Heather Hiestand's Musings

Romancing the Valentine Giveaway Hop

Heather Hiestand — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:53:00 GMT

This blog hop is being hosted by Reading Romances.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! 2012 marks my second year writing a Valentine's-themed romance novella. Last year's release was my contemporary romance with a paranormal twist, "The Bachelor" and this year it's steampunk romance "Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine!" Read on and enter for the opportunity to win an electronic copy of the standalone first story in my Steampunk Smugglers series.

Here's the blurb:

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.

Buy links:

Smashwords

Amazon

ARe
Barnes and Noble

website: www.heatherhiestand.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hahiestand

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.

4) Click on my Twitter link and follow me at: http://twitter.com/hahiestand.

7) Subscribe to my newsletter: http://www.coffeeonsundays.info/_sgg/m3_1.htm

PRIZE FOR THIS HOP:

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.

Link back to the Romancing the Valentine Blog Hop!

Great week upcoming at Romancing the West

Heather Hiestand — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:11:18 GMT

Romancing the West

In honor of my release of "Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine" we're going into busy mode around the Internet. There will be a blog hop with prizes starting here tomorrow, but also, at Romancing the West, there will be a week-long party culminating in a loaded Kindle giveaway! Make sure not to miss that.

I'll also be at TRS as part of the Valentine Gala so make sure you stop by the party site and enter prizes!

The Romance Studio

The "Romancing the Valentine" Blog hop ends here on the 13th. I'll be announcing my winner just after that on the 14th as well as guest blogging with Pembroke Sinclair that day. Actual Valentine's Day in real life? Spending it at the hospital while a family member has a procedure. It's a good thing I celebrated the holiday in my heart while writing Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine!

Visiting with Lisa Mondello

Heather Hiestand — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:24:54 GMT

Popular contemporary romance author Lisa Mondello is visiting with me and doing a giveaway here, while I visit her blog on February 2nd!

I want to thank Heather for having me here on her blog today. I am deep in working on my next book series, TEXAS HEARTS, the first of which, Her Heart for the Asking, should be available in the next week! In the meantime, please enjoy this excerpt from The Knight and Maggie's Baby, book 3 in my Fate with a Helping Hand series. You can read The Knight and Maggie's Baby as a standalone book or get all 3 books in the series in a BOX SET edition at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Today one lucky commenter will win a copy of The Knight and Maggie's Baby. So don't be shy. Leave a comment for a chance to win! Enter by midnight Saturday, February 4th.

For news about my upcoming releases, visit me at http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com. Enjoy! Lisa

The Knight and Maggie’s Baby

By Lisa Mondello

BLURB:

Sometimes fate needs a little help…

Jonah Wallace knows what it’s like to grow up without love. Despite having more money than the Queen of England, his childhood was cold and stale as he grew up in boarding schools. He’s dedicated his life to helping homeless and displaced children find the love and support they need by creating the Haven House Foundation, work that resulted in him being Knighted by the Queen.

Now that he’s living in America, his work is going along just fine…until his grandfather gives fate a little nudge by insisting he take a wife before he can inherit.

Coffee shop owner, Maggie Bonelli, is pregnant and the baby’s dad has gone AWOL. She knows too well the pain of growing up without a daddy. So when Jonah Wallace comes into her shop proposing marriage for a year, she takes him up on his offer, even if it’s only for a year. Live in a mansion and give her baby a name and a daddy to call his/her own. But can they keep their perfect arraingement strictly business…or will fate’s helping hand bring them love at last?

Amazon http://amzn.com/B005K0ECFY

BN http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-knight-and-maggies-baby-lisa-mondello/1105172661?ean=2940013088238&itm=2&usri=lisa+mondello

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/88367

iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-knight-and-maggies-baby/id467570984?mt=11

Excerpt

“Don't you think you're rushing things just a tad?” She lifted her hand and pinched
her index finger and thumb together for emphasis.

“I'll admit my proposal is a bit abrupt,” he stammered.

“A bit?”

“We've only known each other--”

“Forty-five minutes tops,” she blurted out. “Are you out of your mind?”

Her tone was incredulous. And he really didn't blame Maggie if she thought he was
nuts. He felt nuts. Desperate, too. But he found himself defending his proposal.
“Quite possibly. But you see, that’s exactly my point. I'm have a bit of a time crunch here, and it seems as though--”

Maggie folded her arms across her chest. “How silly of me. Here I thought you
were sweeping me off my feet.”

