Kelley's Realm of Writing

Friday the 13th Blog Hop! Writing romance—Creating sexual tension

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Keep reading until you get to the links to your next blog hop stop.

Most people like sexual tension, the sparks that fly when meeting that special person for the first time. For romance readers, sexual tension between the hero and heroine is necessary for an enjoyable reading experience.

As a romance writer, I have a duty to create sexual tension between my characters. It sounds easy enough, but writing those scenes can be tricky. How much is too much time to wait before the hero and heroine actually sleep together? Before erotic romance, this used to be easier to work with—usually they didn’t sleep together until almost toward the end of the book. Now a lot of romance readers expect sex to happen sooner and they want hotter sex scenes.

Another issue is moving the story along and having the two main characters start to fall in love much sooner than people normally would in real life. Unless, of course, you are Kim Kardashian. I had to throw that in. Dragging the story on to fit reality will bore the reader. Romance readers want romance and they don’t want to wait half the book to find it.

So, what is a romance writer to do? It’s not rocket science—I go with my gut feeling and stay true to my characters and plot. If my characters are the type to jump into bed together, then I go for it. Sometimes it feels right to have them sleep together within the first few pages, but then pull them apart by having something get in the way of their relationship. I am working on one story with a virgin heroine. There are reasons why she can’t lose her virginity until the end of the book. To make up for it, I need to have that sexual tension and at least have them kiss to give the readers something to look forward to.

One of my favorite ways to show sexual tension is to have witty banter between the hero and heroine. I like to create heroines that have a sharp tongue. Gee, I wonder where I got that idea? My husband is familiar with my sharp tongue. Anger turns into passion and well, passion turns into love. It happens all the time, especially in romance novels. Ah, if it could only be as perfect in real life. We can only dream. And I can only do my best to create that sexual tension in my books that romance readers crave.

************

Welcome to the Friday the 13th Blog Hop. For a chance to win a Kindle e-reader, please follow the links to all the author blogs to the end where you will fill out an official entry form.
I am giving away a PDF copy of Cat’s Curse, a historical fantasy romance. It’s the first book in my Dark Goddess trilogy.
Available in Print and Ebook

http://kelleyheckart.com/cats_curse.html
Cat's Curse, Book One: Dark Goddess Trilogy, Celtic historical romance/fantasy
Enter Dark Age Scotland—a mysterious, dangerous & exciting place…
Blurb: Cardea is cursed to live an eternity as a blood drinker. Aedan mac Gabrain, prince of Dal Riata, trusts no one after suffering a curse that keeps him from touching any females. Can two tortured souls find love while battling a dark goddess determined to destroy them?

Good luck!

Here is your next blog hop stop
Click on the link below or on the graphic:
www.harveyle.blogspot.com (Lauren Harvey)

Please note: In case the link to the entry form doesn't work on the next blog, here it is:
Prize Entry Form: www.authorsrclaridge.com/bloghopprizeentry.htm

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

Long Hair Hottie for January!

2012-01-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

To start off the New Year, I picked a young guy for all the younger ladies out there. This young hottie is a rising star. Thomas McDonell is best known for his role in The Forbidden Kingdom and is starring in Disney's Prom. He is also set to play a young Barnabas Collins (a younger version of Johnny Depp who stars as the moody vampire) in the remake of Dark Shadows due out in 2012. I can't wait to see that movie. This hunky guy is certainly an actor to watch for in the near future.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

New Year's Blog Hop

2011-12-26T18:57:00.000-08:00

I hope you have a great time during the hop. Book mark sites you want to return to, then head out to enter on all the other hops so you get your contest entries in on all the blogs! Good luck everyone!

PRIZE: One winner - PDF file of my new short fantasy romance titled The Enchanted Meadow!

MY Contest Rules: 3 things to do:

Out of touch with modern times

2011-12-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

A question I often ask myself is why do I prefer to write historical novels over contemporary ones? Most of the popular books are contemporary so I could probably make more money writing in modern settings. It also seems like it would be easier to write a story in a contemporary setting rather than having to research a historical time period. For most writers that’s probably true, but for me with the weird brain it seems more natural for me to write historical novels.

I can relate to certain time periods—from ancient to about the ninth century. I have a special fascination for Dark Age Scotland and Britain. I think it’s because that was a mysterious time in history. Most people think ‘Dark Age’ means that everything turned into chaos and that people were complete savages. Well, some of that may be true, but the true reason the term ‘Dark Age’ is used is because it was a time when nothing was put in writing or at least no written texts have been found during that time period.

Historians and scholars can speculate what happened and piece together some of the information through archaeology, but the truth is we don’t know what happened. That is a great opportunity for a writer to use his/her imagination.

For me it’s easier to research an earlier time period than it is to try and write a novel set in modern times with all the changing technology. All the technology confuses me for some reason. I can’t relate to texting all the time. I have the cheapest, text unfriendly cell phone and rarely send a text. In a romance novel the hero and heroine need to connect. To me that means that they need to actually talk to each other and spend time together. Modern technology pulls people apart, at least in my mind. What better way to connect to a lover than to sit by a fire and gaze into each other’s eyes?

I’ve come to the conclusion that my body is here in the modern world, but my brain is stuck back in time.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

http://kelleyheckart.com/TheEnchantedMeadow.html

Long Hair Hottie for December!

2011-12-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

This Native American Texan, Christian Kane, is an actor and a singer/songwriter. I remember him as the evil lawyer Lindsey in Angel. Now he is kicking butt and making the ladies swoon on TNT's popular show Leverage.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Romance—Writing those dreaded sex scenes

2011-11-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

I must be weird because I write romance, but I dread having to write sex scenes. I’m not a prude. The time I spent in an all girl hard rock band taught me more than I needed to know about, well, sexually related stuff and made it all seem so normal. I think what I dislike about writing sex scenes is I want to avoid making them too stiff (no, I didn’t mean this as a pun) or too laughable (as in purple prose). No matter what I end up writing in the sex scenes, I can’t read them without giggling.

So, what is the best way to write a sex scene? I try to bring the characters’ personalities into the bedroom scenes and sometimes humor. Real life sex isn’t always perfect so I want to add that bit of realism, but not too much realism that it will turn a romance reader off. The key to a good romance is to have some fantasy for the reader to enjoy because that’s why people read romances—to escape reality.

By revealing a character’s personality in a sex scene, a writer can show how a character would act or react. For example, a Pict king in my Dark Goddess trilogy is shown enjoying being bitten by my blood drinker heroine, which reveals his wild side. For some humor, I have an ongoing joke with my hero and heroine in my Dark Goddess trilogy—their enthusiasm in the bedchamber breaks many beds.

My biggest challenge is naming all those pesky body parts without sounding too graphic (who knew that cock was a vulgar term for a penis?) or too flowery (her ‘rose petals of love’ won’t do). I also have to keep my terms relevant to the time period I am writing so I can’t use modern slang.

I don’t want all of my sex scenes to sound the same either. Too much caressing, stroking, entwining, writhing and thrusting can get tedious. A change in scenery can help break up the monotony. Or some honey instead of whipped cream. That just gave me an idea. Maybe this isn’t as hard as I thought. All I needed to do was to experiment a bit.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Three different women, one ancient curse…

http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html

Long Hair Hottie for November!

2011-11-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

This Hawaiian native, Jason Momoa, is an actor who is probably best known for playing the character of Ronon Dex in the TV series Stargate Atlantis. He has been cast to play the lead in the 2011 remake of Conan the Barbarian. Wow, if this is what a barbarian looks like, bring him on.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Writing fiction—don’t forget the Goal, Motivation and Conflict

2011-10-16T13:40:00.001-07:00

The GMC or Goal, Motivation and Conflict are the most important ingredients in storytelling and somehow I started a story and forgot all about the GMC. I had my basic idea and characters, but when I started working on the story, I forgot to pin down the three main points. It didn’t take me long to realize that my story had no where to go because my characters had no specific desires or wanted to gain anything and nothing was holding them back. No GMC = no story.

