{"id":7299,"date":"2011-08-11T06:30:46","date_gmt":"2011-08-10T18:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/?p=7299"},"modified":"2011-08-10T22:30:23","modified_gmt":"2011-08-10T10:30:23","slug":"fun-with-thornspell-introducing-the-judges-plus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2011\/08\/11\/fun-with-thornspell-introducing-the-judges-plus\/","title":{"rendered":"“Fun with Thornspell”: Introducing the Judges, Plus …"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the second week of the Fun with Thornspell<\/strong> <\/em>feature here on the blog—in which you<\/em> tell me which character in Thornspell you would like a short story written about, and why, and I talk about the book from my perspective as the author.<\/p>\n

And at the end of the month our three judges will decide which character, from amongst the suggestions you’ve put forward, I will get to write a short story about—to be published here on the blog with a dedication to the selected commenter.<\/p>\n

[I will set out the full details again below this post, or alternatively, you can go to my original post from last week, here<\/a><\/strong>.]<\/p>\n

But given they have such an important part to play, the first thing to do today is introduce the judges.<\/p>\n

Introducing the Judges<\/strong><\/em> (in alphabetical order by first name):<\/h3>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Beth <\/p><\/div>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beth Miller<\/strong>: Beth Miller works at Writers House Literary Agency in New York, where she is the assistant to my agent, Robin Rue—and as such was amongst the first people out there to read and love Thornspell<\/em>. She is also a writer in her own right; her first novel, Into the Scottish Mist, <\/em>was published by Wild Rose Press in 2010 <\/em>and you can read my interview with her here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/strong>

Fitz<\/p><\/div>\n

Peter Fitzpatrick (Fitz): <\/strong>Fitz was another early reader of Thornspell and has been an integral part of my writing journey since he has designed both my Helen Lowe<\/em> and Thornspell<\/em> websites, as well as designing the map for The Wall of Night <\/strong><\/span>series—for which he was nominated for a Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Professional Artwork earlier in the year.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/strong>

Sharon<\/p><\/div>\n

Sharon Stogner:<\/strong> Sharon is an avid reader, follower of a number of blogs such as the Supernatural Underground<\/a>, and a book blogger herself on the ismellsheep<\/a> book and movie site. (And in fact it’s “SwagDay” right now on ismellsheep so head on over and check it out<\/a> if you’re interested in trying new authors in the paranormal genre.) She was also an early enthusiast for both The Heir of Night<\/em> and Thornspell<\/em>.<\/p>\n

So a very warm welcome to our three Fun With Thornspell <\/em>judges!<\/p>\n

About Thornspell: The Belvedere<\/h3>\n
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The Russian belltower, Hamilton Gardens<\/p><\/div>\n

Last weekend I posted about a (very) few of the cool places<\/a><\/strong> I visted on my holiday and featured a few photos of the Hamilton Gardens,<\/strong><\/a> including the wonderful Russian belltower.\u00a0 Today I’m going to share a secret with you—it was this belltower that was the inspiration for the belvedere in Thornspell<\/em>. Those of you who know Thornspell<\/em>—and I do not think these will be spoilers for those who have not read it yet—may recall that the belvedere features in two sections of the book: Sigismund’s (the prince’s) adventures following the boar hunt in the mid-part of the story, and again in the final confrontation with the Margravine. Chapter 15 is even called “The Belvedere” which is probably a clue that it’s reasonably important in the story.<\/p>\n

Here’s a couple of quotes:<\/p>\n

“He was standing in what looked like a wooden belvedere, with fluted pillars holding up a shingled roof. Great trees pressed in close on every side, obscuring any view of moon or stars, and there were leaves and vines tangled across the floor. The Margravine stood in a nimbus of pale light that cast a soft glow around her face and body. Like clouds around the moon, thought Sigismund, awed by her beauty in spite of himself. But her face, like that of the moon, was hidden in shadow.”<\/em><\/p>\n

~ from Chapter 8, The House in the Forest, pg 121-154<\/p>\n

“The world shivered, then shook, and Sigismund thought that the tower was falling, or perhaps it was he who was falling, and the clouds of plaster and dust, and the voices crying out were just a dream, or someone else\u2019s memory. But the world was definitely spinning, although the masonry had become trees and branches now, the voices no more than the wind sighing. Sigismund drew a steadying breath and stepped forward, into the belvedere on its wooded hill.”<\/em><\/p>\n

~ from Chapter 15, The Belvedere, pp 249-262<\/p>\n

The Russian belltower is not exactly<\/em> the same as the Thornspell <\/em>belvedere, but it was certainly the major inspiration behind it—and reflects the sense of place that is an important part of my world building in both Thornspell<\/em> and The Heir of Night. <\/em><\/p>\n

World building, like other aspects of writing, can be layered and the belvedere reflects that as well. The belltower is modelled on a 17th century Russian style and the world of Thornspell<\/em> is not only very “middle-to-east European”, the early to mid-17th century is at the end of the historical time period on which it is (very) loosely based. Although the dominant time period of the story is the European renaissance, I wanted the story to remain “Fantasy”, as opposed to “History”, and so deliberately drew on cultural and technological elements from throughout the two-hundred-year period from the mid 15th to the mid 17th century.<\/p>\n

So there you are, a couple of little behind-the-scenes angles to the Thornspell<\/em> story that I hope you will enjoy.<\/p>\n

And now, back to the “Fun With Thornspell” deal!<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Fun With Thornspell <\/em>Month: What It’s All About<\/h3>\n