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

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Flagstaff Celtic festival

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

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

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










'Timeless tales of romance, conflict and magic'

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Long haired hotties for July

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

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkeuTwQxQwGgAF3iJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DDavid%2BLee%2BRoth%26fr%3Dfp-yie9%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D24&w=500&h=518&imgurl=userserve-ak.last.fm%2Fserve%2F500%2F53300447%2FDavid%2BLee%2BRoth%2BRoth.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.last.fm%2Fmusic%2FDavid%2BLee%2BRoth%2F%2Bimages%2F53300447&size=33.9+KB&name=David+Lee+Roth+Pictures+%2817+of+36%29+%E2%80%93+Last.fm&p=David+Lee+Roth&oid=a755dfb75132acc1ecf0ad9316a6ec5c&fr2=&fr=fp-yie9&tt=David%2BLee%2BRoth%2BPictures%2B%252817%2Bof%2B36%2529%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BLast.fm&b=0&ni=48&no=24&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11onei7aj&sigb=13butbr2g&sigi=11vn8q28s&.crumb=3.Kx7Au1.rn

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkevDwQxQAikAnFaJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DRobert%2BPlant%26fr%3Dfp-yie9%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D2&w=738&h=1049&imgurl=4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_ffF2ei-kKXA%2FTEb9MnhVQbI%2FAAAAAAAADVE%2FcbzqQyj7Yuw%2Fs1600%2FRobert-Plant1.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwhat-listen.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Frobert-plant.html&size=99.5+KB&name=Robert+Plant&p=Robert+Plant&oid=d75bc7841cac40ccaabc05a9b8638421&fr2=&fr=fp-yie9&tt=Robert%2BPlant&b=0&ni=42&no=2&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11pegf5tc&sigb=138grj4so&sigi=12qqrcc0m&.crumb=3.Kx7Au1.rn

Monday, July 06, 2009

New Release! Cat's Curse from Kelley Heckart


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?


Daisy of Love

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

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

Friday, April 24, 2009

The Art of Kissing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kelley
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

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

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Cheesy love songs--why we love to hate them

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Strange lights in the Lake Havasu skies

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kelley
http://www.kelleyheckart.com

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

Friday, September 26, 2008

Writing Meaningful Sex Scenes in Romances

One thing I have struggled with as a romance writer is trying to write sex scenes that have some significance and are not just thrown in to spice up the story. I like to keep my romantic scenes sensual and not graphic, preferring to leave something to the imagination. After all, a reader wants to use their imagination, right? This has proven to be a challenge because I do not want to write purple prose, but I have managed to avoid this by keeping a balance between the two and avoiding terms deemed too flowery.

Sex scenes like any other scenes should reveal something about the character. Is she shy, bold or somewhere in between? Does he prefer to have control or does he like it when she takes control? Humor is something I like to add to these scenes sometimes to show how characters will react. I recently wrote a sex scene where the bed broke. I think readers can identify with the characters more if reality steps in to the love scenes. It is not all perfection as in life it is not all perfection. By writing scenes where the hero and heroine are most vulnerable, it reveals something about their personality.

The way men and women think in the bedroom are different too. Ladies, how many times do we want our man to stay awake after the coupling only to have him role over and start snoring? Or, what about the man feeling frustration because he still cannot figure out how to please his lady? The time period a story is set in also makes a difference in how characters will act, but I think the above scenarios have been happening in bedrooms for centuries.

It has taken me some practice, but when I write sex scenes between my hero and heroine, I think about each character and pull pieces of their personalities into the scenes. Well-written romantic scenes can reveal a lot about a character and add to the story.

Kelley
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Review for Ravenwolf


I received a wonderful review from Historical Novel Reviews Online and I wanted to share it on my blog. As an author, it feels good when a reviewer understands what you are trying to convey to the readers. I am so stoked! Here is a clip:


RAVENWOLF

Kelly Heckart, Earthling Press, 2007, $15.95, pb, 390pp, 1587496569


"It might be easy to categorize this book as fantasy because of its supernatural elements or as romance because of the explicit sexual content and story of lovers in jeopardy, but the lovely writing and incorporation of well-researched Celtic history and mythos elevates the book to something beyond either clichéd genre. Below the sensual surface, the book seems to touch on themes of balance and unity between genders. Women are empowered in the story with the depiction of powerful female goddesses, but Heckart carefully avoids the trap of choosing one sex over the other by emphasizing the need of each to come together as a balanced whole.
The story will be entertaining to most and fascinating to anyone interested in Celtic history and myth." -– Amanda Yesilbas

Historical Novels review online

To view the entire review, click on this link:
http://historicalnovelsociety.org/hnr-online.htm

For more info on Ravenwolf, visit my website at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

Slainte!

