Heather Heffner's Blog, page 2

Upcoming Hiatus

 Ah, that thing called life.

Soon I'm about to report to a new boss who demands a 24-7 work week, hourly check ins, and communicates in screams and coos. In addition to boss #1 who is now lethally mobile. 

So while I will be buried awhile in the dreaded "fourth trimester," I look forward to updating you all upon my return. 

Just think of all the stories that can come out of that :D 

In the meantime, here's what's ahead in the writing world. If you missed it, Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters #5) recently dropped on all major ebook retailers everywhere! See you soon. 

Publishing Schedule: 

2021 The Changeling Sisters Series #1 - 4 is now available in Paperback through Amazon.com!
2024 - 2027 The Stars of Eden (Afterlife Chronicles Book III): The epic conclusion to the Afterlife Chronicles
Year of the Crow (Changeling Sisters #6): The unforgettable finale to the Changeling Sisters Series
Paperback Releases, All Books: Afterlife Chronicles, Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters Series #5)

The Boys - Amazon TV Series Review

 

Warning! Minor Spoilers!

 

THE BOYS truly is theanswer to superhero fatigue. While some movies like Marvel’s CaptainAmerica: Civil War took some interest in the sheer catastrophic toll all ofthese larger-than-life fights would take on society, The Boys forces youto stop and feel the sheer untouchability superhumans would have over usaverage mortals—then asks, what if they didn’t have the best intentions?

Again, we see a take of evil Superman in Justice League, but it just doesn’t hit home nearly as hardas Antony Starr’s impeccable depiction of The Boys’ equivalent Homelander—thecharismatic virtually indestructible leader of the Seven—whose menace justfeels so terrifying and real. In this not-too-distant America, a pharmaceuticalcompany called Vought manufactures and markets superheroes, the most elite ofwhich are held in worshipful adoration as members of the Seven—America’s top protectorsagainst crime, flashing their sponsors’ products while stringing up the badguys just in time for the cameras. Gawky, nerdy Hughie (Jack Quaid) is just oneof the Seven’s legions of fans, convinced they can do no wrong—until one ofthem blows through his girlfriend at superhuman speed, leavinghim showered in guts and reality.

For those of us who were Supernaturalfans, the show is especially a treat because of the parade of familiar facesyou’ll see over the course of three seasons as Hughie’s quest for vengeancetakes him deeper into the dark side of the superhero franchise dominating thecountry along the likes of no-rules Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and similarlydisillusioned Seven member Starlight (Erin Moriarty). It’s as if creator EricKripke has found the platform he could take the kid gloves off and really goall-in with the gore, the WTF moments, and the unmasking of every characterupheld on a pedestal (and when Jensen Ackles shows up as Solider Boy…there mayhave been fangirling #sorrynotsorry).

There have been some over-the-topmoments that made my eyebrows disappear into my hairline (yeesh, like thetwisted take on the Deep and his obsession with sea creatures), but from thebeginning, the show is honest that there are very few lines it won’t cross(fair warning to the faint of heart).

With all the world-building andcharacter back stories advancing steadily each season, I feel like the end ofSeason 3 has prepped Season 4 for a full-on sprint. The set up of Season 3addresses the political scene of the USA today head-on with narratives around fake news, the lack of consequences for those in power, and the chillingpolarizing rise of Us v. Them: there are those who are superior, those who areinferior, and middle ground is non-existent.

With just a few minor quibbles(some slow spots here and there; Stormfront’s initial characterization inSeason 2 felt confusing with her true motivation reveal, and it seemed strangethat someone as shrewd as Stan Edgar would have ever supported her joining theSeven), The Boys is a modern-day bingeworthy Game of Thrones thatI’m heavily looking forward to, and can’t wait for the Season 4 release date!In the meantime, watch the teaser trailer here.

Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters #5) Published!

