Setting the scene for readers

There are many techniques that are essential for writing a good novel. One of them is setting the scene at each new chapter and scene break. It’s easy to forget this when a writer is caught up in his or her story. As writers, we know our characters, where they are, and what they are doing in the story, but it’s our job to convey that to readers. Otherwise, they will be forced to figure out what’s going on. This will draw them out of the story.

In some of the books I have edited, a character will pop up out of nowhere in a scene and suddenly speak. This character’s presence needs to be established early on. Another common issue is dialogue without any tags to show what the character is doing or where he or she is.

The best way to prevent this is to start with the point-of-view character for that section if the story has more than one. If the section starts with a different character, it can be misleading to readers. Next it helps to add a description or a dialogue tag with a detail or two to let readers know where the characters are and what they are doing. This should be done in the first paragraph. Setting the scene for smoother transitions can be easy to forget because we are thinking of so many other aspects of the story, but it’s important not to confuse readers. Below is an example of a new chapter beginning from one of my books.

It was much too quiet even for the night. The trees stood silent in the forest, their leaves motionless. Lycaon lifted his face to the sky, listening for the familiar rustling of nocturnal creatures, the occasional sound of an owl. Nothing.

Anexus made eye contact with one of his warriors, his expression wary. He had sensed the strange quiet too.

“We are being hunted.” Lycaon moved his bound hands to his side. “Untie me.”

The king of Orchomenus cast him a doubtful frown.

Lycaon shrugged. “Then leave me bound. I will not be the one killed by whatever creature is watching us.”

A shrill scream shattered the quiet.

“What in the deepest reaches of Hades was that?” Anexus gripped his sword.

“Some hapless creature just met its end,” Lycaon whispered. “You and your men are next.”

“Untie him.” Anexus pointed to one warrior then motioned for his other men to form a circle.

The young man quickly untied Lycaon. He rubbed his freed hands to get the blood circulating then grabbed his sword from one of the warriors. “I sensed it earlier. Whatever it is, I doubt it is human, and it is probably what killed your people and livestock.”

Uneasiness filled the air around the warriors. All of them gripped weapons, bodies tense, eyes wide and vigilant.

A swift shadow moved between two trees.

Beauty may be the real beast.

Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019HML564?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Queen-Book-Arcadia/dp/1519606249/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth & magic.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Signs of spring as Beltaine draws near

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. The hummingbirds are visiting my feeder, the quail babies hide in my yard while their parents stand guard. I love spring and the new beginnings it brings. This is the light side of spring, one I would rather embrace.

But there is a dark side. Spring was important to the ancient Celts. Beltaine was a vital time of the year, signaling the end of a long, cold, dark winter. It was also a time tinged with sadness because battles were fought in the spring.

One of my books, Beltaine's Song, is filled with spring themes, including battles fought between the Irish and the Picts in the sixth century of what is now called Scotland. There were women warriors among the fighters. My heroine was one of them. What puts the warrior in the heart of a woman? This is one of the themes I explored in this trilogy.

Among the beauty of spring, there was the ugliness of death.

Excerpt from Beltaine's Song:

The armies clashed below on the peninsula, staining the green earth with bright red blood. Heartrending screams from the dying broke the calm, silencing the seabirds with fear. War is ugly. Is the Christian Hell like this?

Surrounded on all sides by the churlish sea, islands emerged from the mist, brooding in the distance, witnesses to the horrible bloodshed. Fresh sea air swallowed some of the detestable smells of battle, filling her lungs with the scent of briny air, but the faint scent of blood set her pulse racing. With a heavy heart, she thought this battle particularly ugly because blood fought against blood, dividing the clans.

Domelch sensed something foul in the air around Dunadd, treachery lurking in the darkest corners. She thought back to the day she saw her brother riding hard to Dunadd—from the south. She knew Aedan sensed the foulness of treachery for the archers' positioning had been kept secret from all the commanders. If he suspected Galan, he had kept that to himself.

Gathering her archers, they positioned themselves in the hill's crevices, waiting for Aedan's army to lure the enemy their way and give Domelch the signal from the battle horn.

