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Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Monday Musings: More backyard wildlife--Godzilla pics and mysterious holes

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Godzilla has been hanging here for a couple of weeks. He doesn’t run away from me anymore.

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This one is hard to see, but he is looking right at me.

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I hope he eats all the bugs in my yard.

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This freaked me out. I saw it the other morning. Something big was digging in my yard. I think and hope it was a rabbit trying to hide, but I don’t know. Yikes!

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, July 18, 2014

Favorite Friday

Favorite TV show

Motive

I didn’t want to watch this show at first. I was kind of bored with all the cop procedure shows, and I didn’t see the point of watching a show that reveals the murderer and victim in the beginning. It turns out this is a genius idea. I started watching it because there wasn’t anything else on at that time I wanted to watch. And now I want to watch it every week. Why? Because after I see the murderer and the victim, I have to know why that person killed the other person. At first, it appears so unlikely that the seemingly normal, nice person would kill someone. But I guess everyone has a breaking point. And that is the draw for me to keep watching. This show focuses more on the killer and victim and less on the private lives of the cops, though we do get to see some of their private battles play out.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

Agamic

agam·ic

adjective \(ˌ)ā-ˈga-mik\

Definition of AGAMIC

: asexual, parthenogenetic

Origin of AGAMIC

Greek agamos unmarried, from a- + gamos marriage

First Known Use: 1816

Rhymes with AGAMIC

Adamic, balsamic, ceramic, dynamic

agam·ic

adjective \(ˈ)ā-ˈgam-ik\ (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of AGAMIC

: asexual, parthenogenetic

agam·i·cal·ly adverb

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, July 14, 2014

Monday Musings: Moon pics #2

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Moon at sunset (This is my favorite and the most beautiful time of the day.)

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Moon in the black of night (I like the contrast between the bright moon and night sky.)

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Moon with a side of palm tree

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Moon in the midst of sunset colored clouds (This one was captured by accident. I caught it at just the right time to get the moon’s detail and the clouds colored by the setting sun.)

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Crescent moon framed by palo verde branches

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Crescent moon and jet stream (Another happy accident.)

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Crescent moon glimmering in the night sky between branches

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, July 11, 2014

Favorite Friday

Favorite TV show

Dominion

I just watched the pilot for this new SyFy series. It’s based on the movie Legion about the archangel Michael siding with the humans in a war against the angels. In the movie, he protects a young pregnant woman who carries the savior who will end the war. The series picks up 25 years later when the “savior” is all grown up and just discovers what he is. The war between humans and angels has been on hold. Factions run the country. This is a dark series and not for those who believe angels exist to help us. In Dominion, angels, all but Michael, hate humans and want to destroy us. I like it. Maybe because I tend to like dark tales and don’t believe angels are nice with halos and white wings. SyFy has also turned up the heat lately. There were a few partial nudity scenes in the pilot. I can live with that. Recommended to fans of dark angel stories with angel orgies (yes, this is true) and post-apocalyptic worlds.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

Afreet

afreet

noun \ˈa-ˌfrēt, ə-ˈfrēt\

Definition of AFREET

:  a powerful evil jinni, demon, or monstrous giant in Arabic mythology

Variants of AFREET

afreet or afrit

Origin of AFREET

Arabic ʽifrīt

First Known Use: 1786

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, July 07, 2014

Monday Musings: Writing help—Revision Funk

Lately I have been in a revision funk. What’s a revision funk? For you non-writers, a revision funk is when a writer has trouble revising, or making improvements, to the story they are trying to finish. You’d think after writing and revising 7 books, the 8th book would be a piece of cake. But no. It seems I’ve hit a wall for some reason. It may be that I’ve become too lackadaisical, or I’ve become complacent and not taking the process seriously, thinking I can just breeze through revisions without much thought. Not a good attitude to have if you want to put out a good book.

Looking for inspiration, I bought a book on revision to help me refresh my memory. Even experienced writers need to keep learning and exercising the writing muscle. And my writing muscle has been in need of some toning. This book has some really helpful tips and techniques for doing revisions and self-edits. I’m glad I decided to do something about my funk rather than just sit around and complain about it. Or even worse, turn out a crappy book. This doesn’t mean I can skip the editor, but it’s given me some inspiring ideas and helped me turn revisions into something fun instead of a tedious chore.