A suspenseful, twisty geopolitical journey for shapeshifter fans dropping just in time for the holidays. You won't want to miss the penultimate installment in the Changeling Sisters Series. Now available on all major online eBook retailers: 

Apple, Kobo, Scribd, Smashwords, and more:

https://books2read.com/u/bMVjQ7

Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/Year-Snake-Changeling-Sisters-Book-ebook/dp/B0CLJFL5XM

Another Exclusive Look Inside Year of the Snake

 

It's official - my cat refused to go out this morning, meaning it is finally getting into that autumn chill. Whether you're preparing to remember those who've passed on for Day of the Dead or visiting the pumpkin patch for Halloween, I've just released two more excerpts from Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters V) to get into the mysterious mood of the season. Check them out below! 

https://www.wattpad.com/1388250652-year-of-the-snake-chapter-3-excerpt-celebration-of

https://www.wattpad.com/1388252487-year-of-the-snake-chapter-4-excerpt-popocat%C3%A9petl

Exclusive Chapter Excerpt 1: Year of the Snake

 

Check out the first chapter excerpt from Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters V), exclusively on Wattpad! 
https://www.wattpad.com/1383215125-year-of-the-snake-chapter-1-excerpt-the-dream
*Year of the Snake will be available November 1, 2023 on all major online E-retailers*

Year of the Snake Cover Reveal

* Coming November 1 to all major online E-retailers*

XIBALBA IS RISING.

The Alvarez and Yong siblings have saved Seoul from a zombieapocalypse, but a murder close to home reveals the terrifying truth that theDeath Gods are far from finished. Citlalli, Raina, and Miguel team up withRafael and Khyber in a dark and convoluted investigation that will take themdeep into the Central American peninsula, into the heart of the Maya underworlditself. Citlalli and Khyber’s newfound romance faces the ultimate test whenKhyber is summoned to be King of the Vampyre Court, forcing him to choose onceand for all his allegiance to the living or the dead.

Meanwhile, dragon shapeshifter princess Sun Bin is welcomed into thehigh-powered tech world of Saja Corp with promises of finding her missingbrother and saving Nyssa from her divine captor. However, while the researchinto the viruses that created the Were Nation glitters brightly, underneath lurksa deadly secret, one that could spell ruin for life itself.

As Changeling Sisters across the globe unite to stop the catastrophicrise of Xibalba, the spirit world of Eve can no longer bury the sins of thepast—and the world may well drown in them.

Year of the Snake is the penultimate book in the Changeling SistersSeries.

 

Wednesday - Netflix TV Series Review

 WEDNESDAY
Season 1 Streaming on Netflix
~TV Series Review~

*Warning! Moderate Spoilers!*

 

AS AN ALL-AROUND NEWBIE to theAddams family (originally created by Charles Addams), I came into Netflix’smega-hit with vague recollections of pale people, dark hair, and yes, I didremember the severed hand—who is this series’ MVP. Even being a casual TimBurton viewer, I was still familiar with the iconic characters of Morticia,Wednesday (played by Jenna Ortega), and Gomez, but boy, is this take ever likeVeronica Mars goes to magic school—and I am here for it.

After teenager Wednesday (namedafter a line from her mother’s favorite poem “Wednesday’s child is full ofwoe”) sets piranhas on her younger brother’s bullies, she is whisked away to herparents’ old boarding school called Nevermore, where she discovers an entireclass of outcasts and odd-ducks—you know, sirens, gorgons, werewolves.Headmistress Larissa Weems (Gwendoline Christie) protects the school fromincreasing scrutiny by the hostile neighboring town of Jericho, which wasfounded by a diabolical pilgrim. Wednesday’s magical abilities range fromstrange visions to deadpan humor to sleuthing, which she immediately puts to usewhen someone starts attacking students. Like I said, Veronica Mars withmagic.

Ortega is hysterical. It doessuspend belief that someone could be quite this witty and have the perfectcomeback to every authority, but it’s entertaining, and I love that she fullyembraces herself and dances like no one is watching (the dance scene had me institches). I loved Wednesday's thorny relationship with her mother and the softer sidewith her father and brother, but the best partnership of course goes out toThing (the aforementioned severed hand that likes manicures), her closestconfidante in cracking the murder mystery of Nevermore. Thing’s origin did make me curious to look up, since in Wednesday’s family, having an animated handkeep tabs on your daughter at boarding school is, ya know, tots normal.

