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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 fantasy romances. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy romances. Show all posts
Sunday, March 12, 2023
FREE ebook--The Enchanted Meadow #freeebooks
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Monday, February 06, 2017
Monday Musings: The Crow Maiden--A hero and heroine from very different worlds
The Crow Maiden is a story about revenge and overcoming
adversity, but it is also about a romance between two very different people.
Nahla is an Arcadian priestess, and Balin is an Achaean
lord. In her world, the Achaeans are the conquerors who forced their
patriarchal views on her people. In Balin’s eyes, the Arcadians are barbarians
who still practice human sacrifice. There are physical differences, too. She is
smaller in stature than his people, with brown skin and black hair. He is tall,
blonde, and fair skinned.
Sheltered in her forest temple, Nahla has only viewed the
grand seaside Achaean cities from afar. To Balin, the priestesses of Artemis
were a complete mystery. And now their very different worlds have collided.
Despite their cultural differences, they share a common
enemy. In the ancient Greek world, the Dorians were much more of a threat than
the Achaeans who at least allowed the native Arcadians to continue worshipping
their own gods. The Dorians didn’t want to compromise with anyone. This unrest
in the region began the downfall of the once-mighty Achaeans.
With nothing left to lose and only revenge in his thoughts,
Balin forms an alliance with the mysterious priestess. Nahla’s only hope to be
free of her cruel master is the champion chosen by Artemis—an Achaean. Gods
work in strange ways, it seems.
Despite his dominate ways, Balin shows Nahla respect. She
begins to trust him. Nahla’s boldness both enrages and excites Balin. He’s
never known such a woman who would dare speak so impudently to him. They may be
from very different worlds, but their attraction for one another grows.
It must be true that opposites attract.
(The Crow Maiden is a standalone story in the Arcadia Series)
Excerpt (PG-13)
“Now you know all you need to about
me and about Aramon. He destroyed and captured your cities, killed and enslaved
your people.” Her lovely mouth tightened into a grave smile. “Do we have an
alliance or not?”
Could he trust her? “You can form
an alliance with me, someone you know nothing about?”
“I know enough about you, Achaean.”
She offered him that same
mysterious smile she’d given him earlier, one that enhanced her remarkable,
unusual beauty, even if it was too serious. Aramon had mistreated and tormented
her. Perhaps, that was all he needed to know. For now.
“Besides, what have either of us to
lose? Arcadia is being destroyed.” Her tone turned bitter. “And everything and
everyone we knew and loved is gone because of one man. What more is there to
know or think about?”
Her words were so profound and
filled with truth. He had his doubts about his ability to do what needed to be
done, but he wanted revenge more than anything. Revenge was the only thing
keeping him alive.
“We have an alliance.”
She nodded. “Then we must get to
work. Aramon could summon me at any time.”
“What do I call you? Do you prefer
the ‘Crow Maiden,’ or can I call you ‘Crow’?” He cast her a playful grin,
wanting to change her rigid, cold nature. Playfulness was something he hadn’t
felt since his crippling injury. He couldn’t explain it. Perhaps it was because
she was a challenge, unlike any other woman he’d known.
She didn’t smile. Her eyes took on
a reflective light. “Call me Nahla.”
Her name sounded soothing and fit
her calm manner that lingered beneath the coldness.
“Nahla, you may call me Balin.” He
reached for a clay pitcher of wine that sat on a natural shelf. Some wine might
loosen the maiden up. He’d never met such a rigid and cold female. “We should
celebrate our alliance.”
She put her hand on his arm to stop
him from lifting the pitcher to his lips. “The first thing we must do is get
you clearheaded.”
He looked down at the pitcher, his
body filled with craving for the numbing drink. “But…”
She reached for the handle. “Give
it to me.”
With reluctance, he handed her the
pitcher. He watched with rising panic as she poured out the precious wine.
She turned toward him and pursed
her lips. “The next thing is a bath, a very long one.”
Impertinent harpy! Bristling, he
scowled at her. His changing emotions in regards to this female confused him.
One moment, she made him want to smile, and the next, she raised his ire like
no other.
Nahla may be the only one who could
help him get revenge on Aramon, but Poseidon’s blasted balls! She was
infuriating. He clenched his fist and glanced upward. Almighty Poseidon, please give me the strength to not strangle this
insolent female.
Kindle Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1ZBAF1
Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1541140613/
Blurb:
She betrayed her goddess for him…
He betrayed her.
Plotting her revenge is her only
solace. Until now.
Nahla is the Crow Maiden, an
Arcadian, and once a priestess of Artemis. Now she is a captive, a being who
lives in the shadows until her vile master the sorcerer-king Aramon summons
her. Another releases her from the Shadowlands, and while he might be the
champion she has waited for, the gods must be playing a cruel joke. Her
champion is crippled.
An Achaean lord who once ruled a
great city, Balin is a broken man. He has lost everything—his kingdom and his
family. Revenge consumes him. Although wary of the mysterious, cold-eyed female
who appears and claims he summoned her, she may be his only hope to exact
vengeance on the king who ruined him, the same man Nahla seeks to destroy.
They are bound by revenge, and
soon, both learn they are bound by much more, but the secrets she hides might
tear them apart and ruin their only opportunity for vengeance—and their chance
to love again.