The book I’m reading is called Revision and Self-Editing for Publication (2nd edition) by James Scott Bell.

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, July 04, 2014

Favorite Friday

Favorite Movie

Let Me In

This is a fantastic vampire movie. The vampire appears as a young, innocent girl, but she is anything but innocent. She is a dangerous predator—to everyone except the young bullied boy who is ignored by his troubled mother and father who abandoned him. To him, she is a savior, a guardian angel. The two form a unique bond, one based on need but also affection. She needs him to protect her during the day and help her find prey. He needs her because he is alone. A compelling look at what I think is a true relationship with a vampire. This is not a sparkly, beautiful love story. The wintry New Mexico setting also helps set the bleak mood of this haunting tale. Highly recommended for fans of horror and vampire lore.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

Afebrile

afe·brile

adjective \(ˌ)ā-ˈfe-ˌbrī(-ə)l also -ˈfē-\

Definition of AFEBRILE

:  not marked by or having a fever

First Known Use of AFEBRILE

1875

Rhymes with AFEBRILE

Anglophile, country mile, cyclostyle, domicile, family style,Francophile, Gallophile, hypostyle, in denial, juvenile,projectile, rat-tail file, rank and file, single file, statute mile

afe·brile

adjective \(ˈ)ā-ˈfeb-ˌrīl also -ˈfēb-\ (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of AFEBRILE

: free from fever : not marked by fever

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, June 30, 2014

Monday Musings: Wildlife in my backyard—Godzilla vs. Cactus Wrens

I don’t even have to leave my house to see a variety of wildlife. We don’t live on the edge of town, but we have a side yard outside our wall filled with nasty cactus that protects small animals from larger predators. I know for sure that rabbits, lizards and kangaroo rats live in there. I’m not sure I want to know what else might be residing in our side yard.

Since we moved here, we have had an injured hawk in the front yard, a sick or injured vulture in our backyard that I had to herd out of the yard because my husband was afraid of it, and we’ve opened our front door in the morning to find pieces of rabbits leftover from marauding coyotes. That thankfully stopped once we started leaving our porch light on at night. One morning, I opened the sliding back door because I heard a bunch of shrieking bird noises to find the yard covered in gray feathers and one bird foot. Ick. I think a raven killed a mourning dove.

Today I heard some loud, scolding bird noises and went outside with my camera to find two cactus wrens beneath our palo verde tree. I took a picture of the birds and then saw Godzilla, the large white lizard that inhabits the side yard, confronting the birds. He scared the hell out of me one day when he got stranded in our garage. I had to call my dad over to help me get him out of the garage because I was afraid of him. I didn’t want him to die in the garage though. Besides, he eats bugs and I hate bugs in my house. Usually Godzilla is elusive, but I was able to get some good pictures of him this time. I’m not sure what was happening, but I think the lizard and the birds were fighting over the grub worms in the soil beneath the tree.

That’s a popular spot in our backyard. The area beneath our palo verde tree is like a popular animal bar or restaurant. I get mad because birds and other unknown nocturnal creatures dig and mess up my rocks. But it is kind of cool to see all the wildlife in my backyard. I just wish they could put the rocks back after they dig up their worms.

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I took this picture and didn’t even see Godzilla.

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I think he’s posing for me. lol

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He’s looking at me!

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This was taken a few days ago. How would you like to walk outside

and see this on your wall? This is the first time I saw this lizard.

I haven’t named him yet. The pattern on his back reminds me of tiger

stripes. I might call him Tigger.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, June 27, 2014

Favorite Friday

Favorite Book

The Shapeshifters’ Library, Released by Amber Polo

Liberty Cutter is the librarian of the Shipsfeather, Ohio library where a curse has imprisoned an ancient race of dog-shifters in the basement. The dog-shifting scholars protect the world’s libraries from the evil, book-burning werewolves.

This light fantasy shifter series is a refreshing change from all of the same shifter books I’ve come across. I haven’t seen a dog-shifter series before. The concept of dog-shifters saving books from evil werewolves is also a new, clever idea. Witty dialogue and a quick pace will keep readers compelled to keep turning the pages. With likeable heroes and heroines and snooty villains, this light fantasy was a fun, entertaining read. I think this book is geared toward a young adult audience, but adults will enjoy it too—I did. This is a wonderful first book in this series. Highly recommended to fantasy readers of all ages.