Crouched in a painful position between two rocks, Domelch nocked her arrow and waited. “Fire at my signal,” she ordered her archers.

Quiet, the archers became one with the craggy hill dressed in gray and green tunics, blending into the gray moss-covered hills. The cold, damp stones pressed painfully into Domelch's sides. Keeping her muscles still, she ignored the pain, her mind focused on the battle array below.

Clashing spears and swords against war shields splintered the air, drowning out the sea tides. War cries and yelps of pain mingled with horses' neighs and bursts from battle horns. She waited for the three short bursts of the battle horn, her heart racing with each passing moment as the battle neared their position.

Three short blasts from the ox-horn echoed through the hills, a fearsome sound like the trumpets of the Underworld calling home the dead. Domelch shuddered at the thought. We will send the dead home, she thought. “Loose your arrows,” she commanded, gathering her courage and battle fury.

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth & magic.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

A Greek vampire, Celtic kings, vengeful goddesses, an ancient faery curse… 

All three books of my Dark Goddess trilogy are available in Print and Ebook. Set in Dark Age Scotland, I mixed history with a Samhain/Beltaine myth that revolves around an Irish clan and the goddesses Brigit and Cailleach.

http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

An Easter surprise visit

Easter is a time for rebirth and new beginnings. This year is all about new beginnings for me because we just made a big move. We downsized. I'm not going to miss the house as much as I'm going to miss my huge Palo Verde tree (aka The Tree of Life) and all of the wildlife that gathered beneath that beautiful tree. There were the large desert iguanas, Mr. and Mrs. Godzilla, owls, and a multitude of birds that visited our old backyard. I was bummed about leaving all of that behind, but today I had hope that I will have some new backyard wildlife to interact with and enjoy. As I watered the new Palo Verde tree growing on our back slope at the new house, a hummingbird appeared, then there were two hummingbirds bathing in the water's spray. I managed to capture a picture of one of them. It was a magical experience and a sign of the new experiences to come. Happy Easter!

My hummingbird visitor.

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth & magic.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Ever wonder what it's like to be a wolf?

Wouldn’t it feel great to be in the body of a wolf? I’ve always wondered what it would be like. Alas, I don’t have that extraordinary ability, but my character in The Wolf Queen does. I get to live it through her eyes.

Snippet from The Wolf Queen:

Naked, she closed her eyes and thought of the wolf that lived inside her. Her blood grew hot as it coursed through her body. Her limbs twisted, her body shifting and transforming in a rush of tingles and surprisingly mild pain despite muscles, bones, and skin reshaping. The exhilarating sensations thrummed in her blood, a powerful combination of strength and belonging. She found herself on all fours, looking through the keen eyes of a wolf. An unexpected surge of excitement sent her leaping and pawing at the ground. She ran around to prepare for the jump across the river, testing her newfound skills. How could she have gone through her life so far and not experienced this?

Because it is forbidden.

****

Book Title: The Wolf Queen

Author: Kelley Heckart

Author website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com

Genre: Greek myths/fantasy/paranormal/werewolves/romance

Release date: 12/17/15

Page Count: 246

ISBN-13: 978-1519606242

ISBN-10: 1519606249 

ASIN: B019HML564

Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019HML564?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Queen-Book-Arcadia/dp/1519606249/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Blurb

The Wolf Queen

Book 2: The Arcadia Series

A new twist on Beauty and the Beast and the Greek myth of Lycaon the werewolf. A Bronze Age fantasy, adventure, and romance set in Arcadia, the wild forests of the goddess Artemis… Game of Thrones meets The Iliad…

A tormented wolf man… A mysterious girl with a terrible secret…

Alara, a princess from a foreign land, is forced to wed the sorcerer-king Aramon, a power-hungry warlord, who discovers her dark secret and wants to use her to create an invincible army. When she meets Lycaon, she must decide if she should trust the cursed, tormented half-man half-wolf who might be her enemy or her true mate.