“Ms. Heckart draws the reader
into the pages and enchants them with her words.”
Karen McGill, Coffee Time Romance
Kelley Heckart
Otherworldly tales steeped in myth, magic & romance.
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Monday, January 09, 2017
Monday Musings: New Release by Kelley Heckart--The Crow Maiden (Greek myths, shapeshifters, romance)
New book release! The Crow Maiden, Greek myths/fantasy/shapeshifters/romance
In Print and Kindle on amazon.com
Book Title: The Crow Maiden
Author: Kelley Heckart
Author website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Genre: Greek myths/fantasy/paranormal/shapeshifters/romance
Release date: 1/6/17
Page Count: 180
ISBN- 13:978-1541140615
ISBN- 10:1541140613
ASIN: B01N1ZBAF1
Kindle Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1ZBAF1
Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1541140613/
Blurb
The Crow Maiden
Book 3: The Arcadia Series
(The Crow Maiden is a standalone story in the Arcadia
Series)
She betrayed her goddess for him…
He betrayed her.
Plotting her revenge is her only
solace. Until now.
Nahla is the Crow Maiden, an
Arcadian, and once a priestess of Artemis. Now she is a captive, a being who
lives in the shadows until her vile master the sorcerer-king Aramon summons
her. Another releases her from the Shadowlands, and while he might be the
champion she has waited for, the gods must be playing a cruel joke. Her
champion is crippled.
An Achaean lord who once ruled a
great city, Balin is a broken man. He has lost everything—his kingdom and his
family. Revenge consumes him. Although wary of the mysterious, cold-eyed female
who appears and claims he summoned her, she may be his only hope to exact
vengeance on the king who ruined him, the same man Nahla seeks to destroy.
They are bound by revenge, and
soon, both learn they are bound by much more, but the secrets she hides might
tear them apart and ruin their only opportunity for vengeance—and their chance
to love again.
“Ms. Heckart draws the reader
into the pages and enchants them with her words.”
Karen McGill, Coffee Time Romance
Excerpt
(PG):
Summoned from the
Shadowlands, Nahla landed in a place of encircling darkness. Rays of light too
weak to pierce the black shield glowed in the distance. Cold, damp air embraced
her, penetrating her clothing and draping her body like a heavy winter cloak.
Footsteps
echoed all around. She struggled to come to her senses, fighting
disorientation. Seized by a wave of dizziness, she steadied herself on the
hard, rough ground beneath her feet. The footsteps grew louder. They approached
from the direction of the faint light.
He was
coming.
She
staggered backward and banged into a hard wall. Her arms extended, she moved to
her right. Cold rock scraped her knuckles. She lunged left and grimaced as
another firm, unforgiving surface stopped her other hand. Bound there by more
than the walls, she waited in the stygian blackness.
Brandishing
a torch, her summoner appeared and came toward her at a forceful pace. The fire
blinded her, and she barely saw the glint of metal flashing in front of her.
Before
she could evade the thrusting weapon, a cold, heavy blade touched her neck. The
unfamiliar feel of a sharp blade against her skin made her freeze out of
instinct, not because she was afraid of death. Nahla had already died once.
She
waited for the weapon to slice through her flesh. A foreboding prickle raised the
fine hairs of her nape. Something was different about this summoning. Her
master would never kill her. He would never be that kind to her and set her
free.
The
one who wielded the blade dropped the torch in order to hold the weapon with
both hands. The flaming light burned low and sputtered behind him or her,
though she sensed whoever had brought her here was male by his leather,
un-flowery scent and by the strength he possessed holding the heavy, brutal
blade. Shadows concealing her summoner remained, and his deep, ragged breaths
spoke of anger and despair.
“Who
are you? How did you get in here?” he asked, his voice gruff.
“You
summoned me.” She remained guarded, the cold metal still caressing her neck,
but excitement fluttered in her stomach at the significance of this unusual
summoning.
The
silence was palpable, broken only by his now heavy and uneasy breathing. After
a few moments, he growled, “If that is so, then you are not what I asked for.”
Desperation,
frustration, and anguish filled his voice. She was in the true place. All she
knew was death and misery and sorrow.
“I
came because I was summoned.”
“Just
go away.” He removed the blade from her neck, picked up the fallen, smoking
torch, and retreated through the low, narrow opening toward the beckoning
glimmers of light from a far away chamber.
She
followed him and stepped forward toward the opening. Another dim chamber filled
with dust and cobwebs greeted her. Glancing back at the black, unpleasantly
cold space she’d landed in, she suppressed a shudder and then ducked into the
other brighter, small chamber. Piles of dusty blankets, a war shield, and dull-looking
bronze plate armor filled one corner. Nothing about the solemn room looked
familiar to her. She walked past uneven rock walls like the ones found in
caves. An earthy scent like that of dark, damp places permeated the air. Caves
were for creatures like her that roamed in the shadows, the unseen realm
between life and death, the place she called the Land of Sorrows, not for
humans that had no need of darkness.
This
summoning wasn’t true. Only one man could call her forth from the Shadowlands.