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

Afeard

afeard

adjective \ə-ˈfird\

Definition of AFEARD

chiefly dialect
: afraid

Variants of AFEARD

afeard or afeared

Origin of AFEARD

Middle English afered, from Old English āfǣred, past participle of āfǣran to frighten, from ā-, perfective prefix +̄ran to frighten — more at abide, fear
First Known Use: before 12th century

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday Musings: Writing fiction--Can there ever be too much action?

I’ve been pondering this lately after agonizing over my own stories, rewriting and deciding what kind of scenes I want in my books. And after hearing different opinions about writing and adding more action, I started thinking about what I like in a book. I like to write the kind of books I like to read, so it makes sense to me to look deeper into how much action I like in a book.

Action can improve the pacing, but too much action can also overshadow the growing relationships in a story, especially in a romance novel where the relationship is very important. I like those interactive scenes between characters, witty dialogue and moments pondering those raging emotions. I realize some readers and editors like the pacing to move quickly, but others like slower moments in a story as long as these scenes still move the story forward.

I’ve read books with more action than interaction between the two main characters, and I didn’t feel like I was able to know the characters, to feel what they were feeling. Too much action gave the book a fast pace, but I was left disappointed, like I missed something. I think maybe I like character driven novels and that’s what I like to write, too. Pacing is important in a story. You don’t want to bore the reader, but you don’t want to set the pacing so high, you leave the reader wondering what happened. I like to think of pacing in a book like a roller coaster. You have your wild turns and gut clenching drops, but you also have those moments where the roller coast just glides along the rails.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, June 20, 2014

Favorite Friday

Favorite TV Show

Salem

Okay, another witch show. I know. But this one is different. It’s really dark, way darker than Charmed (which really wasn’t a true witch show but still fun) and even darker than Witches of East End, which I also like for different reasons. I like the premise of how the witches are trying to gain control of Salem by using the witch trials to get the Puritans to kill each other—sort of like the wolf hiding among the sheep.

What I like about Salem—anytime Puritans get what they deserve, I’m right there cheering it on. I mean, how hypocritical can you get? They fornicate all over the place, even the preacher who condemns all the fun stuff, yet the people caught fornicating get an F branded on their foreheads. Geez. This is one of the darkest times in history—because of superstition, fear and ignorance, innocent people died in terrible ways.

What I don’t like about Salem—the witches are portrayed as evil demons consorting with the Devil. That bothers me because I don’t think of all witches as evil, and witches have been around for centuries, so how can they sell their soul to the Devil when the Devil is a Christian invention? Yet I am compelled to keep watching this show. I love the main witch character, Mary Sibley. The actress does a great job in this role, making all the Puritans think she is innocent. Mary wants to be evil but her love for Captain John Alden, played by the hunky Shane West, keeps her soul pure.

If you want to be entertained by powerful witches getting revenge on the oppressive, hypocritical Puritans, then I recommend this show.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

Aerie

ae·rie

noun \ˈer-ē, ˈir-, ˈā-(ə-)rē\

: the nest of a bird (such as an eagle or hawk) built high up on a cliff or on the top of a mountain

: a room or building built high up so that people inside can see things happening below them

Full Definition of AERIE

1

:  the nest of a bird on a cliff or a mountaintop

2

obsolete :  a brood of birds of prey

3

:  an elevated often secluded dwelling, structure, or position

See aerie defined for English-language learners »

See aerie defined for kids »

Variants of AERIE

ae·rie also aery

Origin of AERIE

Medieval Latin aerea, from Old French aire, probably from Vulgar Latin *agrum origin, nest, lair, from Latin ager field — more at acre

First Known Use: 1554

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, June 16, 2014

Friday, June 13, 2014

Favorite Friday

Favorite Artist and Book

Amy Brown//The Art of Amy Brown I & II

One of my favorite faery artists is Amy Brown. I love the clothes her faeries wear and have two of her artwork books that I use for clothing references for my otherworldly characters. Her faeries have cool tattoos and different looks. Some are more innocent looking, while others appear darker, more mysterious. I like the diversity of her faeries. Her faeries look like they have walked out of the enchanted forest or the faery realm and into our world. In her books illustrating her artwork, Ms. Brown also includes little notes about the inspiration behind each drawing. I highly recommend her books to lovers of fantasy and faeries.

