As part of the ‘Not so Secret Santa: Author/Blogger exchange‘ at Consuming Worlds, the spotlight, today, is on Helen Boswell, author of the Mythology series.
Helen and I had a very interesting interview session over a series of emails and she wrote a bit of Fast Fiction for her readers. I hope you enjoy getting to know Helen as much as I did.
Excerpt from the second book of the Mythology series, The Wicked
Her grey eyes soften with understanding. “I’m fine. Really.”
I touch her face, running my thumb across her cheekbone. “I might need some convincing,” I say in a low voice.
A small smile plays on her face, and she slides her hands up my chest and around my neck. Relief fills me, relief that Hope is all right, that any doubts she might have had about me are gone.
Her eyes don’t leave mine, her lips part slightly, and my heart starts to race. We move toward each other at the same time, my arms drawing her even closer at the moment we kiss. I take in her breath as my own, her mouth melding with mine in total perfection. I run my hands down to the small of her back, and she knots her fingers in my hair and curves into me. The feel of her body against mine stirs up an entirely different sort of hunger.
Nothing matters except for her.
Nothing.
A small sound escapes from her throat, and my need ignites like flames in the darkness.
The bell rings, totally killing the moment. Doors burst open in the hallway, and the stairwell starts to overflow with people and commotion.
“Oh, there you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” a voice exclaims. It’s Sylvia.
I groan and briefly press my forehead to Hope’s before breaking away from her.
“Hey, Sylvia,” Hope says, squeezing my hand once before letting go. She turns her face up to mine. “See you later.”
Her cheeks are flushed, and I inhale and slowly let out my breath. I drag a hand over my face as I watch her leave, the urge to chase her growing exponentially with each step she takes away from me. It’s not some stupid possessive needy thing. I know she’s mine as much as she knows I’m hers.
But the second she disappears around the corner, the feeling resurfaces. The one that will always stick with me. The one when I thought she was leaving me for good, right after she saved my life last semester. When I was full of regret that I let her down.
Interview with Helen Boswell:
Other than a love of reading, who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve been writing stories ever since I was little. I’m not exactly sure what inspired me, but I love the challenge of assembling a story from start to finish — it’s like assembling a big puzzle with lots of layers.
Mythology is a YA urban fantasy, which other genres do you think you might like to write in?
While I do have book three of the Mythology series in the work, I am currently taking a short “break” to write something completely different. It’s a NA dark romance — nothing paranormal or fantasy-driven at all. Although I do tend to write by the seat of my pants, so you never know what will happen. 🙂
Would you consider writing non-fiction?
The first book I ever published was non-fiction. It’s about the conflict between science and religion, and I wrote it when I took a year-long sabbatical off from work. In my other life, I teach biology at a small university.
Do you have a favourite fantasy series or book ? Something that you could re-read a hundred times
I love the entire Harry Potter series (who doesn’t?). One of my favorite books (though more horror than fantasy) is Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood. And I will happily read anything by Stephanie Parent.
If you were a character in your favourite fantasy series/book, who would you be?
I would be the main female character, Hope. She’s strong, logical, speaks her mind, but has a big heart and would do anything for the people she loves. And plus, she gets to be with Micah 😉
Do you like writing fast fiction?
And yes, a fast fiction story would be fun
These are my prompts for your fast fiction:
The past few years are a blur.
As the girl walked past, her lurid green socks and bright red shoes caught my eyes.
The length of your story and the position of the prompt lines are up to you. I hope you enjoy writing it.
FAST FICTION:
The past few years were a blur. One moment, I was walking across the stage receiving my high school diploma. The next, I was sitting on top of an apartment building in the freezing cold. Next to me was a man who was armed with an arsenal of deadly weapons. He was twenty-two, also selected for this strange assignment for his special abilities. I was only eighteen, but my ability to somehow predict the future had gotten me here.
“Do you target her yet?” This was the first I’d heard his voice since he called me this morning before we met face-to-face. But upon hearing his voice again, something stirred deep inside me. It was a memory of something, but I couldn’t place it.
I opened my eyes and crept up to look over the ledge. As the girl walked past, her lurid green socks and bright red shoes caught my eyes, and I pointed at her. My hand was shaking, and I quickly drew it against my chest so he wouldn’t see.
“There she is,” I whispered. “Red shoes. Black hair.”
He nodded and raised the sight of his sniper rifle. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the shot that would save the world.
Author Profile
Originally from upstate New York, Helen Boswell spent several years of her early adult life tromping around in the city of Buffalo, New York with frequent trips to Toronto, Canada. These two cities in particular serve as inspirational settings for some of her works, and while Helen has since moved to live in the southwestern United States, she will have fond memories of urban life and high-heeled sneakers for all eternity.
Helen earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University at Buffalo and dedicates her time to teaching science to college students, spending time with her family, and eating chocolate while writing.
Find out more about Helen at www.helenboswell.com.
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When I was young I fell in love with fairy tales and I always wished some of them were true. Not the original Grimm’s Fairy tales or Hans Andersen kind, but more Enid Blyton or Beatrice Potter-like. Then, I discovered Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl and with a bitter-sweet poignancy I wished all of it was true.
Artemis starts off as the genius spoilt brat who picks on people weaker than him for his own amusement (read fairies) but during the course of eight books he slowly becomes a criminal with a reason for his crimes. A pint sized Robin Hood with a conscience. Unlike Harry Potter, Artemis has never been just a child hero in a fantasy novel. He has always teetered on the edge of being the anti-hero or the villain of the piece. All his dilemmas have been of his own making and the situations that he deals in are real world adult problems. Artemis Fowl II is a cross between William (Richmal Crompton), Richie Rich (Harvey Comics) and Peter Pan.
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