First, the goal is the one thing the main characters want. The goal needs to be something that they want so badly they will do anything to get to that goal. The goal should be important enough for characters to act against.

The motivation is why the characters want what they want—the drive and back-story. Anything is possible for a character as long as the writer explains why to give the reader enough motivation to give the story credibility. The writer needs to know their characters well so that the actions stay in character and are justified and clear to readers. When a character wants something bad enough, the reader will too.

The last piece is conflict—why the characters can’t get what they want, the trouble, tension and roadblocks that are preventing the characters from achieving their goals. Conflict drives the plot and motivates the characters. There are two types of conflict—external and internal. External conflict can be a person, an intolerable situation or an act of God. Internal conflict is inner struggles within the characters.

I find it helpful to have character charts for my main characters. Here is an example of a character chart that I use to help me get to know my characters so I can define their goals, motivation and conflict:

Character Name:

Sun Sign:

Race:

Age:

Height:

Hair Color:

Eye Color:

Skin Color:

Weapons:

Religion or Beliefs:

Dilemma:

Goal:

Motivation:

Conflict:

His secret:

What would destroy him:

What would help him survive and be better:

Bad Trait:

Good Trait:

Happy Writing!

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Three different women, one ancient curse…

http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html

Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,writing tips,writing,writing fiction,goal,motivation,conflict,character charts,gmc

Long Hair Hottie for October!

2011-10-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

This Australian hottie, Chris Hemsworth, plays the lead in the soon to be released movie, Thor. I don't even need to post pics because the name Thor conjures up the image of a tall, muscular man with long blond hair. But here are the pics anyway. Enjoy, ladies. I will be seeing this movie for sure.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Hanging on to Faith

2011-09-15T10:18:00.001-07:00

Faith is something you can’t see or feel. Faith is something that only applies to humans, it's something we all need in order to survive. Or to keep us sane.

I’ve scoffed at faith many times. I’m not a religious person. I’m more spiritual so I don’t belong to a church of any kind. I always thought it silly when I heard someone say they had faith that God would provide. Isn’t it our obligation to make things happen for ourselves? But I’ve also had respect for faith claimers when something remarkable happens to me like the pieces of a puzzle coming together at just the right moment when it’s needed. I guess you could even say that things happen for a reason. Maybe that’s the atheist version of faith.

I’ve always associated faith with large religious groups, but I’ve come to realize that anyone can have faith, even those who don’t believe in God. Faith comes in many shapes and sizes. There is faith in oneself, faith in family and friends, faith in the world and faith in a job, hopes or dreams. Faith keeps us going, grasping on to something to help keep us from falling.
I have come close to losing faith in the world, in our government and people in high places that just let everything fall apart. I’ve decided that I just need to keep having faith in myself and my place in the world, and allow things to happen as they happen.

And I’ve learned one important lesson: You can’t control everything and it’s best to let the things you can’t control slip by. Having faith can make this easier.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Three different women, one ancient curse…
http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html

Long Hair Hottie for September!

2011-09-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

My pick for September even has a sexy, hero-esque name—Eoin Macken. This Irish hunk used to be a model for Abercrombie and Fitch. He came on my radar when he joined the cast of the popular SyFy television show Merlin as Gwaine. He wears leather and chain mail very well. Ladies, I'm sure you will enjoy this month's pick.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Looking forward, not backward

2011-08-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have always been one to keep moving forward. If I left a job and had the opportunity to return to that job, I declined and decided on a new opportunity. I applied the same rule to boyfriends. If I broke up with a guy and he asked me to give him another chance, I didn’t. Perhaps I was too harsh, but maybe not. Maybe I was right to move on to a new guy, a new experience. I find myself applying this rule to my writing as well.

Now that I have seven novels finished—six published and one contracted, I have been thinking about the next phase in my writing career. One thing I have pondered is whether I should go back and re-write/re-release my first couple of novels. I keep having this thought that I could make them better since I am a more experienced writer now. But my rule of ‘keep moving forward’ is standing in my way. And maybe I should follow my rule.

If I decided to re-write and re-release some of these earlier novels, then precious time and energy that could be used to start and finish a new series and/or new stories would be wasted. A little voice inside my head is telling me to move forward, to put out new stories. I think I should listen to that voice.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Three different women, one ancient curse…

http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html

Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,self-help,life lessons,looking foward,writing

Long Hair Hottie for August!

2011-08-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

This British actor, Tom Ellis, is a complete mystery. I found some pictures of him as Cenred, the character he plays in Merlin, but I couldn't find any personal information on him. Not sure why but that is kind of a turn on—a man of mystery. This hot, hunky, mysterious man plays an evil warlord named Cenred in SyFy's Merlin Gotta love those villains, especially dressed in leather and chain mail, wielding not one, but two swords. Wow. Love the smell of leather. Okay, I'm falling into TMI territory here.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Letting go of the past

2011-07-14T19:31:00.001-07:00

I admit I like to collects things—knick-knacks and memorabilia from my past. My collecting wasn’t too bad in the beginning, but after 30 plus years of stuff, my house is full. Most of the things I have are worthless to anyone but me. The necklaces and bracelets I’ve kept over the years are pretty or cool, but I don’t wear them anymore. So why do I keep them? I think I hang on to my rocker jewelry because of the memories that are imprinted in the various leather-studded, skull-adorned, snake-shaped jewelry that I used to wear as part of my rock-n-roll persona, a part of my life that no longer exists. A psychiatrist would probably say that I am afraid to let go of that part of my life.

And then there are the numerous crystals and stones that I have collected over the years. Do I need that many rocks? No. I don’t need all the shot glasses and other stuff in my giant curio cabinet either. I remember when I went shopping for this curio cabinet and ended up buying the largest one I could find and easily filled it with stuff. I actually have two curio cabinets—the small one I started out with (and should have stopped with that one) and the gigantic one that the movers could barely get into our house.

No, I am not surrounded by stacks of boxes or left with tiny pathways to move around my house—at least not yet. After reading about a woman in Las Vegas that was believed to be missing and later found dead under piles of her belongings, and after watching a couple of episodes of Hoarders, I have finally started getting rid of some of my things that I don’t use anymore. By purging some of these things from my past, I feel like I can breathe easier and think more clearly. For the first time, I can find a tank top right away and not have to spend fifteen minutes digging through piles of them to find what I am looking for. I kept a couple of pieces of my rocker jewelry, but got rid of the rest. And I am proud to say that I have an empty drawer in my dresser for the first time in years. The empty drawer is screaming for me to fill it up with stuff, but I’m not listening.

By letting go of the past, I feel a freedom I haven’t felt in a long time.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,clutter,letting go,articles,self-help,fighting clutter

Long Hair Hottie for July!

2011-07-01T04:27:00.000-07:00

This talented Chilean actor, Santiago Cabrera, trained at London's prestigious Drama Center. He had small roles in British television series. His breakthrough role was in the widely popular US show Heroes. I noticed him when he was cast as Lancelot in the popular SyFy series Merlin. This six-foot hunk is hot with or without long hair, but of course I prefer him with longer hair. And he plays a very fine Lancelot, looking awesome wielding a long sword.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Are Writer’s Socially Inept?

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

I’ve been wondering about this lately because I have finally admitted that I am socially inept. Or slightly autistic. I’m not sure which yet. And yes, I am totally serious and not trying to make fun of an illness. I asked my mom about this because I just found my report cards from when I was in pre-school on up to high school. A majority of the teachers said I don’t socialize enough and need to participate in class. I did get really good grades in reading and English. It appears that from an early age, I didn’t like or was unable to socialize well.