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Book Spotlight: Henrietta and the Dragon Stone (Book 2) by Beth Barany, Fantasy/Adventure

I welcome award-winning YA Fantasy author Beth Barany to my blog today. The 2nd book in her Five Kingdom series is full of adventure and features a strong heroine--an awesome combination. Beth is giving away 2 signed copies of Henrietta and the Dragon Stone (Book 2) so don't forget to enter below.

Henrietta and the Dragon Stone (Book 2)
· Print Length: 300 pages
· Publisher and date published: Firewolf Books, Jan. 31, 2014
· ASIN: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I54CZII
· Genre: young adult fantasy/epic fantasy
· Format: Digital and print
Henrietta.and.the.Dragon.Stone.by.Beth.Barany.Book.2.Five.Kingdoms.series.290x480
About the Book
A new story of young adult epic fantasy adventure by award-winning author, Beth Barany.
Book 2 in the Five Kingdom series of the continuing adventures of Henrietta The Dragon Slayer.
What if everyone you loved was threatened by a force you couldn't see or fight?
Henrietta the legendary dragon slayer wants to return to her village for a heroes’ welcome. But an unknown sorcerer rides after her and her Dragon Stone and aims to destroy everyone she cares about. Can she claim her newfound powers sparked by the Dragon Stone and keep her loved ones safe, or will the sorcerer destroy everyone and everything she loves?
Excerpt of Henrietta and the Dragon Stone (Book 2 of the Five Kingdom series)
chapter one: in his grasp
The Dracontias, dra-con-ti-as, emphasis on the second syllable, is the most powerful gem in all the Five Kingdoms, and more powerful than all the other so-called Kingdom Stones. This one and only Dragon Stone unifies the kingdoms and empowers its user. But beware its one fatal flaw.
—from the Fire Wizards Compendium
Early Winter New Moon (Mitte Moon), Oro Islands, One of the Five Kingdoms
King Singfan sucked in a breath, stretched the crossbow, and held it steady, tracking the beast.
Time was of the essence. If he didn’t kill this dragon and obtain the Dragon Stone on the great dragon’s forehead, he’d have to start all over again. Unthinkable. Impossible.
He had to renew this king’s body during this night, while the stars were aligned just so, and the moon hung below the horizon.
The girl Dragon Slayer, that Henrietta, was performing exactly as he’d expected. She’d taken the proffered reward and given him the secret dragon lore, confirming what he needed to know. She crouched nearby, ready to do his bidding.
King Singfan breathed out, steadying his aim, and smiled.
Inside of him, Bjirn Eyvindir smiled, too, at Singfan’s glee. Hidden to everyone, Eyvindir had occupied the body of King Singfan for seventy-five years, a long king’s rule—longer than anyone on the Oro Islands could remember. If they did remember the length of King Singfan’s reign, Eyvindir by King Singfan’s hand had made sure they didn’t remember for long, and didn’t remember anything ever again.
King Singfan had given him free reign to run his magic through the man and control his every move. The man was his best and most perfect servant. Eyvindir wasn’t going to end the arrangement anytime soon. He’d planned this renewal too long for the moment to go awry.
The dragon hovered above the enormous cave floor about to settle, its scales flickering and iridescent in the torchlight. King Singfan held his breath, steadying his strong stance and perfect aim. He readied the powerful crossbow.
Before he could loose the arrow, Henrietta yelled “You can’t!” and shoved him to the hard-packed ground.
The dragon slayer pinned his arms against his torso with her legs, heavy on his chest. He struggled beneath her weight.
“How dare you!” he snarled. “We had an agreement.”
How had she slipped past his guard?
With every second that ticked by, he felt his power draining from him like water down the drain, no doubt shifting his appearance. But his voice held strong and loud. He gathered courage in that. There was still time to kill the dragon and obtain the Dragon Stone.
“I can’t let you!” she shouted, glaring down at him.
***
Beth-Barany_360by270-cropped
About Beth Barany:
Beth Barany writes magical tales of romance and adventure to transport readers to new worlds where anything is possible.
Book 1: Henrietta The Dragon Slayer was the 2012 Grand Prize winner at the California Fiction Writers Book Contest and the 2011 Finalist at the Hollywood Book Festival.