Lycaon, once a great king until he was cursed by Zeus to be a werewolf, is drawn to the mysterious princess. He is torn between helping Alara escape and using her to gain power over those who despise him.

Secrets abound and old enemies are reunited to battle Aramon before his terrible plan is unleashed. Time is running out as the dark moon approaches. Soon, Arcadia will be overrun with an unstoppable, vicious army unless Aramon can be defeated. To prevent his victory, the cost is high. As Lycaon’s affection for Alara grows, it becomes more difficult for him to decide which to save: Arcadia or her.

5 stars! “A read any paranormal reader could love and one I highly recommend.” Sorrel at LASR

5 stars! “This was an amazing story full of twist and turns. Kelley Heckart is an incredible author and I found myself lost in the story from the start.” Amazon review

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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

A new book release and beastly heroes

I finally have a new book out. My hero is a little different from the normal romance hero. He is half-wolf and half-man. Does that make him any less appealing? I don't think so and neither does the heroine. :) The Wolf Queen is a new twist on Beauty and the Beast and the Greek myth of Lycaon the werewolf.

Cursed by Zeus to live in the body of a wolf, Lycaon found a way to change his shape into a human form, but he can't quite get rid of some wolfish qualities. I think of him as savagely handsome like Jason Momoa in Game of Thrones. I decided to go all the way with making my hero look the part of a beast, but still make him appealing. A Beauty and the Beast story doesn't work for me unless the "Beast" actually looks the part like in the B&TB series in the 1980s with Ron Pearlman as the Beast. I wasn't going to wimp out and make my hero too handsome when he's supposed to be cursed with a beastly appearance.

Book Title: The Wolf Queen

Author: Kelley Heckart

Author website: http://www.kelleyheckart.com

Genre: Greek myths/fantasy/werewolves/romance

Release date: 12/17/15

Page Count: 246

ISBN-13: 978-1519606242

ISBN-10: 1519606249 

ASIN: B019HML564

Kindle Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1Mk95rZ

Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1Mk9aMc

Blurb

The Wolf Queen

Book 2: The Arcadia Series

A new twist on Beauty and the Beast and the Greek myth of Lycaon the werewolf. A Bronze Age fantasy, adventure, and romance set in Arcadia, the wild forests of the goddess Artemis… Game of Thrones meets The Iliad…

A tormented wolf man… A mysterious girl with a terrible secret…

Alara, a princess from a foreign land, is forced to wed the sorcerer-king Aramon, a power-hungry warlord, who discovers her dark secret and wants to use her to create an invincible army. When she meets Lycaon, she must decide if she should trust the cursed, tormented half-man half-wolf who might be her enemy or her true mate.

Lycaon, once a great king until he was cursed by Zeus to be a werewolf, is drawn to the mysterious princess. He is torn between helping Alara escape and using her to gain power over those who despise him.

Secrets abound and old enemies are reunited to battle Aramon before his terrible plan is unleashed. Time is running out as the dark moon approaches. Soon, Arcadia will be overrun with an unstoppable, vicious army unless Aramon can be defeated. To prevent his victory, the cost is high. As Lycaon’s affection for Alara grows, it becomes more difficult for him to decide which to save: Arcadia or her.

“Ms. Heckart draws the reader into the pages and enchants them with her words.”

Karen McGill, Coffee Time Romance

Excerpt (PG):

Although she had been warned of Lycaon’s band of misfits, seeing them watching her with cold eyes made her skin crawl. “Y-you are a goat man.” She stared in astonishment at the horns, the pointed ears, and goat legs with hooves covered in thick brown hair. Despite being half goat, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen with bright, slanted blue eyes and shoulder-length dark brown hair, some strands knotted into warrior braids. A belted loincloth covered little, revealing a muscular upper body.

He raised a bushy eyebrow. “I prefer satyr.”

The other odd-looking people laughed.

She opened her mouth to speak again, but the circle parted and a man stepped forward. A hood covered his head, so she could only see glimpses of his face—a flash of fang-like teeth, fierce eyes, and lots of dark hair. She shrank back from the man who looked like a mix of human and wolf.

