News!
Awarded the
prestigious Sir Julius Vogel Award (given by the Science
Fiction & Fantasy Assn of New Zealand) for Best New
Talent
Thornspell has recently made the Storylines Children's
Literature Trust List of Notable Books 2009!
[Weblink]
The Storylines Notable Books List is selected by a panel
made up of current children's literature professionals,
all with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field
of children's literature.
You can read more about it on Helen's website [
http://www.thornspell.info/] and also
here [
beattiesbookblog]
Finalist - Sir Julius Vogel Awards
Thornspell has also recently made the shortlist for the
Sir Julius Vogel Award 2009 for Best Book: Young Adult.
The awards are given annually by the Science Fiction and
Fantasy Association of New Zealand to recognise excellence
in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror genres. Helen
has also been shortlisted for the Best New Talent
award.
Read more on Helen's website [
http://www.thornspell.info/] and here
[
http://sffanz.sf.org.nz/sjv/sjvNominations-2009.shtml]
About the author: HELEN LOWE
I live in Christchurch, New Zealand, and write Fantasy-
SciFi novels, as well as poetry, and short fiction. I also
host a monthly poetry feature on a local radio station,
Plains 96.9 FM. Other interests include reading (of
course!), history, hiking, martial arts (I hold a second
dan black belt in aikido and was on the fencing team when
at university), and just hanging out with friends.
My literary agent is the wonderful Robin Rue of Writers
House in New York, who keeps me on the writing straight
and narrow with the able help of her assistant, Beth
Miller.
Thornspell is my first novel and is published by
Knopf (Random House Children's Books), where Nancy Siscoe
is my editor and has the following to say about why she
loves Thornspell:
"I'm always amazed by the power of a fairy tale and the
many ways it can be told and retold. Just when you think
you've read every possible variation on a story, some
wonderful new author arrives to spin it fresh and make it
new again. Such was the pleasure of reading Helen Lowe's
remarkable Thornspell - a new take on the Sleeping Beauty
story - for the first time - Her language is rich and
romantic and there is a perfect magical kiss at the end.
But this is very much the prince's tale. It's a
swashbuckling story, filled with sword fights and danger
and dragons that will keep readers' hearts racing."
And by the way, if you love the jacket art for Thornspell,
the artist is Antonio Javier Caparo:
click here
New Books To Come:
I have just completed the manuscript of
The Heartstone
of Yrth (working title) for Nancy at Knopf. The
Heartstone of Yrth is the story of Tamzin, a young girl
with magic power who gets caught up in a civil war in
which all magic has been outlawed and those accused of
using it are hunted down and put to death.
The
Heartstone of Yrth is currently due for release in
June 2010.
For updates on progress with The Heartstone of Yrth, you
can check the "Yrth" page on my website:
click here
The Wall of Night Series
Both Thornspell and The Heartstone of Yrth are for middle
grade and young adult readers, but
The Wall of
Night is the first in an epic fantasy quartet that
will also crossover to adult readers. It is a story of
shadows and darkness in a world where everyone could be an
enemy and no one is quite what they seem and where two
friends, Malian and Kalan, must make their way in a
society divided by prejudice, suspicion and fear.
The Wall of Night is being published by Eos
(HarperCollins), where Kate Nintzel is my editor, and is
also scheduled for publication in 2010.
For updates on progress with The Wall of Night, you can
check the "Wall of Night" page on my website:
click here