Was she finally free of her tormentor? No, the bond to her master remained,
lingering like a loose tether, but she also sensed she couldn’t travel too far
from this stranger. Did this unusual event have anything to do with her
constant yearning for the life that had been stolen from her? She could reclaim
all she’d lost if she found a champion to kill her creator and master. It had
seemed impossible.
Until
now…
****
Multi-published author Kelley Heckart lives in Arizona with
her musician husband, dog and a number of backyard “pets.” Her stories reflect
her passion for ancient and medieval time periods, storytelling and the
supernatural. Inspired by the ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce
warriors, bold women, otherworldly creatures, magic, and romance. When not
writing, she works as a freelance editor and practices target archery. She can
be found online at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
To sign up for my
newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways
only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html
Kelley Heckart
Otherworldly tales steeped in myth, magic
& romance.
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Monday Musings: Retelling the Greek myth of Callisto
There are a couple of different versions of the Greek myth
about Callisto, the nymph who betrayed Artemis, but ancient writers seemed to
agree on some facts: Zeus seduced Callisto, she was changed into a bear and
bore a son named Arcas, was hunted down as a beast and then placed among the
stars as the constellation Ursa Major. In some stories she is the daughter of
King Lycaon while in other, older versions she is simply another incarnation of
Artemis as the bear.
I came into this with an open mind, using what I knew from
the various myths and what I discovered from other sources on Greek mythology
and history. Since I was writing a series set in Arcadia, Artemis’s realm,
Callisto’s story had to be part of that series, but I had to figure out how to
make this myth into my own story. I focused on the one common thread of the
myth—Callisto betrayed Artemis whether she meant to or not. Who can say that
when you fall in love you can fight those feelings? I wanted to make Callisto
flawed like a human with real problems—even though she was a nymph, like the
rest of us she wasn’t perfect.
The next thing I decided was that my nymphs were not going
to be innocent and vulnerable. I did discover that the Oreades, the mountain
nymphs, were known as great huntresses, they were tall and fierce. So my nymphs
were going to be dangerous and quite capable of defending their goddess’s
forest. I created The Guardians, an elite group of nymphs who could fight as
good as any male warrior.
I also created an honored station among the nymphs, the Bear
Goddess, who would act in Artemis’s stead when she wasn’t present and keep the
barriers around the goddess’s forest strong. Only the Bear Goddess could take
the form of a bear and the other nymphs could take the shape of other forest
animals.
I actually ended up changing quite a bit. Zeus doesn’t
seduce Callisto, but one of his followers does—a centaur who can take human
shape. I had this idea of a forbidden love theme since the original versions
hint at this. In my version she is the daughter of Lycaon and the nymph Maia.
While my story may differ from the original myths, it stays true to the main
theme—betrayal. And despite Callisto’s flaws, she possesses bravery and
conviction, two traits I admire and hopefully readers will too.
****************
Kasin
stared at the line of nymphs, a formidable wall of gold and black leather-clad
Guardians flanked by brown-clad nymphs and satyrs. Artemis’s powerful symbol of
a full moon and crossed arrows taunted him from the unyielding line of small
round shields his opponents held in steady grips.
He
waited for the nymphs to make the first move. He would give them a chance to
negotiate his terms and, if fortune favored him, avoid a battle.
Davona
stepped into place next to him. “That is their merciless leader, Maia, the one
who called for my death. She is also Callisto’s mother.”
Kasin
looked closer at the nymph at the head of their army. She had dark red hair
that almost looked black, an unusual color among the brown and fair hair of the
other nymphs, and she had been among those that captured him.
“Callisto’s
mother is a fire nymph. They are a particularly nasty kind of nymph.” He felt a
twinge of sympathy for Callisto for it seemed her mother was as difficult as
was his armor-hearted father.
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.
Monday, June 08, 2015
Monday Musings: Bears in mythology and in relation to Artemis
Due to their strength and dominance, bears are the rulers of
the forest. Fast, big and powerful hunters, they are one of the most feared and
respected of the woodland animals.
In mythology, since bears hibernate in caves, and caves are
associated with the goddess’s womb, they appear to die in winter and are reborn
in spring. Because of their association with death and rebirth, they are
believed to have the ability to communicate and travel to other worlds, the
dream and spirit realms.
In her aspect as Bear Goddess, Artemis is fierce—queen of
the forest—protector and destroyer, nurturer and hunter. Of all the animals in
the forest, she-bears are fiercely protective of their young. Just like the
bear, Artemis is a protector of mothers, children and those giving birth—human
and animal. She rules her forest, defending what is hers and destroying any
threats. She is mother, hunter, and guardian.
In The Bear Goddess,
one nymph is chosen for the honored position of Bear Goddess. She safeguards
the barriers surrounding Artemis’s forest, can travel in the dream realms and
acts in the goddess’s stead when she is away. All nymphs can take the shape of
forest animals, but only the Bear Goddess can take the shape of a bear. Just
like in the original myth of Callisto, a bear plays an important part in my
story.
Bears are awesome, magical creatures. It’s no wonder Artemis
has a close relationship with them.
**********************************************************************
Excerpt from The
Bear Goddess:
The bear roared, this time an enraged growl, and paced
from side to side.
Kasin’s grip tightened around the end of the spear,
his body coiled, ready for the bear to charge.
