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Heather Hiestand's Musings
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Heather Hiestand/Anh Leod, Eilis Flynn and Jacquie Rogers are joining forces for a live chat tonight (Monday, January 30th) at Night Owl!
What's up for discussion? Steampunk, dragons, the Wild, Wild West and Valentine's Day! Plus much more, along with the chance to take home copies of these authors' latest works...
Start Time by Time Zone: 5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8 EST | Most Last Around 1 Hour
Location: Chat link
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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1) HAVE FUN!!!
2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!
3) THIS TOUR STARTS: Friday, January 27, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
THIS TOUR ENDS: Sunday, January 29, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
***Winners will be drawn and posted Monday, January 30th! ***
4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS & BOOK PAGES! EXPERIENCE A NEW DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!
5) PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR & BOOK PAGE IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!
6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!
***Authors & Book Pages have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***
WELCOME TO THE BLOG HOP!
I always had this idea that I would have a lovely spa vacation on a major birthday, one of those ending with a zero. It hasn't happened yet, as zero birthdays have been spent eating cheese sandwiches from gas stations, (albeit in Munich) or in the ICU with family...well at least I've never been alone on a big birthday. One year I got as far as planning a spa vacation to Miraval in Arizona, but that didn't happen!
I imagined myself looking like this. 
About 20 years ago I did spend a little time in Calistoga, California, at mud bath spas. Loved the tiramisu, not so thrilled with digging mud out of orifices I barely realized I had! 
Now this is my idea of a good time. But I'm going to need to sell a lot of books to afford this!
Here's the blurb of my novella, Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine:
Smuggler Terrwyn Fenna just escaped from Newgate Prison and most of Queen Victoria’s British Air Force is after her. Instead of spending a quiet Valentine’s Day with her infant daughter, it’s time for them to jump an airship and flee Wales. Terrwyn thinks she’s out of harm's way—until the airship comes under siege.
Ian Cavill recognizes Terrwyn during the battle. An enslaved crewman serving aboard the government airship Defender, he wants to escape the clutches of the government as much as she does. Will joining forces help them rebuild their lives or lead them into more danger from all their enemies? Both have much to lose. They can die trying…or find a way to survive.
Captain Fenna’s Dirigible Valentine is a 27,000-word steampunk adventure novella. It is the second release in the Steampunk Smugglers series.
Buy links:
Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/116830
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Dirigible-Valentine-Steampunk-Smugglers-ebook/dp/B006P63EDI
ARE:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-captainfenna039sdirigiblevalentine-666405-143.html
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captain-fennas-dirigible-valentine-heather-hiestand/1037538858?ean=2940013784635&itm=1&usri=captain+fenna%27s+dirigible+valentine
website: www.heatherhiestand.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hahiestand
Blog: http://blog.heatherhiestand.com
Kindlegraph: Kindlegraph for electronic autographs
Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine Contest:
Each of the following will count as a contest entry.
1) Please click "Subscribe" on the left side of this blog!
2) Leave me a question or a comment here at my blog below. Please also leave your email address so I can notify you in case you are a winner!
3) Go to my fan page at: Facebook and leave me a brief comment. If you like what you see, feel free to become a fan by "Liking" my page.
PRIZES FOR THIS CONTEST:
1) A .e-book copy of Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas, the first Steampunk Smuggler tale. If the winner has purchased this title previously, they can choose a different e-book prize from my backlist.
Thank you for coming to my blog! I hope you enjoyed my relaxing images!
Link back to the tour: http://enchantedmusepress.blogspot.com/
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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I'm guest blogging with Jolyn Palliata today and discussing the fantasies we have about long ago places today and the comments are very interesting. Stop by! One commenter will win the first Steampunk Smugglers story, "Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas."
Now through January 29th!
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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I saw these on eBay and thought they were very sexy Valentine's wear. A hint of the late Victorian bustle in the style.  They are from a British tutu shop! Store link
Can you imaging the tongues hanging out if you wore this with a catsuit or some simple black lingerie?
Of course, a proper Victorian would have hidden her bustle. Here is a fashion plate to give you an idea of the real look of the day:
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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This one comes from my mother-in-law and is one of my husband's favorites. He does have Puerto Rican heritage, but I think we can safely say this recipe is not exactly quality ethnic cuisine. Yummy though!
1.25 lb 7% fat hamburger
1 onion
6 or more flour or corn soft taco-size tortillas
1 packet taco or burrito seasoning
water per seasoning packet
1 lb salsa
1 lb sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 can refried beans
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x12 baking dish.
Chop onion. Brown meat with onion. Tear tortillas into small pieces and layer half of the pieces into the bottom of dish. When meat is brown, drain fat and mix in seasoning packet and water. Cook until thickened. Pour half of hamburger mixture over burrito shells. Stir half of refried beans into hamburger. Pour half of salsa over beans and hamburger. Spread half of sour cream over salsa. Layer the rest of the tortillas on top and repeat everything. Finish with a sprinkle of the cheese on top.
Bake in oven for half an hour until cheese is melted and mixture bubbles.
This recipe can be spiced up with your choice of salsa, and calories raised or lowered with your choice of meat, beans, cheese and sour cream. The meat mixture can allow for additional vegetables if desired. I have added sliced tomatoes, for instance. Reduce salt by mixing your own spices.
Serves six.
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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I was paging through the January 2012 Vogue yesterday and came across this picture of Amber Le Bon. I immediately thought, "Steampunk heroine!"
What do you think? Something about the hat, the earring, the braid and the challenging, yet thoughtful way she stares out from the picture say steampunk and heroine to me. I may have to plan a story around this photo.
Incidentally, that hat looks like nothing special, but it's designer product and costs over $400. (Jil Sander knit cap, $440) Wow, I swear I have a cap just like it gathering mildew on the floor of my garage!
