Kelley Heckart's Blog, page 45

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Published on February 20, 2015 03:00

Weird Word Wednesday

Badinageba·di·nage noun \ˌba-də-ˈnäzh\
Definition of BADINAGE: playful repartee : banter
Examples of BADINAGE1. <the sophisticated badinage of the characters in plays by Oscar Wilde>
Origin of BADINAGEFrench
First Known Use: circa 1658

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
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Published on February 18, 2015 03:00

Monday Musings: A word about editing

Editors can do some amazing things. They can make your story shine and find the most impossible-to-find errors. But editors are not miracle workers. They can’t possibly catch every single error, especially in just one read through and especially if the manuscript hasn’t gone through more than one stage of editing.

Most writers don’t understand that a manuscript should go through at least 3 editing steps:

1. Line or content edits

2. Copy editing

3. Proofreading

It’s essential for writers to know what they can and can’t accomplish on their own. Some authors can perform one or two of these steps themselves, but having a professional editor, if only to perform copy editing, is important to have another set of eyes look over your story. If hiring a professional is the best way to complete all the edits, a different editor should perform each of these steps in order to have a fresh look at your manuscript. Most important: you can’t expect to skip steps 1 & 2 and have a proofreader catch all the errors. It’s impossible.

Another issue is that most of the grammar rules are ambiguous and decided based on perception. What one editor perceives to be an error, another one does not. Also, fiction writing is different from formal writing. Rules are more relaxed in a fiction story because creative writing is based on author and character voice/style. You can get away with having some incomplete sentences in a work of fiction to add impact to the story world, but not in a business letter or term paper. Picking a fiction editor for your book is important. Otherwise, an editor trained only in formal writing will suck the life right out of your story.

From my personal experience working with editors, great ones and not so great, I can say that they don’t catch every mistake. Even the best ones can’t catch everything. And I don’t blame them for that. Ultimately, it is up to the author to make sure his or her manuscript is error free.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

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Published on February 16, 2015 03:00

Favorite Friday: Favorite past TV show

Highlander

Storyline description on IMDb:

Taken from the film, Highlander, Duncan MacLeod, clansman of Connor in the film also finds he is being stalked by not only other immortals trying to kill him before the time of the gathering, but also a secret society of mortals who call themselves 'The Watchers' and also seem intent on killing him but "The Watchers" observe and record and never interfere. Duncan and the other immortals can only be killed by decapitation and often live for centuries. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

I love this show and have the complete series DVD set. Strangely, my husband turned me on to this show because he knew I would like it. And he was right. Duncan MacLeod is the type of hero I love. He’s not an alpha male, he has morals and he respects women. A lot of the episodes deal with moral issues like: when is it okay to kill someone? It’s this kind of depth that drew me in. But hunky, long-haired Adrian Paul also kept my attention. Another thing I loved about this series was a lot of the guest stars were rock stars like Roger Daltrey and Joan Jett. Mr. Daltrey played an immortal friend of MacCleod and some of the funniest and saddest episodes involved his character. The awesome Ms. Jett played a bad-ass immortal that challenged MacLeod. Highly recommended for fantasy fans, especially if you like hot immortal Scottish heroes with long swords.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

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See babushka defined for kids »

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Published on February 13, 2015 03:00

Weird Word Wednesday

Babushka ba·bush·ka

noun \bə-ˈbüsh-kə, -ˈbu̇sh-, ba-\

Definition of BABUSHKA

1

a : a usually triangularly folded kerchief for the head

b : a head covering (as a scarf) resembling a babushka

2

: an elderly Russian woman

Examples of BABUSHKA

1. <an elderly Russian woman with a babushka>

Illustration of BABUSHKA Origin of BABUSHKA

Russian, grandmother, diminutive of baba old woman

First Known Use: 1938

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

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Published on February 11, 2015 03:00

Monday Musings: Snow in Lake Havasu, AZ and using weather in fiction

We had snow in Lake Havasu, AZ for the first time in 30 years on New Year’s Eve. It was awesome for me. I haven’t been in snow in years. I ran around filled with excitement taking pictures. From an artistic point of view, it was beautiful, but I guess if you have to drive in it, it’s not much fun.

Just about everyone in my desert city posted about the snowfall that was only about an inch or two. My Midwest and East Coast family and friends made fun of us for sure.

But it made me think of how I use weird weather patterns in some of my stories to add some drama to an otherwise drab scene or to force characters together. I’ve had an unusual, early season blizzard that portended a change brought on by an ancient curse in Winter’s Requiem, the third book in my Dark Goddess trilogy. In Beltaine’s Song, the second book in this trilogy, I had a sudden, dramatic thunderstorm that made everyone run for cover and brought characters together that wouldn’t normally be with each other. This technique worked to move the plot forward and add some twists. And in Daughter of Night, a sudden storm brings my hero and heroine together in the stables where they share a tender moment. The was the defining moment that brought them together. I used storms in Of Water and Dragons and Ravenwolf to make the mood dark and frightening.

To all the other writers out there: Have you used weather as a writing tool?

Readers: Is there a favorite weather scene in a book you read?

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

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Published on February 09, 2015 03:00

Favorite Friday: Favorite cable TV series

Homeland

Product Description

Hailed as TV's best new drama by critics everywhere, the award-winning HOMELAND* delivers compelling characters, thrilling twists and breathtaking suspense. Carrie Mathison (Golden Glober winner Claire Danes), a brilliant but volatile CIA agent, suspects that a rescued American POW may not be what he seems. Is Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) a war hero...or an Al Qaeda sleeper agent plotting a spectacular terrorist attack on U.S. soil? Following her instincts, Mathison will risk everything to uncover the truth - her reputation, her career and even her sanity. Packed with multiple layers and hidden clues, Season One offers something new every time you see it...watch carefully.

I’m watching this with my husband. There are few shows we watch together because he doesn’t care for my fantasy shows with vampires, etc., but both of us like Homeland. One word to describe this series is “intense.” It’s fast-paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommended.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

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Published on February 06, 2015 03:00

Weird Word Wednesday

BABIRUSA bab·i·ru·sa

noun \ˌba-bə-ˈrü-sə, ˌbä-\

Definition of BABIRUSA

: a large wild swine (Babyrousa babyrussa) of Indonesia

Origin of BABIRUSA

Malay, from babi pig + rusa deer

First Known Use: 1673

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

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Published on February 04, 2015 03:00

Monday Musings: Moon pics #6

I happened to catch this jet stream streaking beneath the moon.

A ghost of a moon.

A sliver moon in a sea of blue.

Bright moon sliver among the wispy clouds.

The dark side of the moon is faintly outlined against a twilight sky.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

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Published on February 02, 2015 03:00

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite book

Favorite book: Night Calls by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel

Book description:

"When you have the Gift, your life is not your own."
I was born to a family that harnessed the winds and could read futures in fire and water. Yet my mother kept her secrets.
Then the werewolf came, sharing his madness.
Now it's my turn to keep secrets....
Descended from powerful magic-users, but ignorant of her heritage, young Alfreda Sorensson learns magic and wisdom from her extended family in an alternate early 1800s Michigan Territory.

This is Little House on the Prairie with werewolves, vampires, witches and magic. Alfreda is born into a family with special powers and lots of secrets.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly