Heather Hayden's Blog, page 4
March 20, 2018
Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 21: March Map Update!
Hello, first day of spring! I can’t believe winter’s over…no, really, I can’t, because we have snow arriving tomorrow and my parents have been getting pounded with snow where they live as well. As much as I would like to see spring’s first buds and flowers, I think the plants had better all stay hibernating a little longer!
Today I’m sharing an update on my month map for March. March is just over half over, and this should have been posted yesterday, but it’s been a busy month in terms of work.
Here’s the shiny visual of my progress:
And here’s the less shiny but more verbose version:
World-building – In progress
I’ve made progress on this, thanks to a brainstorming session with a friend who has been very patient and helpful during this process. We have another discussion planned for this week, provided I get some progress on the material before then.
Twitter game – In progress
Due to both work- and personal life-related stress, I haven’t had as much energy for social media this month as I hoped. However, I have been popping in every few days to see how #WIPTruthOrDare is going, and my co-host (Allie May) and I already have the prompts together for next month, thanks to our amazing participants!
If you’re on Twitter, come join in the fun! This month’s focus is a mixture of fun prompts and a few editing ones as a nod to National Novel Editing Month, which has historically taken place in March.
Monsieur Puss – DONE!
I sat down and revised Puss in one sitting earlier this month. My awesome partners have since looked it over and announced that it’s getting close to ready–I’m hoping I only have another minor draft or two to go.
Upgrade – Not started
I completely forgot this was on my map! However, I only have six critiques left to go (one chapter), so should have no trouble getting that done before the end of the month. I’m so close!
Goodreads Challenge – DONE!
I’ve read several books already this month, which completes this goal and then some! You can follow my challenge here: Heather’s Goodreads Challenge.
Last, but not least, the Just-Us League’s blog tour celebrating to the release of our fourth anthology, Of Legend and Lore, finished on the 12th of this month. You can check out all the interviews below, including one of me by the awesome J.E. Klimov!
Just-Us League hosts B.C. Marine — 5th February
Cover reveal on the Just-Us League blog — 7th February
Allie May hosts Matthew Dewar — 8th February
J.E. Klimov hosts Kelsie Engen — 13th February
Louise Ross hosts M.T. Wilson — 16th February
Heather Hayden hosts Allie May– 19th February
Kelsie Engen hosts Renee Frey — 20th February
RELEASE DAY — 26th February
M.T. Wilson hosts Sam Waterhouse — 1st March
Kristen Kooistra hosts Louise Ross — 2nd March
Elise Edmonds hosts J.E. Klimov — 7th March
J.E. Klimov hosts Heather Hayden — 9th March
Allie May hosts Elise Edmonds — 12th March
How is your March going? Are you excited for spring? Has it arrived yet where you are?
The post Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 21: March Map Update! appeared first on Heather Hayden.
March 12, 2018
Magic Monday: Sensation by Kevin Hardman
Normally I review fantasy books for my Magic Monday series, but I read Sensation: A Superhero Novel yesterday and it was amazing! So today I’m sharing it with you.
Like millions of other kids, Jim grew up wanting to be a superhero. Unlike most of his contemporaries, however, Jim actually had the goods: a plethora of super powers that would have been the envy of any meta on the planet. But when his tryout with the Alpha League – the world’s premiere group of supers – goes disastrously wrong, Jim basically becomes an outcast.
Two years later, Jim is still bitter about what happened to him. However, he soon finds himself the centerpiece in an odd turn of events that gives him a second chance at his dream. But nothing is as easy as it sounds, as Jim soon discovers. Among other things, he’s made an enemy of a prospective super teammate, he’s being stalked by an unknown pursuer, and a shadowy cabal bent on world domination has identified him as the only obstacle to their plans.
It’s a lot for one super to handle, even with a smorgasbord of abilities. But if saving the world were easy, everyone would do it…
I don’t often stumble upon a good superhero novel, but this one had all the one points for me–sympathetic hero, interesting setting, and a cliche in just the right way plot. After a disastrous tryout for the Alpha League, Jim plays superhero in the shadows. But he’s not a vigilante–he has his grandfather and a powerful superintelligence called BT helping him capture and turn in supervillains secretly. It’s only when trouble really begins to rise that he realizes he’ll have to embrace who he is–Kid Sensation–in order to save the world.
