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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, November 30, 2015

Monday Musings: Arizona cloud formation pics # 13






Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        


Saturday, November 28, 2015

Tabby's Nocturnal Nights: Thanksgiving: It's all about the food

Tabby's Nocturnal Nights: Thanksgiving: It's all about the food: Thanksgiving is the time to get together with family and friends, and to be thankful for everything you have, but it's also about eating...

Friday, November 27, 2015

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite Thanksgiving dessert

Since Thanksgiving is here, I thought I would share my favorite Thanksgiving dessert:
Pumpkin swirl cakes. Yummy. Walmart usually has them this time of the year. They are a little tricky to make because you have to get the cream cheese swirl inside.




Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Weird Word Wednesday

bitchery
      noun bitch·ery \ˈbi-chə-rē\
plural bitch·er·ies
Definition of BITCHERY

:  malicious, spiteful, or overbearing behavior; also :  an instance of such behavior
First Known Use of BITCHERY


1936

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Monday, November 23, 2015

Monday Musings: Arizona Sunset pics # 12







Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        


Friday, November 20, 2015

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite new T.V. series

Blindspot
Amazon pilot description:
In the series premiere, a beautiful woman with no memories of her past (JAIMIE ALEXANDER) is found in Times Square, covered in mysterious tattoos, including an FBI agent's name.


I like this new show because of all the mystery surrounding this woman who can’t remember who she is. I like shows that keep me guessing.


Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Weird Word Wednesday

bitch goddess
      noun
Definition of BITCH GODDESS

:  success; especially :  material or worldly success
First Known Use of BITCH GODDESS


1906

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Monday, November 16, 2015

Monday Musings: Arizona cloud formation pics # 12






Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        


Friday, November 13, 2015

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite new T.V. series

The Last Kingdom
Plot description on IMDb:
The year is 872, and many of the separate kingdoms of what we now know as England have fallen to the invading Danes, leaving the great kingdom of Wessex standing alone and defiant under the command of King Alfred. Against this turbulent backdrop lives our hero, Uhtred. Born the son of a Saxon nobleman, he is captured by the Danes and raised as one of their own. Forced to choose between the country of his birth and the people of his upbringing, his loyalties are ever tested. What is he? Saxon or Dane? On a quest to reclaim his birthright, Uhtred must tread a dangerous path between both sides if he is to play his part in the birth of a new nation and, ultimately, recapture his ancestral lands.
Amazon series description for episode 1:
When Uhtred loses his father in battle, his lands and inheritance are taken by his scheming uncle, Aelfric, who becomes a puppet-lord for the ruling Danes. Uhtred is captured by his father’s killers and brought up by Danish warlord Ragnar. Now a young Danish warrior, when his surrogate family is murdered by a group of vengeful Danes, Uhtred finds himself alone; neither Saxon nor Dane.

I’m a huge Vikings fan so I thought I would check this one out. It’s based on a series of books called the Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell. I really like it so far. We see a different side to the Viking invasions of what is now England.



Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Weird Word Wednesday

biramous
      adjective bi·ra·mous \(ˌ)bī-ˈrā-məs\
Definition of BIRAMOUS

:  having two branches
Origin of BIRAMOUS

1bi- + Latin ramus branch

First Known Use: 1877

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Monday, November 09, 2015

Monday Musings: Arizona Sunset pics #11








Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        


Friday, November 06, 2015

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite new T.V. series

Favorite T.V. Series: The Bastard Executioner

Show blurb:
Wilkin Brattle, a warrior knight in the charge of King Edward I, trades his sword for a peaceful farming life -- until the violence of his past finds him and forces him to pick up the bloodiest sword of all.


It started kind of slow, but I really like this dark medieval series by the creator of Sons of Anarchy and hope it doesn’t get cancelled. It’s the real deal as far as medieval politics, complete with people being tortured and killed for heresy by the church. The upper class is greedy and cares little for the poor. I guess times haven’t changed much. The main character is easy to like because he may be one of the few with actual compassion and remorse.


Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Weird Word Wednesday

biocenosis
      noun bio·ce·no·sis \ˌbī-ō-sə-ˈnō-səs\
plural bio·ce·no·ses \-ˌsēz\
Definition of BIOCENOSIS

:  an ecological community especially when forming a self-regulating unit
Variants of BIOCENOSIS

bio·ce·no·sis or bio·coe·no·sis \ˌbī-ō-sə-ˈnō-səs\
Origin of BIOCENOSIS

New Latin, from 2bi- + Greek koinōsis sharing, from koinoun to make common, from koinos common

First Known Use: 1883

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Monday, November 02, 2015

Monday Musings: Sharing an excerpt from The Bear Goddess

Resting her head against the edge of the tub, she stared at the sky. Kasin, the Zeus lover, surprisingly treated her gently. She had expected to be brutalized or worse. With the fair skin and height of those imposing men from the northern mountains, he looked like those who worshipped the Sky god above the goddesses, yet he also possessed a temperate manner unlike those brutal, warlike people. She couldn’t imagine living under the rule of the vile centaurs. 
Her skin prickled in response to the cooling water. “I am ready to get out now.”
He appeared, holding his hand over his eyes, and tripped over a branch.
She giggled.
Regaining his balance, he said with some annoyance, “I am glad you find that so amusing.”
“You do not have to close your eyes. Just refrain from staring at anything worth staring at.” She laughed, not sure why she told him that. He made her feel giddy, something that had never happened to her before now in the presence of this man.
Opening his eyes, he kept his gaze lowered as he helped her stand. Keeping his eyes fixed on her lower legs, he wrapped a large cloth around her and then lifted her out of the tub.
Her body didn’t ache as badly as it had before the bath. Gradually, her body was healing.
“How was the bath?” He helped her put on her tunic, which covered her upper body to her mid-thigh.
“It was quite enjoyable. You can look up now if you wish.”
His gaze swept up her body in a way that made her face and body flush. She was entering into a dangerous game, but her vow didn’t seem to apply here so far away from Artemis.
With his help, she pulled on her leggings. His hands felt hot each time he brushed against her bare skin. Her skin tingled beneath his seemingly innocent touch. He hesitated, holding on to her hips a moment longer than was necessary.
The air between them felt like the aftermath of a lightning storm. She had no idea what was happening, but she knew it wasn’t what she should be feeling when in the presence of a man.