The biggest problem I am having lately is making and keeping friends. I guess I shouldn’t say that I don’t know how to make friends. Making friends is easy. It’s trying to keep a friend that boggles my mind. I don’t like to call people because I feel like I am bugging them. But now I think that maybe people think I don’t want to talk to them. And I’m beginning to suspect that I say things that turn people off and I’m not even aware of what exactly I am saying to make people un-friend me. I’m not even sure how I made it this far in life.

I’ve never been a touchy-feely kind of person. I’m pretty sure I’m related to the Vulcan Spock and I have hermit-like tendencies.

But what does all of this have to do with writing? Maybe nothing or maybe writers are naturally drawn to an occupation that doesn’t involve interacting with people.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,writers,reclusive writers,j.d. salinger,edgar allen poe,writers and social skills

Long Hair Hottie for June!

2011-06-01T05:13:00.000-07:00

I seem to have stumbled on another wrestler with long hair. For June, my pick is Greg Marasciulo aka Trent Barreta. For all you ladies out there that like Italian men, Trent Barreta can be seen on the SyFy channel on Smackdown. Gotta love the wicked tight pants he wears for wrestling. :)

In Fiction: What Happened to Lengthy Descriptions?

2011-05-15T19:08:00.001-07:00

I remember reading thick, five hundred page novels filled with lengthy descriptions that transported the reader to another time or place. The descriptions created the right atmosphere to forget about everything else except the story. I would be enthralled by an exotic location, or glass blowing in ancient Crete and even the art of blacksmithing. Cool stuff, those descriptions. But they seem to be passé in the writing world.

Lately, I have noticed that stories are filled with lots of action and short sentences that move the story along, but leave me feeling jolted, as if I just got off a wild, but short roller coaster ride.

I wonder if this has to do with our society today and how everything moves at such a fast speed. Maybe people just want the meat of the story and the action, but want to pass on all the descriptions because they don’t have time to read a long novel. Another thought I had was that with the rise of ebooks, it seems that ebook readers prefer to read shorter, action-packed stories. In today’s fiction, is there room for lengthy descriptions?

While reading a fast-paced story might appeal to some readers, I still prefer the lengthy descriptions. I want to get lost in a story for an hour or two a day for a couple of weeks, not for only thirty minutes a day for two days. I want to languish in the story and reflect on the characters, not feel like I barely met the characters.

I hope there are still readers and authors that enjoy a longer, descriptive story. I can’t think of anything that’s better for calming a hurried mind except getting lost for a while in a good book.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,fiction,lengthy descriptions,long novels,writing articles,modern fiction

Long Hair Hottie for May!

2011-05-01T04:57:00.000-07:00

For May, I decided to go with someone a little older. Shawn Michaels in an older man with long hair, but since I am 'older' too, I wanted to pick him for all the other 'older' ladies out there. Known in the wrestling world as The Heartbreak Kid, this wrestler still looks damn hot. He still has a rocking hard body from being a pro wrestler from 1988 until 2010.

Characters with Disabilities or Health Issues

2011-04-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

In creating a character for one of my books, I decided to give him migraine headaches. This came about because I started having migraines a couple of years ago and I thought by giving him a health problem, it would add a touch of realism to the character. This character was an invincible king and I wanted to make him seem a little vulnerable to make him more likeable.

Do readers like to read stories with characters that are disabled or have a health issue? I know there are a lot of romances with heroes that are depressed or somewhat mentally scarred from dealing with a painful past, but I don’t see many heroes in romances with physical issues. Some of the heroes I’ve read about had scars, but not any other physical disorders. Beauty and the Beast is a great example of a story with a character that has physical scars. These types of romances are popular, but what about a hero that is crippled?

I would like to see more stories like this. Maybe I will write one. I had an idea for a romance with a crippled hero—he can walk but walks with a pronounced limp and it limits him from doing things he used to do. Being crippled can make a man feel less of a man and I think this is a great concept for a romance—how does he overcome his fears? Or his frustration and anger? How does the heroine help him cope with his disability? This was something that came to mind—what if the heroine caused his crippling injury?

This gives a writer a lot to think about.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Long Hair Hottie for April!

2011-04-01T04:42:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, I picked a personal favorite of mine. This American actor has been on my radar for some time now. Jared Tristan Padelecki grew up in Texas and has appeared in television shows like Gilmore Girls and several Hollywood movies, but he caught my attention when he starred in the CW show called Supernatural. Both of the stars of this show are hot, but only Jared has the long hair requirement to be a pick for my blog. Enjoy!

Writing a Virgin Heroine

2011-03-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

I’m trying something different for my latest novel—a virgin heroine. This is a bit challenging for me because all of my heroines so far have been sexually experienced women. This has me a little nervous about this book.

I want to avoid mistakes in creating this kind of character. One thing I want to make sure I do right is writing a realistic scene when she loses her virginity. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Too many times I’ve read books with virgin heroines and that didn’t seem realistic to me because the characters experience the perfect first time sex. Seriously? Not one bit of awkwardness? Or pain? I know what I’m talking about here. Most sexual encounters are imperfect, but for sure the very first time a woman has sex is painful.

I realize that romance books are supposed to be a fantasy for women—the guy is a total hunk and the sex is so hot. And that’s okay with me, but how about putting some reality into at least one sex scene, especially if the heroine is losing her virginity.

And just because she’s a virgin, it doesn’t mean that the character has to be completely innocent and stupid. That’s stereotypical to me. The character I am working on has been trained to wed a king, an enemy king, so she is well versed in the workings of court and her role as a queen. She’s intelligent and strong-willed. But when it comes to love, she is inexperienced—unsure of her feelings and easily charmed by the wrong man. I think most women remember being fooled by a guy at some time in the past because of inexperience.

Who knows, the virgin heroine may end up being my favorite character to create. At the very least I will get to revisit my own past as I recall what it was like being a virgin—if I can remember that far back.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,writing tips,virgin heroines,writing romances

Long Hair Hottie for March!

2011-03-01T04:33:00.000-08:00

I stumbled on this hottie by accident when I decided to check out the new ABC show called Off the Map. I ended up liking the show and one of the main characters (Ben Keeton) played by Aussie actor, Martin Henderson. What is it about these Aussie men that make them so hot? Is it their accents, looks or both? This Aussie hunk has two qualities that I like in a man—long hair and a rugged, unshaved look. Hope you enjoy my March pick as much as I do.

Stepping into the Action

2011-02-15T14:02:00.001-08:00

One of the hardest parts of writing a book for me is the beginning. I have to remind myself of this writing rule: ‘never start your story at the beginning.’

Huh?

Exactly what I thought at first.

Then I gave it some thought. How a writer starts the story is really important. A story that starts too slow might lose readers.

Gone are the days when a writer can start a story with pretty prose and no action, and be able to lull readers into the story. Modern stories have to begin with action or at a significant part of the story.

As I was writing a new book I thought about this writing rule, and ended up cutting the first three chapters. Since I already know that beginnings are my weakest point, I took a hard look at this latest WIP and decided it needed to start with more action. The great thing about writing today on a computer is I can always go back and add the three chapters if I want to, but I doubt I will. If I thought the beginning was too slow then readers will certainly think it is slow.

Writing a good story is about making hard choices. A writer needs to be able to step away from the story and take an unbiased look at their work. This isn’t easy to do. I had a hard time with deciding to make changes to the beginning after slaving over the first three chapters. In the end though I decided the changes were necessary to improve the story.

So, get out there and write your heart out, but don’t be afraid to take scissors or that delete button to that beginning.

Happy writing and reading!

Note: In addition to my long hair hotties feature on the 1st of each month, I will also be posting on the 15th of each month about writing tips or life experiences.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

For some, spring’s song is the sound of a harsh battle horn, for others, new love, for all—certain danger.