Reader reviews of the award-winning young adult fantasy, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, Book 1 in the Five Kingdoms series
As far as young adult fantasies go, Henrietta, The Dragon Slayer is a good read that I think any age, teen to adult, would enjoy. I only hope a sequel is in the works!
--LunaMoth
The witty dialogue and good story line makes this book hard to put down. I really could not stop reading it and was really tired the next day. It's also very satisfying to read about a girl heroine fighting the good fight. --Jeri
Beth, best known for strong heroines in her stories, this story is no exception. It is a tale of righteousness and overcoming adversity including magic. --Robert Mendak "RJ"
The book is a beautiful story about friendship, a heroine, and a quest to kill a dragon. Who wouldn't be excited? The entire concept sounded interesting and I was not at all disappointed. --Brittany, from Goodreads
Beth Barany has made a world where unlikely friendships rule and being a friend means more than you can know. --Tami, from Goodreads

Special Blog Tour Giveaway: Grand Prize
I’ll be giving away 2 signed copies of Henrietta and the Dragon Stone.
<a id="rc-2a406b15" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2a406b15/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>
I’ll mail you a copy anywhere in the world.
I’ll also give away e-book copies of HYPERLINK "http://bit.ly/Henrietta2"Henrietta and the Dragon Stone at each blog tour stop.

Where to find Henrietta and the Dragon Stone (Book 2)
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1jB4AxQ
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1mHPfA4
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1puwOxV
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1puwVJT
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/henrietta-dragon-stone-five/id812548135?mt=11
More at: http://bit.ly/1fsbqR7

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

Aeciospore

ae·cio·spore

noun \ˈē-shə-ˌspȯr, ˈē-sə-\

Definition of AECIOSPORE

:  one of the spores arranged within an aecium in a series like a chain

First Known Use of AECIOSPORE

1905

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, June 09, 2014

Monday Musings: Hummingbirds, warrior birds

Hummingbirds are found only in the western hemisphere, so the only myths about these tiny birds are Native American or South and Central American in origin. Growing up in Southern California and now living in Arizona, I am quite familiar with these fascinating birds.
They are fun to watch, flying and spinning, their tiny wings moving so fast they look like blurs. Hummingbirds don’t sit still for long, and I had a hard time getting some pictures of them, but I was able to capture a female resting on a tree branch. Another hummer hovered by her side. I think that one was a male and they may have been mating. If they aren’t fighting, then they are probably mating. Usually only males fight each other for territory and for females. Hummingbirds are very territorial and fighting can be so vicious, it can lead to death for one the birds.
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I’ve always wondered about how fierce hummingbirds can be and then I found an Aztec myth that may explain hummingbirds and their warrior nature.
A warrior named Huitzil led the Aztecs to a new homeland and helped them defend it from enemy warriors. The warrior’s full name was Huitzilopochtli, which means, “hummingbird from the left.” The “left” in Aztec mythology is the deep south, the spirit world. Huitzil was killed at a key moment in the battle. His body disappeared. In the exact place where his body disappeared, a green-backed hummingbird rose up, inspiring his warriors to victory. Huitzil became a god. The Aztecs believed that every warrior killed in battle rose to the sky and orbited the sun for four years. After this, they became hummingbirds. The transformed heroes fed on flowers in the garden of paradise and engaged in mock battles.
To honor these tiny, magnificent birds, Aztecs decorated their ceremonial cloaks with hummingbird feathers. Chieftains wore hummingbird earrings. Aztec priests carried staves with hummingbird feathers to suck evil out of people.
So, the next time you see hummingbirds battling it out in your backyard, remember that they might be the spirits of those ancient Aztec warriors.