I loved Jim’s voice throughout the piece; he comes across as very human in spite of all the powers he has and all the training his grandfather has given him. He and the other characters bring the story to life, and it’s rather larger than life in some ways, just like a superhero comic might be.
If you enjoy comics and superheroes, I highly recommend this story. You can find it on Amazon.
The post Magic Monday: Sensation by Kevin Hardman appeared first on Heather Hayden.
March 4, 2018
Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 20: Marching into…March!
February vanished like a passing storm (yes, it was a great month, but it was also quite stressful!), and now March has stormed in, ready to offer fresh new adventures!
Although my previous month’s goals ended up not being doable due to both work commitments and anthology commitments, I did make some progress. Here’s my final February map:
I did complete the important goal of finishing my revisions on the first draft of The Sisters and the Dragon; it’s now going through its first round of critiques this month. The world-building is still a slow-going process. However, I hope to make better progress this month.
March’s goals are similar to February’s goals, although in some ways, a little less demanding.
World-building
If all goes well, I’ll finally finish the world-building this month!
Twitter game
I have been the co-host for the Twitter game #WIPTruthOrDare for a while now. Last month, the creator, Melanie Thurlow, decided to step down as host and asked me if I would like to take the reins. I agreed to do so and enlisted the help of Allie May, one of my fellow JL members, to co-host it with me. This month’s focus is a mixture of fun prompts and a few editing ones as a nod to National Novel Editing Month, which has historically taken place in March. If you’re on Twitter, come join in the fun!
Monsieur Puss
I know what I want to do with this story, I just need to sit down and complete the revisions.
Goodreads Challenge
Last month, I read more than I planned, so I’m still ahead on my goal. Once again, I’ve set a small goal of two books for this month. You can follow my challenge here: Heather’s Goodreads Challenge.
Finally, the Just-Us League released our fourth anthology, Of Legend and Lore, on February 26th (National Tell a Fairy Tale Day!). In celebration, we’re hosting a blog tour of interviews with the authors, which will last until mid-March. You can find a list of the blogs and interviews below.
Just-Us League hosts B.C. Marine — 5th February
Cover reveal on the Just-Us League blog — 7th February
Allie May hosts Matthew Dewar — 8th February
J.E. Klimov hosts Kelsie Engen — 13th February
Louise Ross hosts M.T. Wilson — 16th February
Heather Hayden hosts Allie May– 19th February
Kelsie Engen hosts Renee Frey — 20th February
RELEASE DAY — 26th February
M.T. Wilson hosts Sam Waterhouse — 1st March
Kristen Kooistra hosts Louise Ross — 2nd March
Elise Edmonds hosts J.E. Klimov — 7th March
J.E. Klimov hosts Heather Hayden — 9th March
Allie May hosts Elise Edmonds — 12th March
What are your plans for March? How did your February plans go?
The post Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 20: Marching into…March! appeared first on Heather Hayden.
February 25, 2018
Release Day: Of Legend and Lore!
This is one of my favorite days of the year (now that I know it exists, haha!), and my writers’ group, the Just-Us League, is celebrating by releasing our fourth anthology.
Of Legend and Lore is our second collection of fairy tale retellings, and it is now available for purchase on Amazon (or free through Kindle Unlimited). Pick up your copy today! (Unless, of course, you don’t enjoy fairy tale retellings accompanied by full-page, black-and-white illustrations…in which case, please consider purchasing a copy for a friend or family member who would.)
New life is given to eleven old stories in this second collection of irresistible fairy tale retellings.
Royalty faces magical challenges: a prince uses his powers on a rescue mission and reveals a terrible secret about his people; a king takes drastic measures to save his daughters from a troublesome curse; and a princess befriends an unusual frog.