The bear remained in the same place, growling at him
in an unusual way. He must be going mad because he was certain the bear was
yelling at him.
And then he remembered: Callisto had told him only the
Bear Goddess could change into a bear.
“Callisto?”
The bear stopped growling for a moment and stared hard
at him.
He lowered his spear. Using caution, he took one step
forward, keeping his gaze on the bear, prepared to throw his spear if
necessary.
The bear calmly watched him.
Taking a deep breath, he took another step forward. He
squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, calling on his faith, hoping it was
Callisto standing before him and not a hungry she-bear. He also prepared
himself for a deathblow to his head from a swipe with one of her huge
sharp-clawed paws.
He looked the bear straight in the eyes. There was no
emotion or other sign in its beastly gaze indicating the bear was Callisto. He
had to believe it to be true or he knew he would die. I am either a fool or
I have a death wish. He dropped his spear.
He could feel the heat of the bear’s breath, and he
could hear the animal’s ragged breathing. Closing his eyes again, he imagined
Callisto, her quiet beauty, her compassion. Slowly, he reached out to stroke
her head. He waited for the pain of the deathblow. The pain never came. His
fingers touched soft hair, not animal fur.
He opened his eyes. “It is you.” His voice came out
sounding rough with emotion.
Her sorrowful eyes glistened. “I almost killed you. If
you had not said my name…”
He pulled her against him. “You are quite frightening
as a bear.”
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.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Monday Musings: Not ordinary nymphs
What do you picture when you hear the word nymph? I’m guessing most people think of a flighty, beautiful woman with flowers in her hair that serves Artemis and romps with satyrs in the forest. In my Arcadia series, this is partly what nymphs might be like. But since I grew up watching Xena: Warrior Princess and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, my nymphs had to be like hunters and warriors.
There are different types of nymphs and some are more serene than others. I decided to give the mountain nymphs that serve Artemis a little more substance and structure. The descriptions I’ve read about them depict them as ferocious hunters. Some of the nymphs that serve Artemis have a gentler nature. I thought about what these nymphs might be like and used the four elements to create different types of nymphs. In my story there are earth, air, fire and water nymphs. Each of these groups of nymphs can control their element. In some stories, the Oreades, or mountain nymphs, were born from the union between five dactyls and five original nymphs. So what was I going to do since I only have four elements? Well, in alchemy there is a fifth element—the aether, the air that fills heaven. The fifth nymph is the aether, but she was banished for betraying the nymphs.
I created Guardian nymphs, the elite warriors that protect Artemis’s forest. They dress in gold and black deerskin to distinguish them from the other nymphs.
I had a lot of fun creating the nymphs for this series. What can be better than a kick-ass nymph?
The first book in this series, The Bear Goddess, is available now on Amazon.
Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…
A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.
On the run, danger and betrayal follow Callisto and Kasin. To survive they must evade those who want to keep them apart and no place is safe.
Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY
Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com:
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, March 13, 2015
Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite supernatural creature
Sexy Centaurs
When deciding on a romantic lead for my nymph in The Bear Goddess, I knew he had to be a follower of Zeus, and he had to be an enemy of Artemis and her nymphs. At first I was going to make him human, but that didn’t seem exciting enough for such a popular Greek myth. After some brainstorming, I decided to make my hero a centaur but this posed a problem—centaurs are known for their savagery, not to mention they are part horse. So, how was I going to create a likeable centaur and not have uncomfortable romantic scenes? After giving it some thought I came up with an idea—my hero, and a few other centaurs, could take human shape.
This worked for a number of reasons. The centaurs who could take human shape were viewed as outsiders within their centaur community and due to their unusual parentage, had milder personalities than their brutal relatives. This also made a romance between a nymph and a centaur more believable and not weird when it came time to write sex scenes. Plus, it added a level of sexiness for my hero to be something as exciting and dangerous as a centaur but also able to transform into a hunky human. In his centaur body, Kasin is powerful and formidable with a pure black horse body and in his human shape, he is still intimidating but striking and handsome with long black hair and war braids.
As a follower of Zeus, Kasin is a warrior above all else, but he also has some favorite activities he keeps hidden from the rest of the centaurs. One of these is singing. Music, unless it is a battle horn, is not allowed among the fierce centaurs. My hero also likes to take scented baths; another activity frowned upon among the hygienically challenged centaurs. I had to make him attractive to a nymph who bathed often, and I’m sure readers appreciate a clean, well-mannered hero too.
Not all centaurs have to be savage and some can be downright sexy.
****
Short excerpt:
Everything had happened so fast—being caught with Kasin, being bound with silver, Kasin changing into a centaur—Callisto hadn’t had time to absorb the shock of discovering the man she loved was a centaur. Weakened by the silver chain still binding her hands, she couldn’t escape. All she could do was lay helpless in his arms while he galloped with her off into the night.
He came to an abrupt halt at the edge of a steep plateau, searching the darkened forest lit by faint beams of moonlight. The fierce set of his handsome face made her breath catch in her throat. His arms held her in a confident, strong grip. With some hesitancy, she admitted to herself that she found him exciting. He was a centaur, her enemy who she was supposed to hate, but he had never mistreated her and he saved her life once again. She could only stare at him, stunned.
