In
response to reader's requests for behind the scenes information, part one of an
interview with Helen Henderson.
Tell us a little about how you became a writer.
I've
written fiction as long as I can remember. However, it was just for myself.
Rejection notices and the formal structure of school grammar and English
clipped my muses wings for many years.
How kind of stories do you prefer.
In
my earlier stories, I solved cases with Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin (the
men from Uncle), traveled outer space, drove a jeep in the sands of Africa with
the Rat Patrol, and flew Corsairs with the black sheep of VMF-214. At the time
I wanted to be a pilot. Not surprising since I learned to read by keeping a
flight engineer's manuals up to date. The kind of action inspired by those earlier muses
still permeates my works. Although I acknowledge that romance has learned to
take its rightful place alongside adventure.
What happened to the first book you ever wrote?
What I consider my first work as an author, Around Matawan and
Aberdeen, was a local history written for husband's hometown. I was
director of the local history museum at the time. The manuscript was accepted
by a small press specializing in local histories and released as part of the
towns bicentennial celebration.
And your next book?
I'm proud that in the new year, Hatchlings Curse, the
second book in the Dragshi Chronicles is being released in paperback. And there
are plans for more of the tales of the dragon lords to be released in the
upcoming months.
And in a change of pace, From the Back Street to Main Street,
will be released in 3rd quarter 2015 under the High Eyrie imprint. From the
Back Street is a history of the Society of Methodists of Middletown Point
from their beginnings in the 18th century to the congregation of the 21st
century.