“Who in Tartarus are you, and what are you doing in my lands?” His voice sounded like a vicious snarl.

Transfixed by his appearance, she wondered what the rest of his face looked like beneath the hooded tunic. Towering over her, his muscles strained against the dark brown woolen tunic and deerskin leggings he wore. Masculine power encircled him like a god’s nimbus, in the proud way he carried himself, and in the way he commanded their attention, for even his companions stepped back and looked at him with reverence, even the giant who barely stood taller than what glared at her now.

Alara eyed his large feet covered in laced up leather boots, afraid he might kick her, his anger at her quite apparent by the claw-like hands, partially covered in fingerless leather gloves, fisted at his sides. All she could see were his eyes, framed by heavy, dark, forbidding eyebrows, fixated on her from within the hood. Ice blue and emerald green rings. Fiery golden flecks. Intense and feral. She would never forget them. He held back his anger, but for how long? “I-I came…” His fierce stare made her forget her speech.

****

Multi-published author Kelley Heckart lives in Arizona with her musician husband, dog and a number of backyard “pets,” including Godzilla the desert iguana. Her stories reflect her passion for ancient and medieval time periods, storytelling and the supernatural. Inspired by the ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce warriors, bold women, otherworldly creatures, magic, and romance. When not writing, she works as a freelance editor and practices target archery. She can be found online at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/

To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html

Kelley Heckart, 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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

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 some really good food. There is nothing like smelling a turkey cooking in the oven all day. It's the one day it's okay to stuff yourself.

I have my favorite foods and desserts. I love turkey and mashed potatoes. I like to take a warm roll, spread butter on it, and add some turkey and mashed potatoes. It's awesome. My favorite dessert is pumpkin swirl cake.

All this talk of food is making me hungry.

Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving food?

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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Artemis's Nymphs--The tough chicks in Greek mythology

They are similar to faeries because both are part of nature. There are many types of nymphs, but the ones in my Arcadia Series are closer to Amazons or warriors than to flighty nature beings. Since they serve Artemis, a goddess who is independent and a huntress, my nymphs needed to be the same. I did find some writings about these “mountain nymphs.” Called Oreades by Greek writers, they were described as tall and fierce. My portrayal of them was pretty close to this. Of course I had to use creative license to add some of my own traits. I separated them into the four different elements of earth, air, fire, and water. For each element, that particular nymph has a special magical power tied to their element. For example, a fire nymph can call up and control fire. There is also a fifth element, the ether, but this type of nymph is very rare. I created a special order called Guardians who are the fiercest among the nymphs. Beautiful and deadly. Nymphs are a fascinating part of the supernatural world.

Excerpt from The Bear Goddess:

Kasin stared at the line of nymphs, a formidable wall of gold and black leather-clad Guardians flanked by brown-clad nymphs and satyrs. Artemis’s powerful symbol of a full moon and crossed arrows taunted him from the unyielding line of small round shields his opponents held in steady grips.

He waited for the nymphs to make the first move. He would give them a chance to negotiate his terms and, if fortune favored him, avoid a battle.

Davona stepped into place next to him. “That is their merciless leader, Maia, the one who called for my death. She is also Callisto’s mother.”

Kasin looked closer at the nymph at the head of their army. She had dark red hair that almost looked black, an unusual color among the brown and fair hair of the other nymphs, and she had been among those that captured him.

“Callisto’s mother is a fire nymph. They are a particularly nasty kind of nymph.” He felt a twinge of sympathy for Callisto for it seemed her mother was as difficult as was his armor-hearted father.

“If she will allow her own daughter to die…” Davona stared fiercely at the leader of the nymphs. “She will not be easy to negotiate with.”

“I will not back down,” he said with conviction, but inside, he still hoped they could come to an agreement. The hatred he had for nymphs had dissipated the day he met Callisto. She showed him not all her kind possessed a cold heart. He would battle them if they chose to hurt those he loved, but he would kill them with reluctance.

