Heather Ostler's Blog, page 8
December 4, 2013
Chasing June Blog Tour and Giveaway!

I'm so stoked to announce the release of Chasing June by the fabulously talented Shannen Crane Camp. Chasing June is the second book in the series and Finding June, book one, was nominated for a Whitney Award! Yeah, she's pretty awesome, and I'm so happy I get to be a part of the same writing group.
One thing I love about Shannen is that her fun, enthusiastic personality is contagious, and it shows through in her writing. She has such a good sense of humor and I always LOL (for real) when I read her novels. You don't want to miss this release!
Read about Chasing June and enter the giveaway below.

June Laurie has it all—a budding career on the hit crime drama Forensic Faculty, a supportive and perfect boyfriend in her best friend Joseph Cleveland, and hopes of transferring her acting skills to the stage at college. But in a series of plot twists as dramatic as any Hollywood storyline, June's dreams dim with a heavy dose of grown-up reality. Once she starts school at BYU, June's days become filled with classes and the new challenge of dealing with jealous theatre majors who seem determined to give her the cold shoulder. Her happy plans for a future with "the one" take a turn, too, when Joseph dumps her to focus on preparing for his two-year LDS mission. Casting directors and the siren call of stardom beckon her back to California, while an old co-star appears on the scene to confuse things even more. Caught up in the drama of life—the type that has more intrigue, subplots, and unexpected romance than a murder mystery game—June starts to wonder if maybe her life's script might end with a grand finale she never saw coming.
[image error] Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah... they still can't decide.
Shannen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to contact her at Shannencbooks@hotmail.com or visit her website for more information: http://shannencbooks.blogspot.com
Goodreads Book Giveaway

See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
Add it to your shelf on Goodreads!
Check out the first book, "Finding June" here.


Published on December 04, 2013 17:13
November 27, 2013
Greetings from Turkey, Jordan, and Israel
Long time no talk! Sorry to be away for so long, I've been out of the country visiting Turkey, Jordan, and Israel. I can't wait to share my stories with you about these amazing places, but first I just wanted to check in and wish you a very happy Thanksgiving week. Wherever you are, I hope that you have a wonderful week and safe travels.
Travel blog posts to come soon!

Travel blog posts to come soon!
Published on November 27, 2013 14:23
November 4, 2013
Journey of a Fantasy Trilogy

Characters have to find resolution in whatever path they choose. Some will reach their full potential, while others will fall short because of their decisions. Each character has to choose where they stand, and there won't be any gray areas to hide in. Sadly, there is more death in this novel.
However, with the sadness, comes the stand-up-cheering-smiling-ear-to-ear moments when characters realize who they are. There's a lot of growth and self-discovery. Some relationships end, some relationships start (eek, so excited for this). Characters will live, laugh, and love—and it's all part of the hero's journey.
I can't wait to share this last book with you. Thank you for coming on this crazy adventure with me. Let's party in June at the launch!
Also, as pictured above, there will be plenty of sword fighting, because swords are awesome. Just thought I'd let you know.
Published on November 04, 2013 10:09
October 21, 2013
Quoth the Raven

During this time of year I like to read some of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest poems and short stories. His work was hauntingly eerie, yet so eloquent and beautiful. Unfortunately, I feel like my first exposure to Poe’s writing was on a Simpson’s Tree House of Horror episode. Bart Simpson was masquerading as the raven yelling “Nevermore, Nevermore,” while Homer played the tormented narrator.

Poe never received the credit he deserved for his writing during his lifetime, even though he was terrifyingly talented. I’m sure you know some of his most classic works. But as it's near October 31st, I think I should extend a dare for you to read some of his most chilling tales.

I can’t physically give you a handful of Twix, Reese's, and Kit Kats to celebrate Halloween (my favorites), but instead, as a treat, here are some my favorite stanzas of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven. Enjoy. Mwahahaha!
THE RAVEN
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!
(To read the full version, visit
http://www.heise.de/ix/raven/Literature/Lore/TheRaven.html).
Published on October 21, 2013 19:32
October 8, 2013
Body Language

I love applying this to writing because it helps create believable characters. You can tell your reader everything they need to know about a character purely off their body language. Adversely, if your character's body language is wrong, it will hurt your writing.
One thing I try to keep in mind is that often people say one thing, but their body language contradicts them. If you ask a favor of someone, they might respond and say they're happy to help, however you can sense that they feel uncomfortable or unhappy about it—it's because their body language is portraying how they truly feel.
Likewise you might have moments in your writing where a character feels uncomfortable, scared, or unhappy, but they try to mask their inner feelings and appear calm and confident. It's important to show small traits of how they're truly feeling during each scene.
If you have a character that's feeling angry, they might stiffen up or change their tone. If someone touches their nose, they don't believe what's being said. If they're nervous, they'll be fidgety, give short answers, and have terrible eye contact. When someone's feeling relaxed and confident, they'll make themselves appear bigger, taller, and raise their hand higher in class. When someone feels vulnerable or scared, they'll shrink by crossing their legs, folding their arms, or sometimes touching their neck.
I've been watching other's body language a lot more closely, trying to take notice of how they react in different situations. My goal is to make each of my characters react believably, thus creating stronger writing.
How do you use body language in your own writing? What popular characters in literature use strong body language?
Published on October 08, 2013 14:35
September 30, 2013
Fall Travels: Disney World