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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Or at least blogging about it is. And Valentine's Day too.
 I'm working on two guest blogs, for Lisa Mondello's Blog and the Romancing the West Valentine party. For Lisa I'm working on my influences for the clothing in my Steampunk Smugglers series. For the party, Jacquie Rogers assigned me a Valentine's blog specifically, so of course I planned to illustrate it with vintage Victorian Valentine's cards, but guess what? Everything is locked down on the Internet. People are still making money off these images. I guess they are still meaningful to many, but I don't know what I'm going to illustrate my blog with. Not so important, because you'll come visit me there on February 6th for the chance to win a Kindle!
In other news, I've received my first two reviews for Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine on Amazon. Yeah! Reviews are so important for authors. Even if you don't think your opinion is important, trust me, it is. Authors live and die by reviews because people want some kind of assurance and information about products before they buy, and Amazon is the review place of record right now.
There are those who claim authors with high reviews are only getting them from friends and family, but plenty of authors have no family or friend support. Just because someone is friends with an author doesn't mean they are a reader, or motivated to put their name on a review. So even a review from an author's mother has a level of value, in my opinion. (Mom, want to review my stories? LOL)
Captain Fenna at Amazon
5 Stars from E.M. Flynn: I was charmed by the first story in this series, Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas, and when I discovered that this one was a sequel, I had to pick it up. I'd been wondering about the sister of the heroine from the first novella, and sure enough, this was about her! I really like the concept of each story, and each airship named after a holiday. What's the next one, St. Patrick's Day? Anyway, Terrwyn is a strong heroine and determined to keep her baby safe. Ian is determined to get away from the evil forces that shanghai'd him from his hometown. When the wicked father of Terrwyn's baby kidnaps her, Terrwyn and Ian have to hunt him down and rescue her. It's an adventure story, it's an exciting story, and it's even a little romantic. I recommend it highly!
5 Stars from Shoshanna: Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine kept me on the edge of my seat - or rather, since I brought the book to bed with me, it kept me awake, clicking through my ereader very fast to find out what happened next. Heather Hiestand knows how to keep a story moving!
The world Ms. Hiestand built is complete and fascinating, filled with steampunk inventions and airships. But the best part of reading this book, for me, was watching the romance between the hero and heroine unfold. Also, I loved the heroine's portrayal as a mother. She always had to keep her infant's safety in mind, which made the chase scenes and battle scenes all the more exciting (and nerve-wracking!). Note: I read the first Steampunk Smugglers book first, however each book can stand alone as well.
I highly recommend this steampunk adventure!
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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I watched a rerun of Castle on DVD last night - season #2, episode 9 "Love Me Dead," and was highly entertained to see a criminal character, Jessup, who wanted to be a locksmith. A lock master, he wants to go straight with a new career her enjoys, but needs a police letter of approval to be allowed into trade school.
In my Steampunk Smugglers tales, one of my main characters, Terrwyn Fenna, was trained as a screwsman, someone who steals by getting through locks. Along the way, she learned locksmithing as well, as did her cousin Owen Fenna, who attempted to help her into an honest life by working in his locksmith stall in Cardiff, Wales.
In the Victorian period, locksmiths weren't supposed to make keys for locks until they were certain the person asking owned the lock in question. This comes up in the second Steampunk Smugglers tale, "Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine," my new release!
Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/116830
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Dirigible-Valentine-Steampunk-Smugglers-ebook/dp/B006P63EDI
ARE:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-captainfenna039sdirigiblevalentine-666405-143.html
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captain-fennas-dirigible-valentine-heather-hiestand/1037538858?ean=2940013784635&itm=1&usri=captain+fenna%27s+dirigible+valentine |
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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In the Steampunk Smugglers literary world that I've created, the term "air pirates" is used as an insult by the British Air Enforcement against smugglers, or free traders. In the modern world, pirates, whether they be on the seas, or on the internet stealing intellectual property, strike fear into our hearts. But they've also been heros of many a movie and novel. Why are historical pirates romanticized?
Dictionary.com defines the term in some of these ways:
1.a person who robs or commits illegal violence at sea or on the shores of the sea.
2. a ship used by such persons.
3. any plunderer, predator, etc.: confidence men, slumlords, and other pirates.
Perhaps one item at the heart of the issue is who are these illegal behaviors being committed against? If pirates are fighting governments that are considered bad in some way, maybe the pirates become folk heroes rather than the enemy. In the case of my stories, the "air pirates" are providing tax-free luxury goods to common folks, who aren't being offered many services by the government anyway, as well as trying to preserve a way of life forbidden to the common man. As my series develops (I'm working on #3 now), we see that the British Air Enforcement arm of the government, in particular, is doing evil things to crew. My heroes, air pirates or not, are in a position to stop them.
They are outsiders, both against government policies and against the usual way of life--they are travellers on the air, since this is a steampunk world where air travel became easily possible by the 1890s.
So in my world, at least, the pirates are heroes, even if there is a little theft and government-focused violence.
Heather Hiestand at Amazon
What do you think? Are the air pirates in Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas and Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine justified in their actions? |
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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I made this up today and thought I'd share since it was a hit!
1 can lentil soup, such as Amy's
http://www.amys.com/products/product-detail/soups/000502
1 can beef broth
8 oz smoked sausage
2 carrots, or 10 baby carrots
1 celery rib
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Pepper to taste
Open cans and pour into pot on medium heat. Slice sausage and brown it in separate pan. Chop carrots and celery. Add everything, including spices, to broth/soup mix. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until desired consistency.
Serves 3.
Suggested sides: garlic bread and sliced oranges
Yum! |
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Posted by Heather Hiestand at
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