My book page at Awe-Struck

http://www.king-cart.com/Awe-Struck/category=Kelley+Heckart/exact_match=exact

Technorati Tags: writing tips,kelley heckart,romance novels,ebooks,editing,story beginnings,starting with action

Long Hair Hottie for February!

2011-02-01T04:18:00.000-08:00

For February, I found this Scottish hottie while channel surfing and landed on Smackdown on SyFy. Andrew 'Drew' Galloway is a Scottish professional wrestler signed with the World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestles on SyFy's Smackdown as Drew McIntyre. While he looks hot in his tight little wrestling shorts, this 6' 5" hunk of Scottish man meat also looks hot in a kilt. I like him better in a kilt. :)

Long Hair Hottie for January!

2011-01-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2011! I thought I would start the new year off with a guy I found by accident while looking through a Phoenix Home & Garden magazine. Who would think to find a long hair hottie like that? I guess me. I'm always on the look out for a new hottie.

The hunky guy for January is from Spain. Of course all the hot ones are from another country. He is Roni Benise a Spanish guitarist with an edgy, exotic sound that is also romantic and sensual. Nice. His bio also describes his music as fiery melodies with high energy rhythms. I like.

Happy New Year!

The Pagan Conspiracy

2010-12-13T19:01:00.000-08:00

I found this post to be interesting and enlightening. Perhaps it will be an eye opener for some, or not. This was posted with permission.

Dear Daily Mail

An open letter on behalf of The Pagan Conspiracy.

Just to make it absolutely clear that there is a pagan conspiracy. We have systematically infiltrated every profession, and each branch of government. We are subtle, and clever and we get everywhere. This is of course a deliberate attempt to take over the country and undermine all its traditional values - you know those values about fear, racism, ignorance and intolerance, shafting the poor to uphold the rich, and wrecking the planet for short term material gain. In our attack on these oh so important values we are, of course, threatening to destroy western civilization and bring about the end of the world as we know it.

When we have taken over the world, you will all be forced to accept our liberal and tolerant policies. There will be no escape from this. We will inflict upon every man, woman and child the horror of having to listen to their own consciences. We will demand that people act responsibly and treat each other with respect.

Once we have secured enough positions of power we will be promoting education and waging war on bigotry, stupidity and the kind of people who make money by feeding off the fear of others.

You are right to be afraid of Paganism. If everyone goes Pagan, who will read the Daily Mail?

(Join The Pagan Conspiracy today. Copy the above, and then email it to your friends, post it on your own blog, spread it about as a facebook note, #paganconspiracy on twitter, print it out and pin it to the toilet door...)

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Long Hair Hottie for December!

2010-12-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

This blond hunk is the perfect Christmas gift. Did you hear that Santa? LOL. Eicca Toppinen is in the Finnish metal band Apocalyptica. This unique band uses cellos. The cello is one of my favorite instruments with its melancholy rich sound. Eicca is the embodiment of that sound with his elven features, solemn pout and long flaxen hair. He looks like an otherworldly prince and damn sexy holding his cello. This is another of my favorite bands to write to. Who knew there were so many hunky guys from Finland? You can bet I will be sharing more of these luscious finds next year.

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

Long Hair Hottie for November!

2010-11-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

I picked another rocker for November. This hunky guy is the long haired axeman for the band Daughtry. Josh Steely looks like the hot guy next door with his boyish looks and tangled mane, but you know there is a bad boy rocker lurking just under the surface of that charming smile. Nothing is hotter than a long hair hunk wielding a guitar, crunching out heavy riffs and soulful solos. Oh yeah.

Long Hair Hottie for October!

2010-10-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

This hottie is for all you metal maidens out there. For the supernatural month of October, I decided to pick this Finnish metal god. Tuomas (Thomas) Holopainen is the songwriter/keyboardist for the awesome band Nightwish--one of my favorite bands to write to. He is one gothic hunk of dreamy darkness. Who could turn away a guy whose favorite animal is the wolf and favorite television show is MacGyver? And as proven in one of the pictures below, he looks pretty damn hot as a pirate--and comes very close to upstaging Johnny Depp. I think Tuomas also looks like a darkly handsome vampire. Tall, dark and handsome never looked so good to me. Enjoy and have a happy Halloween!

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

Long Hair Hottie for September!

2010-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

For September I thought I would go back in time to an oldie but goodie, one that still sticks in my mind. This Spanish hunk came on the scene with long black hair. I loved Antonio Banderas best in a movie called Desperado where he played a gun wielding hero, a former mariachi seeking revenge on the drug lord that killed his lover. The movie was directed by Robert Rodriguez and reminded me of those old spaghetti westerns that Clint Eastwood starred in. Okay, I know my age is showing. Anyway, it was a really cool outlaw movie with even cooler music.

Long Hair Hottie for August!

2010-08-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had no idea who this English actor was until I saw the trailers for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Ben Barnes makes one hot knight that's for sure. He reminds me of a young Lancelot or how I would picture Lancelot with long dark hair and a rugged, handsome face. Yummy. This hottie looks pretty damn good off the big screen as well and appears to have kept his long hair. I sure hope so. I hate it when a hot long haired hunk cuts off his hair. I have not seen this movie yet, but you can bet it is on my Netflix list.

Long Hair Hottie for July!

2010-07-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

I know football season has not started yet, but I thought I would get the ladies ready. I'm not a football fan, but occasionally I will sit and watch a game with my husband. I'm lucky I did because I found this athletic hottie--Clay Matthews. He plays for the Green Bay Packers and he reminds me of a big, sexy Viking warrior with his long golden locks. Nice legs too. I bet he looks awesome in a kilt. Wow! At 6 foot 3 inches tall and 250 pounds, he is all man muscle.

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

Long Hair Hottie for June!

2010-06-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

I am not much of a country music fan, but I have to admit that some of the guys in country music are hot. This guy is one of the hottest on my radar right now. Jake Owen wanted to play golf, but got hurt so he switched to writing and playing country music. There is nothing hotter than a long haired hunk singing and playing a guitar. I think I just might have to give country music another chance.

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

Long Hair Hottie for May!

2010-05-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

This young Brit slipped by me until he became part of a new series called Sons of Anarchy. Charlie Hunnam is one of those chameleon actors that morphs into each role so much so that he is sometimes unrecognizable. He usually plays odd characters. He is probably best known for his role as a psycho in Cold Mountain. I like his scruffy biker look in Sons of Anarchy and I thought I would make him my long hair hunk for May. You gotta love a hunky Brit, especially one with long golden locks. He reminds me of a handsome, fierce Celtic warrior. A girl can dream.

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Long Hair Hottie for April!

2010-04-01T10:00:00.001-07:00

I have always been a fan of this hot hunk maybe because he had long hair for most of his acting career. He may still have long hair, but I cannot say for sure. It seems the long haired actors I love eventually have to cut off their awesome locks to get more acting gigs. Bummer. Anyway, here is another hunky Native American--Michael Greyeyes. His name is even hot. This hottie has been in numerous movies and television shows, including Geronimo, CrazyHorse (I always thought the Indians were way hotter than the cowboys) and Charmed. Charmed. Hmm, it seems a lot of these hunks guest starred on Charmed. Those lucky bitches. Enjoy!

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Long Hair Hottie for March

2010-03-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Actor Billy Wirth is my pick for March. This long hair hunk o' man meat first caught my attention in Lost Boys. As a handsome, but dangerous long haired vamp, he terrorized a small northern California town with his band of teenage vamp brothers. I saw him again years later on Charmed. He played a wickedly handsome warlock from the past that tried to steal the sisters' powers. In that episode he wore really tight jeans. That's something I cannot forget. He plays the bad boy part very well. He also looks pretty damn good wearing only a loincloth. Yummy.

