Sunday, August 8, 2010

Heather Kuehl in the Author Spotlight

Cate: Please welcome Heather Kuehl. Heather, will you please share a short bio with us?
Heather: Thank you for having me! I was born near the
Great Lakes, but made my way to South Carolina where I currently live. I’m the author of The Sarah Vargas Series, as well as several other books, numerous short stories and poems. When I’m not writing, I’m usually chasing after my two year old son.

Cate: Tell us about Epiphany and Dream Lover, and where they’re available.
Heather: Well, I’m going to start with Dream Lover, since it’s my favorite.
I’ve never written a book that I love more.

Dream Lover blurb: Denna Rainerd has dreamed about Warren Connelly for the past ten years, their relationship in the dream world hot and passionate. Pity he isn't real...or is he? Warren wishes that Denna was in his real world, but a human in his world would be a liability. He's a Hunter shapeshifter; sworn to protect his world from the darkest of creatures while he's focused on revenge for the death of his brother. Their worlds collide when Warren saves Denna's life, setting up a chain of events that will change their lives forever. Will Denna be able to accept Warren's supernatural secrets?

Don’t forget to check out another one of my new releases, Epiphany.

Epiphany blurb: Everlena doesn't usually go out to clubs, but one night she decides to, on a whim. She meets Mika, a man who is as mysterious as he is delectable. Everlena doesn't know that Mika has plans for her, or that dark forces are out to get her. Mika is the Fey-King of the Unseelie Court. He's trying to find the princess of the Seelie Court, and is shocked to find her living life as a human. Even more shocking is that this human has no clue Mika’s world even exists. Mika must get Everlena to safety while convincing her that a union between her light court and his dark court is the only way to end the violence. With danger around every turn, will Everlena be able to leave her human life behind and take her place as a princess of the Seelie Court? Or will the feelings blossoming between Everlena and Mika get in the way?


Cate: Wonderful! Congrats on both releases. Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Heather: Sure thing!
Epiphany excerpt; from Chapter One:
Scooping Everlena up into his arms, Mika dashed from the bathroom. Before she knew it they were outside, breathing in the cold night air.
Wheezing, Everlena tried to make sense of what had just happened. The ex-girlfriend theory was apparently panning out, especially since she heard Mika muttering, “I can’t believe she did that. Glad I left her when I did.”
“What’s going on?” Everlena’s throat was rough and painful, making her voice sound gravelly. “Put me down, Mika.”
He carefully did as she asked, setting her down on a bench outside the restaurant. Just as carefully, he cupped her chin in his gloved hand and tilted her head to examine her neck.
“You’ll bruise, that’s for sure. Why didn’t you fight back?”
“She surprised me. I didn’t know what to do.”
“You let the leader of Dyier Shola surprise you? I find that unlikely.”
“Dyier Sh-what?”
Mika’s eyes narrowed, examining hers as he spoke. “Dyier Shola. The assassins.”
Everlena felt chilling fear slide through her. “What?”
“You really have no clue what I’m talking about, do you?”
“Why did your ex-girlfriend try to kill me? What did you do to her?”
Mika ground his teeth as he shook his head. “Why is it that, even after she tried to kill you, you women always band together? You assume it was something I did.”
“Then why did she try to kill me?”
Mika sighed and leaned back. “I never thought I’d have to explain this to someone of your stature.”
“My stature?”
“Royalty. You’re a faerie princess, Everlena.”

Dream Lover excerpt; from Chapter One:
Waving, Denna ran down the street. Luck was on her side as she approached the crosswalks. Lights clicked over, allowing her to dash across the intersection with the other pedestrians. Feeling her phone vibrating in her pants pocket, Denna cursed and pushed herself to go faster as she looked down to see who was calling.
Tires squealed and car horns blared as Denna ran into an intersection that wasn’t ready for pedestrians. She froze, gray eyes growing wide as she watched the car barreling toward her. There was no way she could move in time. She was going to die.
Something heavy slammed into her, sending Denna crashing onto the sidewalk. Her head cracked on the pavement, and her hand felt the spot and came back with blood. She felt someone move beside her, and reality came crashing back. She was alive. Some stranger had saved her life. Denna had a pounding headache from the injury, but she couldn’t care less. She was just happy to be alive.
Rolling over, she touched the muscled shoulder of the man that pushed her aside.
“Thank you so much. I wasn’t paying attention. Thank God you were. Thank you so…”
The words left Denna as the man sat up, pushing shoulder-length red hair out of his eyes. It couldn’t be! But the man smiling at her with a quizzical look in his eyes looked exactly like…
“Warren?”
Surprise dashed across his features and Denna hurried to sit up. She cried out as pain radiated through her skull. Then darkness followed.

Cate: Loved them! Can you tell us why we're going to love your hero?
Heather: Mika, hero of Epiphany, would do anything to protect the woman he loves from danger. What girl wouldn’t love that? As for Warren of Dream Lover, he a tough bad boy with a soft romantic middle; a wicked combination for any woman.

Cate: Oo, he sounds irresistible. :) Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.
Heather: I’ve mixed paranormal with fantasy while creating my world. Every book shows readers just a little more of how infinite the possibilities really are.

Cate: I love mashing genres too. What's next for you?
Heather: Well At All Costs, a short science fiction/fantasy story is due out in December with MuseItUp Publishing. MuseItUp is also publishing my erotic romance White Wolf in April for their Short N’ Spicy line. I’m in the process of writing Sarah Vargas 4 as well as several other books.

Cate: Wow, busy! What inspired you to draft your first story?
Heather: My first story was what would become my book Promises to Keep. I started it in high school and just loved the idea of playing in a world of my own creation. Sadly, I can’t remember the inspiration for that particular story.

Cate: Fiction’s a great escape! Do you have a writing routine?
Heather: Ha! I wish! I write whenever I can find the time, which lately is around midnight. I’ve found that I’m usually done with all parenting and household responsibilities around that time, LoL.

Cate: I hear ya. Where can readers find you on the web?
Heather:  Readers can visit me on my website (http://www.heatherkuehl.com) or blog (http://heatherkuehl.blogspot.com). I’m also on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Author.Heather.Kuehl) and Twitter (@heatherkuehl).

Cate: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Heather: I’ve been on a Buffy the Vampire Slayer kick lately, so I want to know who you prefer for The Chosen One - Angel or Spike?

Cate: Thanks so much for being my guest, Heather! Best of luck with your many projects.