'Tis the Season!!!

Hello my faithful fans,

Thank you so much for sticking with me while I took a brief hiatus. Working full time, attending classes, and writing novels fills my plate to overflowing, and I just needed a wee bit of a break to sort out my thoughts for Life's Blood. Now that the New Year is fast approaching, I'm anxious to get back into the swing of things and put out the next book in The Cordelia Chronicles.

As some of you may know, in October, I traveled to Romania to do some hands-on research for Life's Blood. I'm a bit of a traditionalist in my vampire views, so I couldn't resist making Romania a prominent part of my series. Many of you may also know that, while my characters are not based on anyone I know, many of the scenes in my books are based on my real life--the UK umbrella in Wanderlust is a prime example. One our first day in London in Fall 2010, my mom's umbrella broke in the middle of a rainstorm. She was forced to buy the first umbrella she saw, and it bore an enormous Union Jack on top. Anyway, these snippets of reality are fun for me to share with my readers, and I hope you enjoy the ones I will incorporate into Life's Blood from my Romanian travels earlier this year.

As we head into the holiday season, I vow to do my best to keep in touch a little more often. In return, I hope that you will spread the word about my books to anyone who is getting or gifting an e-reader this holiday season. At just 99 cents and $2.99, Breathless and Wanderlust are affordable ways to fill a Kindle!

Talk to you soon!
HH

Kindle Lending Library

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know Breathless and Wanderlust are now available through the lending library if you're a Kindle owner. Check out the details here.

So, my friends, lend away. Spread the word--literally.

Cheers,
HH

Wanderlust and What's Next

Hi everyone,

Sorry I've been offline a lot lately...so much to do, so little time. I'm so excited to start receiving feedback about Wanderlust. You have all been so generous with your support, and it means a lot to mean.

For those of you who have already read the book, there are a few unexpected twists...some, I was surprised to see as well. I write whatever flows naturally from my fingers to the keyboard. So, that means, I'm even surprised sometimes by the words that come out. Typically, I have a general idea of where I want to go when I sit down to write--I have some thoughts in my head about what needs to happen--but how I string those thoughts from point a to point b...well, I never know!

I'm not going to lie--I was a bit worried about how readers would digest them. I debated removing some of them from the book, but ultimately, I felt like they served a greater purpose and I would be remiss to remove them. Sorry for speaking in code, but I don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't read it yet. Those of you who have likely catch my drift!

That said, I expect Life's Blood to take a few twists of its own. What they will be...I'm just as excited to find out as the rest of you. As you know, I have started writing so now is the time to tell me your thoughts. If there is a character you're dying to read more about (e.g. Balty, Mina, Grandma) or one that you just can't stand (I know for some of you that means Lia...but she has to stay), let me know.

I will likely be releasing the first book in another series I have been working on between now and the release of Life's Blood, and I'll keep you posted so you have the details of its release. Some of the research for Life's Blood will be taking place overseas, so you'll have to wait just a bit longer, but hopefully, it will be well worth the wait!!!

Thanks again to all of you for your continued support! And, keep writing--I love hearing from you all.

Cheers,
HH

The Many Masks of Wanderlust

Hi everyone,

Here's a bit of fun for those of you who have read, are reading, or plan to read Wanderlust. I'm attaching the pictures I used to describe the masks the characters wear in the book. See if you can tell who wore which one!

It's not a very hard game, I'm afraid, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Cheers,
HH

Links to Wanderlust!

Hi everyone,

Wanderlust is now available!

You can find it on Amazon or on Smashwords.

Unfortunately, because I am not U.S.-based, I'm not able to post to any other sites on my own. If you are using a Nook, Kobo, Sony reader, etc., Smashwords will eventually make the book directly available to these sites, but it will likely take a few weeks.

In the meantime, you can purchase the book in just about any format through Smashwords.

Enjoy!
HH

I Hope You Like Europe...and Vampires, of Course!