Their weapons sheathed or put aside, Maia and two of her Guardians walked with an air of confidence to the center of the meadow.

*************

Creative commons photo of Artemis

 

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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

If she survived her wound, he would claim her as his war prize. The Bear Goddess http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY

Does rape belong in a romance?

This is a controversial topic in any setting, but in a story that is supposed to be about love and happy endings, it seems to have no place there.

But, does it?

I think a writer should have the freedom to tell the story they want to without having to be censored. That being said, I don’t think rape should be glorified and used in a way that makes it okay or romantic. Because rape is not about love. It’s an act of violence. Sometimes rough sex can be misinterpreted as rape, and that can be a gray area if the lines are unclear. But most probably agree if a woman feels violated, there is no doubt that it is rape.

If a story calls for a rape scene and it is important to the plot, a writer should be able to do what is needed for that story. I can think of at least one example where rape could work in a romance—a woman recovers from a rape and has to learn to trust men again so she can find love.

It is a subject that should not be taken lightly, but it shouldn’t be taboo for a writer if it is a key part of the story they want to tell.

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

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

http://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1341885749&sr=1-2-ent

Inspiration

I’m pretty lucky to live in such a beautiful area. We have a lake, mountains and the most striking desert scenery.
I find inspiration all around, in the breathtaking sunsets, sun-painted cloud formations and mysterious moon phases I can see right outside my house.
These inspiring natural sights often find their way into my stories, especially the moon which plays an important role in tales of myth and magic.
Open your eyes. Inspiration is all around you. All you have to do is take the time to notice.

Excerpt from The Bear Goddess:

Moonlight spilled into the cave in an ethereal glow. She padded barefoot across the cold stone floor of the cave. Maggie stirred from her perch on a tall thin rock formation. Callisto searched through her supply of herbs and potions in the clay jars sitting on the natural ledge. She grabbed the jar containing a nightshade potion and hurried back to her warm bed. After draping the blanket around her shoulders, she opened the jar. A strong odor tickled her nose. She was careful to drink a small amount of the poison, just enough to help deepen her trance state.

After sealing the jar, she settled into a sleeping position and focused her thoughts on Pan. Closing her eyes, she sensed the cave spinning around her. The sensation tickled her stomach. The moonlight grew brighter against her closed eyes. Then only the pitch-black darkness of a tunnel filled her vision. A nightingale singing rang inside the passageway. In her vision, she felt herself step through the tunnel, following the birdsong as if she had no control over her motions. As if she were under an enchantment.

She walked down steps into a familiar-looking cave. Pan’s sanctuary. The god sat on a stool, playing his reed flute that sounded just like a nightingale. The song filled her head, each note weaving a spell into her mind like the tiny silver threads of a magical cobweb.

The dream changed and Callisto was in the forest where she had faced the boar, but she stood in a different spot hidden in the trees. Peering out of the trees, she saw herself facing the boar. It was an odd feeling to be outside her body and see herself. The boar charged her. She winced at the sight of herself being struck by the boar, feeling again the painful effects of the silver. She tried to move, but her feet stuck to the ground. When she looked down, a scream caught in her throat. Instead of human legs and feet, her lower half was the body of a goat.

She awoke from her trance, her throat raw from screaming.

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 beginnings and spring cleaning

It’s spring here where I live and everything is blooming, even the cactus plants with their lethal thorns—beauty and danger. Bees are gathering pollen and animals are mating. New beginnings abound. All of this has a way of making me feel like getting out and getting things done—inside and outside the house. I feel rejuvenated and motivated to set new goals and clean.

Beauty among dangerous thorns.

In full bloom, our Palo Verde tree is filled with buzzing bees.

 

I wonder if this is where the term ‘spring cleaning’ came from, so I looked it up. It’s possible the origins of this date back to the Persian New Year, which falls on the first day of spring when everything in the house is thoroughly cleaned--"khooneh tekouni" means shaking the house.  The Scottish tradition of New Year’s cleaning on Hogmanay (Dec. 31) is also believed to be related to this. The origin of spring cleaning can also be traced to the ancient Jewish practice of cleaning before Passover.