Happy fall!
How is your autumn season going? I can't believe it's the last day of September. I've decided that after I get my editing goal done today, I'm going to pull out the Halloween decorations!
This month, after Comic Con, I went to Orlando to see two of my favorite places: Disney World and Harry Potter World. Sigh, I really wouldn't mind living there–in the parks I mean (really, I've worked it out. I would live in Cinderella's castle and eat park churros and ice cream all year).
You know what I love about Disney? How flawlessly they immerse you into new worlds by targeting all five senses. How could your imagination not take off and create new stories, characters, and ideas when you're surrounded in the sights, smells, and sounds of Main Street, Tomorrowland, and Adventureland? AND Disney World has four parks to get lost in. I always make sure and jot down ideas of inspiration while we're traveling in space, jeeping through the jungle, or dancing down Main Street. I know it's cliche, but I honestly feel like a kid again. You can see the proof below.

Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom. This is my best friend since elementary! We have refused to stop playing dress-up just because we're adults.


I love the new Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. They have a new interactive Beauty and the Beast experience that completely lives up to the hype.

Hollywood Studios with Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. So creepy and wonderful at the same time.



A lovely, rainy day at Epcot. Let it be known that Epcot is no longer a "boring and educational" park. It has changed A LOT, and it's worth going to.


Animal Kingdom with plenty of dinosaurs, tigers, and even a yeti from Everest. I love the adventurous theme throughout this whole park and how each section takes place in Africa, Asia, and India.

Thanks for stopping by! Do you have any trips planned for fall?
Published on September 30, 2013 14:13
September 11, 2013
Salt Lake Comic Con
Can we talk Salt Lake Comic Con? Guys, it was INCREDIBLE—there was so much to experience. My mind is still reeling over all the special guests, panels, and costumes I saw over the weekend.
I was excited to be on five panels throughout Comic Con. My first panel was with Brandon Mull, James Dashner, David Farland, Richard Paul Evans, and Jenni James. We spoke about our experiences writing for young adult and middle grade audiences.
My last writing panel, Woman in Writing, included Ally Condie, Jenni James, Lisa Mangum, Mette Harrison, and Laura Hickman. It was such a neat experience to be up there with these talented woman!
One of my favorite panels I was involved with was called The Happiest Creative Place on Earth: How Disney Inspired Me as an Artist. We got to talk about our favorite Disneyland rides, achievements and disappointments from Disney, and capturing magic in your own writing. It was a lot of fun--I think I'll do a little magical blog post on that later.
There were so many special guests over the weekend. Here are a just a few I got to hear from:
Stan Lee. Look at that crowd! Salt Lake Comic Con was the largest inaugural Comic Con in the United States. Go Salt Lake!
Henry Winkler. I GOT TO MEET HIM! I became completely starstruck when he asked for my name. I answered weakly, "Heather," to which he replied, "Heather, are you shy?"
Nicholas Brendon (Xander) from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. It was cool to hear him talk about his experiences working with Joss Whedon.
On Friday I had a signing at the lovely Shadow Mountain booth. I got to meet a lot of really kind fans and see some great costumes.
Speaking of costumes...check out these clever creations!
I also got to see some fan art for The Shapeshifter's Secret by the talented Anastasia!
It was such a crazy, fun convention and I'm so happy I could be a part of it. Seriously, I'm so excited that Comic Con is coming back every year!

I was excited to be on five panels throughout Comic Con. My first panel was with Brandon Mull, James Dashner, David Farland, Richard Paul Evans, and Jenni James. We spoke about our experiences writing for young adult and middle grade audiences.

My last writing panel, Woman in Writing, included Ally Condie, Jenni James, Lisa Mangum, Mette Harrison, and Laura Hickman. It was such a neat experience to be up there with these talented woman!
One of my favorite panels I was involved with was called The Happiest Creative Place on Earth: How Disney Inspired Me as an Artist. We got to talk about our favorite Disneyland rides, achievements and disappointments from Disney, and capturing magic in your own writing. It was a lot of fun--I think I'll do a little magical blog post on that later.
There were so many special guests over the weekend. Here are a just a few I got to hear from:

Stan Lee. Look at that crowd! Salt Lake Comic Con was the largest inaugural Comic Con in the United States. Go Salt Lake!