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

New review for Cat's Curse on ecataromance

2010-02-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

White Rose of Avalon

I received a new review for Cat's Curse from ecataromance. My favorite review quote:
She's a vampire, he's a cursed warrior; can true love keep them together?

3.5 stars! This was a remarkable book to read. It has all the earmarks of an enduring romance: suspense, danger, misunderstandings, true love and great sex. At the same time, it also has the elements of a wonderful fantasy story. The author’s detailed descriptions in the book brings you into the land she’s created, a fascinating escape from the day to day drudgery of our lives. I’m looking forward to the next book of this wonderful trilogy.

Reviewed by Kris Plausky at ecataromance

Link to complete review: http://sensual.ecataromance.com/index.php?p=3590

Book Two, Beltaine's Song will be out soon from Awe-Struck!

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

Long Hair Hottie for February

2010-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

This hot hunk recently caught my attention in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, playing opposite Hugh Jackman. Trying to stand out next to the the hunky Mr. Jackman is a difficult feat, but Taylor Kitsch did a fine job as Gambit. He can also be seen every week in the popular television show Friday Night Lights. No wonder the show is so popular. If I new this long hair hottie was in that show, I probably would have watched it. Oh well. At least I can enjoy him right here on my blog anytime I need a hot hunk fix.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Two new reviews for Cat's Curse

2010-01-25T08:53:00.000-08:00

I received two new reviews for Cat's Curse. One is a reviewer top pick so I am excited about that one.
Score: 4.50 / 5 - Reviewer Top Pick! This amazing story is very refreshing in the current romance genre.The storyline had a bunch of twists and turns that kept my attention and intrigued me with anticipation. I so wanted to know the outcome of this unlikely romance. Many interesting characters and love triangles make for a refreshing story that is not as neatly tied up as most romance novels of today, but has managed to make me a fan of the author's style. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book (Beltaine's Song), Book Two in the Dark Goddess Trilogy, as I have become addicted to the strength, courage and real human facets of the characters in this saga.

Reviewed by: Lydia Ferrari
Link to complete review:
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.aspx?daoid=5194

I found myself engrossed with how everything evolved. Cardea is an exceedingly winsome heroine. The reader can see her strength and development. I am excited to read the next book.

Rated 3 ½ Tombstones by CeCe at Bitten By Books

Link to complete review:
http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=18196

Beltaine's Song, Book Two in the Dark Goddess Trilogy is coming soon from Awe-Struck!

Long Hair Hottie for January!

2010-01-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

I thought I would start the new year off with a special treat. He is not a well known actor, but he sure knows how to make the ladies swoon while riding a horse without a shirt. This Native American Indian hottie was brought to my attention by my online author friend Colleen Love. Colleen sure has an eye for hot guys with long hair. And she writes about some really hot heroes too. http://www.colleenlove.webs.com/

Jay Tavare has been in numerous movies including Cold Mountain, The Missing and Pathfinder. He was also in the popular mini-series Into the West. How could I have overlooked him? Enjoy ladies!
Colleen, if you are reading this, I picked the first picture just for you. :)

Kelley Heckart
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

New Release! Winter Kisses, a sweet holiday treat!

2009-12-21T14:18:00.000-08:00

Winter Kisses Anthology by

Barbara Sheridan, Dena Celeste, G.R. Bretz, Kelley Heckart, Nichelle Gregory

Genre: Contemporary, sweet romances, holiday

To purchase or read an excerpt: http://www.nobleromance.com/ or
https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=86

*Winter Solstice Kiss by Kelley Heckart:*When Brianna decides to attend the Winter solstice masquerade ball, shenever thought she would end up kissing a handsome knight beneath themistletoe, but they part without exchanging names and phone numbers. How will they find each other again?

A Christmas for Carol by Angela Nichelle:Imagine losing the love of your life right before Christmas. It's anightmare Carol Christine Moore had to face two years ago. Unable to copewith the pain of losing her fiancé so unexpectedly, Carol closes off herheart entirely. She puts all of her time and energy into making the coffeeshop she owns with her best friend a success. Consumed with customers andthe daily grind, Carol has convinced herself that she doesn't need anythingor anyone else in her life.But all that changes the day Grant walks into the Cafe Bean.

*Love in the Lights by Dena Celeste:*Abigail Bloch has been away at school for the last few years. Returning toher mother’s home renews her interest and need for the Jewish traditions.Unfortunately, the man who had been her best friend growing up, JoshuaCohen, gives her a chilly reception. Over the course of Chanukah, a timefilled with food and family and friendship, the growing number of flamesmust melt away the hostility and illuminate the love that can grow betweenthem.

*A Schrödinger Christmas – Holly by G. R. Bretz:*She’s the girl who lives in his dreams, but she’s so much more than that.She’s the girl he was supposed to meet, twice. She’s the path he didn’ttake, twice. That was forty years ago and you just can’t go back, except indreams.But it’s Christmas day. Miracles have been known to happen. Who knows? Thethird time just might be the charm.

*Christmas Rush by Barbara Sheridan:*Ellie Bouchard died just after formulating a plan to see that her only childRemy would be reunited with the one person he was too stubborn toacknowledge as “The One”.Determined to see her plan through, Ellie will do whatever ittakes—including heavenly blackmail and a few sneaky tricks—to see her sonreunited with his childhood companion, Michael Carson.The stubborn young men don’t make Ellie’s job easy and she puts on one hellof a Christmas Rush to cement their bond before her time between this worldand the next runs out.

Long Hair Hottie for December

2009-12-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

I thought we should end the year with a guy who makes sweating in a jungle look tempting. My long hair hottie pick for December is Josh Holloway who plays the con man everyone loves to hate on Lost. Don't you just want to jump in a stream with Sawyer and cool off? Long hair and face scruff equal hot guy.

Long Hair Hottie for November

2009-11-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

My long hair hottie for November is a guy who looks great no matter what his hair looks like, he even looks hot wearing glasses and a funny hat (go figure), but when his hair is long, he really catches my attention. Johnny Depp is my long hair hottie pick this month. I picked out some shots from various movies, but I thought he looked his hottest in Chocolat as the guitar picking gypsy. Mmm...good. I mean, he even made scruffy pirates hot in his role in Pirates of the Caribbean. He just cannot look bad no matter what kind of role he plays.

Long Hair Hottie for October

2009-10-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

My long hair hottie pic for October is Brad Pitt. He caught my attention in the movie Legends of the Fall with his long flowing locks. His character, Tristan, made it on to my walls and I think I still have a t-shirt with his picture on it. I wear it to bed sometimes, which annoys my husband. I remember how the guys in our group were jealous after the movie. One friend called him, 'Arm Pit.' Not even. And for you Goth girls out there, he was pretty hot as Louis in Interview with the Vampire. I never wanted to be bitten by a vampire more than when I saw the long haired Brad Pitt, flashing his fangs.

Long Hair Hottie for September

2009-09-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

For the month of September I wanted to pick a personal favorite of mine for this month's long hair hottie. This hot guy was brought to my attention by my husband. I love a guy who knows what I like. Anyway, I didn't even know about Highlander, the Series until my husband told me I should check out the show. And wow, I was hooked, more so because Adrian Paul was so hot and he had long hair, but I also liked the the whole immortality theme to the show. I had two reasons to watch it. My favorite episode is titled 'Mountain Men.' In this episode Duncan McCleod fights in a river without his shirt, revealing his hot, muscular body. I already loved a man with a long sword, but Highlander, the Series made me appreciate a man in a kilt.

Long hair hottie for August

2009-08-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

My long hair hottie pick for August is Viggo Mortensen, an actor who made women swoon when he appeared as Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. Aragorn possessed the tough heart of a warrior and revealed a romantic side when he waited for the woman (or elf) that won his heart. What woman could resist his strength and tenderness and those flowing locks.