You may guess that Wednesday hasa problem with trust, considering the Hand-best-friend-thing, but her intrepidclassmates don’t give up on her—including a beekeeper and Enid Sinclair (EmmaMyers), her bubblegum-pink late blooming werewolf roommate. I could have swornEnid would turn out to be a cat instead (give the werewolf trope a break), but I still liked how shefinally came into her own. Thankfully no vampires—but will be very interestedto see more of the sirens and gorgons in future episodes. I think they jumpedthe shark a bit on humanizing Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday), the sirenqueen bee of the school—her relationship with her mother and the influence thathad on her upbringing was too rushed, introduced at a moment where there wastoo much going on to get the focus it deserved. I also found Wednesday andXavier’s relationship to be a bit unbelievable, not really seeing what theattraction was when she continued to treat him like gum on the bottom of her shoe.

Despite some moments when thereis so much going on, the characterization suffers for it, this is overall another bingeworthyNetflix series that will entrap you for the long haul. We’ve got formerWednesday alum Christine Ricci back in a new role, and gosh does GwendolineChristie (Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones, Lucifer in The Sandman)continue to demonstrate her acting versatility in the sweet-but-lethalheadmistress character. Plus you’ve got Catherine Zeta Jones as Morticia,Wednesday’s darkly ethereal mother, and Luis Guzmán as her doting father.Here’s to eagerly awaiting Season 2!

 

*The above is depicted asfiction, not fact

Washington Travel Series: Methow Valley, Washington

THINK IT'S TOO EARLY to beplanning your next cross-country ski trip? If you’ve ever wanted to experiencethat quintessential winter wonderland small-town getaway where it’s just you ina log cabin surrounded by endless white powder, you’ll want to start planningnow to visit the Methow Valley.

Heading out into the heart ofCentral Washington is a journey in of itself. The big city slowly slips awayand the land opens up to endless freedom. Check conditions at the passes:Snoqualmie and Blewitt Pass are two big ones if coming from around the Seattlearea, and Blewitt can be notorious to sending your car spinning out if notready for winter driving. You’ll eventually leave the congestion of the citybehind and wind further north, past Cashmere and Chelan, until it’s just you inthe wide open country. Once you hit Twisp, you’re nearly there, and there’s agood grocery store just outside the rustic sign welcoming you to Winthrop.

Finding a place to stay nearWinthrop is ideal for easy access to all the major cross-country ski areas. Notto mention it’s a chic frontier-style town straight out of the Wild, Wild Westwith wooden boardwalks, saloons, gift shops, breweries, and inns that are a tonof fun to explore, while deer and horses meander along the chilly Methow River.If you’re taking a break from skiing, there’s an outdoor ice skating rink, icefishing further outside of town, and so many neat coffee nooks and eateriesthat it will be tough not to eat out every night.

Airbnb, VRBO, and Expedia alloffer easy ways to search for accommodation, but be aware that this place booksup fast. We’re talking world-class cross-country skiing. I’ve always been adownhill fan myself, but lately downhill skiing’s prices have been going sky-high.Cross-country skiing is a great workout, and try skate skiing to recapture thethrill of flying across miles of groomed trails with nothing but the mountainsand the sun overhead.

Methow Valley Trails passes(available to be bought on the Methow Valley Trails website or at a local sporting store in town) run you around $78 for 3 days, or $30 for1 day, and that covers four amazing areas—plus, kids under 17 and seniors over75 are free! I’d like to highlight Methow Cycle & Sport which had pulks forrent if you’re here with toddlers.

Ski Areas

All four major Ski Areas aroundWinthrop are connected by the Methow Valley Community Trail. We stayed at WolfridgeResort, a bundle of log cabins with anoutdoor hot tub, and you could wake up and walk out your door to start skiingthe community trail.

