Interview at The Examiner

The wonderful Heather Kuehl has interviewed me at The Examiner. I hope you'll pop over and visit!

In the Author Spotlight: Heather Kuehl

Today, I leave you in the capable hands of fantastic author Heather Kuehl.

Word Count

I recently read a guest blog post from a fellow Eternal Press author about word count goals and how they may hamper rather than help. While I was commenting, I discovered that I had a lot to say concerning word count goals. I think having goals, either daily or overall goals, makes for a better person. If you have a goal you’re more likely to sit down and work on it, and the proud feeling you get when you accomplish that task makes all the hard work worthwhile. When I sit down to write, I give myself an overall word count goal as well as a due date. For example, when I was writing Blood Moon my word count goal was 25k and my due date was July. Blood Moon was finished on time but my word count was 22k, which was fine by me. If I set a daily word count goal it would only lead to disappointment. There are days that I’m lucky to write 500 words (if at all). With an overall word count goal I am able to feel proud of the amount I am able to write per day, knowing that I am one step closer to having a finished manuscript in my hands.

I have a couple of rules that I live by when writing: 1) It doesn’t matter if I am below or above my word count goal, when a story is done it’s done. I’m not going to add some stuff in there to make to reach my goal. Which brings me to 2) No useless filler. Does a scene make the plot progress or add to character development? No. Then it’s cut.

If you are a writer, what are your goals when you sit down to play with your characters? If you aren’t a writer, what do you love to do and what goals do you set?

Discover the Sarah Vargas Series. Books one and two in this series, Fade to Black and Malevolent Dead, are available now from Eternal Press. Book three, Blood Moon, is due out in March 2011.

Fade to Black blurb:
Werewolf bounty hunter Sarah Vargas has only one goal in life; to kill the Were that attacked and changed her. However a slew of werecreature murders send Sarah and her partner, Jared Fontaine, on the mission of their lives, ending with a discovery about Jared’s past that might destroy them both.

Malevolent Dead blurb:
Werewolf Sarah Vargas thought all she had to worry about was the Blood Moon Corporation's retaliation. She never dreamed that another vampire would arrive, disputing Damian's claim over the throne to Charleston, SC. To make matters worse, he is no ordinary vamp; he's a vampire necromancer. He's exceptionally hard to kill, and Sarah will have to do what ever she can to keep those that she loves safe... Even if it means doing the unthinkable.

Blood Moon blurb:
After she broke her contract with the Blood Moon Corporation, Sarah Vargas knew that it was only a matter of time before they came for her. What she didn't know is what lengths they would go to to make sure that she had no where to run. Everyone Sarah has every relied on is in danger during a time when friends become enemies, and Sarah quickly realizes that the Blood Moon Corporation will never give up until she is dead. The Blood Moon Corporation is coming, and even Sarah doesn't think she can make it out alive.

Buy Links

Malevolent Dead: Book Two of the Sarah Vargas Series, Eternal Press
Fade to Black: Book One of the Sarah Vargas Series, Eternal Press
Promises to Keep, Eternal Press

Coming Soon

Just Another Paranormal Christmas (featuring my story “The Unexpected Guests”), Mojocastle Press (11/27/2010)
Blood Moon: Book Three of the Sarah Vargas Series, Eternal Press (3/7/2011)

Visit Heather Kuehl online at http://www.heatherkuehl.com/, http://www.heatherkuehl.blogspot.com/ or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

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?

Buy link: http://eternalpress.biz/people.php?author=273

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?

Buy link: https://sites.google.com/site/heatherkuehl/epiphany

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.

In the Author Spotlight: Heather Kuehl

I'm happy to introduce Heather Kuehl, author of the fantastic Promises to Keep and Fade to Black.

What I look for in a good book

It a rare thing for me to go into a bookstore looking for an author I haven’t read. No, I haven’t read them all already. I’m just picky. I hate to waste money on a book that’s not very good, so I usually stick with authors I like. But sometimes, I want something new.

I’m sorry to say that I do judge book by its cover. Well, starting out I do. If the cover art interests me I’ll pick it up. I discovered Patricia Briggs doing that (How cool! A main character with tattoos!). Then I read the blurb on the back. It’s a plus if the author or the book has review to go along with it (It can’t suck too bad if Publishers Weekly thought it was good). The last thing I do before running up to the register with my new find is that I open the book to a random page in the middle and start reading. If it can pull me in when I have no clue what’s going on then it’s a keeper. There’s been a handful of times this has failed. My random page ended up being the only exciting part in the entire story and the rest of it fell flat. I cut my losses, make a note of that author on the “library only” list (I’ll borrow them, not buy them), and go back to reading Charlaine Harris for a while.

Another thing that will make or break a book for me is if I can’t get into the first ten pages or so. If those ten pages drag on and it takes me forever to read them, I give up. Maybe that’s not the book for me right now. I’ll put it up to try again later.

I love trying new authors, and love it even more when I find one that I can’t get enough of. Sherrilyn Kenyon was like that; I finished her entire Dark Hunter series in a month. There was something about those books that just did it for me. The romance? The adventure? The danger? Whatever it was, it worked. I can’t wait to see what else she has out there.

What I want to know is, what do you look for in a good book? And what author did you discover that just did it for you?

Heather Kuehl is the author of Promises to Keep, Fade to Black (#1 Bestseller in fantasy eBooks on Fictionwise.com), and Malevolent Dead as well as numerous short stories and poems. Visit Heather online at www.heatherkuehl.com, www.heatherkuehl.blogspot.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.



Grab your copy of Promises to Keep today, available from Eternal Press and Amazon.com.