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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

INDIE-CREDIBLE AUTHORS: Heather Self

OH WOW!!! I cannot tell you how flippin excited I am about hosting the EVER FABULOUS, MOST AWESOME, AAAAAAMAZING author Heather Self.
How can I tell you just how great Heather is?  She is one of the most down to earth people I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know.  
I was introduced to Heather about a year ago through one of my favorite authors.  With a special project going on, we were able to talk and from there conversations grew.  I then found out she had written THE ONE and immediately went to Amazon and bought it. Opened it up on my kindle and flew through its fabulousness.  LOVED every single bit of it... (#TeamChase, #Justsayin)...
So, we talked more and more...and then the awesome opportunity of attending UTOPYA con came up and we were both going to be there!! I was beyond excited that we were going to be able to sit and talk in person....Definitely going to be one of the highlights of my year....AND BOY WAS IT...
 
 

But, I can't tell you all the fabulous things I want...This post would be so long...IT WOULD BE CRAZY!!!!
She is a brilliant, amazing, talented writer who has created a beautiful mystical world with my favorite mythical creature....dragons...
THE ONE is a book you need to experience....you fill be hooked in an instant....
But, don't let me just tell you....Read below (interview, a teaser excerpt, giveaway, etc) discover more...and find out for yourself just how fabulous Heather Self is....

Kat: Hi TSK TSKers... Boy am I happy to introduce you to one of my favorite people in the world....The awesome Heather Self is with us today and I had the privilege of asking her some questions so you guys might get to know her a little better....So to start off...Heather…tell us a little about yourself….
Heather: What do you want to know? My life is not particularly exciting. lol
Kat: Oh please...You are THE HEATHER SELF....lol
Where did you get your inspiration for writing The One? 
Heather: Oh gosh. So I’ll have to confess my EPIC nerdiness for part of this. Evy was an answer to all the whiny, I can’t live without him, and where the heck are the freaking parents, heroines that I was seeing in YA at the time. The Kin came about because I played World of Warcraft and was always fascinated by the dragons in the game. They were BAD ASSES and I always wondered what their stories were. So…I made up my own :D
Kat: That is freakin AWESOME...and Evy is definitely not your typical YA heroine...So, 
What is a typical day like for you?
Heather: Now that school is back, I’m up at 6:30am to get the kiddos fed and to the bus.  I’m off and on social media all day but spend my most time catching up on it in the mornings. Then I write or read, depending on what I’m feeling and if I have a beta read or Kathleen has sent me stuff to critique.
Kat: Yeah, now that school is back it seems the time flies by for me...But since you read during this time...tell us, Who are you favorite authors? Favorite books?  
Heather: UGH! Too many on both counts. But here’s a quick overview:  http://www.slice.com/bookshelf/main#bookshelf/-1231814809560081073:-6704161438354381576
Kat: Ahhhh....I can understand that too!! I just keep adding to my lists too.. LOL!!! I see many authors today have playlists in their books....Do you have playlists with your books? And what is your Favorite type of music? Favorite songs? 
Heather: I DO have playlists for the books, and I listen to A LOT of Maroon 5 while I write. I guess Indie is prob my favorite but my playlist is very eclectic (Broadway showtunes to Godsmack—seriously). Right now my fav song is Sara Bareilles Brave
Kat: LOL!!! Yeah, no point sticking to just one genre of music...Be free and enjoy it all...Ok, Back to writing...What do you find the most difficult in writing?   
Heather: ALL OF IT! Getting the words down, not being hypercritical of my work, not comparing to others. UGH.
Kat: *Nods* Being hypercritical can really be tough... Do you have a character that you just hate to write? One that you just love to write?  
Heather: Haven’t come across any I HATE to write—yet.  And I LOVE to write Kieran. He is one of the most gentle men, even after all the crap he’s been through. I just want to squeeze him!
Kat:  Awww... #TeamChase....I mean...I love Kieran too!!! :D sooo...Do you follow an outline or are you flexible with your characters as they talk to you? 
Heather: Mostly flexible.  As far as The Portal Trilogy goes, there are certain things that have to happen to propel the story (I’ve actually already written the end) but I never know how I’m going to get there.
Kat: Ok...fun break....so, What do you do for fun? 
Heather: :D READ! And Doctor Who. And The Voice. And TV & movies in general.
Kat: I love Doctor Who!!! I have watched it for a while myself...Started it with my dad long ago... :D Now... Somewhere you are dying to travel to…
Heather: I’ve been to Ireland twice and want to go back RIGHT NOW!
Kat: AHHHHH!!!!! I want to go to Ireland soooo bad... *Sighs* ok...back to business....What are you working on right now? 
Heather: Book two of The Portal Trilogy titled the Key and a super secret project that will probably use a pen name
Kat: Oooohhh...I love super secret projects.... :D I'm guessing this question can tie in that with What goals do you have for 2014? 
Heather: Finish The Portal Trilogy and “ssp”
Kat: Now...a little more just about you...What is your favorite holiday? Heather: CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!
Kat: Don't we all just looooove Christmas??? What is something you would LOVE to do but are too scared to do it? 
Heather: Skydive (the hubs LOVED it) and be a voice for audio books
Kat: Skydive would be on that list for me too... and a voice for audio books?? That would be so cool!! Alright, now, What is your favorite food?  How often do you eat it?
Heather: Tex Mex! At least once a week ;)
Kat: Mmmmm.... Delicioso!!! Time to wrap things up...Any parting words of wisdom?
Heather: Stop calling yourself an “aspiring “ writer. If you write, you are!
Kat: Man, I just love her!! She is FREAKIN AWESOME!!!! So happy to have had her as my INDIE-CREDIBLE author because she is INCREDIBLE!!!!
Thank you soooo much Heather for taking the time out of your crazy schedule to answer my questions....
Now...On to some more fantastic stuff from Heather...