Mythical creatures can be friend or foe: three brothers face a depressed dragon with a legendary treasure; an ancient crow brings a child’s wishes to life; and one young girl discovers dragons aren’t always the enemy.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes: a miser is in danger of losing everything one cold night; a struggling mirrorsmith meets an invisible recluse; a boy must relive the fairy tale based on his ancestor’s life; a child is rejected because of his love of drawing cats; and an evil witch is sealed in a glass coffin.
Be transported to new worlds and enjoy fresh twists on old favorites.
Grab your copy now!
Want to learn more about the talented authors behind the anthology? Check out our blog tour:
Of Legend and Lore Blog Tour
Just-Us League hosts B.C. Marine — 5th February
Cover reveal on the Just-Us League blog — 7th February
Allie May hosts Matthew Dewar — 8th February
J.E. Klimov hosts Kelsie Engen — 13th February
Louise Ross hosts M.T. Wilson — 16th February
Heather Hayden hosts Allie May– 19th February
Kelsie Engen hosts Renee Frey — 20th February
RELEASE DAY — 26th February
M.T. Wilson hosts Sam Waterhouse — 1st March
Kristen Kooistra hosts Louise Ross — 2nd March
Elise Edmonds hosts J.E. Klimov — 7th March
J.E. Klimov hosts Heather Hayden — 9th March
Allie May hosts Elise Edmonds — 12th March
The post Release Day: Of Legend and Lore! appeared first on Heather Hayden.
February 18, 2018
Of Legend and Lore Blog Tour: An Interview with Allie May
Welcome to the sixth stop of the Of Legend and Lore Blog Tour! Today, I’ll be interviewing Allie May, one of the talented authors of this JL Anthology.
Thank you for being here today, Allie! I’m so excited to host you again; last time you visited was just over a year ago. (Readers, see here for my previous interview with Allie.)
As this blog tour is celebrating the upcoming release of our fairy tale anthology, let’s start off with this question: What inspired your retelling?
I had a dream about a prince and his guard trying to sneak out of the castle while it was being invaded, and when they got caught, they touched hands and swapped bodies so the prince could get away. And when the JL started working on another fairy tale anthology, I knew what I wanted to do with the idea!
I love when dreams inspire my stories! The scenarios that come from them are always so interesting.
What was the hardest part of writing “Swapped”?
Oh, probably when I went into labor halfway through writing it.
Whoa! I think you win the prize for “hardest moment of writing a short story.”
You wrote “Rose & Thorn” for the first JL anthology, From the Stories of Old. How did your experience writing “Swapped” for Of Legend and Lore differ from that of your previous short story?
Everything was different this time around. “Rose & Thorn” started out as a novel, which I cut down to the last chapter. But I had everything figured out beforehand, so all I had to do was write. With “Swapped,” I had to start from scratch—world building, character sketches, plot, everything. And I had to figure out a new writing schedule while adjusting to being a new mom.
Speaking as someone who tends to add rather than subtract while revising, I’m impressed you cut an entire novel down into a short story. It’s also amazing that you managed to juggle developing an entirely new story with motherhood.
This will be your second published fairy tale retelling. Is there another fairy tale you’d like to rewrite? Why?
There are so many fairy tales that I’d love to get my hands on. The original tales are so bare bones, they deserve to be fleshed out. I’m editing a Beauty and the Beast short story retelling right now, as well as outlining a Cinderella novella retelling, a Snow White/Robin Hood novella mash-up, and a The Goose Girl/Princess and the Pea novella mash-up that all briefly crossover. I’d like to work on some lesser known ones in the future.
Ooooh, I’m excited for the Beauty and the Beast retelling! The others sounds fun as well. I’d also like to write some retellings of lesser known tales; there are so many other there!
What is your favorite original fairy tale?
Oh, that’s a hard question. Not because I like a lot of original fairy tales, but because I can find so many things wrong with them. I’d have to say either the Robber Bridegroom or Maid Maleen by the Brothers Grimm. The Robber Bridegroom because it’s hysterically gruesome, yet still ends happily. And Maid Maleen because I think it’s crazy that she would stay locked in a tower for seven years over a guy.
I think it’s pretty crazy, too… But fairy tales often have such crazy characters and situations!
What is your favorite adapted fairy tale?
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. A close second would be Disney’s Tangled. Third, would be Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (the book, not the movie).
