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

Monday, January 20, 2014

I’m obsessed with clouds

Whenever I see clouds forming in the sky, I grab my camera and run outside. I love the way clouds form different patterns—nature’s artwork. My favorite clouds have differing layers of color reflecting off the sunlight. Sunrise and sunset are the best times for unusual cloud patterns. Thunderstorms offer up some really interesting, menacing shapes.

I just took this one with a moon sliver hanging between the pink wispy clouds at sunset.

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We don’t have too many cloudy days here where I live in Arizona. Most days are clear blue skies, but that makes it even more special when the clouds do gather. Once I notice a beautiful cloudy, colored sunrise or sunset, I have to hurry outside with my camera because the colors change in seconds. I’ve missed some great shots because I took too long to get outside.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, January 17, 2014

Favorite Friday

I have been re-watching one of my favorite TV series—Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is one of the best shows ever for so many reasons and it’s one of the few shows that I re-watch. My husband gave me the best Christmas gift ever when he bought me the entire series on DVD. No diamond jewelry for this gal, just some great complex characters, superb storytelling, supernatural creatures and magic, and the perfect mix of humor and darkness to make me happy. It’s hard to name my favorite episodes because there are so many, but the one I watch the most is a Halloween episode, titled “Halloween,” where they become the costumes they wear. And one of the best musical episodes ever is Once More With Feeling. I highly recommend this series.

 

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer-Complete Seasons

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Weird word Wednesday

aardwolf

aard·wolf

noun \-ˌwu̇lf\

plural aard·wolves

Definition of AARDWOLF

:  a maned striped nocturnal mammal (Proteles cristatus) of southern and eastern Africa that resembles the related hyenas and feeds chiefly on insects and especially termites

Illustration of AARDWOLF

aardwolf

Origin of AARDWOLF

Afrikaans, from aard + wolf

First Known Use: 1833

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, January 13, 2014

A great self-edit program

I like to self-edit and get my manuscripts as clean as I can before having an editor take a final look. In the past, I’ve used a list to guide me through my self-edits, but this time I used a free site called Edit Minion. I’m glad I used it because I found some words I had been overusing that I hadn’t noticed.

Edit Minion is a basic guide using highlighting to indicate passive voice, adverbs, ending in prepositions, weak words and ‘said’ replacements. Then it lists how many times a word has been used. This basic guide worked for me and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a free self-edit program.

I discovered I use ‘that’ and ‘with’ way too much. I also end a lot of sentences with prepositions.

Editing programs are great for cleaning up your manuscript, but I would recommend using a live editor or proofreader before publishing if you plan to self-publish. There are some errors only a live person can catch.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Friday, January 10, 2014

Favorite Friday

Since winter has arrived with a frosty nip in the air, I thought about some of my favorite things about this time of year. My two most favorite things about winter are drinking hot chocolate and wearing UGG boots. Where I live we don’t have snowy winters, but it still gets cold. I can’t wait for the scorching summers to end so I can stop painting my toenails and just slip my bare feet into my warm, snug UGG boots, sit down and sip some oh-so-awesome hot chocolate. I have one rule: My hot chocolate has to have marshmallows. If it doesn’t have marshmallows, it doesn’t taste the same. Mmm. Now I just need to snuggle with my dogs, I mean my honey, and I’m a happy camper.

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Snow on the mountains.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

Weird word Wednesday

abaft

adverb

Definition of ABAFT

:  toward or at the stern : aft

Examples of ABAFT

1. <the lookout in the crow's nest warned that there was an enemy frigate abaft and bearing down hard on their ship>

Origin of ABAFT

Middle English, from a- + baft in the rear, from Old Englishbæftan, from be- + æftan behind — more at aft

First Known Use: 15th century

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday, January 06, 2014

Cloud formations at sunset in Arizona

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Photo by Kelley Heckart

I have a fascination with cloud formations, especially at sunset and sunrise. Here in Arizona we have some amazing sunsets and sunrises.

