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: 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
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
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
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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
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”
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
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 ;)
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!
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...
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
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
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