He shook his head with a chuckle. “I do sound mad, don't I?”

“Recognition is the first step toward recovery.”

Something rumbled up from deep inside him. Jonah laughed at himself, thisdisastrous day, and the absurd situation he'd been forced into by his grandfather. It felt good to laugh. That in itself was incredibly surprising, considering he hadn't managed to do much laughing at all since he'd learned of the impending plans for Wiltshire.

He peered at Maggie through moisture filled eyes. She wasn't laughing. But she was
incredibly beautiful. Her sapphire eyes sparkled when she teased him. There were small freckles sprinkled across her nose that looked adorable with the sun shining on her creamy skin.

When she looked at him the way she was right now, it didn't seem like such a crazy
idea to marry her. At least not for the reasons he was proposing. He hadn't given it a second thought. And yet, now he realized just how ridiculous he looked from her eyes.

“I'm not making a pass at you. Truly, I'm not.”

“You just asked me to marry you.”

“I'm asking for your help.”

“Again?”

His lips tilted up to one side. “Again.”

Maggie took two steps down the stairs until they were both standing at eye level.

“Forget the phone call, the nice air conditioned ride in the limo, the coffee, the pie—”

“Which by the way was truly inspiring,” he interjected. “If I didn’t already tell you that.”

“You did. You don't even know me. You’re asking a total stranger to marry you.”

He shrugged. “I know that. But I know you make me laugh.”

“So that's all it takes for a happy marriage? Bet we could make a killing with that
book.”

“I sound delusional,” he said. “Even to my own ears, which is pretty scary.”

He was delusional. He'd just asked a woman he didn't even know to marry him!
And the fact that he was truly considering it was entirely grandfather's doing.

Lisa Mondello
The Knight and Maggie's Baby Book 3 (Fate with a Helping Hand) 9/11
The Marriage Contract Book 2 (Fate with a Helping Hand) 9/11
All I Want for Christmas is You Book 1 (Fate with a Helping Hand) 9/11 99 Cent Download!

Visit Heather Hiestand today at: http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com

Chat with me Monday night 1/30/12!

Heather Hiestand — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:02:00 GMT

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

BUBBLE BATHS AND STEAMY ROMANCE BLOG HOP TOUR (JAN 27-29)

Heather Hiestand — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:29:38 GMT

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:

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.

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.

4) Click on my Twitter link and follow me at: http://twitter.com/hahiestand.

5) If you have a Goodreads account, review any of my books that you've read. Amazon reviews are also appreciated very much and either of these will be a double entry into the contest! http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12891580-captain-andrew-s-flying-christmas

6) Subscribe to my newsletter: http://www.coffeeonsundays.info/_sgg/m3_1.htm

PRIZES FOR THIS CONTEST:

Link back to the tour: http://enchantedmusepress.blogspot.com/

Fantasies of Long Ago Places

Heather Hiestand — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:29:11 GMT

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!

Blog link

Slinky vintage-ish Valentine's wear

Heather Hiestand — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:06:56 GMT

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:

Quick-fixing burrito casserole recipe

Heather Hiestand — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:27:00 GMT

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.

More fashion

Heather Hiestand — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:25:47 GMT

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!

Fashion is hard! Reviews are harder.

Heather Hiestand — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:33:35 GMT

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!

Castle vs. Captain Fenna

Heather Hiestand — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:46:43 GMT

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

Pirates: Are they the good guys or bad guys?

Heather Hiestand — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:07:28 GMT

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?

Quick-fixing soup recipe!

Heather Hiestand — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:55:56 GMT

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!

Playlist: Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine

Heather Hiestand — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:44:17 GMT

Want to know what I was listening too while writing my second Steampunk Smugglers tale? Here is my playlist:

Cobra Starship: You Make Me Feel
http://www.myspace.com/cobrastarship

The Bravery: Believe

Adele: Someone Like You
http://www.myspace.com/adelelondon/music/songs/someone-like-you-79782041

Florence + the Machine: Shake it Out

Bruno Mars: It Will Rain

Christina Perri: A Thousand Years

Paul McCartney: Tug of War

Lady Antebellum: Just a Kiss

Enter to win a free copy!