The Bear Goddess on Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY
The Bear Goddess Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Goddess-Book-Arcadia/dp/1502982684/ref=asap_B002BMOQ3C_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415503605&sr=1-7
To read an excerpt from The Bear Goddess, visit my website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html
****
Multi-published author Kelley Heckart lives in Arizona with her musician husband, dog and a number of backyard “pets,” including Godzilla the desert iguana. Her stories reflect her passion for ancient and medieval time periods, storytelling and the supernatural. Inspired by the ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce warriors, bold women, otherworldly creatures, magic and romance. When not writing, she works as an editor/proofreader and practices target archery. She can be found online at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
Website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Blog: http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CelticChick
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart
When deciding on a romantic lead for my nymph in The Bear Goddess, I knew he had to be a follower of Zeus, and he had to be an enemy of Artemis and her nymphs. At first I was going to make him human, but that didn’t seem exciting enough for such a popular Greek myth. After some brainstorming, I decided to make my hero a centaur but this posed a problem—centaurs are known for their savagery, not to mention they are part horse. So, how was I going to create a likeable centaur and not have uncomfortable romantic scenes? After giving it some thought I came up with an idea—my hero, and a few other centaurs, could take human shape.
This worked for a number of reasons. The centaurs who could take human shape were viewed as outsiders within their centaur community and due to their unusual parentage, had milder personalities than their brutal relatives. This also made a romance between a nymph and a centaur more believable and not weird when it came time to write sex scenes. Plus, it added a level of sexiness for my hero to be something as exciting and dangerous as a centaur but also able to transform into a hunky human. In his centaur body, Kasin is powerful and formidable with a pure black horse body and in his human shape, he is still intimidating but striking and handsome with long black hair and war braids.
As a follower of Zeus, Kasin is a warrior above all else, but he also has some favorite activities he keeps hidden from the rest of the centaurs. One of these is singing. Music, unless it is a battle horn, is not allowed among the fierce centaurs. My hero also likes to take scented baths; another activity frowned upon among the hygienically challenged centaurs. I had to make him attractive to a nymph who bathed often, and I’m sure readers appreciate a clean, well-mannered hero too.
Not all centaurs have to be savage and some can be downright sexy.
****
Short excerpt:
Everything had happened so fast—being caught with Kasin, being bound with silver, Kasin changing into a centaur—Callisto hadn’t had time to absorb the shock of discovering the man she loved was a centaur. Weakened by the silver chain still binding her hands, she couldn’t escape. All she could do was lay helpless in his arms while he galloped with her off into the night.
He came to an abrupt halt at the edge of a steep plateau, searching the darkened forest lit by faint beams of moonlight. The fierce set of his handsome face made her breath catch in her throat. His arms held her in a confident, strong grip. With some hesitancy, she admitted to herself that she found him exciting. He was a centaur, her enemy who she was supposed to hate, but he had never mistreated her and he saved her life once again. She could only stare at him, stunned.
The Bear Goddess on Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY
The Bear Goddess Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Goddess-Book-Arcadia/dp/1502982684/ref=asap_B002BMOQ3C_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415503605&sr=1-7
To read an excerpt from The Bear Goddess, visit my website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html
****
Multi-published author Kelley Heckart lives in Arizona with her musician husband, dog and a number of backyard “pets,” including Godzilla the desert iguana. Her stories reflect her passion for ancient and medieval time periods, storytelling and the supernatural. Inspired by the ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce warriors, bold women, otherworldly creatures, magic and romance. When not writing, she works as an editor/proofreader and practices target archery. She can be found online at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
Website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Blog: http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CelticChick
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Monday, January 05, 2015
Monday Musings: Excerpt #3 from The Bear Goddess PG-13
The Bear Goddess, Greek myths/fantasy/shapeshifters/romance
In Print and Kindle on amazon.com
Release date: 11/9/14
Page Count: 284 in print
ISBN-10: 1502982684
ISBN-13: 978-1502982681
ASIN: B00P74X0WY
Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY
Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Goddess-Book-Arcadia/dp/1502982684/ref=asap_B002BMOQ3C_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415503605&sr=1-7
Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…
A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.
Will love be enough to save them?
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html
He nudged the animal with his bare foot. The boar didn’t move. Convinced it was dead, Kasin faced Callisto. A small amount of blood pooled from a wound in her right side. He knelt next to her and shook her. “Callisto, wake up.”
She let out a soft moan.
He brushed her hair to one side of her face. Dark lashes fluttered against smooth olive skin. Her pink lips fascinated him, looking soft and dew-kissed.
Glancing at the boar whose tusks came within a finger length of goring her in the chest, he realized he had found her just in time. The injury she had received didn’t look like a deep cut. She had lost only a small amount of blood, yet she was unconscious. He searched for other wounds, but found nothing, no bumps or gashes on her head. Why wasn’t she awake?
It was then that he remembered the silver-tipped tusks. He didn’t know if silver in a minor cut could kill a nymph or if the wound had to be a mortal one, but it appeared the silver had poisoned her body.
What was he going to do with her? When he looked down at her, he didn’t see an enemy, only a wounded, vulnerable female. He had been taught to hate Artemis’s nymphs, but the betrayal happened long before his birth. What if everything he had been told was a lie? Doubts plagued him. He couldn’t just leave her to die. Maybe if he had not caused her to lose her spear, she would have been able to defend herself. He wasn’t sure he could help her, but he would do what he could for her.
