Peeking Between the Pages

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Guest Post with Helen Hollick, author of I Am The Chosen King & Giveaway

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I am thrilled to have Helen Hollick, author of I Am The Chosen King, here at Peeking Between the Pages today. Helen is not only a fabulous and very talented author but a really kind and friendly person as well. I reviewed I Am The Chosen King yesterday (my review) and it was one of my favorite novels by her although I’m very partial to the Pendragon series! Helen joins us today to give us a little glimpse into her life by sharing her writing space with us…

I live in a ground floor maisonette/apartment. Number 32.


Ours is the end building along a short road of 16 houses – ground floor and upper floor self contained apartments. On the opposite side of the road is a school for children aged between 5 – 10 years old. There used to be more houses, but they were bombed during the war and the school was built there instead.

My house is a nice rectangular size; front bedroom, hall, front door, living room – very sunny in the summer as it faces south west/west. At the back is the spare bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, my daughter’s bedroom.

From the kitchen is access to a long, L shaped garden (yard I think you call it in the US) with the garden itself with its trees, lawn, flowerbeds and vegetable patch, being the long side of the L and the short side running along the house as a sort of patio area. Outside stairs for the apartment upstairs comes down over my kitchen door, allowing the neighbours access to their smaller garden (which fills in the L shape, making the entire plot rectangular – so we have the largest area).


My writing space is that spare bedroom; I call it my office.

From the door I can see into the hall, so I can say hello or goodbye to my husband and daughter as they come and go without leaving my desk, which is at right angles to the window. Against the walls, bookcases, a lovely old Welsh Dresser on which I keep all my “treasures”, cupboards and shelves. The walls are festooned with pictures of Jack Sparrow and sailing ships, the official 1066 the Movie poster, my book covers and photographs of my daughter and her horses. My desk is an oak dining table, a wedding present from my parents (so its 29 years old.)


On my desk, the telephone, a basket with quick access needs – my diary, the current Book of Characters (an A – Z of my characters with every possible detail added about them.) Envelopes, mail to be dealt with etc. Next to that, my computer and next to that, my stereo system – all reachable without having to get up.

To my left on the desktop is a round basket where my kitten, Mab, sleeps for most of the time – when she is not demanding to be let out of the window that is!


The windowsill did have all my favourite crystals, candles, glass ornaments (and a rather splendid Jack Sparrow model, which I have adapted to become my very own pirate of my Sea Witch series – Jesamiah Acorne. Mab has wrecked the sill though, so my husband has put up a glass shelf for my trinkets and treasures, Mab can now come and go without me having to grab something precious before it gets knocked to the floor (sigh. Who’d have a kitten!)

Apart from all my crystals and glass ware being treasures, from spring to autumn of a morning the sun shines in the window and I get rainbows and coloured lights dancing across the ceiling and walls – especially when the window is open and the dangling crystals are gently rocked by the breeze. Some mornings its just like sitting in fairyland! During the winter, though, the sun is too low and is blocked by the houses in the next road, which back on to the garden.


Beyond the window all I can see is trees, the wisteria when its in leaf (I wonder if it will actually flower this spring?) the bird table, which is also visited by two squirrels, and below the window the brick-built raised pond. I have about 30 fish, two of them rapidly growing Koi. The water lily flowered for the first time last summer, fingers crossed it’s survived the winter. We have a nest box above my window, where a robin raised her brood last spring. I doubt that will happen again, not with Mab around. (At this very moment she is outside trying her luck at being a tightrope walker – she’s trying to negotiate her way along the wisteria wires. Well, the squirrel can do it! I just know she is going to fall in the pond before long!


I love my office – is it any wonder I never get any work done?
__________

Helen, thank you so much for this wonderful guest post and sharing a little glimpse into your life with all of these beautiful pictures! Mab is just adorable sitting in her little basket!
__________

About I Am The Chosen King

The year is 1066. Earl Harold Godwineson of Wessex is lawfully chosen and crowned by the English Lords as King of England – for there is no-one else with the ability to defend the land against the threat of conquest by Duke William of Normandy.

Power and Passion, Love; Loyalty and lust for a throne – One Kingdom, Two Men, One Crown

Visit Helen Hollick’s website!

Check out the book trailer…

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have one copy of I Am The Chosen King by Helen Hollick to share with my readers courtesy of Sourcebooks. To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
  • For 2 entries follow my blog. If you already do, thank you, and please let me know in your comment as the extra entry is yours as well.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word.