Well, everyone...the time has arrived! That's right, Wanderlust is ready for release. In fact, I have already posted it to Amazon. Trouble is, I don't yet have a link for it. It takes about 24 hours for it to become live in the site, so sometime before 5 p.m. on June 6, it will be available. As soon as I have the link, I will be sure to post it for you.

I hope you enjoy Wanderlust as much as Breathless. There are some unexpected twists and turns, and I personally think it's a more interesting story, but I might be a bit biased. Also, it's because so many of the little anecdotes are snippets from actual trips I have taken with family and friends around Europe.

I am excited--and anxious--to hear from you!

Happy reading!
HH

This Time Next Week!

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you all know that the Wanderlust review is going swimmingly. By this time next week, you should all be able to have a copy of the book in your hot little hands!!!

So, be sure to tell all of your friends to start reading Breathless this week so that they're ready for the release of Wanderlust! Don't forget to tell your Nook and Kobo reading friends about the books as well...Amazon has been a fantastic outlet, and I'm hoping other e-readers will check out the books as well!

Cheers,
HH

Happy Birthday, DJ!

So, I know my BFF has been following my posts, so I want to send out a special birthday message to her...

Happy birthday, DJ--hope it's a good one!

Back to the final review...every last bit of writing is officially done, the first-round edits are in, and I'm doing one last read through!

Best,
HH

New Wanderlust Sneak Peek!

Hi guys,

I just realized it's been forever since I gave you a glimpse inside the book. I'm connecting the last few chapters now, but while you're waiting...here's a snippet.

Enjoy!
HH

I took a close look at the beauty standing before me and could not find a single flaw in any of her features. She was impeccably dressed in the latest fashions. Like me, her hair was a mass of raven curls, but she had tamed hers into a sleek updo that perfectly framed her ultra-feminine face. She looked more like she should be walking a runway than baking biscuits and serving espresso.

“Sylvie,” Chip exclaimed excitedly as she and Addie made their way back toward us. She burst forward at a gallop and threw her arms around the woman who was so exquisite that I imagined most people automatically assumed she was a celebrity dressed for a red-carpet event. 

“Bonjour, chere,” the stunning redhead bowed her head several inches so that her own cheeks were aligned with Chip’s. They exchanged kisses European style before stepping back to examine one another.

“I can’t believe it’s you,” Chip said, shock at running into this woman written all over her face. “It’s been so long since you’ve come to visit. Why?”

“Why is not important, silly girl,” Sylvie waved her hand as though she was waving away the question. “What matters is why you are here now. I’ve missed you so much.”

The two embraced again before Chip turned to where the three of us stood watching their exchange.

“I take it you two know each other,” I said. “We were just about to go inside for a bite to eat. Why don’t we find a seat and let the two of you catch up.”

Chip said something to woman then in a language I didn’t recognize--definitely not French, maybe Spanish or Italian, and the woman’s face changed in appearance. Her once intangibly beautiful features turned down, and she took on a cold, bitter look.

“So this is her?” she said, a lazy finger gesturing in my general direction.

“Yes,” Chip nodded. 

“This is the kind of rubbish he associates with now?”

“Pardon me?” I asked, taking a step forward. “Did you just call me trash?”

“I think I liked it better when I didn’t understand what they were saying,” Eli added, taking a protective step in front of me. “I know this woman is some sort of friend of yours, Chip, but I think we should get going.”

We started to walk away, but the saccharine sound of the woman’s voice--no, the words she spoke--stopped us in our tracks.

“Don’t go,” she said. “I’m curious to know the girl that Chaseyn left me for.”

Official Wanderlust Cover!