Happy spring, everyone!

“Yes.” He rubbed the dark stubble on his chin. “I cannot bring you unclothed into a village full of lusty centaurs.”

The Bear Goddess

Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P74X0WY

Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Goddess-Book-Arcadia/dp/1502982684/ref=asap_B002BMOQ3C_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415503605&sr=1-7

 

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

Arizona sunsets

We have some awesome sunsets here in Arizona. They serve as a source of inspiration for me. I go outside every night to watch the sunset and take pictures of the ones that stand out. I have way too many sunset pictures to share here so I picked three of my favorite ones.

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

Wild winter weather and weather in fiction

We had snow in Lake Havasu, AZ for the first time in 30 years on New Year’s Eve. It was awesome for me. I haven’t been in snow in years. I ran around filled with excitement taking pictures. From an artistic point of view, it was beautiful, but I guess if you have to drive in it, it’s not much fun.

Just about everyone in my desert city posted about the snowfall that was only about an inch or two. My Midwest and East Coast family and friends made fun of us for sure.

But it made me think of how I use weird weather patterns in some of my stories to add some drama to an otherwise drab scene. I’ve had an unusual, early season blizzard that portended a change brought on by an ancient curse in Winter’s Requiem, the third book in my Dark Goddess trilogy. In Beltaine’s Song, the second book in this trilogy, I had a sudden, dramatic thunderstorm that made everyone run for cover and brought characters together that wouldn’t normally be with each other. And in Daughter of Night, a sudden storm brings my hero and heroine together in the stables where they share a tender moment.

To all the other writers out there: Have you used weather as a writing tool?

Readers: Is there a favorite weather scene in a book you read?

 

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!

Forbidden love…Broken vows…Betrayal

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

Christmas traditions

We have a tradition at our house every Christmas. Besides the Christmas tree, we hang stockings, one for each member of the house, including the pets. I didn’t get this traditional from my family. We never hung stockings. I got this from my mother-in-law who always had a stocking for every person in the family. I thought this was a great idea.

When I shop for Christmas presents, it’s fun to search for items small enough to fit into a stocking. Candy is a big stocking stuffer, but I manage to find other things like electronic gadgets like chargers and flash drives, music cds or movie dvds, beauty supply items for myself and treats for the dogs.

It’s a tradition my husband and I treasure each Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Blessed Winter Solstice and Happy New Year!

Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…

A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.

Will love be enough to save them?

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

 

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

Jack-o’-Lantern lore

Halloween is coming and most people will be carving their pumpkins, putting candles inside and setting them outside on their porches. Did you ever wonder how this tradition got started?

Ancient people in Britain, Ireland and Scotland made candlelit lanterns out of different fruits and vegetables like turnips, apples, beets, potatoes and cucumbers. They carved scary faces in these fruits and vegetables and placed the candles inside, hoping the creepy lighted faces would frighten off evil spirits, especially on the night known as Samhain (now called Halloween) when the barrier between the dead and the living opened and spirits walked the Earth. American colonists realized that pumpkins made the best carved lanterns.

An old Irish legend says that the jack-o’-lantern was named after a real man called Stingy Jack who tricked the devil, forcing him to keep Jack out of hell. But God didn’t think he was good enough to get into heaven either. The devil condemned Jack to wander the Earth at night, his only light a turnip lantern lit with the fire from hell. The Irish named the eerie ghost Jack-o’-Lantern.

Another fun fact about pumpkins: In science, a pumpkin is classified as a fruit not a vegetable.

Happy Halloween!

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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Coming very soon to amazon.com, The Bear Goddess, a re-telling of the Greek myth of Callisto, the nymph who betrayed Artemis. Sign up for my special notices newsletter to be notified of the release date.

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Do supernatural creatures belong in a modern setting?

When I think of vampires and other supernatural creatures, I picture them in time periods without electricity and other modern technology. I think of candlelight and moving unnoticed through darkened paths or streets. I have a hard time thinking of vampires or others of their kind in a modern setting. I don’t think creatures like that belong in modern times. But maybe that’s just me.

