Lord of the Rings
This needs no explanation. If you don't know about this fantasy trilogy, you have been living in a hole. :)
Kelley Heckart,
Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
About Me
- Kelley Heckart
- Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Showing posts with label Favorite Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Favorite Friday. Show all posts
Friday, January 01, 2016
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite fantasy movie trilogy
Favorite fantasy movie trilogy
Lord of the Rings
This needs no explanation. If you don't know about this fantasy trilogy, you have been living in a hole. :)
Lord of the Rings
This needs no explanation. If you don't know about this fantasy trilogy, you have been living in a hole. :)
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, December 25, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite bodice ripper and silliest vintage romance
Bold Blades Flashing by Lorinda Hagen
Book description:
Garnet Shaw was only sixteen, but
she was a diminutive spitfire, as Happy Jack Muldoon, captain of the pirate
ship Dancing Lady, quickly learned when he claimed her as his prize on a
sea-going raid.
Garnet found that a life of piracy
appealed to her, as did dashing Captain Jack, whose mistress she became.
But then the Dancing Lady was
boarded by the beautiful and arrogant Dell Fields. Her mysterious relationship
with the pirate captain soon bound all three in a strange alliance whose links
were forged in passion and in blood!
This romance was published back in
1979 when purple prose reined and so did TSTL heroines. LOL I loved this book
when I read it all those years ago. Wow, how times (and me) have changed. I
would most likely throw this book against the wall if I read it today, but for
some reason I’ve held on to it. Perhaps Captain Jack (yes, not kidding, that’s
his name) made an impression of my young inexperienced mind. If you want to
travel back in time to when silly romances were popular and probably get a good
laugh out of it, then check this book out.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite book on Irish folklore
Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish
Peasantry by W.B. Yeats
About the Author
William Butler Yeats, June 13,
1865 - January 28, 1939 born and educated in Dublin, an Irish poet and
dramatist. Beginning in his youth, he studied poetry and from an early age was
intrigued by both Irish legends and the occult. Yeats is known as one of the
foremost figures of 20th Century literature.
This is a great source of
information on Irish mythology and Ireland’s relationship with the fairy realm.
Very insightful and highly recommended to anyone interested in Irish folklore
and fairy magic.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, December 11, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite fantasy book
Favorite book
The Last King by
Robert E. Howard
Amazon
description:
From Robert E.
Howard’s fertile imagination sprang some of fiction’s greatest heroes,
including Conan the Cimmerian, King Kull, and Solomon Kane. But of all Howard’s
characters, none embodied his creator’s brooding temperament more than Bran Mak
Morn, the last king of a doomed race.
In ages past, the
Picts ruled all of Europe. But the descendants of those proud conquerors have
sunk into barbarism . . . all save one, Bran Mak Morn, whose bloodline remains
unbroken. Threatened by the Celts and the Romans, the Pictish tribes rally
under his banner to fight for their very survival, while Bran fights to restore
the glory of his race.
Lavishly
illustrated by award-winning artist Gary Gianni, this collection gathers
together all of Howard’s published stories and poems featuring Bran Mak
Morn–including the eerie masterpiece “Worms of the Earth” and “Kings of the
Night,” in which sorcery summons Kull the conqueror from out of the depths of
time to stand with Bran against the Roman invaders.
Also included are
previously unpublished stories and fragments, reproductions of manuscripts
bearing Howard’s handwritten revisions, and much, much more.
There are very
few books about the mysterious Picts of ancient Scotland. I’m a fan of Conan
the Barbarian and decided to read this one about Bran Mak Morn, the leader of
the Picts, a race that had descended into darkness and barbarism. Highly
recommended.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, December 04, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite TV series
Favorite TV
Series
Fargo
Show Description:
The all new “true
crime” case in Fargo’s latest chapter takes you back to 1979 in Sioux Falls,
South Dakota and Luverne, Minnesota. “Lou Solverson” (Patrick Wilson), a young
State Police Officer recently back from Vietnam, investigates a case involving
a local crime gang, a major mob syndicate and a small town beautician “Peggy
Blumquist” (Kirsten Dunst) along with her husband “Ed” (Jesse Plemons), the
local butcher’s assistant. Helping Lou piece things together is his
father-in-law, “Sheriff Hank Larsson” (Ted Danson). The investigation will lead
them to a colorful cast of characters that includes “Karl Weathers” (Nick
Offerman), the town lawyer of Luverne, Minnesota. A Korean War vet, Karl is a
flowery drunk blessed with the gift of gab and the eloquence of a true con
artist. Three-time Emmy® winner Brad Garrett will play “Joe Bulo,” the front
man for the northern expansion of a Kansas City crime syndicate. The new face
of corporate crime, Joe’s bringing a Walmart mentality to small town America.