Hi all,

I've been overseas and had limited Internet access, but it has given me time to do a bit of catch up, and I can tell you that Wanderlust is in it's finishing touches stages. It also gave me time to finalize the offcial cover. There was a clear winner in the covers poll a few weeks back--the ring. But, I just wasn't quite happy with the ring that was being used, so I went back to the drawing board...here it is, the official cover.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Best,
HH

Cats in Bowls

So, this is a really irrelevant post, but a co-worker passed this video on to me, and I had to share it. For any of you who don't know, I have quite the menagerie. I LOVE animals. And, cats rule my life, so this video is a bit like dinnertime at our house, especially if tuna is involved.

If anyone can translate, I would love to know why the cats are getting into the bowls. And, is the ginger with the arrow pointed at it the winner of what appears to be a strange bowl game? Hmmm...

 Click here to see the cats!

Wanderlust Cover

So guys, here's a first glimpse at the rough cuts for the Wanderlust cover. These are the first drafts, but I'm dying to hear your thoughts. The ring will make sense to everyone who has read Breathless, so you'll have to take my word that the key will make sense, too. So, I'm looking for first impressions. Which do you prefer? Please use the voting button to the right of this post to vote for the Ring or the Key.

Cheers,
HH

Disney anyone?

Just tossing this out there, but is anyone going to be in Disneyland for Easter? I'll be in the Happiest Place on Earth that weekend, though my Laughing Place--Splash Mountain--is down for refurbishment. I'll just have to make due with my other faves...Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and Indie!

If anyone's up for a bit of friendly competition on Midway Madness, let me know!

Hidden Mickeys in My Books

So...I'm a big Disney fan. Not so much the movies, but the theme parks. I find them creatively inspiring, and I like to visit at least one of the parks each year so that I can absorb as much of that creativity as possible. If I had even an ounce of what goes into one of those rides...it's incredible.

Anyway, if there are any Disney theme park enthusiasts out there, you'll get the reference to Hidden Mickeys. For those of you who don't, I'll take a minute to explain. See, the creativity at the parks extends beyond the obvious. The rides are ridiculously detailed and insanely awe-inspiring from the artistic perspective, but to take it a step further, the imagineer who design the rides place what they call Hidden Mickeys within the rides and around the parks. To name a few that are easy to spot:

• The pupil of the witch's eye when she holds out the apple on Snow White's scary adventure
• The plates in the captains quarters on Pirate's of the Caribbean
• The old wheels/sprockets on Big Thunder

So, what does this have to do with my books? Well, let me tell you! I hide small gems of my personal reality in my books. A line from a song or novel that has caught my interest, a scene from my real life...these things often make their way into my books. They may be obvious--Cordelia Lear, for example--or they may be deeply hidden. In fact, some are so hidden that even the people who know me best won't recognize them when they read them.

That said, all of the characters in my books are completely fictitious. Not one person is intended to be anyone in particular. There is not one character in my books that can be attached to any one person in my life or elsewhere. I get asked that a lot. Only Lia's deep sarcasm--so deep that I worry it gets read wrong at times--is based on my own dark sarcasm. Her one liners are typically the exact response I would give if face with a similar situation. I also have curly, auburn hair. Other than that, she's a figment of my imagination. Oh, and, I added Mina because, if by some off chance the book was ever made into a movie, I wanted there to be a thirty-something woman whom I could potentially play. We all have to dream...

So, what are the hidden gems in Breathless? For those you will have to stay tuned. I'll post again after I've had a chance to do a fresh read of the book, and I'll pull out a few for you. In the meantime, I can tell you that there is an umbrella scene in Wanderlust that comes straight from a situation that happened to me and my mom in London last fall, and the necklace mentioned in the book is the exactly the one shown here.

Alas, I realize this is a tease since you don't have a reference point in the book yet, but you will soon.

In the meantime, I thank you all again for your continued support, and thanks for hanging tight on Wanderlust. I know I'm behind schedule, and I apologize profusely for that.

Cheers,
HH

Goodbye Evernight

Well, guys, this is it. The end of Evernight. I'm so distraught that I had to write about it.