I love all of those! Including the Ella Enchanted movie, if I must be honest. Though I enjoy it as its own thing, not as an accurate representation of the book, which it is most definitely not, haha.
Do you prefer a happily ever after?
Depends on my mood, but it has to be realistic. If It’s gonna be happy, there should be some sort of bittersweet cost to the happiness. Things don’t work out perfectly in the real world, and stories need to reflect that.
Our viewpoints on that differ… I love happily ever afters and I don’t mind them being perfect. I like escaping from reality when I read. But it’s always interesting to hear what others think about the matter!
If you could meet one author, alive or dead, who would it be?
Normally, I’d say Shannon Hale, but I met her at a book signing and again at a writer’s conference. I met Brandon Sanderson, Lisa Mangum, and L. E. Modesitt Jr. at that same conference. And I met Brandon Mull as payment for babysitting his best friend’s kids when I was in high school. So, Rick Riordan is probably next on my list.
Wow! That’s amazing. You’re very fortunate to have met so many great authors.
Who is the biggest supporter of your writing?
Probably my grandma. She’s lent her copy of From the Stories of Old to just about every single one of her friends, and she asks me for weekly updates on my writing.
Awww, that’s so sweet! It’s wonderful when family supports your passions.
What other projects are you working on?
My big project is called Powerful. I’m editing the third draft right now. Here’s the blurb: Her parents are in prison, her brother is on the run, and her powers are out of control. Now Crown Princess Kylanore has to restore balance to the government her parents corrupted. Under the watchful eyes of the Council of Four, Kylanore is sent to Floures Academy to control her water powers and prepare for her ascension to the throne of Tykra. While struggling to fit in, she accidentally reveals her extra powers, powers that were an unfortunate side effect of her parents’ alchemical meddling.
When her brother reappears, he unveils secrets about the Council of Four that could destroy the Four Kingdoms. Will she keep quiet to protect herself, or will she join her brother on his renegade attempts at justice?
Ooooh, sounds intriguing! Best of luck with that and your other writing endeavors, Allie! And thank you again for being here today.
Allie May is a dog lover, mom, and Dr. Pepper addict who turns her caffeine-fueled dreams into believable fiction. She fell in love with the impossible at a young age and has been telling stories (some fiction, some mostly non-fiction) ever since.
In high school she won two poetry contests, and in college she started the blog, Hypergraphia to combat her uncontrollable impulse to write. Her first fiction publication was a Sleeping Beauty retelling titled Rose & Thorn that was released in December 2016 in From the Stories of Old.
She married her high school sweetheart because he takes her to Disneyland (oh, and because she loves him). Together they have a dog child and a human child. On the weekends, you might catch a glimpse of her in the shadows as a lightsaber-wielding superhero.
You can follow Allie’s writing adventures through her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
Enjoyed this interview? Find more here:
Of Legend and Lore Blog Tour
Just-Us League hosts B.C. Marine — 5th February
Cover reveal on the Just-Us League blog — 7th February
Allie May hosts Matthew Dewar — 8th February
J.E. Klimov hosts Kelsie Engen — 13th February
Louise Ross hosts M.T. Wilson — 16th February
Heather Hayden hosts Allie May– 19th February
Kelsie Engen hosts Renee Frey — 20th February
RELEASE DAY — 26th February
M.T. Wilson hosts Sam Waterhouse — 1st March
Kristen Kooistra hosts Louise Ross — 2nd March
Elise Edmonds hosts J.E. Klimov — 7th March
J.E. Klimov hosts Heather Hayden — 9th March
Allie May hosts Elise Edmonds — 12th March
The post Of Legend and Lore Blog Tour: An Interview with Allie May appeared first on Heather Hayden.
February 11, 2018
Magic Monday: The Snow White Files by Sonya M. Black
Welcome to another Magic Monday post! Today, I’m reviewing The Snow White Files by Sonya M. Black.