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

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

A new year, a new outlook

Yeah, a new year! I want to be hopeful that 2014 will be a better year than the previous five years, but my pessimistic self won’t allow me to get too excited. I suppose this new year can’t be worse than what we went through after 2008. And things seem to be improving for me (and my husband) but we aren’t out of the black hole yet.

It seems life cannot be planned. Everything that has happened to me in the last thirteen years has been an unpleasant surprise. My life did not turn out the way I had wanted it to be. Some good has come out of these changes, but also some very bad things as well.

Writing saved me from myself, kept me from losing my sanity. Finding an outlet for my frustration, pain and anger was the good that came of my life changes.

The bad, well the bad is something I try to forget. I guess things end up working out somehow, though I’m still struggling a lot with accepting my fate. It’s terrifying not being able to do the things I used to do, to be a different person. But I am lucky to have a husband and a family that understands and sticks by me.

I just hope 2014 is the year that I can finally stop worrying, but then do we ever stop worrying about the future? For what lies in the future, but the unknowable and the inevitable fate of all mortals?

Perhaps the best way to deal with life changes is to think of life as one long, unpredictable adventure and live in the moment. That seems to be the way to live life. Maybe if I had done that all along, I wouldn’t be so bothered by the unexpected.

I didn’t want to make any New Year’s resolutions because I never keep them, but I decided to make a resolution for 2014—to live in the moment.

Happy New Year!

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My dogs—living in the moment

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Celtic / Irish Mythology: Tuatha De Danann

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

New Year's Eve blog hop winner!

Sorry I am late in posting this. The winner of the Mundania Press gift certificate is Missie. Thanks to everyone that participated in this blog hop and took the time to read my excerpt.

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

Kelley


Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly


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

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Winner of our Holly Jolly Blog Tour!

Well, it seems incredible, but our Holly Jolly Blog Tour has come to an end - for this year anyway! Thank you so much to everyone who visited my blog and took the time to leave a comment - it was great to hear from you and thank you for being part of such a fun, successful tour.
The winner of our drawing for a $50 gift card is: Joye. Congratulations, Joye!
Again, thanks to everyone for getting in the holiday spirit of the Holly Jolly Blog Tour. We hope you'll keep visiting our blogs and reading our books! Happy 2013!


Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com
Regina Andrews -  http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Angie Dobson – http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

Sunday, January 06, 2013

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 6 with Ann Tracy Marr

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Ann Tracy Marr. Ann writes paranormal Regency romances—a fascinating genre.

RTMPresent_AnnTracyMarrBlog buddy Ann Tracy Marr writes paranormal Regency romances. She may pretend to be a Christmas bah humbugger, but if she had $150,000 floating around, she would give the twelve gifts of Christmas as prizes for following this blog tour. (She would keep the ten lords a'leaping for herself.) Anyone up for French hens?

Visit her at http://www.AnnTracyMarr.com

So now it is June 2013: what have you accomplished since Christmas 2012?

I am a breast cancer survivor. I had my mammogram and PET scan in April and continue to be cancer free. Chemo brain (remarkably similar to menopausal brain but worse) has gone away. I can remember my phone number now!

Three of the books I have been marketing have been accepted by publishers. One of them is lauded in reviews as more brilliant -- better written -- more insightful -- a better read -- than The Da Vinci Code.

What would you give Santa for Christmas other than cookies and milk? Idea, a heated sleigh blanket.

Let someone else get the blanket. I found this cookie jar for Santa. It will be the star of his collection.

monster_AnnTracyMarr

 

Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate!

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts

Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com

Regina Andrews -  http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

Angie Dobson – http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/

Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

Ann, Thank you for visiting my blog.