Heather Hiestand — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:24:38 GMT

I'm visiting YA fantasy master S.G. Rogers today, to discuss inspiration for my new release, "Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine." One commenter will win a copy of the first Steampunk Smugglers story. Enter by January 4th!

http://childofyden.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/the-mistress-of-steampunk-heather-hiestand/

Guest Blog: Jolyn Palliata

Heather Hiestand — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 07:04:00 GMT

Welcome Jolyn, who is sharing her thoughts on her Twists of Fate series!

Did you ever get a song stuck in your head? Or part of one? How did you get it out? Did you avoid the song at all costs in the blind hope it would stop hammering you into submission? Or did you listen to the song over, and over, and over, until you were so obsessed that all you could think about was that delicious, devilish little laugh….er, what was I saying? (Right. Song stuck in my head. Ahh...I mean, your head.) Now, I know this has happened to every person reading this post, so I’m hoping you’ll relate to my little story here.

Let me give you some background. In October, I released Connected (Twists of Fate #1), and here’s a brief description of the story: A rock group’s rhythm guitarist, Rhys Alexander, dies and finds himself bound inside the body of a woman he’s never met. Can she help him move on to the other side, or will he end up finding the love of his life…after his has already ended?

For a time, I had this for free on Wattpad (where I posted as I wrote it). And several readers asked me how in the world I came up with the concept. The short answer was ‘By taking the longest route possible.’ The more involved answer is this…

It all started with a song—Imagine that, huh?—which began with a synthesized-sounding guitar and a sinful, maniacal laugh that made my gut quiver. (Yes, I do realize this may be an issue I need to fully address later.) It was Disturbed’s “Inside The Fire”. Add a little Framing Hanley (with that oh-so-sexy voice), and Tavion, lead singer of the band Persevere, was born. And what kind of woman would knock a strapping rock star to his knees? Why, a best-selling author, of course.

So here I had two people who worked in the entertainment industry, but were worlds apart. What could possibly bring them together? The answer seemed so simple, really: Fate. Then my next though was “What if Fate was a living, sometimes-breathing, entity? What an interesting point-of-view that would be!” And it spiraled from there. I dug deep into the protag, Devan (the name of the girl in Disturbed’s song), and put pieces of me and my personality into the mix. Naturally, then I had to mock myself and my works along the way. (i.e., Suddenly Impending Reprisals became Devan’s masterpiece, and guess what…it made it all the way to the NYT Bestsellers list! Way to go, Devan!!)

Now, the question was ‘What inspired me to write Connected’, and so far, I’m telling you how I started writing Twisted (Book 2). Yeah, well, I’m getting there. (Remember how I said it was the longest route possible?)

So there I was, writing Twisted and having a hell of a time. And then the unthinkable happened (insert suspenseful music here)…I got writer’s block. I’m talking a stint of writer’s block that could only have originated from the deepest, most vile and sulfuric, bowels of Hell. And, man, was it stubborn! Over a year went by before I picked it up again, and even then it wasn’t because I came up with a grand master plan, or that my head was swimming with ideas. No. It was simply because I missed my characters. So I started to reread/revise/edit the 30K words I had written, hoping it would shake something loose. Enter: two new inspirations.

The first was the Demonica series by Larissa Ione. In the series, paired up mates can sense each other’s emotions and I got to wondering “What would that be like?”

The next piece of inspiration came from Avenged Sevenfold (A7X). I was studying up on rock bands for Twisted (and can A7X ever ROCK!!), and checking out the band members (*drool*) and it inspired a new character—Rhys.

From Ione and A7X blossomed Connected (finally!) where Rhys’ spirit was stuck inside Addison (my protag), and they could sense each other’s emotions.

But I had one problem. I absolutely REFUSED to walk away from Twisted again. Soooo…how could I use this? Well, first of all, Rhys couldn’t be a lead singer since that’s what Tavion is. And secondly, I wanted this to be a fast-hitting novella used to compliment Twisted’s story. What I needed was a supporting member of the band... Hello, Rhys, my luscious rhythm guitarist!

But then I had another problem. (Because I needed more, right?) I couldn’t picture Rhys in Tavion’s band, Persevere, which is a more mature, established group. No, he belonged with some just-making-it-big band that wasn’t afraid to play with the formula, to take chances, and was just enjoying the ride and what life had to offer. He belonged with the guys of Black Codex.