Friday, May 09, 2008

Contest on Kelley's Enchanted Grove


Hi all,

In honor of the recent Freya's Bower release of In the Gloaming: An Anthology of Faerie Stories, I thought I would do something different for entering this contest. To enter the contest to win a coaster set featuring the faery art of Amy Brown, all you have to do is read this short excerpt (posted below)from my short story, The Enchanted Meadow, and tell me the color of the warrior's eyes by joining by Yahoo Group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kelleyheckarts_enchantedgrove/message/62
and putting the answer in the message box. The contest runs to the end of May.
Good Luck!

Kelley
http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
http://www.myspace.com/phantomqueen3

Excerpt from The Enchanted Meadow:
She studied him, admiring the confident way he commanded his men even as he faced the unknown. He stood regal and powerful, the blue warrior marks he earned shadowing the austere planes of his handsome face. Long, golden-copper streaked hair plunged down his back in a wild tangle. She yearned to run her hands through his thick mane again.

As if reading her thoughts, he glanced back at her tree, his bright blue eyes darkening to a deeper hue in the shifting light, his face softening from its usual hardness. When he looked in her direction, he let slip his true feelings he hid from his warriors. Her heart sang with compassion for him.

She felt herself blush at his penetrating gaze. His eyes awakened that feeling of familiarity in her again, but she still could not place it. If she escaped her prison, she could go to him now.

Frowning, she thought how she hated the tree that felt like a tomb. The world beyond the tree taunted her with its bright autumn colors, a world so full of life and freedom. She could not bear to look upon it any longer.

To help her bide her time, she thought about their coupling. Her body flushed at the memory. She recalled how wonderful his muscles had felt beneath her touch and the way he had kissed her, caressing her secret places with his skillful tongue, making her moan and quake. A twinge of desire flickered inside her at the thought of having him touch her again tonight.

When they discovered another missing cow, they would have to stay. At least she hoped so. She continued to hide some of their cattle to keep the warrior there so eventually he could help her escape.

At first, she only wanted to use him to help her escape, but now her body trembled with affection for the golden warrior. After he rekindled what had been dormant for so long inside of her, she began to yearn for him and his tender, passionate touch. Could she let him go? And if he should eat of the apples….
Purchase link for In the Gloaming: An Anthology of Faerie Stories:http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/368/77/

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Reviews for In the Gloaming: An Anthology of Faerie Stories


Faeries come from all cultures and countries and range in appearance from lovely to terrifying to looking like an everyday person. Some are benign, some malevolent. Based on actual faerie lore, this anthology incorporates the work of five spectacular authors who have penned tales of irridescent ice beings, fey men who love you into forgetfulness, frightening creatures who wear caps of human skin, enchanted lovers from a long lost era, and the land of faerie dreams.

Step into the world of glamour where the beautiful, the dreamy, the vicious, and even a bit of the sexually bizarre will captivate you--but beware of the fey’s beguiling ways!

This anthology is a fabulous collection of Faerie stories by Cora Zane, Esmerelda Bishop, K.M. Frontain, Nita Wick & Kelley Heckart.

"All of these authors did a superb job in writing such vivid adventures that I felt I was right there in the middle of it. In the Gloaming was a quick read, I would recommend this anthology for faerie and non-faerie lover alike! 5 Delightful Divas."
Reviewed by Eliza Knight at Dark Divas

"In the Gloaming is a collection of amazing stories written by five very talented authors. Each story is so unique and well written. From finding true love to defeating evil, there is something for everybody in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I know others will too."Reviewed by Beth Senters at PNR reviews

Rating: One whole champagne bottle plus a flute!"In The Gloaming really is a superior set of tales."Reviewed by Nutty Nana at Cocktail reviews

Purchase link for In the Gloaming http://www.freyasbower.com/

Slainte!

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

In the Gloaming: An Anthology of Faerie Stories is now available!

In the Gloaming is now available. I am thrilled to be part of this anthology with four talented authors. The heat levels range from tangy to spicy so there is something for everyone to enjoy. Happy reading,
Kelley

Blurb:
Faeries come from all cultures and countries and range in appearance from lovely to terrifying to looking like an everyday person. Some are benign, some malevolent. Based on actual faerie lore, this anthology incorporates the work of five spectacular authors who have penned tales of irridescent ice beings, fey men who love you into forgetfulness, frightening creatures who wear caps of human skin, enchanted lovers from a long lost era, and the land of faerie dreams.