I am over at Regan Taylor’s blog this week: http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

 

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

New Year’s Blog Hop: The New Year’s Kiss


My favorite part of a New Year’s Eve celebration is the kiss. It’s all about who you are standing next to when the clock strikes twelve. Stand near the wrong guy and the first kiss of the New Year will be less than spectacular. Stand next to a hottie or someone special and the New Year is off to a heart pounding bang.
 
It seems the New Year’s Eve tradition is more than crushing lips and dizzying sparks. Of course, the kiss loving Romans started the tradition of a kiss at the stroke of midnight. The Romans included kissing at their Solstice and Saturnalia celebrations, which spread to welcome the New Year.

Yes, it really does matter who you are standing next to when midnight arrives on New Year’s Eve—the kiss sets the tone for the New Year. Pick a loved one or someone that will welcome that lip lock. Awkward may not be the best way to start off the New Year. Tip: Alcohol can help loosen up those lips and nerves. So, down a big glass of champagne and plant yourself next to that hunky guy—and pucker up!

Happy New Year!

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

Becuille is a Daughter of Night, servant to the Great Goddess and wielder of Her vengeance. Callileon is a prince of the Hatti, and 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?
 
Very short excerpt:
With the servant's help, they dressed Inaras in a warm tunic. He carried her to bed and covered her with warm blankets, stroking her cheek. She closed her eyes, falling asleep. He left her side and sat near the fire to dry his wet clothes, shifting to accommodate his aching balls. The kick she had delivered to his sensitive man parts had been like a kick from an untamed horse. He could not help smiling at her unbridled spirit. The smile faded and he stared into the fire, brooding.
“My lord, I found the pipe.” Zunia handed it to him.
“You may go now, but return at daybreak.”
“Yes, my lord.” She left the room.
He held the smooth clay pipe, feeling rage at the instrument that threatened to destroy the one he loved, but he knew the pipe was not his true enemy. Whatever had driven Inaras to hide behind the poppy demons was the true enemy. Clutching the pipe in his fist, he threw it into the fire. The pipe broke in two pieces. He watched with satisfaction as the flames consumed the evil pipe, crackling and spitting.
Buy links: http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

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

For a chance to win a $5.00 Mundania Press gift certificate from me, leave a comment with your email and the correct answer to this question that can be found in the short excerpt above: What did he throw in the fire?  
Below is the list of grand prizes. Leave a comment on this post with your email for a chance to be included in the grand prize drawings. Please note: The large swag pack prize can only be shipped within the U.S.















The link back to main blog hop site where you can find links to all of the participating blogs:
http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Holly Jolly Blog Fest week 5 with Angie Dobson

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Angie Dobson. Angie is a reviewer for Love Romances and More.

Hey Kelley,
Thanks for playing and being part of the blog Tour! I love getting to know
new readers and telling them more about me as a person and reviewer. I
review for Love Romances and More and have for more than a decade. I am
a dedicated reader, who has great plot ideas but not the talent and
attention span to put them down on paper. I love a print book - I am too
easily distracted for an e-reader - plus my 9 month old daughter LOVES
electronics and I would never get to see it! I am from York, PA and have
one little girl. My husband I both work full time and our life is
currently a chaotic scene that often feels like a sitcom as we adjust from
being a middle age couple to a family of three.


Are any of your books centered around Christmas? Tell us a bit about them
please.

As a reviewer I don't get to pick my topics so much as when and where. If
I were to write a book, I would more likely center it around Easter
though. I love spring and no one else writes about it nearly as much as
Christmas. The other night at dinner they were playing Christmas Carols.
Why do we not have nearly so many for other holidays? As a romance lover,
I would love to have a great Valentine's Day song.

And for the New Year, of course: what are your 5 New Year's
writing/reading resolutions?