More Hummingbird myths: http://hummingbirdworld.com/h/native_american.htm

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Friday, June 06, 2014

Favorite Friday

Favorite TV Show

Continuum

One of my favorite TV shows is Continuum on SyFy. This is a time travel show where in the grim future corporations are so powerful, they are the government, turning people into slaves. Sound like a familiar, possible scenario? I love how this show takes on some real serious topics like terrorism. I think Continuum is a cautionary tale of what our future might look like if corporations continue to grow more powerful. It’s hard to tell the bad guys from the good guys in the show because I find myself rooting for the supposed bad guys.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

Aepyornis

ae·py·or·nis

noun \ˌē-pē-ˈȯr-nəs\

Definition of AEPYORNIS

: elephant bird

Origin of AEPYORNIS

New Latin, genus name, from Greek aipys high + ornis bird — more at erne
First Known Use: 1851

aepyornis

 noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of a group of giant flightless birds in the extinct genusAepyornis, found as fossils in Pleistocene and post-Pleistocene deposits on Madagascar. Most were massively constructed (some stood more than 10 ft, or 3 m, high) and had a small skull and a long slim neck. Remains of aepyornis and its eggs (as large as 3 ft, or 1 m, in circumference) are common. Its ancestry is uncertain.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Monday, June 02, 2014

Musing Mondays: Moon shots

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Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, May 30, 2014

Favorite Friday

One of my favorite books is Interview with the Vampire by Ann Rice, which was published in 1993. She created the erotic, sexy vampire well before the sparkly vampires of Twilight. Feel compassion for Louis, the tormented vampire or laugh and fall in love with the capricious Lestat as the author takes you from 1700’s New Orleans to the streets of Paris and then to modern San Francisco. Ms. Rice is a master at re-creating historical settings and what would later become the “sexy” vampire. Highly recommended to fans of vampire romances. The movie was also really good with Tom Cruise and a very sexy, long-haired Brad Pitt. Smile

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Tabby's Nocturnal Nights: My biggest frustration as a writer

Tabby's Nocturnal Nights: My biggest frustration as a writer: I think everyone gets frustrated at some point with himself or herself. I’m feeling that way now. After writing and publishing seven books, ...

Weird Word Wednesday

AESTHETE

aes·thete

noun \ˈes-ˌthēt, British usually ˈēs-\

: a person who recognizes and values beauty in art, music, etc.

Full Definition of AESTHETE

:  one having or affecting sensitivity to the beautiful especially in art

See aesthete defined for English-language learners »

Variants of AESTHETE

aes·thete also es·thete

Examples of AESTHETE

1. He regards art critics as a bunch of pretentious aesthetes.

Origin of AESTHETE

back-formation from aesthetic

First Known Use: 1881

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, May 26, 2014

Monday Musings: Arizona sunsets

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Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, May 23, 2014

Favorite Friday

One of my favorite King Arthur movies is Excalibur made in 1981. This is one of the best depictions of the magical King Arthur legend, and introduces a very young and beautiful Helen Mirren as the sorceress Morgana. Highly recommended for fans of Sir Thomas Mallory’s classic.

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

AEOLIAN

ae·o·lian

adjective \ē-ˈō-lē-ən, ē-ˈōl-yən\

Definition of AEOLIAN

1

often capitalized :  of or relating to Aeolus

2

:  giving forth or marked by a moaning or sighing sound or musical tone produced by or as if by the wind

First Known Use of AEOLIAN

1595

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, May 19, 2014

Monday Musings: Taking Aim—Archery

I finally found a hobby/sport that I really love doing—archery. My good friend, who is also a fellow writer, introduced me to it. It’s something we can do together at least once a week and it gets us out of the house.

We both like more traditional target archery without scopes and pulleys. Maybe that’s because we are fantasy writers and like medieval archery. We both write female characters that are archers. Now I can connect better with some of my characters.

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I find something meditative about shooting at targets because you have to slow down and take your time to sight the target. The range we use is out in the desert with ravines and beautiful views of the mountains. Archery for me is about getting back to being close to nature and doing something outside instead of being cooped up in front of a laptop all day. I love writing, but I was beginning to lose touch with the outside world. I needed something to do outside.

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This is the first time in years that I’ve been excited about something and it feels great to have something to look forward to each week.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, May 16, 2014

Favorite Friday

One of my favorite shows is Nashville and I’m not a country fan. The show is realistic in its depiction of the music industry in Nashville. And of course there is the personal drama that keeps viewers tuning in each week. But for me, it’s strangely the music that draws me to this show. The songs are just great. There’s no other way to put it.