Step into the world of glamour where the beautiful, the dreamy, the vicious, and even a bit of the sexually bizarre will captivate you--but beware of the fey's beguiling ways!

Anthology authors:
Cora Zane
Nita Wick
K.M. Frontaine
Kelley Heckart
Esmerelda Bishop

"In The Gloaming really is a superior set of tales." Reviewed by Nutty Nana at Cocktail reviews

Purchasing link:
http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/368/77/

Slainte!
Kelley

Kelley Heckart, author of Historical Celtic fantasy romances Available now! Of Water and Dragons, Ravenwolf, White Rose of Avalon http://www.kelleyheckart.com/ and http://www.awe-struck.net/
Join my Yahoo. group! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kelleyheckarts_enchantedgrove/

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Research mode

I am now in full research mode, my brain trying to absorb all that I am reading. After reading Warlords and Holy Men, I have moved on to Bede: Ecclesiastical History of the English People. This is to prepare myself to write the second book in my Dark Goddess trilogy. As I read, I am taking some notes and have compiled a timeline so that I can link important events. Though I am only writing about a certain area and time period, I want to be well informed about everything going on at that time. The research is actually interesting because I love learning about history, especially the Dark Ages. The time period I am writing about is especially turbulent as Christianity fought to make its mark on the people of northern Britain and Scotland (Alba). I find that exciting to learn about and write about. My only problem with some of the research sources I read is that most of the material is influenced by Christian monks because they were the ones who put everything in writing. The pagan people, the Picts and Celts, were an oral society so I have to read between the lines on some of the information and rely more on archaeological evidence.

I am finding Bede to be a great source for the history of Britain even though some of his views have been criticized and I know some of his writings are biased toward Northrumbia (English), but it is interesting to read about the events of a long lost time through the eyes of someone who lived in that time period. I am getting closer to the actual writing process and I cannot wait. It is always exciting to start a new book, but I want to make sure I am prepared first. My fingers itch to start writing and my brain is whirling with ideas, but I have to hold back until the research is done. I am an impatient person so this is not easy for me. I hate that lull between books because I have all this creative energy that is ready to burst, but I know I will be thankful that I took the time to do the research and I am sure the readers will appreciate it too.

Kelley

Writing Update

I have been very busy writing and am thrilled that I have finished the prequel to Of Water and Dragons and Ravenwolf. The title changed to Night's Daughter, which is another name for the Greek Erinyes and Roman Furies. After tons of research, the story came together for me fast, which pleased me because I wanted to have it finished before February. This story takes the reader back to ancient Crete and Anatolia and is a new twist on the conflict between the Titans and Olympic gods. The mysterious Tuatha de Danaan of Ireland are also introduced in this book and their origins are revealed. Night's Daughter is scheduled for release in early 2009 by Awe-Struck.

While I was finishing Night's Daughter, I took a break to write a short story called The Enchanted Meadow. This story will be in an anthology from Freya's Bower titled In the Gloaming: An Anthology of Faery Stories. I am very excited about this because this is my first anthology. The release date for this is March 2008.

Currently, I am working on the second book in my Dark Goddess trilogy. The first book, Cat's Curse, is scheduled to be released in early 2009.

Anyway, that's what I have been up to lately.

Kelley

My new release--Ravenwolf

I am very excited about this latest book, the sequel to Of Water and Dragons. This was not a planned series, but the characters had more stories to tell. Ravenwolf was fun to write and is more of an adventure romance, incorporating body switching and a trip to the Celtic underworld. Since this was not a planned series, I approached it differently by making each book a separate story so they can be read together or separate.

Currently, I am working on a prequel to these books, which is set in ancient Greece and Antatolia (Turkey). The working title is Goddess of the Flame and is a different twist on the conflict between the Titans and the Olympic gods. I did tons of research for this book, studying not only Greek mythology, but also pre-Hellenic, Egyptian, Anatolian and Sumerian myths. I hope to have this finished by February 2008.

Stay tuned!
Kelley

Monday, January 21, 2008

History know it alls

One of my pet peeves in the writing world are other authors who think they know everything about history. Usually they claim to be historians or hold some fancy degree in some irrelevant subject. Normally I just brush them off and go about my business, but an article in the newspaper caught my eye and raised my ire. The way I look at it is there are two kinds of authors: historians and storytellers. Guess which one I am? I am not trying to say that it is okay to get lazy on research when writing about a historical period, but no one can possibly know everything.

