Favorite Friday

Favorite Book

The Shapeshifters’ Library, Released by Amber Polo

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

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

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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

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

Henrietta and the Dragon Stone (Book 2)
· Print Length: 300 pages
· Publisher and date published: Firewolf Books, Jan. 31, 2014
· ASIN: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I54CZII
· Genre: young adult fantasy/epic fantasy
· Format: Digital and print

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

About Beth Barany:
Beth Barany writes magical tales of romance and adventure to transport readers to new worlds where anything is possible.
Book 1: Henrietta The Dragon Slayer was the 2012 Grand Prize winner at the California Fiction Writers Book Contest and the 2011 Finalist at the Hollywood Book Festival.

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

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

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

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/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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

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

Musing Mondays: How to deal with hard to pronounce names in fiction

I read and write books that sometimes have names or terms that are difficult for the average reader to pronounce. If I am writing a story set in a particular time period with real people I am using as characters, strange and difficult names cannot be avoided. I realize this can cause some aggravation for readers and for that, I apologize. But I can’t change historical names.
Since I’ve been reading fantasy and historical fiction most of my life, I have come across more than a few names I couldn’t pronounce. This was before you could Google a random name and probably find the correct pronunciation online. Anyway, I came up with a way to make it easier to read the book without driving myself crazy. I came up with my own way to pronounce the name or word and don’t worry if I am using the correct pronunciation. It’s easy to do and doesn’t throw me out of the story.
As an example, here are two names from Daughter of Night:
King Suppiluliuma: This one is a tough name to pronounce so what I did whenever I came across this name in my book was simply pronounce it like this—Sup il luma.
Becuille: This one is a little tricky so I pronounce this name like this—Be keel.
So, the next time you come across a name or word you can’t pronounce in a book, try this technique instead of giving up on the story.

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

Two mortals are caught in the midst of the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.

http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

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/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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://www.kelleyheckart.com

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

New review for Cat's Curse on ecataromance

White Rose of Avalon

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

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

Reviewed by Kris Plausky at ecataromance

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

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

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

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

http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3