He scooped her up into his arms and headed back to his camp at the hidden waterfall where he left his clothes, weapons and supplies, and where he had bedding and blankets to make her comfortable.
Moaning, she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder.
His body stirred with desire. A dangerous and possibly stupid idea began to form in his mind. If she survived her wound, he would claim her as his war prize.
****
To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html
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
In Print and Kindle on amazon.com
Release date: 11/9/14
Page Count: 284 in print
ISBN-10: 1502982684
ISBN-13: 978-1502982681
ASIN: B00P74X0WY
Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY
Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Goddess-Book-Arcadia/dp/1502982684/ref=asap_B002BMOQ3C_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415503605&sr=1-7
Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…
A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.
Will love be enough to save them?
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html
He nudged the animal with his bare foot. The boar didn’t move. Convinced it was dead, Kasin faced Callisto. A small amount of blood pooled from a wound in her right side. He knelt next to her and shook her. “Callisto, wake up.”
She let out a soft moan.
He brushed her hair to one side of her face. Dark lashes fluttered against smooth olive skin. Her pink lips fascinated him, looking soft and dew-kissed.
Glancing at the boar whose tusks came within a finger length of goring her in the chest, he realized he had found her just in time. The injury she had received didn’t look like a deep cut. She had lost only a small amount of blood, yet she was unconscious. He searched for other wounds, but found nothing, no bumps or gashes on her head. Why wasn’t she awake?
It was then that he remembered the silver-tipped tusks. He didn’t know if silver in a minor cut could kill a nymph or if the wound had to be a mortal one, but it appeared the silver had poisoned her body.
What was he going to do with her? When he looked down at her, he didn’t see an enemy, only a wounded, vulnerable female. He had been taught to hate Artemis’s nymphs, but the betrayal happened long before his birth. What if everything he had been told was a lie? Doubts plagued him. He couldn’t just leave her to die. Maybe if he had not caused her to lose her spear, she would have been able to defend herself. He wasn’t sure he could help her, but he would do what he could for her.
He scooped her up into his arms and headed back to his camp at the hidden waterfall where he left his clothes, weapons and supplies, and where he had bedding and blankets to make her comfortable.
Moaning, she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder.
His body stirred with desire. A dangerous and possibly stupid idea began to form in his mind. If she survived her wound, he would claim her as his war prize.
****
To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html
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
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
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
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Musing Mondays: My inspiration for writing historical fantasy romance
I was kind of a strange kid, especially for a girl. I didn’t dream of being a princess getting rescued by a prince. I wanted to be able to take care of myself. My favorite things weren’t dolls or frilly dresses, but swords and forests filled with supernatural creatures like vampires, werewolves and shapeshifting faeries and gods. When I was introduced to myths and characters like Artemis the Huntress, Morrigan the Battle Goddess and the real life, fierce Celtic queen, Boudica, I had found what I was looking for. There are no helpless princesses in this group of females.
My first look into the fascinating world of mythology was in English class when the subject was Greek mythology. I still have my well-worn copy of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology of Greek and Norse myths. I was hooked. Later I became fascinated with the ancient Celts and their myths, most notably King Arthur, the Welsh tales of the Mabinogion and the Irish myths of the Tuatha de Danaan and the Fianna.
My fascination with the ancient Celts has to do with their connection to the faery realm and their mysterious nature—since they were an oral society we really don’t know much about them, but archeological evidence points to a superior society. I like filling in the missing pieces, much like a jigsaw puzzle, and bring to life these long ago, magical places and people that fill our imagination.
All of this inspired me to write historical fantasy. I feel a connection to little known time periods—ancient on up to the Dark Ages, time periods that abound in myth when magic was a real possibility. I can mix my love of the supernatural and mythology with my other love for obscure history and it seems like a natural fit. Otherworldly creatures fit perfectly with time periods that are surrounded in myth and mystery. And when modern life gets too complicated, I look forward to escaping into the places I’ve created.
Kelley’s Links:
Website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com
Blog: http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CelticChick
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
Kelley’s Book Shelf/Buy Links: http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Musing Mondays: Aphrodite, not the average villain
As the Greek love goddess, most people don’t think of Aphrodite as a villain. That’s why I chose her for my villain in Daughter of Night. She’s actually a much more complicated, powerful goddess then the classical Greek writers would have us think.
The silly, vain Aphrodite that appears in stories written by the classical Greek writers is not a true rendering of this once Great Goddess that was revered on Cyprus. She is comparable to Innana, Hathor, Anat and Ishtar, a love and war goddess. As a fertility goddess, she is a goddess that can give life or take it away. Love and war, life and death. Ancient fertility rites usually involved a human sacrifice, a young man. The tragic story of Adonis, the young shepherd she loved, is associated with the Isis/Osiris legend of Egypt in which the yearly king is sacrificed at the end of his reign.
When the followers of the Sky god (Zeus) invaded Greece, they diminished her status to one of Zeus’s children, but she was really a Titan. Another story of her birth is that she was born when Cronos castrated his father Uranus, but she was really a much older, much more powerful goddess.