I prefer to write about these otherworldly creatures in Medieval and earlier time periods. I have numerous supernatural beings in my stories like faeries, shapeshifters, Greek vampires, a vengeance goddess and in my soon-to-be released series set in Bronze Age Arcadia, I have centaurs, nymphs, werewolves, blood-drinking creatures and a crow woman. But that being said, I’ve started a story with vampires, werewolves, witches, gods and faeries in a modern setting. I want to show how difficult it is for these creatures to exist in a modern world.

One of my challenges is whether or not my magical beings can work magic in a world with cell phones and computers. Does technology interfere with magic? Does technology weaken them? These are a couple of the reasons I feel that supernatural beings are out of place in a modern world. I wonder how they can move about without being captured on a camera. I suppose vampires wouldn’t be caught on 35mm film, but what about digital photographs?

It seems I have a lot to think about as I work out this story.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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

Buy links on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

The scary vampires are back

I read The Strain and now I am watching the TV series based on the books. The premise behind The Strain is that vampirism is more like a virus that transforms the human body into some kind of creature or organism with no sense of humanity. All they want to do is feed and make more vampires. And the way they feed is really gross—they have these long tongue-like things that extend out of their mouth. It’s really freaky to imagine something like this could be real.

What I like about this vampire series is that there is nothing loveable about these vampires. They are frightening. And changing into one of these vampires is anything but sexy. I love being scared and the recent vampire books and movies are not scary at all. In fact, some are just silly. I grew up in the era of the non-sparkly vampires, and I welcome this new wave of vampires like the ones in 30 Days of Night that spent the whole movie wearing dried blood and Let Me In where childlike innocence is a disguise for a true predator. And now I look forward to watching the truly inhuman ones in The Strain.

Finally, vampires are scary again and there is nothing better than a good scare.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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

Buy links on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

Dealing with change

This has been a time of big changes for me. After losing my second dog—a dog I’d had for 15 years, a dog that was always at my side and a dog I had cared for when he became sick about 2 years ago—I have entered a new phase of my life. Losing my first dog 2 years ago was hard, but I still had my other dog. But now that both of them are gone, I realized a whole section of my life is lost. So many changes came about with them—good and bad, but mostly good—and now I find myself wondering what the future holds for me. Taking care of a sick pet is difficult and a part of me is relieved to be free of that, but a part of me is also heartbroken.

Luckily, I have one dog remaining. He came into our lives about a year ago. Without him, I would truly be lost. A huge chapter of my life is gone and new one begins. Even though I am sad for what I have lost, I look forward to the future. I’m using this time of change to reinvent myself, to clean out my clutter and to focus on what lies ahead and not dwell on what has past.

Change can be a good thing. It depends on how you choose to look at it—you either accept it and move on or you don’t and risk becoming depressed. I’m hoping to move on. Here’s to what the future holds.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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

http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

Writing help: Finding my way back

I’ve reached a place in my writing where I’ve become complacent, especially when it comes to revisions. I need some discipline, maybe a kick in the butt to get myself back on track. I’m not sure how this happened. Maybe I have become uninspired when it comes to rewrites. What frustrates me is I can read through an unknown manuscript and easily find what needs to be fixed, but when it comes to my own writing, I’m blind. Something needs to be done to find my mojo again and get me out of this writing funk. I wonder if other writers experience this at some point.

I thought back to when I first started writing and how excited I was to get those words down and get them right without worrying about how I did it. Maybe it’s inspiration I need in order to find my way again—inspiration and some discipline when it comes to revising my work.