****
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

Friday, October 30, 2015

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite fairy tale movie

Favorite fairy tale movie: Snow White and the Huntsman
Product Description
From the producer of Alice in Wonderland comes a new vision that turns a legendary tale into an action-adventure epic. The evil Queen Ravenna (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) will rule forever if she can take the life of Snow White (Kristen Stewart), so she dispatches the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to track her down. But the wicked ruler never imagined that the Huntsman would train the girl to become a brave warrior, skilled in the art of war. Filled with intense battles and spectacular visual effects, Snow White & the Huntsman is a thrilling experience that “shouldn’t be missed” – Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV.
************

I really liked this new version of Snow White. It is darker than the original. I loved Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman. Ravenna's outfits were stunning. There were some cool surprises in this version--the way Snow was revived was my favorite one. Highly recommended.


Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Weird Word Wednesday

bioassay
      noun bio·as·say \ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ˈa-ˌsā, -a-ˈsā\
Definition of BIOASSAY

:  determination of the relative strength of a substance (as a drug) by comparing its effect on a test organism with that of a standard preparation
— bio·as·say \-a-ˈsā, -ˈa-ˌsā\ transitive verb
First Known Use of BIOASSAY

1912


Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Monday, October 26, 2015

Monday Musings: Arizona Monsoon pics











Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        


Friday, October 23, 2015

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite vampire book

Favorite vampire book: 'Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

Book Description:
Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem’s Lot in hopes that exploring the history of the Marsten House, an old mansion long the subject of rumor and speculation, will help him cast out his personal devils and provide inspiration for his new book. But when two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins to realize that something sinister is at work—in fact, his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is growing within the borders of this small New England town.

With this, his second novel, Stephen King established himself as an indisputable master of American horror, able to transform the old conceits of the genre into something fresh and all the more frightening for taking place in a familiar, idyllic locale.
**************

This is one of my favorite Stephen King books. I love the way he takes an ordinary town with ordinary people and fills it with something terrifying. Highly recommended for horror and vampire fans.


Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Weird Word Wednesday

binaural
      adjective bin·au·ral \(ˌ)bī-ˈnȯr-əl, (ˌ)bi-\
Definition of BINAURAL

1
:  of, relating to, or involving two or both ears
2
:  stereophonic
— bin·au·ral·ly \-ə-lē\ adverb
Origin of BINAURAL

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use: 1861

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com        
My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

Monday, October 19, 2015

Monday Musings: Lessons I learned from my dogs

This article was printed in our local newspaper back in July. I decided to share it on my blog because I know there are a lot of pet owners out there.

Lessons I learned from my dogs

Besides loyalty and companionship, dogs have a lot more to offer us. If we take the time to watch and connect with them, we can learn some important lessons.

Having dogs helped me through a dark time when I didn’t know if I would be permanently disabled. Crippled by severe pain, it was easy to give in and stay in a pain-medication fog, but my dogs depended on me to care for them while my husband was at work. So, I forced myself to get up and fight to get better.

My recovery had a lot to do with lessons I learned from my dogs. The first one is perseverance. Animals don’t allow an illness or injury to stop them from enjoying life. One of my dogs hurt her leg and managed just fine by hopping around on three, even chasing rabbits, until her leg healed. In the animal world, only the strong survive and unfortunately, this is also a harsh truth in the human one, a frightening reality I came close to experiencing.

Another important lesson is living in the moment. Dogs know how to relax in the sun and watch birds or sniff the different scents in the air. This reminds me to stop and enjoy a sunset or take in the wildlife in my backyard, to put my troubles aside. I’ve also learned the importance of exercise and play to keep physically and mentally fit. Dogs love to play. I have a nightly ritual with my Chihuahua. We play a game where I try to take his toy (a plush chicken or banana) away from him, if I can. He’s very fast. I come away from this refreshed and ready to work on writing or editing. This also helped me heal because exercise and physical therapy was very important to my recovery and for the regular management of my chronic condition.

My dogs have also taught me the importance of taking breaks, letting me know when it is time to eat or go outside—and always at the same time each day. This routine keeps me from sitting too long at the computer and worsening my back pain. After a break, I return to work, my energy restored.

Dogs have remarkable intuitive abilities. They know when a storm is approaching, when someone is coming home, or whether they like someone or not. This has taught me to listen to my intuition, especially when it came to finding the right occupation and exercise schedule that suited my health issues. I kept trying to do things the way I had before my illness. Once I stopped fighting myself and listened to my gut feeling, everything fell in to place.

The unconditional love dogs offer us might be the most important lesson. They love you regardless of your problems, your physical appearance, or your imperfections. This lesson has helped me strengthen my human relationships.


The lessons I learned from my dogs improved my life in ways I never realized until I opened my eyes and took notice, and I can’t imagine living without at least one dog by my side.



Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com