His number two is “Mike Milligan” (Bokeem Woodbine). Part enforcer, part
detective, Mike is always smiling – but the joke is usually on you. Bulo and
his crew have their sights set on the Gerhardt crime family in Fargo, currently
led by matriarch “Floyd Gerhardt” (Jean Smart). With her husband at death’s
door, Floyd takes over the family business, frustrating her eldest son, “Dodd
Gerhardt” (Jeffrey Donovan). An impatient hothead with a cruel streak to match
his ambitions, Dodd can’t wait for both his parents to die so he can take over
and expand their business from kingdom to empire. “Bear Gerhardt” (Angus
Sampson) is the middle son, an intimidatingly large man who, although
inarticulate, is the most decent of his clan. “Rye Gerhardt” (Kieran Culkin),
the youngest of the Gerhardt clan, views himself as a big shot, but in reality
he’s just a small dog with a loud bark.
Emmy Award
winning Executive Producers Noah Hawley (showrunner/writer), Joel & Ethan
Coen, Warren Littlefield and John Cameron all return for the second
installment. Fargo is produced by MGM Television and FX Productions, with MGM
Television serving as the lead studio.
This is the most
bizarre and compelling show I’ve seen in a while. Great acting and writing
makes this one of the best shows this season. Highly recommended.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite Thanksgiving dessert
Since
Thanksgiving is here, I thought I would share my favorite Thanksgiving dessert:
Pumpkin swirl cakes.
Yummy. Walmart usually has them this time of the year. They are a little tricky
to make because you have to get the cream cheese swirl inside.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite new T.V. series
Blindspot
Amazon pilot
description:
In the series
premiere, a beautiful woman with no memories of her past (JAIMIE ALEXANDER) is
found in Times Square, covered in mysterious tattoos, including an FBI agent's
name.
I like this new
show because of all the mystery surrounding this woman who can’t remember who
she is. I like shows that keep me guessing.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite new T.V. series
The Last Kingdom
Plot description
on IMDb:
The year is 872,
and many of the separate kingdoms of what we now know as England have fallen to
the invading Danes, leaving the great kingdom of Wessex standing alone and
defiant under the command of King Alfred. Against this turbulent backdrop lives
our hero, Uhtred. Born the son of a Saxon nobleman, he is captured by the Danes
and raised as one of their own. Forced to choose between the country of his
birth and the people of his upbringing, his loyalties are ever tested. What is
he? Saxon or Dane? On a quest to reclaim his birthright, Uhtred must tread a
dangerous path between both sides if he is to play his part in the birth of a
new nation and, ultimately, recapture his ancestral lands.
Amazon series
description for episode 1:
When Uhtred loses
his father in battle, his lands and inheritance are taken by his scheming
uncle, Aelfric, who becomes a puppet-lord for the ruling Danes. Uhtred is
captured by his father’s killers and brought up by Danish warlord Ragnar. Now a
young Danish warrior, when his surrogate family is murdered by a group of
vengeful Danes, Uhtred finds himself alone; neither Saxon nor Dane.
I’m a huge
Vikings fan so I thought I would check this one out. It’s based on a series of
books called the Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell. I really like it so far. We
see a different side to the Viking invasions of what is now England.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, November 06, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite new T.V. series
Favorite T.V.
Series: The Bastard Executioner
Show blurb:
Wilkin Brattle, a
warrior knight in the charge of King Edward I, trades his sword for a peaceful
farming life -- until the violence of his past finds him and forces him to pick
up the bloodiest sword of all.
It started kind of slow, but I really like
this dark medieval series by the creator of Sons of Anarchy and hope it doesn’t
get cancelled. It’s the real deal as far as medieval politics, complete with
people being tortured and killed for heresy by the church. The upper class is
greedy and cares little for the poor. I guess times haven’t changed much. The
main character is easy to like because he may be one of the few with actual
compassion and remorse.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite fairy tale movie
Favorite
fairy tale movie: Snow White and the Huntsman
Product
Description
From the producer
of Alice in Wonderland comes a new vision that turns a legendary tale into an
action-adventure epic. The evil Queen Ravenna (Academy Award winner Charlize
Theron) will rule forever if she can take the life of Snow White (Kristen
Stewart), so she dispatches the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to track her down.
But the wicked ruler never imagined that the Huntsman would train the girl to
become a brave warrior, skilled in the art of war. Filled with intense battles
and spectacular visual effects, Snow White & the Huntsman is a thrilling
experience that “shouldn’t be missed” – Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV.