I know, I disappeared again for a while, but it's because I simply couldn't put down Afterlife, the final book in the Evernight series. Have you read it? If not, you definitely should. I suspect that many of you, like me, read Twilight and then were chasing your next fix. Well, I found it in Evernight. And, I couldn't love it more.

Twilight...I've written about it before, but, to recap, I'm not in love with it. I kind of find it funny when people compare Breathless to Twilight because the truth is, I was going for something quite different. It's inevitable that all YA vampire books will be compared to Twilight forever more--and really, it's one of the best-selling books of all time, so it's flattering. But, I'm not the biggest fan of the book itself. Now, Edward, is another story entirely. Let's face it, Meyer created the quintessential male, and I fell in love with him. Bella, on the other hand, is one of my least favorite characters, and I tried to make Lia about as opposite her as I could. That said, I have three twilight t-shirts, a tote bag, socks, and much more.

Regardless, there is something very hypnotic about the Twilight series, and to date, the only book I have ever read twice is the first book in the series. But, after that, I was desperate for a new book. So, after spending painstaking hours trying to find something similar that wouldn't disappoint me, I cam across Evernight. It had just been released, and I decided, reluctantly, to give it a try. And, I was not disappointed.

To date, Evernight is my favorite series of all time--YA or otherwise. I fell in love with the first book. While I don't crush on either of the male leads like I do on Edward, I still feel a strange affinity to Bianca. I love everything about her and everyone else in the books. There is no one I don't like, with the exception on characters, such as Mrs. Bethany and Charity, that I'm not supposed to like.

In short, if you haven't read the Evernight books, you should rush out and get them. Well, what are you waiting for? Go...now!

Okay, I'm done commanding...for those of you who didn't catch it earlier, the character of Balthazar in my upcoming book, Wanderlust, is not named after Balthazar in the Evernight series. I was quite displeased when a character in this series had this name, as I had always intended to use it in the sequel to Breathless--which I wrote prior to reading Evernight. It's a tribute to Balthazar Getty, who, oddly enough, I don't crush on now but did as a teenager. It's a cool name, and if I had to put a face to the character, it would be Joe Manganiello. See my facebook page for pix!

Take care,
HH

Mish Mash Mind Fog

Hi guys,

So, this post is going to be a bit of a mish mash of thoughts. To begin, I'm going to ask for your help. Breathless has had amazing sales on Amazon--more than 7,000 ebooks since January 1. Unfortunately, I just can't seem to emulate that success any place else. Try as I might, I just can't figure out how to promote my books to Nook and Kobo readers. I have, literally, sold only a handful of copies for them. So, I'm asking for your help. How can I get the word out. Lauren Burd and Amanda Hocking seem to have mastered all audiences. What are they doing that I'm not? Any help you can offer is super appreciated.

Also, for anyone who would like to follow me, I'm now on both Facebook and Twitter. I tend to update fairly often--at least daily, if not more, and I would love to see you all there.

Next, I wanted to let you know why I've been a bit absent lately. I've been sick this week...which means, unfortunately, that I'm going to make you wait a little longer for Wanderlust. And, I can't tell you how sorry I am for that.

I had originally set a mid-march deadline for the book, and I was working well toward meeting it until two things happened:

1. Writer's block
2. Migraines

I'm not typically one to whine or make excuses, so it's particularly hard for me to admit either of these things has brought me down, but the fact of the matter is that they have. Let's address each one in order.

Writer's block is a very real thing. I have written the beginning and end of Wanderlust. I've also written a good chunk of the middle. Problem? I have a bunch of ideas for the rest, I just can't sort through how to connect them all. At the start of the week, I was working through it. I even thought I had it sorted out--mostly. That's when ailment number two struck: the migraines...