Do New Year's Resolutions ever stick? For me 2013 is going to be about
making myself and my daughter happy.
I have a few resolutions, but nothing is set in stone. Today I began
working on one by downloading an app on my phone - I am determined to run
a 5K. I shall try the Couch to 5K program - has anyone done it? Anyone
want to try the program along with me?
I am also resolving to watch a British Television Program called
Eastenders that I love - my husband is British and we live in the States.
I fell in love with the show years ago, and we kept up, but the past 2 years it has
gotten pushed aside as our lives become busier and busier… but I am
determined!! We will get the time and such to watch the recordings my
in-laws help us to get via the Internet!
Lastly I will spend more time working on my career as an Independent
Chocolate Advisor with Lindt Chocolates - probably why I need to learn to
run!
That is it for me folks. Don't forget a comment on the post gets you a
chance to win a $50 gift card to Amazon.com!!

Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors.

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts

Christine London – http://christinelondon.com/

Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

Thanks, Angie. It was a pleasure having you on my blog.

I am on Angie’s blog this week at http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 4 with Regina Andrews

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Regina Andrews who is one of the nicest people I know and a talented writer whose inspirational stories remind people that there can be happy endings.

Gina_HeadandShoulderShot
Hi Kelley, and thank you so much for having me visit your blog this week.
Thanks, everyone for stopping by Kelley's blog to spend a bit of time getting to know me. I am Regina Andrews, Inspirational Author - but that sounds kind of stuffy, don't you think?
Let's try this -- everyone calls me Gina and I love happy endings, I love writing, I love romance and I love God, so naturally I write romance novels with an inspirational point of view. After all, what's life without a good dose of faith to carry us through those times when things are not exactly going the way we'd like them to be? I know I need it, most definitely.
During the day I am lucky enough to have a full-time writing job at a national jewelry company, specializing in high-end designer and Estate pieces - I'm the one writing what you read about all these one-of-a-kind treasures! Just last week, I wrote for a 7.45 ct. t.w. diamond engagement ring priced at $143,000! Now THAT'S a stocking-stuffer! I can only imagine the look on that very lucky lady's face when she opens the box...but I digress, sorry!
In my off time, I volunteer for the blind, work at the local children's hospital and sing my heart out in the church choir. My hubby and I are proud 'parents' of a semi-feral cat named Queenie who really is in charge of the whole house. She loves Christmas -- especially tinsel! -- and so do I, so let's get to the questions and kick off Week 4 of this fun and fabulous "Holly Jolly" blog tour!
How do you manage your writing/reading schedule with all the other activities around the holidays?
That's a wonderful question. I guess first of all, even though I am a disciplined writer, I have learned through experience that, personally, my creativity can't be scheduled. By that I mean while I keep my goals realistic and set deadlines for myself, I also know when to quit if it's just not there. Instead of forcing myself and getting exhausted and frustrated, that time is better spent, for me, daydreaming, re-charging my battery and enjoying life at the moment. So I'll go to a Christmas concert, for example, and thoroughly cleanse my writing palate for one evening, and return the next day (or later that night, usually!) completely renewed. As you can tell, then, I am not the type of writer who sets a daily word count quota. Oh, no.I'm not linear like that - although there are many days when I fervently wish I could be!! For instance, sometimes I'll write a scene, or even a few scenes, and then use them at another point in the book as the plot evolves from my basic outline. From my point of view, I draw a lot of energy and emotion from this time of year and all the activities. They are not distractions, rather, they are inspirations to me. On the one hand, it's such a frenzied, hectic time...and yet, it really is a time for inner reflection. Finding an individual balance between these two extremes enriches the whole season, for me; by extension, my writing also becomes more productive, efficient and enjoyable. I think a motivated writer will get it done, no matter what. It's interesting to hear how others get their work finished. Thank you for asking. :-)



How about traveling during the holidays: do you go visiting or have you in the past? What has that been like? Have there been any absent family members during the holidays ? How has it effected your writing; have you used any of that in your stories?