Stranded on Earth two thousand years they’ve waited for the arrival of the One: some to save her, others to kill her. With her birth, the ancient prophecy could at last be fulfilled and the doorway between the worlds would open. Those who know the prophecy believe this event occurred almost eighteen years ago, and now, they’ll stop at nothing to find her.Seventeen-year-old Eveline has lived her entire life on the move and she hates it. She knows her parents believe she’s the One, and they’ve done whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of those who want her dead. But Eveline isn’t fully convinced that her parents’ beliefs match her own. What she does believe is that Leadville, Colorado may be the chance she’s been waiting for. The chance to be somewhere safe. The chance for her to make friends and have fun. The chance to finally date a guy. The chance to be a normal girl, at least as normal as possible for someone not human. 



Mary Anne Moore doesn't know what she is. She can’t explain why she has lived so long. 

Or why she never gets sick. 

Or why the dreams she has come true. 

She has hidden herself as a lowly servant to the households of Dublin's English elite for decades, until the night that changes her life. Now her sole purpose is the child she never expected to have. She will do anything in her power to keep the black-eyed monsters from discovering him and turning him into one of them.

For Kieran Moore, the dark is an ever-present parasite, waiting to devour his humanity. His mother’s love and the girl in his dreams has kept it at bay for years, but the more time that passes—the longer he has to wait for her—the more it grows. When tragedy strikes, it is all he can do to keep from being consumed by the darkness that infects him. He must continue to hold on to the hope of peace her presence will bring him, because it’s not just his fate on the line, but that of the entire world.


The Kin- An emotionally tempered drakin (or dragon) shifter race from the planet Cascalar, trapped on Earth when the portal between the two planets closed.
Flights-four Kin “races” as determined by elemental power; manifests physically with eye colors which change when the element is being used
Iara (water)—sea green/teal
Adari (fire)—blue/white
Avira (air)—grey/purple
Luros (earth)—brown/red
Nerada- corrupt human/Kin hybrid
Transition: time when a Kin come into their elemental powers as well as any special abilities, such as telekinesis, healing, telepathy, etc…

The “players”:



 