Discipline I can manage. So, how do I get that elusive inspiration back that I need? That’s the million-dollar question. This is almost as bad as writer’s block. One thing I noticed is I worry too much about breaking the writing rules now, and I think that fear is holding me back. When I was a newbie writer, I didn’t worry about the rules because I didn’t know all of them yet. I think some of my earlier writing is also my best, or at least, more unfettered than it has been lately. To be creative, I think you need to let go and not worry about rules too much. Yeah, I know. I just said I need to be unfettered and have some discipline—contradicting meanings. Surely, I’m crazy. Possibly. But, what I mean is there needs to be a balance of letting go of the rules and having some discipline during the revising process. I can’t just casually read through my manuscript. I need to go through it line by line and have a list of things I need to look at. This is where knowing my weaknesses can be useful. My editor helped me with that one.

So, how do I find the inspiration to write and revise my book to make it the best it can be? I need to let go of my hesitation, my fear of breaking a rule. I need to let the words flow naturally. That and a little kick in the butt of discipline might just help me get back what I lost.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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

http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

My biggest frustration as a writer

I think everyone gets frustrated at some point with himself or herself. I’m feeling that way now. After writing and publishing seven books, I thought I could do a pretty good job of editing my own work. Since I’m self-publishing this time around, I decided to have an editor do a sample edit on ten pages. I was wrong about being able to do my own edits.

And here’s the worst part—I’m also an editor. I work for a couple of publishers and I also do freelance work. How frustrating is that? And not to mention, embarrassing. I can easily spot a writer’s weakness, but I am blind to my own weaknesses. It’s like having a super power you can use to help everyone except yourself. Or maybe it’s a writer’s curse. Writers have been gifted the skill to create stories, but we are unable to polish the stories by ourselves because we are too close to our own work to be able to really “see” the obvious errors. Another pair of fresh eyes is always needed.

Professional editors aren’t cheap, so it really bothers me that I have to shell out a lot of money to give to another editor when I am capable of editing. But this is necessary in order to publish a good book. I have reluctantly accepted that I need an editor, though I still complain about it. It makes me feel better to know that I’m not alone in this—all writers need an editor.

If I can give new writers advice, it would be this: Don’t cut out the editor. This is the same advice I would give experienced writers as well, especially for self-publishing.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

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

Direct buy links on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

Shapeshifting rules

There are different ways to handle the laws of shapeshifting. I’ve read books where clothes can magically appear when shifting from animal to human. And that’s okay for some writers. I prefer to have my characters naked when changing back from an animal shape because this creates some added embarrassment, amusement or uncomfortable moments for my characters.

I posted a short excerpt from one of my books—a scene where being naked can add something to the story.

Excerpt from Winter’s Requiem:

The intention sparking in his eyes looked dangerous as he sprang first. He moved with surprising catlike speed to grab her in a most delicate position. She pushed her mind, trying to bring on the change so she could fly away from this strange, threatening man, feeling the prickly sensation of her body twisting into the shape of a raven. She was able to fly a short distance before weakness overwhelmed her and she crashed to the ground as a woman. Frightened and searching for an escape, she realized she could still use her legs to run away.

Springing up with the swiftness of a frightened hare, she pumped her legs, forcing her body to run fast. Panic filled her. Brigit’s shorter legs and shapely body lacked the taut leanness and height that would have allowed Cailleach to run fast. She sensed the young warrior closing in on her, his heavy footfalls putting dread into her gut. Cailleach wondered how he could run so fast with the heavy sword belt and she forced her tired body to keep moving. Her legs trembled with weakness, threatening to give out, her pace slowing. Ragged, painful breaths pressed against her chest and spread to the rest of her body. She cursed her weakness, refusing to give up. The jangle of his sword belt grew louder; his large shadow loomed over her.

Strong arms encircled her in a tight hold. She stumbled and they fell to the ground in a twisted heap. Only then did she become aware of her nakedness and his closeness. She never thought about the laws of shapeshifting—only when shapeshifting into another human shape would her clothes remain and could be changed to other clothing, but shapeshifting into an animal required nakedness—until now with this strange, handsome man pressed against her naked body.

****

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

Three different women, one ancient curse…

An ancient curse is revealed, leading Domelch, Brigit and Cailleach into certain danger amid a web of deceit. Can they break the curse and put the shattered pieces of their lives back together?

http://kelleyheckart.com/winters_requiem.html