Oh, this question brings back such wonderful memories. When I was a youngster, we'd have a big Christmas dinner at our house, and then everyone would leave. My parents and sister and brother and I would clean up as dusk fell and then it would get dark (4 o'clock in the afternoon, but it felt like midnight). When everything was all set, my father would pile us all in the car and we'd drive all the way over to my aunt's house across town. This was quite an adventure, because we didn't go out much at night at all. It seemed like it took us forever to get there when I was little...but it not even a ten minute ride! The child's perspective is so different from the adult's, isn't it? Then, when we arrived at my aunt's, there was more feasting, all the cousins and aunts and uncles you hardly saw through the year...and singing around the piano and more silly fun and games. The worst year was when my brother was away in the Air Force in Taiwan. We waited all day for him to call, and when he finally did all we did was cry.
Now, we still stick close to home; my sister and I and our families live very close to each other, just like my mother and her sister, my aunt that we visited. But my parents are gone now, so is my brother, so are my aunt and uncle...yet they live on in our memories and our traditions. I have, in fact, used the theme of absence at Christmas in one of my books, "Glory of the Heart", which is Sterling Lakes Book Four and will be re-released very soon by WEE publishing as an ebook and in print. This book tells the story of how my father was away from my mother during WWII in a fictionalized account of letters found in an attic. Book five of the series, "Reflections of the Heart", which I am completing now, is also set at Christmas and deals with two sisters who are reunited after many years apart.
Regina's_cover
Thank you so much for hosting me, Kelley! You can find out more about me and my list of published books at: www.reginaandrews.com and
http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Light of the Heart is now available in Print here: http://www.writers-exchange.com/Light-of-the-Heart.html
* * * *
Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be automatically entered to win a fifty dollar AMAZON gift certificate!
Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Angie Dobson – www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com
Christine London -- www.christinelondon.com
Thanks for reading. Now leave a comment and then hop over to the other author's sites. Every comment gives you one more chance at winning that 50 dollar gift certificate!!

Thanks, Regina! I can be found over at Ann Tracy Marr’s blog this week.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 3 with Sharon Poppen

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Sharon Poppen who is a talented author and also a good friend of mine. We live in the same city and belong to the local writers group. I have had the pleasure of reading Sharon’s stories.

afterthewarhannah_paperback Finding_More_Than_Goldregardless2
Kelley, Thanks for letting me stop by and share some thoughts on your blog this week. It’s always nice to get the opportunity to reach out to new potential readers.
A little about me, usually I write historical romance novels. My first three books focus on strong women in the old west. However, my latest novel ‘Regardless’ is a step in a new direction for me into the sci-fi/gay genre. It’s the story of two men in the future who, against all odds, find themselves in love. As with all my novels, it is very character driven. These characters have many good points, but they can also be very human. By human, I mean they often follow their hearts versus their minds. And, this sometimes brings them to do some naughty things, which make my books adult reading. They are not of the ’50 Shades ….’ naughty, just true to adult relationships.
Now, on to our questions of the week.
Which charity is most deserving of your holiday generosity and why?
I’m probably an old scrooge about holiday generosity when it comes to anonymous donor groups. The word ‘deserving’ makes me curious, so I do a little research before I donate. Almost always, I find that I have friends, friends of friends and sometimes even relatives who need a little boost around this time of year and that is when my holiday generosity kicks in. I’ve needed help in the past and it was always a friend or a relative who came to my rescue so I feel honored to be able to play that help forward now that I’m in a position to do so.
What is your favorite holiday tradition in literature?
It would have to be ‘the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there.’ poem by Clement Moore. Those sentiments always bring back happy memories of Christmas Eve’s during my childhood, my children’s childhood and now Christmas with my grandchildren. Every Christmas Eve, I still hang the stocking ‘Santa’ brought me when I was a child and every Christmas morning I find it filled with lots of sweets and several carefully chosen items that ‘someone’ has taken the time to learn that I would enjoy getting.
So, thank you, Kelley, for letting me stop by this week. On my blog www.poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com , I am hosting Regina Andrews who has some lovely thoughts on the above questions. You’ll really enjoy meeting this inspirational author. Be sure and leave a comment both here on Kelley’s blog and at my blog to get your name into the drawing for the end of tour $50 Amazon gift certificate.