Kelley
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3
http://twitter.com/CelticChick

The History of the Cross

2009-07-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

I started making crosses about eight years ago, crafting them from pieces of wood and other things I would find like crystals, stones, shells and feathers. The first cross I made was as a get well gift to my mom who was very ill and in the hospital. My little cross rested on my mom's nightstand and she recovered from her illness. Did the cross I made for her make her better? Maybe, maybe not, but from then on I wanted to keep making crosses. When my mom bought me a wood burning tool, I was so excited. I started making larger crosses with Canadian driftwood, burning in either American Indian symbols, Runes or Neolithic symbols, depending on what style I was making. Crosses have a special meaning to me, a powerful symbol that has existed for many centuries.

Each cross I make is unique. When I look at the blank piece of wood, it speaks to me, it's special energy guiding me toward creating a unique design. The three styles I work with are Southwest, Runes and Goddess. I have gathered a multitude of decorations from amethyst and crystal points, moonstones, turquoise, garnets, carnelians and many other stones to various shells, small dream catchers and other items I come across at swap meets. I am fortunate to live in a place where it is easy and inexpensive to find these items. Each cross I make has a special meaning to me and sometimes it is hard to part with them, but I feel good when I hear a heartwarming story from a buyer. One particular cross I made with a dragon centerpiece was purchased to be placed with a dearly departed friend. My crosses have journeyed all over the U.S. and beyond to the Otherworld. As an artist, that gives me a sense of immortality--long after I am gone my crosses will survive, leaving a part of me behind.

I have posted some information on the history of the cross below:

Crosses were around long before Christianity as the most cherished of religious symbols. It is believed that the ancient Cross symbolized the earth's four directions and the divine center. Spaniards saw Indians worshipping the Cross. The Peruvians and Babylonians had the Maltese Cross. The druids were believed to have made their Cross out of a stem and two branches of the oak tree. Buddhist Crosses are common throughout the East. The Thor's hammer Cross is a well-known Pre-Christian Cross and several deities of ancient Egypt hold a Cross in their hands. Wheeled Crosses are seen on some Pre-Christian stones, possibly as symbols of solar worship.

Ireland is known for its many ancient Crosses. Pre-Christian Crosses have been identified at Dowth and New Grange on the Boyne, Knockmany of Tyrone, Deer Park of Fermanagh, Cloverhill of Sligo and Slieve-ha-Calliagh near Lough Crew of Meath. The ancient faery people of Ireland, the Tuath-de-Danaan, had Crosses that were adorned with snakes, birds and other animals. In the Scottish Highlands, the Fiery Cross, when dipped in goat's blood and flaming, was a message of alarm among the wild tribes. A serpentine figure was often twisted around the Fiery Cross.

The Cross is still a very powerful symbol of faith all over the world.

My crosses can be found on http://www.ebay.com/ by putting wall crosses in the 'find' box and home and garden in the 'in' box. To refine the search, go to the left under Refine Search and specify seller by entering 'havasukelley'

Kelley
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3
http://twitter.com/CelticChick

Daisy of Love Finale

2009-07-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

See which mimbo Daisy picked to be her love mate.
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

St. Columba--Druid or Monk?

2009-07-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

To announce my new release, I wanted to post something relevant to my story. Cat's Curse is a Celtic historical romance/fantasy set in sixth century Scotland (Alba). I based this story on an actual Irish warlord and many of the minor characters are based on real people. One of those real people is the famous monk, St. Columba, who was a close friend of this Irish king and though a minor character, St. Columba (Columcille) played an important role in the story. Throughout my story and through the entire trilogy, there is the lingering conflict of Christianity versus Paganism, a favorite theme of mine. Having pagan beliefs, it was tempting for me to elevate one over the other, but as a writer, I try not to be biased and tell the story as it is. One challenge I was faced with was—how do I portray a Christian monk?

Most of my information on him came from Adomnan's Life of St. Columba. What I found fascinating is that St. Columba had visions, spoke prophecies and performed miracles. These were well-documented cases. In fact, he picked Aedan (my hero) to be king over his brother because an angel came to Columcille and told him to pick Aedan. He also prophesied that Aedan's older sons would die in battle and his youngest would be king after him.

When I created this character for my story, I didn't want to show him as a pious monk. I thought of him as a monk with a warrior heart. According to one account, St. Columba was forced to leave Ireland (Eirean) because he caused the deaths of three thousand people as the result of his involvement in a battle between his kinsmen and King Diarmait mac Cerbaill. He was exiled to Scotland where he attempted to convert the pagan Picts as his penance for this unfortunate event. For some reason all of this information made me think of him as a monk who followed God, but also would be willing to sacrifice warriors' lives in battle for his beliefs. He is described as a tall, imposing man. And he had to be in good physical shape as a man in his forties to be able to travel into the wild country of northern Scotland to meet with King Bridei. Early Christian warriors followed God because they saw him as the greatest of all warlords with his army of angels at his side. I wondered if maybe some early Christian monks also believed this.

I also saw him as a monk with a druid heart. One interesting bit of information left out in Adomnan's book is that St. Columba was born into a pagan family, which made me wonder just how much pagan beliefs influenced him even after becoming a monk. It seems likely to me that some of the early monks had to be influenced by the teachings of the druids, and in fact, some of these monks may have even been druids at heart in the guise of monks. I'm sure it was dangerous to practice as a druid and it may have been a matter of survival for druids to disguise themselves as monks. St. Columba's island of Iona, where there was a large Christian monastery, used to be a druid sanctuary and highlanders still refer to it as Druid's Isle. I pictured him as a Christian trying to convert pagans to God, but also as man who had some understanding of pagan beliefs and didn't force people to convert. The Irish monks formed what was called Celtic Christianity, which differed from the church in Rome and there are accounts of St. Columba being part of a mysterious community called Culdees that may have included druids. One of the things that made me think he could have been a druid is that he wore his tonsure like that of a druid (from the front of the head in a crescent shape) rather than the Roman tonsure that was a circle on top of the head (representing a halo). This was how the monks in Ireland and Britain wore their tonsures and was one of the disputes between them and Rome. Another interesting thing is Columcille wore white robes, as did other early monks in Ireland and Britain. I am pretty sure druids also wore white robes. We will never know for certain if he was influenced by druid teachings, but all of this gave me something to think about as I created this character for my story.

Another thing that fascinated me was that St. Columba was descended from the powerful Ui Neill clan, the clan that the high kings of Ireland were picked from. Now why would a man turn his back on kingship to be a monk? Maybe he really cared about serving God or maybe he knew that the real power was with the church. Could St. Columba have had another motive for converting the pagan Picts? By converting them he could bring them under Irish rule. It gave me something to think about. The church had all the wealth to back these kings. Some of the early Christian kings were Christian in name only so they could get the support of the powerful church. There was one documented account of Christian Briton kings taking some Irish people as prisoners and making them slaves. The church condemned this act, calling it un-Christian. I also use this approach in my story, having a couple of Christian kings with dubious beliefs. Not everything is all black and white. And that is how I wanted to portray St. Columba—as a man with shades of gray.

Blurb from Cat's Curse:
Cardea, follower of the Great Goddess is cursed to live an eternity as a blood drinker. For centuries she has lived with hate hunting and feeding off humans. Now she finds herself at the end of a sword blade held by the most handsome and arrogant man she has ever met.

Aedan mac Gabrain, prince of Dal Riata and a Christian, trusts no one after suffering a curse that keeps him from touching any females or he will turn into a black cat like his brother. He especially distrusts this strange female who could be the one who cursed his clan since no one knows Cat Anna's true face.