Eveline Fallon
Stats: Pre-transition
Height: 5’10”
Hair: Shoulder-length dark hair, multi-colored stripe of white, black, blonde, red
Eyes/Flight: Grey, sea green, brown, blue/ALL
Age: Almost 18
As I looked at the students dashing into the building to get out of the cold, I continued to delay. The cold didn’t bother me. Pretending to be human didn’t bother me either. But being the new kid? I’d rather face down a legion of Nerada.” ~Evy





Liam “Smith”
Height: 6’7”
Stats: Post-Transition
Hair: Dirty blond
Eyes/Flight: Sapphire blue with a chocolate outer ring/Adari-Luros
Age: ~200 years
“Eveline. I have known you,” he paused and sighed, smiling sadly, “and loved you your whole life.”   ~Liam
“I don’t like early, nor am I caffeinated enough, for your sarcasm.” ~Liam






Jennavieve “Smith”
Height: 5’11”
Stats: Post-Transition
Hair: Curly, auburn
Eyes/Flight: Light Mahogany/ Luros
Age: ~100 years
Jenna gave her a sympathetic pat on the arm, before pulling her down the hallway, “Don’t worry, Kai. My brothers seem to have that effect on the female populace. Just wait until Chase gets here. We’ll never hear the end of it.” ~Jenna to Kai
Jenna shook her head. “She’s not very smart. She should be sucking up to me since she would like to have both my brothers, and I totally meant that the way it sounded.” ~Jenna to Evy






Chase “Smith”
Height: 6’9”
Stats: Post-Transition
Hair: wavy, brown with auburn
Eyes/Flight: Honey-colored/ Luros
Age: ~300 years
“Remember slow, deep breaths, Evy. Porting is a lot like kissing—better with practice.”  ~Chase
“Well, you’re going to need to put your arms around me. Then hold on really tight. You may want to close your eyes too.”
“All that is for transporting?”
“Was there something else you’d prefer to be doing?” ~Chase & Evy





Kai Hayward
Height: 5’4”
Stats: Human
Hair: Straight, golden blonde; pixie cut
Eyes/Flight: dark brown/Not applicable
Age: 17 years
“What? Gorgeous Australian who speaks perfect French. I’m not dead people. That’s like, hotness on a stick.” ~Kai
“Somebody mention snarky comments and sarcasm? I’m so your girl!” ~Kai





Kieran Moore
Height: 6’5”
Stats: Nerada
Hair: Wavy, nearly black
Eyes/Flight: grey/Iara
Age: ~100 years
“I’m not particularly worried about them. But if he ever comes after me like that again, I’ll drop him on the spot regardless of who’s watching.” ~Kieran

“You humble me. In no way do I deserve you, but I will strive to show you every day how precious you are to me.” ~Kieran


 And now...we have a SPECIAL...SPECIAL....excerpt for you...well truthfully....it is quite a TEASE for us since we are waiting patiently for THE KEY...book 2 in this AWESOME series....
So...here we go...
From CHASE....
Everything had changed.
For three hundred years my life had revolved around simple tenets: protect our people, protect the humans, eradicate the Nerada. Everything I’d done in my life, on this planet, had revolved around those perceived truths. Nothing deterred me from the path they’d set before me, not the birth of Liam or Jenna, not the revealing of Liam’s mark, not even the birth of the One.
But,then…
The things I believed to be black and white could no longer be confined to the simplicity of those colors. There were unexpected complications.
A missing key. A human keeper. A Nerada who wasn’t. A half-solved prophecy.
A girl.
And a kiss.
Complex developments that stirred in me fluctuating emotions that left me feeling surprisingly…

Human.



The One

The Dark


THREE AWESOME PRIZES 
1st: Signed copies of THE ONE & THE DARK
2nd: E-copy of THE ONE & THE DARK
3rd: E-copy of THE ONE & THE DARK

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4 comments:

  1. Thanks, Kat! SO much fun. Poor Kieran. He gets no love except from me. ;)

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  2. Wao, really caught my attention this story, congratulations :)!

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  3. Love the interview and excerpt, still need to read The Dark, but I'm so happy today because I won 4 the one/ the dark bookmarks(2 signed!:)) got in the mail (surprise because I totally forgot that giveaway-so many others I put in- and first time to win something and it's signed!!)

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