This time was a differentexperience for us with a toddler on board. We
planned skiing outings around ourlittle one’s naptime, and sure enough, the pulk lulled her to sleep and wasrelatively light to pull for long distances. If you have little kids or forbeginners, I recommend Mazama and Jack’s River Run:

Mazama

This place is going to be a bighit for the little ones. It’s mainly a flat groomed trail system past an oldfarmstead with easy loops and picturesque landscape that could have inspiredthe lyric, “Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!” Plus you mayget to see biathlon training in action. Check out the Goat Creek trail throughthe woods for a bit more intermediate excitement that will take you all the wayto a suspension bridge.

Mazama Public House, operatedby Old Schoolhouse Brewery

We could not have asked for a betterlunch spot after skiing the trails at Mazama. Neighborhood vibes abound in thisnew pub house, which sports garage doors that overlook pristine mountains. It's family-friendly with savory food that was so good we came back again. I’m not usuallya fan of nachos, but this take included a fresh, unique salsa and succulentpork that made me want to revisit the dish all over, along with quinoa bowlsand great takes on hearty sandwiches and fries that was distinctly memorable.You can’t ask for much better to get off the track and grab an IPA or ciderice-cold from the tap, with a ton of local favorites to choose from. MazamaPublic House was launched by a long-time resident and offers a fantasticexperience with reasonable prices.

Jack’s River Run

Honestly, this was our first timeat Jack’s River Run. Go until the highway ends (or Mazama has a trail thatconnects to this ski area) and you’ll find relatively flat trails with cliffslooming above you. It’s mainly forested until you break out to one of thosegorgeous meadows with a warming hut. For a challenge, check out Doe Canyon.

Sun Mountain: Chickadee Trailhead

Once the kiddos (or you) havegotten the hang of things, the Chickadee Trailhead at Sun Mountain to the southis the “it” place for intermediate and advanced skiers. I have many fondmemories exploring the diverse trails here, and yes, there are steep descentsthat will excite the downhiller’s heart. Take Thompson Road up to the top andenjoy the Upper and Inner Passage down (black diamond rating)—just be carefulif it’s icy! There’s tons of fun loops through the forest like Criss-Cross andRodeo, and even the easy routes take you by beautiful lakes and offer a trekback up to the famous Sun Mountain Lodge at the mountain top. Not a fan ofsteep ascents? Sun Mountain Lodge is worth a drive just to visit and see theview.

Rendezvous: Cub CreekTrailhead

If the weather’s decent and yourheart is really set on a challenge, it may be time to embark on the drive overto Cub Creek Trailhead at Rendezvous Trailhead, easily the most difficult skiarea with grueling uphill and in my opinion, not quite as much of the fun thatyou get at Sun Mountain. The shade and heavy forest adds an extra layer ofchill to the remote experience. However, if you’re an advanced skierwith thunder thighs, this is the place to go.

 

Overall, there are so many waysto build your trip to the Methow Valley—and that’s just in winter! This truly is astorybook gem we’ve fallen in love with and can’t say enough good things about.As for our toddler? It checked all her boxes, too.

*Disclaimer: This post is depicted as fiction, not fact

 

Year of the Snake Book Finished!

 

To Everyone emerging after Cinco de Mayo weekend, I am thrilled to announce Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters V) is complete. Cover reveal to come! It is an exciting feeling to finish the penultimate book in this globe-trotting shapeshifter series. Geopolitics, family secrets, and underworld adventures await in a new part of the world. Get ready for life-or-death ball games, jaguar shifters, and a high stakes murder mystery. There may also be a morally compromised octopus :D .  

Stay tuned for publication date and catch up on the Changeling Sisters Series in the meantime: https://heatherheffner.blogspot.com/p.... 

XIBALBA IS RISING.

The Alvarez and Yong siblings have saved Seoul from a zombieapocalypse, but a murder close to home reveals the terrifying truth that theDeath Gods are far from finished. Citlalli, Raina, and Miguel team up withRafael and Khyber in a dark and convoluted investigation that will take themdeep into the Central American peninsula, into the heart of the Maya underworlditself. Citlalli and Khyber’s newfound romance faces the ultimate test whenKhyber is summoned to be King of the Vampyre Court, forcing him to choose onceand for all his allegiance to the living or the dead.