Other blogs on this Holly Jolly Blog Tour can be found at:
Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Angie Dobson – http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/
Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

I am over at Regina's blog this week. Thanks, Kelley

Sunday, December 09, 2012

Holly Jolly Blog Fest Week 2 with Regan Taylor

Welcome to our winter blog hop, The Holly Jolly Blog Fest. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.
This week, my guest blogger is Regan Taylor who writes historical romance, everything from hunky cowboys to gallant knights in shining armour.

ReganTaylor
What is your favorite holiday food and why?

Someone is going to gag – fruitcake. Aside from the fact that I just like the taste, especially dark fruit cake and particularly the candied cherries, it reminds me of something or rather someone from my childhood. Close friends of our family moved from New York (where I grew up) to Washington and one year Aunt Audrey sent me some fruitcake. I was hooked. Maybe it’s more the memory of her than the cake itself but I do enjoy it.
You can have any person in history over for your holiday dinner. Who do you invite and what do you talk about?
Demetrius of Phaleron. I know I usually say Alexandre Dumas but recently I needed to redo my will and trust and the subject of my library came up. History tells us that Demetrius of Phaleron organized the great library at Alexandria and since my own is a pretty decent size (over 20,000 print and 5,000 ebooks at present)I’d like to talk to him about what led him to his work on the library and why he chose the books he chose.
Regan's Published Novels
Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate! I can be found over at Sharon Poppen’s blog this week.
Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Christine London - http://christinelondon.com/
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews - http://reginaandrews.wordpress.com
Angie Dobson – http://loveromancesandmore.com

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Winter Blog Hop Week 1 with Christine London

Welcome to our winter blog hop. Each week, from December 2 to January 6, six authors answer two holiday related questions.

This week, my guest blogger is Christine London who writes spicy romance and has a fascination with all things British.
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Thanks so much for hosting me Kelley. Some fun questions to chat about this week!

What is my favorite Christmas Novel?
The classic and perfect, timeless tale, Dickens A Christmas Carol. Wikipedia states that Dickens was : "generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian Period". Whether that be true or not, his tale of life lived as a miserly old man versus the joy of giving will stand for all time as one of the best pieces of storytelling.  How many times has this tale been made and remade by Hollywood? What child in the English speaking world does not have fond memories of one or the other rendition? Bursting with comedy, unique characterizations, and social criticisms it is to what most authors aspire- entertaining, uplifting, educating and inspiring their readers.

Favorite Holiday movie?
"Love Actually" So many wonderful charactizations, so well acted. Full of humor and social criticism. It is timeless too. Oh, can I mention more than one? The Holiday. *sigh* But then I am an Anglophile and a sucker for a story that, you guessed it--uplifts, entertains and inspires.

My favorite holiday tradition(s):
... start before Christmas. In the States we celebrate Thanksgiving about a month prior to the holiday madness. No presents expected or required, family and friends gather to commend the goodness of the previous year. In my family we go around the table as we hold our forks, poised over our freshly piled plates of deliciousness and say what has touched us, inspired us, educated us or uplifted us most that year. (Hmm..am I seeing a theme here? lol.) Time enough for the shopping, decorating and visiting to come, it is one day that always warms the heart.
I admired people who manage to maintain traditions year to year. It is often the simplest things that stick with a child throughout his lifetime. So many of my memories revolve around music, often choral music that is plentiful during the holidays. Perhaps as the universal language, it is music that makes every holiday special including tunes from around the world. I am a member of an eight person vocal pop/jazz group who performs every Christmas. Singing in front of hundreds of smiling appreciative listeners, faces glowing with delight, is magic.
When families grow to unwieldy numbers, it is fun to conduct a Chris Kringle gift exchange. In our extended family when we get together with all the cousins, aunties and uncles on Christmas eve, each one brings a simple inexpensive gift. Numbers are drawn and the picking begins. One may 'steal' a previously opened gift or chose an unopened gift from beneath the tree until all gifts are gone and/or any one gift has been 'stolen' three times (and is thus 'dead' and owned by the last stealer). It makes for lots of fun and laughter without burdening anyone with the monetary avalanche of buying gifts for all.
When the nieces and nephews were small, we put out graham crackers, a vast candy assortment and special white frosting that dried hard as a rock. Gingerbread houses were THE event of the season for these kids. They will and do remember constructing , display and eating them—always.