Can two tortured souls find love while battling a dark goddess determined to destroy them?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Though they are drawn to one another they still have some doubt in their hearts, each with dark secrets. Aedan is still uncertain about Cardea and if she is the one who cursed him since no one knows Cat Anna's true face. Kelley

Excerpt from Cat's Curse:

They moved on silent feet by the light of the moon, crossing carpets of fern. Cardea's body thrummed with the magic of the moonlit night, aware of everything around her from night birds watching them with piercing eyes from treetop perches to Aedan’s even breathing, and the sound of his warm blood pulsing through his veins. She always hunted alone, but Aedan felt like a part of her, matching his movements to hers, their even breathing matching the same steady rhythm.

The forest vibrated with life all around her, each tree and plant emanating its own gentle heartbeat and scent. A shift in the wind brought a new scent--the scent of blood assailed her senses. A warm-blooded creature stood just ahead of them. Turning to Aedan, she pointed to where the creature waited to forfeit its life. She notched her arrow and moved forward. Nodding, he moved to the right to close the animal in, his spear balanced confidently in his steady hand.

A small meadow came into view. Like a scene from the faery realm, the meadow, bathed in moonlight, radiated a silvery blue glow. Flowers twinkled in the bluish glow, meadow grasses rippled like gentle waves on a loch, and the full Hunter’s Moon filled the skyline, cold and mysterious. A majestic stag stood in the meadow, still as a statue. Nine tines glowed in the eerie light.

Cardea raised her bow, pulling back the bowstring, her hand steady, aware of Aedan waiting for her to take the first shot. Something did not feel true to her. The air seemed to be polluted by a malicious, musky scent. Danger. It seeped into the meadow, curling in invisible smoke-like tendrils around the thick tree trunks.

Out of the corner of her eye, something moved above Aedan, drawing her attention away from the stag. A large wildcat perched on an outstretched oak branch, its body coiled and ready to pounce on Aedan’s unprotected head. Sharp teeth and claws flashed in the darkness of the thick-leaved tree. She pivoted toward Aedan, pointing the arrow in his direction. A look of surprise filled his eyes and his spear arm raised, aiming the spear at her. Cardea let the arrow fly. It roared past Aedan’s head, hitting the wildcat in the heart. The beast slumped over, falling with a loud thud to the ground. The stag bounded out of the meadow and into the dense forest, leaving swaying ferns in its wake.

Aedan looked at her and she could tell by his unquestioning expression that she had earned some of his trust. “That, lass, is why I hunt with my hounds.” Aedan prodded the dead cat with his foot. “This is the largest wildcat I have seen.”

“It would have torn your skull open.” Cardea stood next to Aedan, staring down at the dead beast, surprised that she trembled at the dreadful thought.

“Ye saved my life, lass.”

His tender voice filled her with joy.

“It will make a fine warm pelt for winter,” he remarked. Unsheathing his sword, he handed it to her. He knelt, laying the huge cat on its side. “Ye made the kill. Ye should make the first cut.”

Aedan handed his sword to her, unsheathing a long knife from his belt. A warrior never relinquished his sword to anyone unless he trusted that person.

He trusted her now.

The possibility of finding love after centuries of loneliness seemed more likely now, but why does my heart sing of happiness and then die off with a dour note of sadness? She wanted desperately to tell him her secret, but fear paralyzed her so that she could not get the words out.
Kelley
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
Cat's Curse, available now from Awe-Struck:
http://www.king-cart.com/Awe-Struck/category=Kelley+Heckart/exact_match=exact

Flagstaff Celtic festival

2009-07-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

It started out as a hot day, much hotter then it should be in Flagstaff, AZ this time of year, but it was much cooler than the 118 degree weather we left back home in Lake Havasu. I enjoy doing book signings at these Celtic festivals, especially watching the guys in kilts. While sitting in my shaded booth, I snapped a few pictures of some of these kilted men. That's how I amuse myself between visiters. One thing I noticed is some of the men looked great until my gaze strayed down to their legs, which sometimes disappointed me with glaring white, skinny legs. Oh well, I guess not all guys can look awesome in a kilt. Now my husband would look great in one. He has awesome, manly legs, one of his best features I think. Too bad the utilikilts they were selling there were like 230.00. Ouch. Too much money for us right now.

My book signing went pretty well. I sold some books and would have sold more if it had stayed dry. In typical Arizona fashion, a summer storm blew in over the mountains and it started pouring. I had to scramble to gather my stuff and put it away out of the rain. The hot day turned very cold for me in my tank top and I regretted leaving my hoodie in the car. Mother Nature took pity and it was a short thunderstorm, but it left the table soaked and my book signing came to an end. It could have been much worse. The wind picked up and the tent rattled, threatening to collapse, but it stayed its ground with the help of some burly men helping to hold it up. They may have been wearing kilts, but I was too busy trying to save my books that I didn't notice. The storm added some unexpected excitement to the otherwise boring day. Thunderstorms always make me nervous and I can't understand why other people seem unaffected by them. Did you know that lightning can strike twenty miles away? Apparently most people don't know this because I watched a bunch of people just standing out in the open.

I think I may have learned a couple of lessons at this book signing. One is that I need to pack my bag so that I can pull the zipper closed to protect my book marks and other stuff from rain. And I need to bring a jacket of some kind when there is a possibility of rain.

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict and magic'

Long haired hotties for July

2009-07-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

I decided to do something different with my blog and pay homage to a lifelong passion of mine--men with long hair. Every month I will feature a different long haired hottie from music or movies. I would like to start off with the two long haired hotties who filled my early years with joy and many wonderful daydreams. So for the month of July, my featured long haired hotties are David Lee Roth of Van Halen and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. I so enjoyed finding these old pictures of them. It brought back many pleasant memories for me. I like that Robert Plant still has long locks and looks great for his age. He reminds me of a Celtic king. All he needs is a crown and long sword. Yum.

Kelley

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

New Release! Cat's Curse from Kelley Heckart

2009-07-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Kelley's latest Celtic romance release from Awe-Struck is titled Cat's Curse and is the first book in her Dark Goddess trilogy.

Blurb: Cardea, follower of the Great Goddess is cursed to live an eternity as a blood drinker.

Aedan mac Gabrain, prince of Dal Riata and a Christian, trusts no one after suffering a curse that keeps him from touching any females or he will turn into a black cat.

Can two tortured souls find love while battling a dark goddess determined to destroy them?

To purchase Cat's Curse or to read excerpts: http://www.king-cart.com/Awe-Struck/category=Kelley+Heckart/exact_match=exact

Kelley's website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Daisy of Love

2009-07-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

Kelley's Daisy of Love posts can be found on her myspace blog http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll

Check in to see what Daisy and her mimbos are up to each week.

The Art of Kissing

2009-04-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Since I write romances kissing has been something I have often wondered about. Watching Rock of Love has brought it to my attention even more. And it got me thinking.

When I see Bret Michaels coming in for a kiss on one of his lovely stripper/groupie potential love mates, I cringe. Why do I cringe? Because all I see is this big, fat tongue coming out of his open mouth as his lips go in for the kiss. Then I get to hear all the slurping and smacking. Am I the only one grossed out by this? My idea of a great kiss is one that starts off with the lips touching before any tongue comes out. If a big, sloppy tongue is coming at me it better be from one of my dogs, not a guy.

I notice this kind of sloppy kiss is prevalent in movies and television. Why? Does it make the love scene more dramatic? Does Bret Michaels really kiss like that (yuck) or is he trying to perform for the cameras? Are tender, quiet kisses boring? Maybe I am just a fuddy-duddy about it.

