Kelley Heckart's Blog, page 48

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite funny Christmas movie

Favorite Funny Christmas movie

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

This is my favorite funny Christmas movie. It combines all the aspects of Christmas and the worst that can go wrong while shopping for a Christmas tree, putting up the Christmas lights, preparing the turkey dinner and hosting wacky family members for the holidays. Highly recommended to take the stress out of Christmas.

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html

Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…

A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.

Will love be enough to save them?

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

Weird Word Wednesday

AZEOTROPE azeo·trope

noun \ˈā-zē-ə-ˌtrōp\

Definition of AZEOTROPE

:  a liquid mixture that is characterized by a constant minimum or maximum boiling point which is lower or higher than that of any of the components

Origin of AZEOTROPE

2a- + zeo- (from Greek zein to boil) + -trope something changed, from Greek tropos turn — more at yeast, trope

First Known Use: 1938

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday Musings: Moon pics #5

Crescent moon floating in a sea of blue and white.

 

A moon sliver reflected in my swimming pool.

 

I like the little patches of clouds in the bottom corner.

 

An early morning full moon is visible in the sky.

 

Not a cloud in the sky, just the moon.

 

Half moon glowing in a black sky.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…

A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.

Will love be enough to save them?

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite gemstone

The Moonstone represents the female essence and is one of my favorite stones. Moonstones come in a variety of colors: milky white, blue, brown, grey, pink, peach and green. Coveted for their luminescent appearance, Moonstones have been used in jewelry since ancient times. The ancient Greeks named the Moonstone for its likeness to the moon’s ethereal silver light and valued it as a talisman for lovers. Romans, Greeks and Egyptians associated moonstones with their lunar deities: Diana, Selene and Isis.

 

 

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…

A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.

Will love be enough to save them?

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html

Weird Word Wednesday

AYURVEDA ay·ur·ve·da

noun, often capitalized \ˌī-ər-ˈvā-də, -ˈve-\

Definition of AYURVEDA

:  a form of holistic alternative medicine that is the traditional system of medicine of India

— ay·ur·ve·dic adjective often capitalized

Origin of AYURVEDA

Sanskrit āyurvedaḥ, from āyuḥ life, vital power + vedaḥknowledge

First Known Use: 1788

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday Musings: AZ Sunsets #5

The sunset seen through our front door window.

 

I like the blues mixing with the golden layers of the sunset.

 

Gold blends with pink and blue in the stunning sunset.

 

Awesome.

 

I like the way the plant frames the sunset and mountains.

 

Another awesome sunset.

 

Each sunset creates a different pattern with layers of color.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…

A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.

Will love be enough to save them?

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite cable series

Favorite Cable series: The Game of Thrones

Oh my god, I love this series. I don’t have HBO so I had to wait for it to be available on Netflix. I can’t believe I haven’t read George R.R. Martin’s book series that is the basis for this Game of Thrones. He writes the type of fantasy I like to read and write. I love everything about this series, the characters, the political intrigues, even the music. It’s hard to pick a favorite character, but so far I like Daenerys and how far she’s come from a timid girl abused by her brother to becoming a strong queen. But I also love Peter Dinklage’s character and have a soft spot in my heart for the young Stark girl who doesn’t want to be a lady but wants to wield a sword—she’s exactly how I was at that age.

Highly recommended for fantasy fans.

 

 

 

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Weird Word Wednesday

AYAHUASCA aya·hua·sca

noun \ˌī-yə-ˈhwäs-kə, -ˈwäs-\

Definition of AYAHUASCA

:  a hallucinogenic beverage prepared from the bark of a South American woody vine (Banisteriopsis caapi of the family Malpighiaceae)

Origin of AYAHUASCA

American Spanish

First Known Use: 1949

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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

Monday Musings: Excerpt 2 from The Bear Goddess, New release by Kelley Heckart

Book Title: The Bear Goddess
Author: Kelley Heckart
Genre: Greek myths/fantasy/shapeshifters/romance
Page Count: 284
ISBN-10: 1502982684
ISBN-13: 978-1502982681
ASIN: B00P74X0WY

Blurb:
Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…
Callisto, daughter of the great Arcadian King Lycaon and the nymph Maia, has studied all her life to attain the high position of Bear Goddess among the nymphs of Artemis, taking a sacred vow of purity. But when she meets a mysterious man, her life changes forever.
Kasin is a prince among the fierce centaurs and one of few who can take human shape. A follower of Zeus, he is mystified to save a nymph’s life and even worse, to fall in love with an enemy of the centaurs. He is torn between his duty to his people and his love for Callisto.
When the nymphs capture Kasin for their next sacrifice, Callisto cannot allow him to die, but before she can help him escape, they are caught together and their secret connection exposed. Surrounded by armed guards, they manage a daring escape. On the run from the nymphs, danger and betrayal follow Kasin and Callisto. To survive, they must evade a god obsessed with having Callisto for himself as well as others who also want to keep them apart. Will their love for each other be enough to save them?
Excerpt (PG-13):
He should have killed her, but his bronze dagger was powerless against such a being. Only silver could kill a nymph. As soon as he distracted the boar, the giant beast would go after her. That boar with its silver-tipped tusks had been created to kill a nymph.
She opened her eyes and stared outside the opening.
A sudden realization about nymphs came to him. “Why am I being used as bait when you can change into a bird and fly to your spear?”
Her lips tightened. Had she thought he was so stupid he couldn’t tell she was a nymph?
“Not that it is any of your business, but in this instance I cannot use magic.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Why even have such magic when you cannot use it when you need it most?”
She sent him a disapproving look. “You do not have to distract the boar if it frightens you.”
He bristled. “It does not frighten me in the least. In fact, I find it quite a thrill.” Bending, he grabbed a couple of fist-sized rocks, straightened, and looked to Callisto for the signal, unable to believe he was taking orders from a nymph.
She unsheathed her dagger, her eyes taking on a serious, determined look that oddly excited him. “I am ready.”
They exchanged quick, encouraging smiles, like the ones shared between him and his companions before a dangerous hunt or battle. In that moment, he sensed an unexpected bond between them, slight though it was.
He stepped through the opening, hoping the gods smiled upon him, and made a silent promise to give them a generous offering later.
Moving at a deliberate pace, he waited for the boar to see him. Gods, the creature was huge, about the size of a bear. He made sure to walk toward the forest, away from the cave.
The boar looked at him and lowered its head, snorting, a stance Kasin was familiar with. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. To make sure the boar would chase him, he threw the rocks in a quick succession, hitting the beast.
Letting out a ferocious snort, the boar charged.
****
Multi-published author Kelley Heckart lives in Arizona with her musician husband, dog and a number of backyard “pets,” including Godzilla the desert iguana. Her stories reflect her passion for ancient and medieval time periods, storytelling and the supernatural. Inspired by the ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce warriors, bold women, otherworldly creatures, magic and romance. When not writing, she works as an editor/proofreader and practices target archery. She can be found online at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/
To sign up for my newsletter and receive special notices like new book releases and giveaways only for my subscribers: http://kelleyheckart.com/Contact_Kelley_Page.html
Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author
Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Favorite Friday: Sharing a favorite artist

Favorite artist

Jessica Galbreth, fantasy artist

I love her faery art. My favorite painting is The Morrigan.

 

 

http://www.fairiesandfantasy.com/store/Faeries-JG/

 

http://fairyfantasyart.com/jessicagalbreth.html

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

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