************
I really liked this new version of Snow White. It is darker than the original. I loved Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman. Ravenna's outfits were stunning. There were some cool surprises in this version--the way Snow was revived was my favorite one. Highly recommended.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite vampire book
Favorite vampire book: 'Salem’s Lot by Stephen
King
Book Description:
Ben Mears has
returned to Jerusalem’s Lot in hopes that exploring the history of the Marsten
House, an old mansion long the subject of rumor and speculation, will help him
cast out his personal devils and provide inspiration for his new book. But when
two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins
to realize that something sinister is at work—in fact, his hometown is under
siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a
small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is growing within the
borders of this small New England town.
With this, his second novel, Stephen King established himself as an indisputable master of American horror, able to transform the old conceits of the genre into something fresh and all the more frightening for taking place in a familiar, idyllic locale.
With this, his second novel, Stephen King established himself as an indisputable master of American horror, able to transform the old conceits of the genre into something fresh and all the more frightening for taking place in a familiar, idyllic locale.
**************
This is one of my favorite Stephen King books. I love the way he takes an ordinary town with ordinary people and fills it with something terrifying. Highly recommended for horror and vampire fans.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite historical fantasy book
Favorite historical fantasy book: The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie
Book description on Amazon.com:
In the harsh
wastes of the barbarian north, a child is born on dirt and straw in the rude
thatched hall of a Germanic tribal chieftain. She is Auriane, destined to
follow the pathway of her tribe’s most revered seeress. But as ruthless Roman
invaders plunder her people's lands, burn their crops and kidnap their young
men for the imperial army, Auriane is chosen to lead her tribal people in their
struggle against the empire.
When the Emperor
Domitian crosses the Rhine with four legions, the north’s hope resides in a
woman…
And as the only
world she has known collapses around her, Auriane is captured and taken to
Rome, and into a life of horror and glory no seeress could have foreseen.
In Rome, senator
and Stoic humanist Marcus Arrius Julianus rises to the loftiest pinnacles of
government. Through wit, daring and brilliant maneuvering, he struggles to
check the murderous whims of the increasingly corrupt Emperor Domitian. As a
reign of terror begins, Julianus orchestrates a vast plot to assassinate the emperor.
Cultured Marcus
Julianus and barbarian Auriane meet — and form a powerful bond across the gulf
of their vastly different ways of life.
Domitian condemns
Auriane to the arena, where in the halls of a gladiatorial training school she
discovers the tribesman who betrayed her people in war. As Julianus’
assassination plot rushes to its cataclysmic conclusion, Auriane must carry out
the solemn rite of vengeance before a maddened throng in the Colosseum.
An immediate
international bestseller, The Light Bearer is the product of twelve years of
research into the history, culture and mythology of classical Rome and the
proto-Germanic tribes.
************
I loved this book. It is beautifully written and well-researched. I loved Auriane's strength. Highly recommended to anyone interested in classical Rome and the ancient Germanic tribes.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, October 09, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite Romans vs. Picts movie
Favorite
movie: Centurion
Product
Description
AD 117. The Roman
Empire stretches from Egypt to Spain, and East as far as the Black Sea. But in
northern Britain, the relentless onslaught of conquest has ground to a halt in
the face of the guerrilla tactics of an elusive enemy: the savage and
terrifying Picts. Quintus Dias (Fassbinder), sole survivor of a Pictish raid on
a Roman frontier fort, marches north with General Virilus' (West) legendary
Ninth Legion, under orders to wipe the Picts from the face of the earth and
destroy their leader Gorlacon. But when the legion is ambushed on unfamiliar
ground, and Virilus taken captive, Quintus faces a desperate struggle to keep
his small platoon alive behind enemy lines. Enduring the harsh terrain and
evading their remorseless Pict pursuers led by the revenge hungry Pict Warrior
Etain (Kurylenko), the band of soldiers race to rescue their General and to
reach the safety of the Roman frontier.
I really like this movie. My favorite scene is when the Roman legion marches into the mist-filled forest of Caledonia (Scotland) and the Picts attack. It gave me goosebumps. I loved Michael Fassbender as the centurion who survives being captured and pursued by the savage Picts. Olga Kurylenko does a great job as Etain, a frightening Pict warrior driven by revenge against the Roman soldiers. Highly recommended to anyone interested in this time period.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, October 02, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite fantasy book
Favorite
fantasy book: The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Amazon.com book description:
Tolkien
considered THE SILMARILLION his most important work, and, though it was
published last and posthumously, this great collection of tales and legends
clearly sets the stage for all his other writing. The story of the creation of
the world and of the the First Age, this is the ancient drama to which the
characters in THE LORD OF THE RINGS look back and in whose events some of them,
such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The three Silmarils were jewels
created by Feanor, most gifted of the Elves. Within them was imprisoned the
Light of the Two Trees of Valinor before the Trees themselves were destroyed by
Morgoth, the first Dark Lord. Thereafter, the unsullied Light of Valinor lived
on only in the Silmarils, but they were seized by Morgoth and set in his crown,
which was guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of
Middle-earth. THE SILMARILLION is the history of the rebellion of Feanor and
his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to
Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all their heroism, against the
great Enemy.