What do you consider to be a great kiss? And to all the writers out there—how do you write kissing scenes? Do you want your hero devouring the heroine's face? I suppose it would be comical to have the hero completely suck the face off the heroine. In reality, love scenes are not all perfection. In my soon-to-be released Night's Daughter, the young, inexperienced prince tries to seduce the older, experienced concubine with a sloppy kiss. She gently coaxes him to slow his over eager kisses. I also remember an episode of Sex and the City when a guy kissed Charlotte and totally licked her face. She reacted with disgust. Yuck. It grosses me out just thinking about it.

My favorite kissing scene on television happened between Buffy and Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They are at the bar in the Bronze and Spike stalks away in anger because Buffy refuses to admit her desire for him (she is also feeling hurt because Giles is leaving for England). Then the camera sweeps through the crowded Bronze and rests on a couple making out. It's Spike and Buffy locked in a passionate kiss, a kiss full of angst and desire with the music of Michelle Branch's Goodbye to You playing. The kiss says it all--Buffy wants to stay away from Spike, but a part of her desires him and needs someone to ease her aching heart, her lust for him uncontrollable. Whew, just thinking of that puts a smile on my face. I don't recall hearing any slurping or smacking sounds, or seeing any wayward tongues, but then I think Spike is way sexier than Bret Michaels. I need to watch that episode again. What is your favorite kissing scene? Or least favorite?

For anyone feeling lip-locked challenged, there are websites and books with tips on how to give the perfect kiss.
http://www.love-sessions.com/kissing_art.htm
http://www.kissingtips.com/art-of-kissing/Preludes.php
Here is a kissing quote from http://www.kissingtips.com/:
You may conquer with the sword, but you are conquered by a kiss. -Daniel Heinsius

I want a kiss to conquer me, but not devour me. In faery tales, a kiss is powerful and can make two people fall in love or break an evil curse—think Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. A kiss can make or break a budding relationship. It's the first step to finding out if that special spark exists between two people. So, to all you guys out there, reign in those tongues until the lips touch. And that means you, Bret. Hmmm. I wonder if that is why he is having trouble finding his Rock of Love.

Kelley
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

P.S. If you want to read more about Bret Michaels, check out my satirical blogs posts on Rock of Love and Rock of Love Bus http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=29034464

Cheesy love songs--why we love to hate them

2009-02-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

I was listening to the Mark and Brian radio show and they were talking about how embarrassing it is to be caught listening to a cheesy love song. It made me think that while these songs are ridiculed by most, we still listen to them and enjoy them. Why? Is it because they make you feel good or maybe invoke some cherished memory?

I even have my favorite cheesy love songs that when they come on the radio in the car, I shut my windows and hope no one can hear them. When I hear one of these songs, I admit to even trying to sing along. It's like a button gets turned on inside of me and I forget to act cool.

Now there are some people who just love this type of music, but I grew up a head banger (for those who aren't familiar, a head banger listens to hard rock/metal & instead of dancing, nods their head along to the beat). My favorite bands are Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and more recently—Flyleaf, Nightwish & Evanescence. I do listen to softer bands like Blackmore's Night, but I am not a fan of Celine Dion, Queen of cheesy love songs, or anyone like that. So while I dislike this type of music, which I think also belongs in the category of elevator music, I cannot turn the station when one of these songs plays.

I looked over the song list for our wedding and strangely none of the top 100 love songs were on that list. Cheesy love songs belong at weddings. I was probably too embarrassed to add them or maybe my husband forbid them. I can't remember that far back. The only songs that come close to being cheesy love songs on our wedding song list are You Were Meant for Me by Jewel, Angel Eyes by Jeff Healy and Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. Our theme song was If You Don't Know Me By Now by Simply Red because we were together a long time before we decided to get married. I think we were already past that cheesy love song moment in our lives.

What constitutes a cheesy love song? I would say this is a matter of personal taste, any song you are embarrassed to be caught listening to would be a cheesy love song. My favorites are If You Leave Me Now by Chicago, I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston,(although Dolly Parton's version is much better and I would not consider her version cheesy, but that's not the version I listen to), My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion (she has to be on everyone's cheesy love song list), Waiting For a Girl Like You by Foreigner, Wherever You Go by Bryan Adams and anything by Ambrosia.

What are your favorite cheesy love songs? Ah, come on, everyone has a favorite cheesy love song even the big, burly biker dude.

http://%20mag.weddingcentral.com.au/music/songs/love-songs.htm

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Strange lights in the Lake Havasu skies

2009-01-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of strange sightings here in Lake Havasu City, Arizona of the people variety, but recently there have been strange lights spotted in the night skies. I always stare up into the night sky wondering about distant planets and hoping to see something of interest. I am bummed that I keep missing these weird sightings, but one local man was able to photograph them.

http://lukephillips.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/close-encounters/#comments

So far, there has been no explanation as to what these lights are. A UFO expert is supposed to visit and investigate. The military is staying quiet, but they did say they haven't been flying in the southern part of the skies (where the lights were spotted). This area has a history of strange lights in the sky. I guess UFOs like to fly above the desert.

Has anyone else ever seen strange, unexplained lights in the sky?

I saw something strange in the night skies in New Jersey once. It had to be about thirty years ago when I was a teenager. I was sitting in my darkened room listening to rock music and staring outside my window. Not sure why I was doing that. I may have been waiting for my friends to show up so I could sneak out. Anyway, I saw these red lights moving in the sky in erratic movements, not a smooth straight line like an airplane would fly. I never said anything, but other people saw them too so I guess I wasn't hallucinating. At least not at that moment. Hey, it was the late 70s.

I am not sure what to make of it, but the lights do appear to be something paranormal-- kind of like a giant, fiery worm that belongs in a Sci-Fi flick. So far no abductions have been reported. I wonder if I have to worry about that.

Kelley
http://www.kelleyheckart.com

Tucson Celtic Festival Book Signing

2008-11-16T10:35:00.000-08:00

A beautiful sunny day greeted me on Saturday morning for my book signing at the Tucson Celtic festival, but it could have been about ten degrees cooler. A desert rat, I am accustomed to hot weather in the summer, but not in November. I felt sorry for the people dressed in traditional Scottish wear made for the damp, cold Scotland climate, not for desert heat. The hot weather must have made people really thirsty because they ran out of most of the ale by mid-afternoon and by the condition of some of those I spoke to, I think they were the ones who drank all the ale. It made for an interesting day, that's for sure.

This was my third year attending this particular Celtic festival. I enjoy the scenery every year of men striding about in kilts. Even the security officers wear black Utilikilts. Yummy. Oh, and the solemn, commanding mountain range was a beautiful sight to look at too.

This year I signed with best-selling author Amanda Scott. For those not familiar with her, she has written at least fifty books from regencies to Scottish historical novels so you can imagine how nervous I was to be sitting next to her. In fact, I almost cancelled this year because I thought with the sagging economy and Amanda Scott's presence my sales would be lower than previous years. In the end, I decided to attend if only for the promotional opportunity and the chance to meet a best-selling author. I was not sure what kind of person Ms. Scott would be. I wondered if she would be a diva. Well, she turned out to be a really nice lady and I was glad I decided not to wimp out and miss the festival. She even signed a copy of one of her books that I had bought, but had not had the chance to read yet.

It started out slow for me and at first more people approached Amanda making me feel invisible, but things eventually picked up for me. One technique that always works well for me is to hand out bookmarks to people who dare to glance my way. I learned this from another author and it works wonders. I ended up selling more books than previous years and a few people came up to me saying they read my first book and had to have my second book. A couple of them even bought my third book. I was thrilled and Amanda leaned over and said, "That's when you know you are on your way." Cool. I expect more sales will come from all the bookmarks I handed out. Some people were thrilled to know that my books are available on Kindle, which made me happy to know that e-books are gaining popularity.

It turned out to be a wonderful way to spend a Saturday sitting there selling books, watching men in kilts, meeting some fans (even if it was only three or four), talking with a best-selling author, watching men in kilts…

Kelley