Then problem #3: How did Black Codex and Persevere tie in to each other? I mean, if Connected leads into Twisted, they have to know each other somehow, right? Well, as luck would have it, they’re all friends. (Who knew?!) Eh, okay, so actually two members from Black Codex are brothers and they grew up with a guy from Persevere, so, by association, they became friends. (It’s all in the details, right?)

All right. Now what? I didn’t want to introduce Fate (my sassy, capricious entity) in Connected even though he’s definitely hard at work behind the scenes. It would’ve been too distracting from the plot, and I had plenty to maneuver already! (Hello…dead rock star stuck in some chicks head!!) So what I did was plot Connected so it all occurs during the same timeframe as the first half of Twisted. Perfect! Then when people read Twisted, they’ll get all the behind-the-scenes-extras that were going on in Connected that either 1) I didn’t have time for, or 2) I couldn’t smoothly transition in.

At the end of my long-ass journey, not only did I have Connected, but I shook myself loose on Twisted…aaand came up with storylines for the other eight band members. (I’ll spare you the details on those. LOL) Thusly, the Twists of Fate series was born.

So, let me ask you again: Did you ever get a song stuck in your head…?

For more information on the Twists of Fate series: http://jolynpalliata.wordpress.com/romance/twists-of-fate-series/

Twists of Fate series Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Twists-of-Fate-Series/190217514383637

To purchase Connected (Twists of Fate #1): http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&ie=UTF8&field-author=Jolyn%20Palliata

New release: Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine!

Heather Hiestand — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:58:37 GMT

My new steampunk story is available at Amazon and Smashwords!

Smashwords:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/116830

Amazon: Link

blurb:

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.

Playlist: Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas

Heather Hiestand — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:42:40 GMT

In case you need a rousing playlist! I listened to this a lot while doing edits, especially.

Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas Playlist

Violet Hill - Coldplay
Invisible Girl - Minnie Driver
Wide Open - Sugarland
Viva la Vida - Coldplay
All We Are - Sugarland
Everything I've Got In My Pocket - Minnie Driver
My Thief - Elvis Costello
Fly Away - John Denver
Incredible Machine - Sugarland
Something Good - Julie Andrews
Goodnight - The Beatles
Midnight Christmas Eve - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Winners have been notified!

Heather Hiestand — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:31:25 GMT

My Holiday Spice winners have been notified and this ends the hop for me!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Coming soon...

HO! HO! HO! HOLIDAY SPICE: CHOOSE YOUR FLAVOR NAUGHTY OR NICE BLOG HOP TOUR (DEC 12-19)

Heather Hiestand — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:36:02 GMT

1) HAVE FUN!!!

2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, December 12, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, December 19, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
***Winners will be drawn and posted December 20th! ***

6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Here's the blurb of my novella, Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas:

Housemaid Linet Fenna would rather be an air pirate than a servant. When she finds the ladder to an airship dangling outside her garret window on Christmas Eve, 1892, she ascends to the skies above London on her late father’s flagship dirigible, the Christmas. The new captain is someone she never expected to see again, a dangerous, sexy foe. Is the Fenna family nemesis offering Linet her heart’s desire or a dastardly trap?

Captain Andrew’s motivations are as foggy as the coal-soaked sky. Prime Minister Gladstone’s Blockaders, a horde of automen and a teenage girl named Hatchet want Linet to fail in her quest to discover what happened to her missing family, but she is determined to have a happy Christmas.

This steampunk romance novella is currently available for the Amazon Kindle, on Smashwords, on Barnes and Noble, and at other outlets. The sequel, "Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine," is coming soon!

website: www.heatherhiestand.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hahiestand

Blog: http://blog.heatherhiestand.com

Kindlegraph: Kindlegraph for electronic autographs

Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas Holiday Spice Contest:
Each of the following will count as a contest entry.

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.

4) Click on my Twitter link and follow me at: http://twitter.com/hahiestand.

PRIZES FOR THIS CONTEST:

1) A .e-book copy of Captain Andrew's Flying Christmas. If the winner has purchased this title previously, they can choose a different e-book prize from my backlist.

2) A .e-book copy of Captain Fenna's Dirigible Valentine (when available).

Thank you for coming to my blog! I hope you enjoyed my holiday inspirations!

Link back to the tour: http://enchantedmusepress.blogspot.com/