I've been getting migraines most of my life. Sometimes, they make me really sick, but usually only for a few hours. This week was different. I live in the mountains, and we have these weird pressure systems that wreak havoc for a lot of people. While they warm up the winters, they also cause a lot of pressure on the brain. For people like me, this spells bad news. I started feeling ill on Monday, and while I made it through the work week, I crashed this weekend. I crashed hard. I have been sick in bed with a cold cloth on my head for the past two days. It's been difficult to stand up or focus my vision. Stringing sentences together to speak--a challenge. To write--impossible, until now. And even this is hard.

Usually, I form my writing ideas throughout the week. I work out the details until I know exactly what I want to say, and on the weekends, I pound it all out on the keyboard. Often, each idea grows bigger than I could have anticipated, and it's a huge feeling of accomplishment. Sadly, this is the only thing I have written this weekend, but I wanted to let my readers know where the book stands and thank you again for hanging tight. I know I promised Wanderlust would be out this week, but you're going to have to hold on a wee bit longer.

Cheers,
HH

Why I'm an Indie Author

I posted this on another site, and I thought it might be good to share here as well. I've had a lot of people ask why I self-published Breathless, and this helps answer that question. I'd like to add, that I think it was one of the best moves I ever made, and I am really proud and excited with the book's reception. I thank you all for that!

I worked as the managing for an educational publisher for nearly a decade. I wrote nearly a hundred books for that company and edited thousands of others. For a long time, I had forgotten how to write for pure enjoyment, and one day, I started again. I tried to get an agent...I really tried, but it just didn't happen for me. Several agents--many from prominent agencies--gave me great feedback about the book. All told me there wasn't anything they would change. But, ultimately, with the recession happening and so many uncertainties about whether the vampire trend was nearing its end, none wanted to commit.

So, to be perfectly honest, I'm an indie author because I had no other choice. After a year-and-a-half of sitting on the fence while multiple agents decided what to do about my book, I decided to take matters into my own hands. At first, I hoped that even 50 people would check out my book. When I reached 500, I thought I was dreaming. I just surpassed 6,000 copies sold, and I feel incredibly blessed.

I can now say that while I had no choice before but to publish indie, I know that I have done the right thing--likely aspiring to more success than I would have with a small publisher. As I go forth with the next two titles in my series, and as I continue to write other books, I will be publishing indie because I want to, not because I have to!
Warmly,
HH

Frost...

Let me throw this out at you all...does anyone care if Frost returns in Wanderlust? I'm going to be perfectly honest--she wasn't going to. Not in any big way at least. There's a possibility of her making a small appearance. But, I'd like to hear from you guys. I'm at a crossroads in my writing. If she's going to be part of the book, it's now or never.

So, if you're big Frost fan, now is the chance to have your voice heard. At this point, I would have to hear from a lot of people that they would be disappointed to see her out of the second book in order to write her in. But, if I do hear from enough of you, it's a possibility. In the very least, I might be able to find a way to work her into a bigger role in the third book...

I look forward to hearing from you.
HH

Facebook Fan Page

Hi guys,

I know I've been neglecting my blog a bit lately...life just seems to keep getting in the way. I've been spending time in the various forums promoting Breathless and getting the word out. On that note, I have just launched the official Facebook fan page for Breathless. There is a link to the page on this site, and I would love for you to "like" it and tell everyone you know about it. You can also find in here. To get started, I`ve added some personal photos with captions, and I`ll try to keep the status current as I write wanderlust.

If you haven't had a chance to read the USA Today story on Amanda Hocking yet, check it out here.

I also encourage you to check out her response on her blog. Amanda Hocking is an amazing talent and success story. Like Amanda, I am a self-published author. And, while I haven't experienced her brand of success yet, I have been very blessed thanks to all of you.

As far as indie authors go, I aspire to her success, and I think she did an exceptional job at describing the hard work that goes into promoting our books. I have spent much more time doing that than I did writing Breathless. I would love to spend more time writing, but between my full time job, writing, and promoting my books...there's not much time left in the day.