This article is titled Life's a blur: When biopic movies blend fact and fiction. It talks mainly about movies, but the same information can be applied to books. It seems no matter what story is told there are always people who will pick it apart with their annoying fact-checking. Don't they have anything better to do? I feel if I have to shorten a timeline to make the story move faster then I should be able to do that without being criticized for it. It's called 'fiction' for a reason. I do what it takes to tell a compelling story. If I wanted to tell a detailed story about a historical figure then I would write a boring history book.

A couple of phrases stood out to me in this article. One is "The best biopics transcend their subjects." The other phrase is "No one is a reliable narrator of a life, not even the person living it." This is so true and some people will do right by remembering this. I don't even remember every detail of my own life. How can someone write a perfect story about someone else? It's just not possible. Why can't certain people just enjoy a book or a movie? Unless there is some major anachronism, just enjoy books and movies for what they were meant to be for--pure entertainment.

Everyone has their own way of doing research. I would say do your best to read as many sources on the subject as you can and don't rely only on the internet. Even reading respected sources on some subjects are iffy. The time periods I write about are hard to research, but I find whatever I can and then compare notes. I don't believe everything I read on the ancient Celts because the Roman writers were biased and called them 'barbaric' when archaeological evidence proves otherwise. Even the classical Greek writers were biased. I try to read between the lines and come to my own conclusions. I am proud to call myself a storyteller.

To read the entire article click here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/11/23/ST2007112300970.html

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Overcoming writer's block

Well, it is happening to me right now--the dreaded writer's block. I am trying to work on a prequel to Of Water and Dragons and Ravenwolf and I am finding myself just staring at the computer. It seems my Muse has abandoned me. One of the reasons I think this is happening is because I am writing in a new setting. I usually write stories set in Britain, Scotland or Ireland. This story is set in ancient Crete and Turkey (Anatolia), which are totally different from the British Isles. Even after tons of research, I am still trying to capture the feel of these places and I am just getting stuck. I put on some Mediterranean music to help me get in the mood and it helped a little, but my mind keeps wandering back to Scotland. Eek!

Trying to force myself to write is not working either. What I might try is free writing in a notebook and see what happens. Someone suggested this on a another blog. The other reason I am having problems writing is that I have been dealing with health issues and basically feel crappy, but I think I also might be using that as an excuse not to write.

I think it is the computer. It has to be the computer gremlins. They are blocking me and scaring away my Muse. So, I think I will try writing in a notebook for a while and see what happens. Hopefully, my Muse will return to me soon. This is driving me crazy even thought I know it won't last long. I really want to get this story finished because I have another trilogy I need to work on.

Must...take...deep...breaths and relax. The more I think about it, the less I get done.

Where oh where is my Muse?

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Disappointing Reviews

I know I have talked about this before, but it never ceases to raise my hackles. The first advance review for White Rose of Avalon was disappointing. I feel that this reviewer had preconceived notions about the story and allowed that to influence her review. I understand that I have taken a chance by taking a well known tale and re-telling it in a unique way, but the story stills stands on its own. I have to accept that some people just want to read the same tale over and over again and not welcome a new twist. That seems to be the way it is in the world anyway. We are nothing but drones that blindly follow every new fad without having an original thought. It's really kind of sad.

Okay, now I have vented and I feel much better.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Writing Update

Wow. It's been so long since I have posted on here. I have been busy. I have done 3 book signings at Celtic festivals in Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas, NV and a faery festival in Phoenix, AZ. They were so much fun. Love all the guys in kilts. So hot! I also sold a lot of books. I had requests for audio books. These requests were from guys (of course). The really cool thing is I have been making some contacts. There is a very strong possibility that I will be attending Coppercon27 in September possibly as a guest on one of the panels. I will also probably do a reading (something I have never done and am scared to death to do). I will have to practice reading on my husband and my dogs. Lucky them!

Between all of this, I edited two books that are coming out this year--Ravenwolf (coming out September 7, 2007) and White Rose of Avalon (coming out November 16, 2007). For more info on these releases, please visit my website at http://www.kelleyheckart.com Plus, I have started researching my prequel to Of Water and Dragons and Ravenwolf, tentatively titled Goddess of the Flame, and working on the revisions to Cat's Curse, book one of my Dark Goddess trilogy set in 6th century Scotland. I have to stop and catch my breath after all of that.

Plus, I have been dealing with some health issues so it hasn't been easy, but things are getting better. That's why I neglected my blog for so long. I had to do the important stuff first.

Well, things are heating up here in Havasu. It's supposed to 120 next week for the July 4th holiday. This is the time of year when I get more writing done because I want to stay inside my air conditioned house.

Stay tuned!