I know I may get some hate emails for this, but I like this better than the other books. lol I loved reading about the history of Middle-earth and the collection of legends that led to The Lord of the Rings. Highly recommended! I need to get the Kindle version.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite fantasy book
Favorite fantasy
book: Song of Unmaking
Blurb:
Stubborn, single-minded
and steadfast . . .
Striving to save
the Aurelian Empire, Valeria reached for too much power too quickly and a
darkness has rooted inside her. Unable to confess the truth, Valeria turns to
Kerrec, her former mentor, one of the elite Riders from the Mountain, home of
the gods. But Kerrec, too, is deeply wounded and his darkness may be even
deeper than hers -- and he is refusing to face it. Until his weakness nearly
destroys the Riders and their immortal white stallions . . .
As Kerrec is sent
from the Mountain on a desperate quest for healing, Valeria is forbidden to
follow. But compelled by a power she cannot understand and encouraged by her
own stallion, she shadows Kerrec on a perilous mission.
The patterns of
deception and secrets have been woven, the threats of war and unrest spread
throughout the land, the barbarian hordes return and once more it is Valeria --
and Kerrec -- who must gather their strength and their wounded magic to protect
all that they believe in . . .
But who will
believe in them?
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, September 18, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite movie, a comedy
Favorite movie:
Galaxy Quest
For four years, the
courageous crew of the NSEA protector - "Commander P eter Quincy
Taggart" (Tim Allen), "Lt. Tawny Madison (Sigourney Weaver) and
"Dr. Lazarus" (Alan Rickman) - set off on a thrilling and often dangerous
mission in space...and then their series was cancelled! Now, twenty years
later, aliens under attack have mistaken the Galaxy Quest television transmissions
for "historical documents" and beam up the crew of has-been actors to
save the universe. With no script, no director and no clue, the actors must
turn in the performances of their lives.
One word: Hilarious,
especially if you are familiar with Star Trek. Highly recommended.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite movie
Favorite movie:
Phantom of the Opera
Amazon description:
Deep in the
passageways below the Paris Opera lives a lonely, talented, horribly disfigured
man who revels in terrorizing the theater's employees as The Phantom of the
Opera. But when the masked Phantom sees young Christine Daaé, his heart melts.
He secretly trains her, transforms her into a star ... and loves her. But when
she cannot return his affection, as her heart already belongs to another, all
the pain that the Phantom has held within is revealed with horrifying results.
I hate musicals but
I loved this one, maybe because it was dark and mysterious. Anyway, I highly
recommend this one. Not only is the acting and singing great, the setting is
beautiful.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, September 04, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite childhood book
Favorite childhood
book: Where the Red Fern Grows
Amazon book
description:
In Where
the Red Fern Grows, Billy and his precious coonhound pups romp relentlessly
through the Ozarks, trying to "tree" the elusive raccoon. In time,
the inseparable trio wins the coveted gold cup in the annual coon-hunt contest,
captures the wily ghost coon, and bravely fights with a mountain lion. When the
victory over the mountain lion turns to tragedy, Billy grieves, but learns the
beautiful old Native American legend of the sacred red fern that grows over the
graves of his dogs. This unforgettable classic belongs on every child's
bookshelf. (Ages 9 and up)
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite fantasy TV show
Favorite fantasy TV
show: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
With magic long
since lost to England, two men are destined to bring it back; the reclusive Mr.
Norrell and daring novice Jonathan Strange. So begins a dangerous battle
between two great minds.
Stars: Bertie
Carvel, Eddie Marsan, Marc Warren
This is set during
the Napoleonic Wars in an alternate England where magic exists. I like stories
that mix history with fantasy and this one has my interest so far. It’s based
on a book series by Susanna Clarke.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite new Sci-Fi TV show
Favorite new TV
show—The Whispers
An unseen force is
manipulating society's most innocent-our children-to act in favor of its cause.
As the kids unwittingly help this unknown enemy, the clock counts down in this
suspenseful race to save humanity.
Creator: Soo Hugh
Stars: Milo
Ventimiglia, Barry Sloane, Lily Rabe
This show gives me the
chills because the children involved are Children of the Corn creepy. It’s not
as fast paced as most of the shows now, but if you like your Sci-Fi
spine-chilling, this is it.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
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