Breathless has sold more than 6,000 copies, and, out of hundreds of thousands of books, it dipped as low as number 202 in the overall paid Kindle books. It's moving back down the ranks after several very successful weeks. If you know anyone who might be interested in reading it, please let them know they can get it for all kinds of ereaders at the following links.

amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
Smashwords
Goodreads
Barnes and Noble
Lulu
Kobo


So, once again, a resounding thank you for everyone who has supported me thus far on my journey. It's been a wild ride, and every minute of it has been wonderful!

Have a great weekend everyone!
HH

Thank You!!!

Just a quick note to say "thank you" to everyone who has taken the time to write a positive review on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, or anywhere else. For indie authors, reviews are very difficult to acquire and they have a direct impact on our ratings and sales. We have very few ways to promote our book, and so it means a lot when you send a shout out.

I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate your support. There are hundreds of thousands of books for Kindle alone, and Breathless has been in the Top 200 to 400 for weeks thanks to all of you!

I also love to hear from you all. I do my best to respond to each post--sometimes, it takes a while, but I try. It's incredible to hear from people my work has touched in some way through my words--good or bad! I'd be lying if I said the bad didn't sometimes sting, but the good makes it all worthwhile.

So, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You guys are amazing.

Expect the Unexpected

So many people have asked me when Wanderlust will be published, and I can tell you that I am writing as fast as my little fingers will allow. That said, I'm aiming for mid-March. I know...it's still several weeks away, so I thank you all in advance for your patience and overwhelming support.

As I sit here writing a few of the chapters in the book, it has struck me just how amazing the writing process is. I tend to formulate a rough idea in my head, feel it out a bit, and then begin putting it on pages. So, it always surprises me when the words take a twist that I wasn't expecting. I guess you should always expect the unexpected--even when it's coming out of your own head!

So, Wanderlust is turning into a bit of a surprise for me as well. Chaseyn has a few secrets of his own, and there will be a handful of new characters to keep the story interesting. I'm excited to share with you the twists and turns of Lia and Chaseyn's journey together...and apart!

So, thank you again for hanging tight.

Cheers,
HH

Introducing Balthazar--Another Sneak Peak at Wanderlust

Hi everyone,

As promised, here's another glimpse at Wanderlust. Balthazar is one of the new characters in the next book. I've always loved the name and wanted to use it for a character for as long as I can remember. I thought better of it when Claudia Grey gave one of her main characters the same name, but as I was writing Wanderlust, I couldn't think of a name more suited for this particular character.

Sorry for the wait...

Enjoy,
HH


The alley out back was dark and dirty. The only light was that of the moon, which reflected off trash cans and puddles of sludge that oozed from dumpsters and garbage bags. I held the door slightly ajar and fidgeted nervously for a minute. It was a bad idea for me to be waiting around in alleys alone, and I thought twice about my decision to be here. Turning to head back inside, I slammed smack into what appeared to be a brick wall--if walls wore button-down plaid shirts. Slowly, I shifted my gaze upward and was greeted by a menacing glare from one of the most foreboding, yet ridiculously attractive, men I had ever laid eyes upon. I knew instantly what he was--no human could aspire to such rugged perfection--and a desperate desire to be anyplace else shot through my body. Paralyzed by an all-consuming fear, however, I was unable to move even a single step. Finally, I felt the subtle pressure of his cool hands weighted on my hips as he shifted me slightly, gently to the side. He stepped past me into the lane, closing and locking the door behind him with a brassy skeleton key. Suddenly, I was frozen--both literally and figuratively. My arms were covered in goose bumps, and I was too terrified to move a muscle.

“Name’s Balthazar, but everyone calls me Balty,” he said in a smooth baritone that would make Barry White jealous.

