Interview with Helen Henderson!

Here's more info about Helen >

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​Hi, thank you for having me at LoveRomanceReads. My name is Helen Henderson and I love to fly with dragons and hang out with mages. I’m a Jersey girl to the bone, but due to a move am now having to master a southern drawl. I became an author through the back door and my path was short pieces in magazines to the longer feature stories, and eventually history books. The non-fiction gave way to my first love, fiction, and the pattern repeated. Short stories were published in ezines (electronic magazines) and print ones. One day the numerous submissions to publishing houses resulted in a contract for a novel. That one book because a series, and later a second series demanded its tales be told.

The descendent of a coal-miner's daughter and an aviation flight engineer, my writing reflects the contrasts of my heritage as well as that of my Gemini sign. My stories cross genres from historical westerns to science fiction and fantasy. My readers are invited on journeys to the stars and worlds of imagination.
 
My last release is First Change: Legends From The Eyrie, a collection of three novellas and two short stories based in the world of the dragshi, humans who can take on the form of their dragon soul twin. Unlike the other books in the series, First Change involved different characters and eras in the world. They are stories of duty and honor, love and loss, happiness and despair. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost. So while the other Dragshi Chronicles are romances with happy-ever after endings, the tales in First Change mimic real life and may—or may not—end happily ever after.
 
The working title of my current work-in-progress is Windmaster Legend. Set in the world of the Windmaster novels, it recounts the tale of Iol and Pelra, a pair of star-crossed lovers mentioned in the other books of the series.

What/who do you like to read and do you have a favorite genre/author?
I don’t have a lot of time to read and most of that is review copies. My favorite genre is fantasy, with historical westerns or science fiction, close seconds. As far as authors, books by Anne McCaffrey, Barbara Hambly and Katherine Kurtz fill my shelves. Lois L’Amour takes me back to the Old West.

Please share one piece of advice to aspiring authors - what do you wish someone would have told you? Or, what did someone tell you that you’d like to pass on to others?
Description is about drawing the reader in and making them live the story with you. Too much detail strips the reader of bringing their own experience to the story. Having to stop for a history lesson, even one featuring intriguing characters, can pull readers straight out of the fiction. Sprinkle your details as you would a spice. Not too much, not too little, and blended throughout for a perfect balance.

Now for the speed round. 

City, suburb, or small-town?
Definitely small town. While I love the serenity of a mountain cabin and grew up knowing the slower pace of rural life on a farm,
 
Dark chocolate, light chocolate, or white chocolate?
While I love dark chocolate, peanut butter cups enrobed in white chocolate are my go-to snack.
 
Wine, whiskey or punch?
Yes. Depending on what life has dished out that day. And you forgot to offer beer. That’s a necessary complement to pizza and tacos.
 
Cowboy boots, biker boots, or flip-flops?
Biker boots. The heels on cowboy boots hurt my feet.
 
Leather, lace, or silk?
I think all three go well together. A leather jacket keeps away the chill, while lace adds a touch of elegance. A favorite dress for formal occasions was a silk brocade cheongsam from my time in the orient. So style and fabric, use and purpose, and most importantly how it makes you feel means the answer to a preference of leather, lace or silk is yes.

Cats, dogs, or exotics?
Although I had a cat who rules the house for more than fifteen years, I grew up with dogs and am still an adopted member of a pack. The alpha female, an outspoken Siberian Husky, greets me with questions as to my day and demands to be petted.
 
Thank you for stopping by and I invite you to join me on journeys to worlds of imagination. The first stop is http://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com.