Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Although the author of several local histories and numerous articles on the topics of American and military history, antiques and collectibles, my first love is fiction. My work in the museum and history fields enables a special insight into creating fantasy worlds. 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. Besides my local histories, I’ve written a dark fantasy, and in the world of romantic fantasy, there are five books in the dragon shifter series, the Dragshi Chronicles, and two volumes in the sword and sorcery, epic fantasy series, the Windmaster Novels. In my books, I invite readers to join me on travels through the stars, or among fantasy worlds of the imagination.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The dragshi are more than just a man or woman. Each are two beings–one a dragon, the other a human–sharing one body in space in time and able to change forms with the other at will. Their world and the adventures of the dragon shifters are recorded in the Dragshi Chronicles.
Within each of the chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and teachers of the present, recount some legend. FIRST CHANGE features the full story behind the legends only given brief reference in the previous volumes. It contains five stories of duty and honor, love and loss, happiness and despair from the chronicles. 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.
Concurrent with FIRST CHANGE was the release of HEART AND SAND: Stories from the Front Lines and the Homefront. A continuity of service from the past to the present and into the world of tomorrow is presented in twelve tales of those who served on the battle front, and the stories of the loved ones left behind who preserved the homefront. Set universes apart and separated by decades in time, the stories in Hearth and Sand cross genre from contemporary to historical, and science fiction to poetry, Although the events are fictional, the voices captured within these pages came from historical notes, veterans’ own words, letters left by their ancestors, or contemporary events. Pen was put to paper while watching fighter planes land in the Philippine Islands and in the shaded woods of a stateside farm.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve written in doctor’s offices and at 2 AM while sitting on a hard plastic chair in the ICU during a bedside vigil. But my favorite place to write is in a rocker on the deck of a mountain cabin overlooking a lake.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Anne McCaffrey, mistress of Dragonhold.
Louis L’Amor, because he walked the ground he wrote about.
Barbara Hambly and Katherine Kurtz for their sharing of magic. Of course I’d want to meet them in Scotland, the land of where the Adept series took place.
Lastly, a pair of authors that have been a large part of writing life, but who I have never met in person have earned a special place in the list. Carol McPhee whose romantic suspenses taught action to share my works with romance. And Judy Griffith Gill whose suggestions improved my craft beyond measure.
What are you working on now?
Like FIRST CHANGE that took the brief reference of a legend from the world of the Dragshi and told the full story, my next release will do the same with the legend of the star-crossed lovers Iol and Pelra from the Windmaster Novels. WINDMASTER LEGEND sets sail March 2019.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Although I’ve tried quite a few methods from online readers’ groups to social media, speaking engagements and special events have yielded the best one-time sales. That said, even after all these years in business, I’m still trying new things.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
While I practice “pass it along” and try to help the next generation of writers as I was helped, I don’t like to give “advice” as such. Writing is just too individual an activity and our readers are just as varied. Instead of giving advice about craft, I’ll focus on something more personal. When you start putting thoughts to paper or sit down at a keyboard, eventually there is a question you have to answer for yourself, because no one else can. Do you write for fun, to make a living, or because you “can’t not write.” The answer can help guide you to the publication method that works best for you.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
After you’re finished the first draft, take a vacation. When you return, edit the %$#$# out of the story. And when you’ve read the story frontwards and backwards and had the computer read it to you, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and press the send button.
What are you reading now?
As a change of pace I’m working through the Opposites Attract series by Janet Lane-Walters. Then it will be A HEART FOR ALL TIME by Linda Tillis, the RULE OF LUCK by Catherine Cerveny. After that is is a toss-up, but will probably be something from Anne McCaffrey’s Talent Universe series or from a new to me author, Eileen Charbonneau’s Code Talker Chronicles.
What’s next for you as a writer?
With the upcoming launch of WINDMASTER LEGEND, my time is devoted to preparing for that aspect of writing. Visiting other authors and creating guest posts will be the main focus. And I’ve committed to several blog hops including the A-Z challenge. As to what comes afterwards, I’m still waiting for the characters to tell me their tale.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a hard question. I’d have to flip a coin between taking hefty books that take longer to read, or ones that I more typically read. My answer is to do what James Kirk did to pass the Kobayashi Maru training exercise — cheat. I declare that a series counts as a book. So therefore I can take the Tower and Hive series by Anne McCaffrey, the Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, the Adept series by Katherine Kurtz and Louis Lamour’s series that recount the tales of the Sackett family.
Author Websites and Profiles
Helen Henderson Website
Helen Henderson Amazon Profile
Helen Henderson Author Profile on Smashwords
Helen Henderson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account