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, April 2, 2011. Good luck everyone!

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Enjoyed seeing these pictures and reading about Helen's home. She is a favorite author; I loved The Hollow Crown. Thanks for this giveaway.

    extra entry – I'm a Google follower

    lcbrower(at)gmail(dot)com

  3. This was a great post! Thank you for sharing it with us.

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  7. I loved this post, and any author who is a Johnny Depp fan is a-ok in my book! He has been my secret boyfriend since I have been about 12. I would love the chance to read this book and would love to be entered in your giveaway, Dar. Thanks also to Helen for sharing your workspace!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

    I also follow your blog!

  10. What a wonderful post! I so enjoyed seeing Helen's kitties and her work space. And the gardens are lovely.

  11. Thanks so much for this lovely look into your writing and living space Helen and thanks to Darlene for having you do the post to introduce us to cute little Mab! I would never leave my desk if had the wonderful view and sunshine coming in the way it does for you Helen!

    Am not entering the drawing just dropping by as enjoyed the post too much not to comment..

  14. I loved seeing her house and garden. Her desk area reminded me of my own with the window to the side, the cloth over the back of the chair and her kitty. Well, instead of a kitty, I have two cockateils who join me at computer.

    I have heard so much about this book, how she makes it so exciting and the meticulous research that she puts in. Must read this book1
    Please enter me in this contest.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  19. Thanks! for the chance to win.

    I am a gfc follower

    tributebooksmama at gmail dot com

  20. What a lovely home and garden! And Mab is just precious!
    I love the book cover, especially the horse! Glad to hear your daughter loves horses! I couldn't do without my hay burners, nor my dogs.
    Thanks Helen and Darlene!

  21. I love all the writing space pictures. Very inspiring! The book also sounds wonderful!

    +2 for being a follower!!!

    Amy // artsyrockerchick at aim dot com

  23. A most enjoyable and lovely post. Thanks for this great giveaway. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

  24. I've enjoyed books by Helen Hollick in the past. Thank you for including me. =)

    I'm a follower.

    tiredwkids at live dot com

  27. A wonderful peek into this author's workspace … and out those windows and into the backyard. The front door is so inviting … lovely!

  31. I love the cats scattered around the author's pictures, especially the little black/white one near the computer.
    Please enter my name in the giveaway.

    pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

  32. wow, wonderful guest post! And lovely photos. I like her writing space. I have a talking Jack Sparrow figurine on my bookshelves as well 🙂
    Mab is too cute! The book sounds wonderful also.

  33. Thank you for inviting me onto your blog Darlene: Mab is curled in her basket beside me as I write this (ssh, don't anyone wake her, or I won't get any work done; too busy playing feathers, toy mice, ping pong bakls etc with her!)
    Mind you, not long ago she came in wet from the rain, so I have a little path of muddy paw prints on my windowsill and across my desk…

    The ginger cat, Scrabble, in the first photo was sadly put to sleep last Fall. He was almost 20 years old, quite an age for a cat. I wasn't going to replace him, but then I heard of a little black & white kitty who needed a home…. enter Mab.

    Thank you for all the lovely comments and interest in I Am The Chosen King, I'm sure you are all in for a good read (but you will need tissues for the end 🙁

    Zibilee & Naida: Jack Sparrow fans – you might enjoy my Sea Witch series (I think available on Amazon) I wrote the first in the series – Sea Witch – because I loved the first POC movie and wanted to read something of the same genre. Couldn't find anything – so I wrote my own!

    Thank you Darlene for having me on your Blog. Sammy is adorable!

  34. Wonderful Office…I love the idea of the rainbows coming through and the little kitten in the basket. Great idea about the characters.
    I would love to enter…ewatvess @yahoo.com
    thanks,
    Marilyn

  45. I really enjoy reading about the author's living space. I read the review in the other post and loved it. No need to enter me for the giveaway (not eligible) but I'd love to say hi to both you and Helen. 🙂

  46. I enjoyed reading the post! Thanks for the giveaway, please count me in 🙂

    +2 GFC follower

    chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

  63. I would love to read I am the Chosen King! Please enter me in this giveaway.

    bookloversarah1 at yahoo dot com

    Sarah E

  72. Thank you for the author interview and your book review.

    sharonaquilino at hotmail dot com

  74. Sounds like a very good book. I would love to read it. Please enter me. Thanks!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

  82. I love the koi pond! I would write quite a bit about water if that happened to be my office!
    heatherpooh (hotmail)