The Author's Tale

The final part of my cracking chat with Heather McQuillan. An absolute wordstar! We talk about her delightful children's book Avis and the Promise of Dragons, it's sequel Avis and the Call of the Kraken, her time spent in Dunedin as a writer in residence at the University of Otago College of Education, and I learn more about the trials and wins of publishing.Brought to you by Edition Audiobooks www.editionaudiobooks.comHeather McQuillan www.heathermcquillanwriter.comBuy a copy of her books Avis and the Promise of Dragons, Avis and the Call of the Kraken - https://thecubapress.nz/shop/avis-and-the-call-of-the-kraken/University of Otago Writer in Residencehttps://www.otago.ac.nz/humanities/about/otago-fellows/writer-in-residence#:~:text=The%20residency%20is%20open%20to,an%20office%20within%20the%20College.Write On The School For Young Writers - https://www.schoolforyoungwriters.org

This is Part Two of my casual chat with the fabulous writer Heather McQuillan who's mastery of words covers writing for children, young adults, short story and flash fiction. In this episode we focus on her dystopian young adult novel 'Nest of Lies' and how to decide what's appropriate or not for a younger reader.Find out more about Heather at her website www.heathermcquillanwriter.comBrought to you by Edition Audiobooks, helping you bring your book to life - www.editionaudiobooks.comPresenter: Stephanie Frewen

This is the first part of my wonderful chat with Heather McQuillan, another award winning Christchurch based author. The passion she has for her readers is so apparent and her move from - as she calls it - "as teacher who writes to a writer who teaches" is true in every sense of the words.We discuss the origins of her journey as a writer and her first novel - Mind Over Matter, published in 2005 by Scholastic. Find out more about Heather at her website: https://www.heathermcquillanwriter.comBrought to you by Edition Audiobooks - www.editionaudiobooks.com

This final part of my discussion with Helen Lowe reinforces my belief that the fantasy writer is a master of words and worlds. We discuss what it takes to keep on track when writing, who has influenced her and how she's going to go forward. I'd like to thank Helen for using some of her precious writing time chatting with me in a chilly meeting room of a public library on a very stormy day. It was an absolute pleasure and I'm really looking forward to the publication of her fourth book in her Wall of Night Series!You can find out more about Helen at www.helenlowe.infoOther authors discussed in this series are: JRR Tolkienn, Kate De Goldi, Patricia McKillip, Bernadette Hall, and Ursula K. Le GuinProudly brought to you by Edition Audiobooks www.editionaudiobooks.com

Listen in on the third part of my wonderful conversation with the fabulous fantasy writer Helen Lowe. In this episode we discuss her first novel Heir of Night which is also the first book in her Wall of Night Series. We discuss the importance of names - people and place - and the fun that a writer can have with language and how you never know where your characters will take you. Other writers mentioned in this episode are: Patricia McKillip - (The Riddle Master of He'd 1976); Kate De Goldi; Bernadette Hall (Angel Fish)Find out more about Helen Lowe at www.helenlowe@infoThis programme is brought to you by Edition Audiobooks - www.editionaudiobooks.com

We hear the second part of fantasy writer Helen Lowe's tale. Moving on from her poetry we discuss her first novel Thornspell, the difficulties of being published, and just what a difference it can make having an agent who sees your potential and gets you in front of the right people.Find out more about Helen Lowe at www.helenlowe.infoReading of Thornspell by Elliott GreyKindly brought to you by Edition Audiobooks, working with you to bring your book to life. www.editionaudiobooks.com

We start Season Two talking to an amazing fantasy writer - Helen Lowe. In this episode we talk mythology, and poetry, Helen reads for us her poems From the Hill, The Wayfarer and The Sparrows which was read by a past Prime Minister of New Zealand, Dame Jacinda Adern at a memorial for victims of the Christchurch Earthquake. You can find out more about Helen at her website: www.helenlowe.infoThe Authors Tale is brought to you by Edition Audiobooks - working with authors and publishers to bring their books to life. Editionaudiobooks.com

While I'm preparing for season 2 in 2023 I thought I'd share with you an interview done by the New Zealand Society of Authors with NZ based author Philip Temple. You can also listen to other interviews with authors done many years ago at the NZSA website - authors.org.nzIf you wish to contact me, with comments, author suggestions or if you'd like to become a sponsor of the show, you can email me at theauthorstale.nz@yahoo.com