Meanwhile, dragon shapeshifter princess Sun Bin is welcomed into thehigh-powered tech world of Saja Corp with promises of finding her missingbrother and saving Nyssa from her divine captor. However, while the researchinto the viruses that created the Were Nation glitters brightly, underneath lurksa deadly secret, one that could spell ruin for life itself.

As Changeling Sisters across the globe unite to stop the catastrophicrise of Xibalba, the spirit world of Eve can no longer bury the sins of thepast—and the world may well drown in them.

Year of the Snake is the penultimate book in the Changeling SistersSeries.

The Rings of Power (Season 1) - Amazon Prime - TV Series Review

 

*Warning! Spoilers Ahead!*

I can still recall the excitement when my mother first introduced me to Tolkien’s The Hobbit—that treasure of a first line, riddles in the dark with Gollum, the dragon Smaug, our favorite wizard Gandalf, and this bedeviling ring that would capture the imagination of Western fantasy for ages. I grew up in the age of animated Tolkien movies, and even today still find “Down, Down to Goblin Town” catchy. Easily my favorite scene in this era of Lord of the Rings is when Éowyn slays the Witch-King of Angmar (although kid self thought he was ridiculous cool, up there with the likes of Darth Vader). The series was an utter success at creating a memorable story that would stick with me for decades.

Look how cool I am! - Return of the King 1980

I was enraptured with Peter Jackson’s later adaptations. The bar was set high for any succession to Tolkien’s work, especially when Amazon announced a TV series based around the lesser-known Silmarillionmaterial. As a newcomer to this age of Middle Earth, I waited with trepidation for the first trailer to drop.

Now as we all know, sometimes the trailer is better than the show. However, it was clear from the start that this was a teaser with nothing to tease. There was nothing particularly compelling at stake, especially when everyone knows how it all works out in the Third Age.

I regret to report that this lack of particularly compelling characters ultimately makes “The Rings of Power” a lackluster fantasy series, its only saving grace the star power that names like Galadriel and Elrond have. Frankly, I was bored.  As others have voiced, for a series titled “The Rings of Power,” the first season fails to convey the scale and grandeur of crafting rings that would grant Galadriel and Co. unparalleled authority.

Let’s appreciate the good. The story arch of Elrond’s deep friendship with Durin and Disa under duress by the animosity between their peoples is by far and large the high point of the season. The dwarven society was interesting and the actors made me care about them. Seriously, the rest of the elves were as bland as cardboard, but Robert Aramayo as Elrond pulled off the bantering chemistry with Owain Arthur’s Durin so well that I somewhat cared if The Tree was failing.

I also thought Charlie Vickers as Sauron in hiding did the best with the lines he had, but again, he was paired up with meanderingly dull plot lines and didn’t have strong actors to play off. Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel was distant and unrelatable, Isildur and Elendil were a big letdown, and the entire Harfoot plotline with the Stranger was painful to watch. Arondir as the obligatory ass-kicking elf was cool and I think Adar could have been used much earlier to create a sense of menace. Númenor, visually a feast for the eyes, but a yawn-fest in terms of plot, could really benefit from taking some notes from A Song of Fire and Ice and The Wheel of Time when it comes to court intrigue (or simply from Tolkien himself—who could ever forget how much fun King Théoden and Steward Denethor were to watch?)

Overall, the season would have benefited from a more focused plot tied around the challenges of crafting the rings themselves. There is maybe one episode dedicated to this, which makes it look like Sauron is a patient instructor walking the elves through how to make the best homemade bread. Using little known actors can be extremely effective (just see the Harry Potter trio’s breakout performances), but if they can’t convince the audience to care for them, it becomes just another generic fantasy no matter how big Tolkien’s name is. The Rings of Power has stunning imagery and a clear love for the world; now it needs to find its captivation factor.