part of in 50 Authors From 50 States. I talk about my adopted state of Tennessee. Come by for a visit. The sweet tea's cold and the rocking chairs are on the porch.
~Till next time, Helen
Oh yeah, the story includes a picture of a new friend, a water dragon. The camera caught him sunning on the lawn at Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tennessee.
~Till next time, Helen
Oh yeah, the story includes a picture of a new friend, a water dragon. The camera caught him sunning on the lawn at Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tennessee.