Brendan Hunter is a private investigator stuck on dead-end cases until seven dwarves show up in his office and offer him a King’s ransom to track down a missing girl. Their description of Lily Whitaker sparks his imagination, leading him into the dark world of twisted fairy tales, magical machinations, and political gambits…
First, let me say that I love fairy tales and detective stories (you can read my review of another, similar book, The Beast of Talesend, here). I went into this book with the hopes of finding another fun fairy tale detective story, and I wasn’t disappointed. Brendan is hesitant to take the Lily Whitaker case–and for good reason, given how powerful some of the players involved are.
Luckily for Lily, he agrees to search for her. This is a quick read (I devoured it in one sitting and then read the sequel, The Riding Hood Files.) But don’t take that to mean that the plot is a simple one; there’s enough twists and turns to keep the reader glued to the page. And I loved the writing style.
In terms of characters, I especially liked Stasia, Brendan’s partner, who is a shapeshifter (the sequel is told from her POV!). Brendan himself is awesome; he has a sense of justice as well as a sense of self-preservation (both important for PIs).
I do wish I knew more about the magic system; due to the length of the book, there wasn’t a lot of space for world-building, but magic clearly plays a big part in the world. Brendan himself is a mage, although a reluctant one. Stasia has her own kind of magic, in her ability to change form (which definitely comes in handy). Other characters also have varying abilities in terms of magic and talents.
Overall, I enjoyed this read, as well as its sequel, and I hope that a third book is in the works, as there was a hint that one might be at the end of the second. Definitely recommended for readers who enjoy fairy tale-inspired detective stories.
Intrigued? Pick up a copy on Amazon.
The post Magic Monday: The Snow White Files by Sonya M. Black appeared first on Heather Hayden.
February 5, 2018
Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 20: February has begun!
If you’re subscribed to my blog through WordPress, you may have received an email earlier today about a blog post that currently doesn’t exist. I accidentally published my Magic Monday post for this month instead of scheduling it as I meant to. It is now scheduled for the 12th, and thus inaccessible at the moment. My apologies for any confusion that may have arisen!
Today’s post involves two things: sharing my February Month Map and more info about the upcoming release of Of Legend and Lore.
First, let’s see that shiny month map!
World-building
I hope to finish this task this month, as my muse is longing to return to working on the novel itself.
Twitter games
I co-host #WIPTruthOrDare; it’s a fun monthly Twitter game. This month’s focus is world-building (yes, I picked the theme, haha). Also happening this month is #JLbooklove, run by the Just-Us League; we’re celebrating romance and fairy tales this month as we lead up to the release date for Of Legend and Lore! If you’re on Twitter, come join in the fun.
Monsieur Puss
I have the feedback from the judges (mostly good, yay!) and two awesome partners to work through this story with me, so progress will be made this month!
The Sisters and the Dragon
Kristy and I plan to have the entire manuscript read for critique by the end of the month. After that, editing will likely take a few months, then we’ll release this fun fantasy novella about two twins who find themselves saddled with a rather unusual charge.
Goodreads Challenge
Given how busy this month will be for me, I’ve set a small goal of two books for this month. You can follow my challenge here: Heather’s Goodreads Challenge.
In celebration of the upcoming release of Of Legend and Lore, the Just-Us League is hosting a blog tour of interviews with the authors! Here are the dates and info:
Just-Us League hosts B.C. Marine — 5th February
Cover reveal on the Just-Us League blog — 7th February
Allie May hosts Matthew Dewar — 8th February
J.E. Klimov hosts Kelsie Engen — 13th February
Louise Ross hosts M.T. Wilson — 16th February
Heather Hayden hosts Allie May– 19th February
Kelsie Engen hosts Renee Frey — 20th February
RELEASE DAY — 26th February
M.T. Wilson hosts Sam Waterhouse — 1st March
Kristen Kooistra hosts Louise Ross — 2nd March
Elise Edmonds hosts J.E. Klimov — 7th March
J.E. Klimov hosts Heather Hayden — 9th March
Allie May hosts Elise Edmonds — 12th March
Be sure to check out the blog tour over the next month, and let me know in the comments what your February goals are!
The post Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 20: February has begun! appeared first on Heather Hayden.
January 28, 2018
Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 19: January Wrap-up!
Despite the flu and a sudden influx of work, I got a lot done this month!