 

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

AEDILE

ae·dile

noun \ˈē-ˌdī(-ə)l, ˈē-dəl\

Definition of AEDILE

:  an official in ancient Rome in charge of public works and games, police, and the grain supply

Origin of AEDILE

Latin aedilis, from aedes temple — more at edify

First Known Use: 1538

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, May 12, 2014

Musing Mondays: Spring

Spring is my favorite time of year. The weather is nice and cool, not too hot like in summer, or too cold like in winter. Even our fall can be a bit too warm to enjoy. Spring is perfect. Flowers bloom, bees hum, the quail look for places to nest and my lizards return after winter.

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Blacktail, one of the lizards that hangs out in my yard each year is in the upper right corner on the piece of wood. I call him Blacktail because he has a long black tail, which of course can’t be seen here. He was trying to get away from me.

 

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Here is a better shot of Blacktail with his long black tail.

 

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A male Quail looking out for danger for his female that is foraging somewhere below on the ground.

 

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A bird in our Palo Verde tree.

 

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Our Palo Verde tree in full bloom.

 

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Another view of our Palo Verde tree with the blue sky in the background.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, May 09, 2014

Favorite Friday

One of my favorite fantasy artists is Julia Fain. She makes jewelry, phone covers, laptop covers and more with ethereal images of fairies, mermaids, dragons, unicorns, animals and people.

 

http://www.juliefain.com/

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

ADENITIS

ad·e·ni·tis

noun \ˌa-də-ˈnī-təs\

Definition of ADENITIS

:  inflammation of a gland; especially : lymphadenitis

Origin of ADENITIS

New Latin

First Known Use: circa 1848

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, May 05, 2014

Musing Mondays: Excerpt from Daughter of Night, Greek myths, fantasy, PG

Excerpt from Daughter of Night:

She waited, cloaked in shadows, until nightfall when the king and his queen slept.

As soon as darkness fell and the palace rang with silence, she emerged from the shadows. A round central hearth fire glowed with warmth, pulsing and flickering across the shadowed room, performing an ancient dance along the floors and painted walls. The king lay in his bed, the fierce warlord looking so vulnerable as he lay sleeping without his armor or weapons. His queen slept next to him instead of in her own quarters in a sign of her devotion. Sighing, she tried to remember what it was like to feel love.

She crept close to his bed, staring down at his sleeping face. Even in sleep, he looked like the mighty warlord that struck fear in his enemies' hearts. His brow wrinkled as if he wrestled with a nightmare. Perhaps he fought a nightmare of the battlefield, which usually struck the minds of warriors. Pressing her hand to his hot forehead, she rid his dreams of nightmares and entered his dreams with promises of victory and power. Removing her hand, she backed away, becoming one with the shadows again.

The king stirred, moaning in his sleep as the nightmares returned.

His queen woke from his stirring and brushed his hair from his forehead. “My love, would that I could remove your nightmares with a gentle stroke,” she whispered.

Watching the tender exchange with a wistful heart, she wondered what to do with the Dactyl’s essence.Which body will I choose to hide it in?


Blurb for Daughter of Night:

Their destiny began in ancient Anatolia.

Becuille is a Daughter of Night and a servant to the Great Goddess, created to wield Her vengeance. Callileon is a prince of the Hatti, who may be the one she was sent to punish.

When love finds them, they are cursed by the gods and surrounded by tragedy, which even the Fates are powerless to change.

Can two mortals fight the will of the gods?

Daughter of Night is available in Print, Kindle, Nook and other ebook formats.

Buy links: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

Daughter_of_Night

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, May 02, 2014

Favorite Friday

One of my favorite book series is the Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte. This is one of the best historical King Arthur series I’ve read. The author did a lot of research to be able to bring to life the King Arthur legend. Highly recommended.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Weird Word Wednesday

ADIABATIC

adi·a·bat·ic

adjective \ˌa-dē-ə-ˈba-tik, ˌā-ˌdī-ə-\

Definition of ADIABATIC

:  occurring without loss or gain of heat <adiabatic expansion of a gas>

adi·a·bat·i·cal·ly adverb

See adiabatic defined for kids »

Origin of ADIABATIC

Greek adiabatos impassable, from a- + diabatos passable, from diabainein to go across, from dia- + bainein to go — more at come

First Known Use: 1859

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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