I liken her to the Norse god Loki, a bit of a trickster. As my villain, she isn’t evil but she is unpredictable and that’s what makes her so dangerous. My favorite villains are those that aren’t clearly evil, that aren’t intentional about hurting anyone. And as a love and war goddess, Aphrodite fit that profile. In Daughter of Night, Aphrodite is masquerading as the Hittite/Hatti Sun goddess, Arinna. She is trying to find her place in the world again after Zeus and his brothers have taken control of the Heavens, their armies controlling most of Greece. Of course, by trying to gain back her power, she is causing trouble for the other Titans, and mortals.
****
Excerpt from Daughter of Night, historical fantasy romance, Rated PG
“Well, Prince Callileon,” Arinna said with a forced smile, “this is a pleasant surprise.”
He looked at her, grim-faced. “Do not placate me with false sincerity.”
“Perhaps it is time we made peace with one another. I am in a giving mood today.”
“I need a favor from you.” He fidgeted, obviously embarrassed at having to ask her for a favor.
“I am in a giving mood, but why would I grant you a favor?” She arched her brow, enjoying his discomfort.
The lion let out another gentle roar, settling his hungry gaze on Callileon.
Callileon looked at the lion, unblinking.
“You should never stare down a beast such as this. Fortunate for you I just fed him,” she laughed, her tone mocking.
“I am prepared to offer you something in exchange for the favor.”
“What could you possibly offer me? Look around, I am in need of nothing.” She gestured at her lavish quarters.
“It is not a question of need, but one of desire.” His blue eyes gleamed with cleverness.
No wonder Becuille was so enamored of this mortal, she thought with a hint of envy. He had special gifts. Not only was he handsome, but he also possessed bravery and intelligence.
From within his cloak, he pulled out a sheathed dagger. By the glittering stones on the bronze hilt, she already knew it to be a magical weapon. Unsheathing it, he held up the obsidian blade, smooth and gleaming with power. Her breath caught in her throat.
The lion let out a louder roar.
He raised a brow. “You know what this is, do you not?”
She tried to reach for the dagger, but he held it out of her reach. “First you help me get into the temple to see Inaras, then the dagger is yours.”
“You are a prince, you should be able to get into the temple on your own.” She could not take her eyes off the dagger, knowing its purpose to be to house Celmis's soul. With the special dagger in her possession, she could take him anywhere hidden in different bodies.
“No. Zagros will not allow any non-temple personnel to see her, even me.” Anger filled his eyes. “The king is concerned with other matters so I cannot appeal to him. I need to see her now and he cannot bar you entry to the temple. You are temple personnel.”
“Much to his dismay, that is true.” She wanted the dagger. “I will get you into the temple.” Her thoughts turned over, scheming and filled with mischief. She called for Briena. “Find a dress that will fit the prince.”
He gave her a questioning look.
“If you want into the temple, you will have to disguise yourself as a female,” she said, unable to hide her smirk.
“You are enjoying this too much I think.” He looked down at himself. “I doubt I will make a convincing female.”
“Oh, you would be surprised, my young prince,” she laughed.
Briena stuffed his muscled body into the largest dress she could find, placing two round apples over his chest for breasts. The slave girl stifled a laugh and Callileon stared hard at her. She put red ochre on his lips and cheeks and rimmed his eyes with kohl.
The young prince twitched beneath the sharp reed, drawing an amused smile from Arinna. The barbaric Achaean would not be familiar with the kohl reed.
“Do not move or you will lose your eye,” Briena said with caution, dipping the reed into the jar to gather more of the black powder to finish his eyes.
He moved his hand up toward his eyes.
“Do not touch your eyes,” Briena said.
“They burn,” he said, frowning.
“The feeling will go away.”
Arinna studied him with a critical eye. “Well, he is not the most graceful female I have seen, but he is quite comely.” She smiled with amusement.
Briena stifled a laugh behind her hand.
Glowering, he pulled on a hooded cloak, drawing the hood over his face.
****
Daughter of Night: Two mortals are caught up in the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.
Buy links for Daughter of Night:
Mundania Press (in ebook formats and trade paperback):
http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Daughter+of+Night
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Of-Night-ebook/dp/B008OCANEO/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343182822&sr=1-14&keywords=kelley+heckart
Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daughter-of-night-kelley-heckart/1112220212?ean=2940015001952
Buy links on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html
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
The silly, vain Aphrodite that appears in stories written by the classical Greek writers is not a true rendering of this once Great Goddess that was revered on Cyprus. She is comparable to Innana, Hathor, Anat and Ishtar, a love and war goddess. As a fertility goddess, she is a goddess that can give life or take it away. Love and war, life and death. Ancient fertility rites usually involved a human sacrifice, a young man. The tragic story of Adonis, the young shepherd she loved, is associated with the Isis/Osiris legend of Egypt in which the yearly king is sacrificed at the end of his reign.
When the followers of the Sky god (Zeus) invaded Greece, they diminished her status to one of Zeus’s children, but she was really a Titan. Another story of her birth is that she was born when Cronos castrated his father Uranus, but she was really a much older, much more powerful goddess.