Henry Winkler. I GOT TO MEET HIM! I became completely starstruck when he asked for my name. I answered weakly, "Heather," to which he replied, "Heather, are you shy?"

Nicholas Brendon (Xander) from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. It was cool to hear him talk about his experiences working with Joss Whedon.

On Friday I had a signing at the lovely Shadow Mountain booth. I got to meet a lot of really kind fans and see some great costumes.
Speaking of costumes...check out these clever creations!








I also got to see some fan art for The Shapeshifter's Secret by the talented Anastasia!

It was such a crazy, fun convention and I'm so happy I could be a part of it. Seriously, I'm so excited that Comic Con is coming back every year!
Published on September 11, 2013 21:33
September 2, 2013
Blog Tour and Giveaway for Sugar Coated!

Shannen Crane Camp is releasing her newest novel, Sugar Coated! I could not put this enticing dystopian down. Camp perfectly describes a hauntingly utopian world where things just don't seem quite as sweet as they appear. I loved the characters in this book, Brynn, Ty, and especially Jonah–he's the perfect, witty sidekick. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series!
Today I'm happy to help wrap up the Sugar Coated Blog Tour and announce the amazing giveaway of twelve different books! Read about Sugar Coated and enter the giveaways below.

An unhealthy addiction to sugar cubes, a deep-seated fear of water, and universal luxury—these are the simple things that make up 18-year-old Brynn's Utopian existence. Why, then, is her perfect life also plagued with unanswered questions?
Like every other resident of the planet Halcyon, Brynn's home provides everything she needs, money is unheard of, and life is perfect. But unlike the rest of Seaside's residents, Brynn has questions. Why can't people leave the city? Why does the ocean fill everyone with terror? Who are the Workers? Not only is Brynn curious where others are compliant, but she suffers from chronic nightmares of an angelic woman torturing her for information she doesn’t possess. But these are more than just figments of her imagination; they're memories of things that never happened.
When Brynn meets Jonah, a brilliant, library-dwelling boy who shares her questions and her curiosity, they formulate a plan to find answers. Somewhere, the perfect veneer of Halcyon's instant gratification hides a city that only Brynn knows about—a city she and Jonah are determined to find. But will finding the city give them answers, or simply uncover the horrific truth behind the perfection?
Sugar Coated Excerpt:
Blinding white lights flashed into life, revealing a room less cavernous and imposing than she had expected. Instead, the room with the white walls, ceilings, and floor was quite small; small enough for her to run from one end to the other without ever breaking a sweat. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust and once they did, she still couldn’t be sure of what she was seeing. There seemed to be a complete lack of color in this small room, as if it had been drained right before her arrival and was shining more brightly because of its recent purge.
Brynn blinked her eyes a few more times, trying to clear the spots that sprang into existence when the less-than-subtle lights had ignited. Now that she had a proper hold on her surroundings, she could see the impossibility of the room. There were no windows. There were no doors. There was no way in or out. So how had she gotten there?
“We apologize for any inconvenience your death may cause you at this time,” said a smooth, soothing female voice over what Brynn could only describe as a loudspeaker. If the woman’s voice hadn’t been so calm and collected, it may have taken her less time to understand exactly what she was saying before the sickly sweet smell of sugar hit her nose; like cookies right out of the oven.
This wasn’t just a room. It was a death chamber.
“We appreciate your cooperation and would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the best thing to do in this situation is enjoy this smell, generated for your pleasure,” the voice told her, never losing that deep, rich timbre. Brynn thought that if she hadn’t been in an obviously dire situation, she would have loved nothing more than to listen to the beautiful voice and smell the sweet sugar all day long. But as it turned out, there wasn’t much time left in her day right at that moment. Listening to the woman’s instructions against her better judgment, Brynn took one deep breath, enjoying the smell of the unnaturally rich sugar before her cheek made contact with the hard white floor with a sickening thud.
You can purchase Sugar Coated at Goodreads.com!
rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah... they still can't decide. Shannen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to contact her at Shannencbooks@hotmail.com or visit her website for more information: shannencbooks.blogspot.com
Published on September 02, 2013 11:21
August 30, 2013
Just a Little Reminder...
Published on August 30, 2013 17:25
August 28, 2013
My Twin at UVU!

I graduated from Utah Valley University in 2009, and this week I got to help out at Freshman Convocation, welcoming new students.
I honestly loved my time at UVU. I feel like I always had the passion to write, but the knowledge I gained at UVU really set things into motion. My classes and professors there helped me find inspiration in classic literature, mythology, and creative writing, all of which shaped my books.
I'm hoping new students there (and everywhere) will find that same spark of inspiration that leads to great things in their life. Hooray for education!
The convocation was a lot of fun and I was happy to find my twin! I had a lot of great experiences at UVU, but I never thought I'd see my cardboard cut out there!
Published on August 28, 2013 13:17