def get_letter_font_prop():
    """ get the properties of the subplot letters to add """
    from matplotlib.font_manager import FontProperties
    font = FontProperties()
    font.set_family('C:\\WINDOWS\\Fonts\\HelveticaNeue-CondensedBold.ttf')
    font.set_weight('heavy')
    font.set_size(10)
    font.letter_format = 'a'
    return font