I liken her to the Norse god Loki, a bit of a trickster. As my villain, she isn’t evil but she is unpredictable and that’s what makes her so dangerous. My favorite villains are those that aren’t clearly evil, that aren’t intentional about hurting anyone. And as a love and war goddess, Aphrodite fit that profile. In Daughter of Night, Aphrodite is masquerading as the Hittite/Hatti Sun goddess, Arinna. She is trying to find her place in the world again after Zeus and his brothers have taken control of the Heavens, their armies controlling most of Greece. Of course, by trying to gain back her power, she is causing trouble for the other Titans, and mortals.
****
Excerpt from Daughter of Night, historical fantasy romance, Rated PG
“Well, Prince Callileon,” Arinna said with a forced smile, “this is a pleasant surprise.”
He looked at her, grim-faced. “Do not placate me with false sincerity.”
“Perhaps it is time we made peace with one another. I am in a giving mood today.”
“I need a favor from you.” He fidgeted, obviously embarrassed at having to ask her for a favor.
“I am in a giving mood, but why would I grant you a favor?” She arched her brow, enjoying his discomfort.
The lion let out another gentle roar, settling his hungry gaze on Callileon.
Callileon looked at the lion, unblinking.
“You should never stare down a beast such as this. Fortunate for you I just fed him,” she laughed, her tone mocking.
“I am prepared to offer you something in exchange for the favor.”
“What could you possibly offer me? Look around, I am in need of nothing.” She gestured at her lavish quarters.
“It is not a question of need, but one of desire.” His blue eyes gleamed with cleverness.
No wonder Becuille was so enamored of this mortal, she thought with a hint of envy. He had special gifts. Not only was he handsome, but he also possessed bravery and intelligence.
From within his cloak, he pulled out a sheathed dagger. By the glittering stones on the bronze hilt, she already knew it to be a magical weapon. Unsheathing it, he held up the obsidian blade, smooth and gleaming with power. Her breath caught in her throat.
The lion let out a louder roar.
He raised a brow. “You know what this is, do you not?”
She tried to reach for the dagger, but he held it out of her reach. “First you help me get into the temple to see Inaras, then the dagger is yours.”
“You are a prince, you should be able to get into the temple on your own.” She could not take her eyes off the dagger, knowing its purpose to be to house Celmis's soul. With the special dagger in her possession, she could take him anywhere hidden in different bodies.
“No. Zagros will not allow any non-temple personnel to see her, even me.” Anger filled his eyes. “The king is concerned with other matters so I cannot appeal to him. I need to see her now and he cannot bar you entry to the temple. You are temple personnel.”
“Much to his dismay, that is true.” She wanted the dagger. “I will get you into the temple.” Her thoughts turned over, scheming and filled with mischief. She called for Briena. “Find a dress that will fit the prince.”
He gave her a questioning look.
“If you want into the temple, you will have to disguise yourself as a female,” she said, unable to hide her smirk.
“You are enjoying this too much I think.” He looked down at himself. “I doubt I will make a convincing female.”
“Oh, you would be surprised, my young prince,” she laughed.
Briena stuffed his muscled body into the largest dress she could find, placing two round apples over his chest for breasts. The slave girl stifled a laugh and Callileon stared hard at her. She put red ochre on his lips and cheeks and rimmed his eyes with kohl.
The young prince twitched beneath the sharp reed, drawing an amused smile from Arinna. The barbaric Achaean would not be familiar with the kohl reed.
“Do not move or you will lose your eye,” Briena said with caution, dipping the reed into the jar to gather more of the black powder to finish his eyes.
He moved his hand up toward his eyes.
“Do not touch your eyes,” Briena said.
“They burn,” he said, frowning.
“The feeling will go away.”
Arinna studied him with a critical eye. “Well, he is not the most graceful female I have seen, but he is quite comely.” She smiled with amusement.
Briena stifled a laugh behind her hand.
Glowering, he pulled on a hooded cloak, drawing the hood over his face.
****
Daughter of Night: Two mortals are caught up in the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.
Buy links for Daughter of Night:
Mundania Press (in ebook formats and trade paperback):
http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Daughter+of+Night
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Of-Night-ebook/dp/B008OCANEO/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343182822&sr=1-14&keywords=kelley+heckart
Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daughter-of-night-kelley-heckart/1112220212?ean=2940015001952
Buy links on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html
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
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Favorite Friday
One of my favorite books is The King’s Daughter by Miriam Newman. Tarabenthia is heir to the crown of Alcinia. Told in first person point of view, she has to make choices between love and her country. This story is compelling and heartbreaking, with one of those endings that lingers after you’ve finished reading it. This is a fantasy, but the nations portrayed in this tale are similar to the ancient nations that shaped history.
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Out of touch with modern times
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
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?
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
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
In Fiction: What Happened to Lengthy Descriptions?
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.
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
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.kelleyheckart.com
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604
Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,fiction,lengthy descriptions,long novels,writing articles,modern fiction
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Stepping into the Action
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://twitter.com/CelticChick
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
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
St. Columba--Druid or Monk?
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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
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
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Monday, July 06, 2009
New Release! Cat's Curse from Kelley Heckart
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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/
Writing means different things to me. I'm a storyteller, a book editor, and a songwriter. For me, it's like breathing.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Tucson Celtic Festival Book Signing
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
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
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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