I stood in silence staring at the mountain of a man standing before me. He was well over six feet tall--at least 6 feet 5 inches if I were to wager a guess. And, his jet-black hair was shaggy and overgrown, curling up at the nape of his neck and brushing past his eyebrows into his eyes. A slight growth of dark hair--just a tad thicker than a five-o’clock shadow--covered his chiselled jaw. I guessed him to be in his mid-thirties, and he was utterly stunning in a rugged and unkempt way. He must get really good tips as a server--women would love him.

Like, Mina, Chaseyn’s mother, Balthazar was a full vampire. I’m not sure how I knew, but I did. The knowledge terrified me, and the throbbing of my pulse drowned out all other sound. Running would be useless. Balthazar would have the gift of extreme speed--all vampires did. Screaming was out of the question--my voice was stifled in my throat. This was it, I thought. This is how I was going to die.

Who Do You See When You Read Breathless?

Hi everyone,

I know I've promised you another sneak peek at Wanderlust, which I will provide later this week. In the meantime, I would love to know who you see in your head when you read Breathless. If you're like me, there are certain celebrities that you try to place as the faces of your favorite characters. So, with that in mind, who stars in the movie of Breathless that plays in your head when you read?

I won't taint your vision with my own ideas, and certainly, some of my visions are constantly changing. One remains constant...the only one I will share with you...Frost. Moments after I first introduced her character, it dawned on me who I was describing, and to this day, I feel very strongly that one celebrity epitomizes her look--Katy Perry. That's it! That's all I will say, but I would love to hear who you see while you read.

For that matter, I would love to hear if there are any other characters from any books that you get a clear vision of in your head when you read. I can visualize every detail down to movie quality when I read scenes in books, with the exception of faces. I can read labels on cans, signs on doors, and all sorts of other details, but it's very rare for me to see a fully formed face. To get us started, though, there is one character that has a very distinct face as I read. I see Channing Tatum when I read about Patch in Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush Hush and Crescendo books. Don't know why, but he's who I see, and I'm not complaining!

Cheers,
HH

I Love Vampires...

I've read a lot of reviews lately wondering if Breathless is inspired by Twilight, so I thought I would provide some insight into my inspiration for the book.

Basically, I love vampires. It sounds cliche, but only by today's standards because of the Twilight phenomenon, but I have loved vampires since junior high--which is longer than I care to admit! It all started with Lestat. He's incredibly corrupt but so beautifully tragic that I couldn't help but fall in love with him. For sometime after being introduced to Lestat, I delved into vampire lore and began forming my own thoughts and opinions about various traits and characteristics. Eventually, though, my love affair with the Anne Rice series caused me to branch out in search of other vampires that could woo me in the same way as Lestat, but until Edward came along, all others failed.

Ah, Edward. He's everything Lestat isn't, and I can't decide if that's good or bad. I love them both but for very different reasons. Where Lestat is over-the-top, wonderfully charming, wise, and sometimes incorrigible, Edward is inconspicuous, modest, and naive. It's hard to move on from Edward...but I did.

Twilight is a fun read, but my favorite vampire books belong to Claudia Grey's Evernight series. They are much less splashy, but the story is sweet and sincere. I have been chomping at the bit, waiting for the last book in the series for what feels like forever. Soon. Very soon.

I also love Lesley Livingston's Wondrous Strange series. Her writing is so poetic that it makes me want to be better at what I do. I just finished the third book and have that lingering sadness that comes with knowing it's over.

I also enjoy Alison Noel's The Immortals series. The first book was a bit of a letdown to me. There were some plot twists that didn't sit well, but I found myself yearning for the next book nonetheless, and I have enjoyed every title ever since.

So, what inspired Breathless. I would be lying if I said there weren't elements of Twilight in it. Everyone has read Twilight, and it's become the standard by which to rate all other vampire romances. If you look hard enough in any of them, you will find elements of Twilight, intended or not.  Truly, the half-vampire idea of Chaseyn was brought on by my many lingering thoughts about Renesme. Aside from that though, any similarities to Twilight are truly coincidental. I wrote a vampire romance...it's bound to sound a bit like Twilight, the quintessential vampire romance. Once you get reading, though, I think it's evident that Chaseyn and Edward, as well as Bella and Lia, couldn't be more opposite each other.