Nottinghill Christmas A Short Story in the 55 Portabello Road Series

Sara Wright’s holiday job at Nottinghill’s historic nineteenth century cinema should have been easy tuition money, but her handsome new boss Robert is a thorn in the side of every usher who breathes. She knows there must be more to a man who could bark orders one minute, save a child the next. Can she figure out the puzzle before he and his staff self-destruct?
You can find Christine London:
London Blog & Website: www.christinelondon.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-London/71009389201?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristineLondon
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/christinelondon/
Christine At Amazon Author Central :  https://www.amazon.com/author/christinelondon

Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate!

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Angie Dobson – http://loveromancesandmore.com
You can find my answers to the holiday quesions over at Christine London's blog http://christinelondon.com/

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop!

Are you curious about the next big thing that your favorite authors are working on? Well, here is my next big thing, my work in progress. I have answered 10 questions and then I will post links to some other authors who will post their next big thing questions and answers next week. Read on to find out how you can win a copy of my latest release, Daughter of Night.

1. What is the working title of your book? The Wolf Queen
2. Where did the idea come from for the book? I wanted to write a Beauty & the Beast story with a twist.
3. What genre does your book fall under? Historical fantasy romance
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? I envisioned my beast as looking like Joe Manganiello before his curse. I think that seeing this actor as a werewolf, and a really hot one, inspired that image for me. The actress that I’d like to see play my heroine is Kristen Stewart. I don’t know why but I really like her. She has this cool vibe going on.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Beauty may be the real beast.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Not sure yet.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I’m still working on that. I have two different versions that I am trying to decide between.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I guess Beauty and the Beast, but I think mine is different. Of course I think that.      
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book? I have been interested in ancient Arcadia and wanted to write something set there. I’m actually working on a 3 book series. The Wolf Queen is part of that series, but the stories are about different characters and different aspects of Greek mythology.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? I think this is also a different take on the werewolf tales.

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These authors will be sharing their next big thing next week, November 14. Be sure to stop by their blogs for a chance to win some cool prizes.
http://heatherhambelcurley.wordpress.com/
www.susanroebuck.com
http://tiaera.blogspot.com/

Leave a comment for a chance to win a pdf copy of my latest release, Daughter of Night. Thanks for stopping by!
Daughter_of_Night
Two mortals are caught up in the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.
http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.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

Friday, August 24, 2012

Solitude

This word sounds so peaceful to me and makes me feel relaxed. I picture an empty meadow with bright flowers and sunlight. I’m one of those people that enjoy being by myself. The word solitude makes me think of that excitement when I’m by myself working on a story. Without solitude I wouldn’t have what I need to write or to think up my characters and stories.

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As a teenager, I looked forward to those times when I could be alone with a book. The characters and settings in the stories kept me company and entertained me. I still look forward to being alone with my thoughts.

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Sometimes I like some music with my solitude and sometimes I enjoy the quiet. If I’m not writing, I have a book in my hand or I’m working on crafts. Even when I worked outside the home, I liked a job that required as little human contact as possible. The main reason I was drawn to writing was because I liked the idea of working alone. Being alone is essential for me as a writer.

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For me, solitude is a word that conjures up pleasant feelings.

 

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

New Release!

Daughter_of_Night (233x350) (233x350) (233x350)

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

Buy links for Daughter of Night on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html