World-building
I made some progress on this, but I still have more to go.
Solstice Flames – Done!
Releasing next month in Of Legend and Lore! If you didn’t catch my announcement post last week, see it here: New Anthology Announcement!
Monsieur Puss
I have the feedback from the judges (mostly good, yay!) and two awesome partners to work through this story with me. Unfortunately, time has been lacking due to work commitments, so this goal will have to be pushed back to February.
The Sisters and the Dragon – Done!
We’re about halfway through the current draft now! Currently, we’re preparing it for critique, with the plan of releasing it later this year.
Goodreads Challenge – Done!
I smashed my target of four books this month, reading a total seven books. Six of them were fairy tale retellings and the seventh involved the Faerie Realm… I think I should attempt to be a little more diverse next month, haha! You can follow my challenge here: Heather’s Goodreads Challenge.
Other Exciting Things!
I defeated the cruel illness known as The Flu by lying around in bed and watching Netflix (and reading, when I felt well enough to hold a book).
My freelance editing picked up a bit, which is exciting–I love working with clients to improve their manuscripts.
I started volunteering at the Butterfly Conservatory at the American Museum of Natural History.
I reconnected with an old friend; we’re meeting up next month at a cat cafe.
January has been an amazing month of some downs but mostly ups. I can’t wait to see what February has in store!
How did your January goals go? Anything exciting happen this month?
The post Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 19: January Wrap-up! appeared first on Heather Hayden.
January 22, 2018
Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 18: New release arriving next month!
February is known for Valentine’s Day, but I prefer the less-well-known Fairy Tale Day, which takes place on February 26th. Who needs cards and flowers when they could be reading a fresh new fairy tale retelling?
In celebration of fairy tales old and new, my writer’s group, the Just-Us League, is releasing our second fairy tale anthology on February 26th. Leading up to that date, you can expect a cover reveal, a sneak peek at my retelling, “Solstice Flames”, and more!
Today, I’m sharing the title and the blurb as a brief teaser…
Of Legend and Lore: A Collection of Fairy Tale Retellings
New life is given to eleven old stories in this second collection of irresistible fairy tale retellings.
Royalty faces magical challenges: a prince uses his powers on a rescue mission and reveals a terrible secret about his people; a king takes drastic measures to save his daughters from a troublesome curse; and a princess befriends an unusual frog.
Mythical creatures can be friend or foe: three brothers face a depressed dragon with a legendary treasure; an ancient crow brings a child’s wishes to life; and one young girl discovers dragons aren’t always the enemy.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes: a miser is in danger of losing everything one cold night; a struggling mirrorsmith meets an invisible recluse; a boy must relive the fairy tale based on his ancestor’s life; a child is rejected because of his love of drawing cats; and an evil witch is sealed in a glass coffin.
Be transported to new worlds and enjoy fresh twists on old favorites.
Which retelling intrigues you the most?
The post Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 18: New release arriving next month! appeared first on Heather Hayden.
January 14, 2018
Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 17: First 2018 Month Map Update!
I came down with the flu a little over a week ago. Mostly recovered now, but I lost a lot of time due to the illness. However, I HAVE made progress on a few goals, and now that I’m feeling better, I’ll be slowly working on my other goals as well. Won’t push myself too hard, because I don’t have all my regular energy back.
Without further ado, here’s my first update for January’s Month Map!
World-building
I’ve made a little progress on this goal so far this month.
Solstice Flames – DONE!
This project is now finished! More information will be forthcoming soon.
Monsieur Puss
I’m hoping to have the feedback from the judges by the 18th, at which point I’ll begin revising.
The Sisters and the Dragon
I haven’t made any progress yet on this, thanks to the unexpected bout of flu. Kristy has been very accommodating, and this is currently top priority now that Solstice Flames is complete.
Goodreads Challenge
I’ve read three books so far this month, and I’m partway through my second book club read. Clearly, the flu was useful for something–I had plenty of time to read!
How are your January goals progressing? How are your New Year’s Resolutions going?
The post Lieutenant Junior Grade’s Log, Entry 17: First 2018 Month Map Update! appeared first on Heather Hayden.