Cheers,
HH

Hopes and Dreams for Wanderlust

Hi guys,

So, the Breathless sequel, Wanderlust, is well underway. Just like in Breathless, there will be many exciting twists and turns, but as I write, I can't help wondering what your hopes and dreams are for Lia and Chaseyn. How do you see their future unraveling? Do you want them to be together? Should she become a vampire? Is Eli the better choice for her? I want to hear what you have to say!

No matter how the story unfolds, I can tell you this...the ending will leave you wanting more!

Cheers,
Heather

Breathless is now available on NOOKbooks

Hi everyone,

Breathless is now available for NOOKbook readers.Click here to purchase online from Barnes and Noble.

Enjoy!

Get a Sneak Peak at Wanderlust--the Sequel to Breathless!

Hi everyone,

I have been a busy bee, working away at Wanderlust. Here's a short glimpse at what you can expect to find in the sequel to Breathless.

Enjoy!
HH

I had only been asleep a short time when I was jolted awake. A cold sweat washed over my body. Instantly, I knew I had again fallen victim to the tumultuous dreams that had haunted my sleep for weeks before Chaseyn first arrived in Evergreen more than six months ago.

An epiphany enlightened my still hazy mind. Chaseyn had not left Evergreen. Though he had stayed away and pretended to be gone, he must have been nearby all the while. Had he truly been gone, the dreams would have returned earlier. This was the first time I was away from his presence. Suddenly, my heart grew heavy and salt water flooded my eyes. My shoulders heaved lightly, and I sobbed silently, or so I thought.
“Lia, is everything all right,” Addie asked with genuine concern, shaking off the sleep that had embraced her moments earlier.

“He’s gone, Addie,” I cried through shallow breaths.

“I know, sweetie. He left a week ago. I thought you said it was fine.”

“No, Addie. You don’t understand. I mean, he’s really gone.”

Eli twitched, his head falling on my shoulder, which I abruptly shrugged off. My swift action jolted him awake.

“Lia, what’s wrong?”

“She’s blubbering something about Chaseyn being gone,” Addie explained. “But he’s been gone a while, so I’m not sure why the sudden tears. She was fine before.”

“It’s okay, Lia,” Eli whispered, smoothing my hair and wiping the tears from my cheeks. “I understand.”
And, I knew he did. He understood in a way Addie never would. Never could. For this, I felt both grateful and guilty.

Heartbreaking. That was the only word to describe the look on Addie’s face when she realized Eli and I shared a special connection. Still, I couldn’t help but snuggle in to Eli’s warm embrace as he worked to sooth my mind.

“Shhh, Lia. It’s okay. Let it out,” he whispered, his breath warm on my ear.

His lips gently grazed my cheek, but I was too weak to worry about the implication. Instead, I let him comfort me, while Addie watched in stunned silence. Despite my emotional state, I made a mental note to find a balance—a balance between the best friend who had stood at my side through all of my teenage triumphs and tribulations and the boy-next-door who knew my dirty little secret.

Breathless t-shirts and more available just in time for the New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone.

I hope you all had a wonderful time ringing in 2011. I'm a bit of a homebody, myself, so I spent the night with Ryan Seacrest. But, it also gave me a chance to put together some great merchandise for the Breathless shop on CafePress. There's a wide range of t-shirts, water bottles, mugs, hats, and other goodies available. If there is something you want, but you just don't see it, let me know, and I'll see what I can do to make it happen.

Click this link to check out the Breathless swag!

Aside from that, I have been busily pounding the keys on Wanderlust. I would love to hear from you with your thoughts and hopes for the characters. I'm always eager to hear what you're all thinking.

In the meantime, I wish you all the best for 2011.

Cheers,
HH