Heather Rigney's Blog, page 2

Welcome!

I'm so excited to share my new website with you! I hope you enjoy it and can find everything with ease. 

 

Please feel free to browse around the navigation. Visit the pages. Maybe check out the deal I have going on in the shop.
  

Shop

Other Authors: I used advice from this website to guide the creation of my site. I also looked at  Gillian Flynn's author site, as well as Lauren Kate.  I felt that both individuals were hitting the right marks (buy it links, newsletter signups, current book up front and center) as well as setting a darker tone--which I believe my work reflects.

Fans: Be sure to sign up for the news updates below to stay up to date on all the latest releases, signings, events, etc. Also, coming soon, the Resources page will be featuring insider Merrow Trilogy information. Things that the fans have asked for, such as maps, pronunciation guides, historical background references, etc, will be featured here. Think of it as the bonus features on a DVD release. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to see something featured! 

I suppose now that I have finished designing this website, I need to get on priority number 1-- the writing of Caging the Merrow! Here's a cover prototype teaser for your viewing pleasure. 
 

HUNTING THE MERROW available for Kindle Pre-order!

Step right up! Click the button! And magic will happen!


That's right, you, too, can pre-order my next book and it will magically appear on your Kindle on December 1, 2015. Just click here!

It's like a unicorn ride or a wish from a drunk fairy, only better. ;)

Book 2 is in the BAG!

Book 2: HUNTING THE MERROW is now in full edit mode. That's right. It's on like Don-key Kong, friends!

The release date is December 1 and the party will be at 6pm, Thursday, December 3, 2015 in the Elephant Tea Room, Cranston, RI. 

Some highlights from my writing journey:

Spending an icy January morning at the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library reading Journal of the Whaling Vessel, The Bark Leone of Fairhaven  (Did you know whaling ship's were called Barks? Me either.)

That time in Wildflour (also in January) where I started yelling like a deranged lunatic in glasses, exclaiming, What am I doing with my life? What does Czechoslovakian Folklore have to do with ANYTHING? Good times.

That other time where I gathered a group of friends and paid them (with beer) to listen to me summarize 28 chapters while an impending thunderstorm lit up the night sky all around us. That was at What Cheer Tavern in June. If you go, tell Dave I sent you, and I insist that you have the Mofo Fries– cheddar, Tapatio crema, cotija, crispy garlic, cilantro, salsa $8. That's right, I said, MoFo Fries.

I sent out my first Author Updates Newsletter! I had a great response rate. Those who had signed up received a link to my first chapter AND a sneak peek of the cover (Featured above. Thoughts on the cover are ALWAYS appreciated.)
Click HERE to sign up for my Author Updates Newsletter so that you, too, can be in the know. 

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So, do YOU want to read the next chapter? Be my guest ...



Click to download Chapter 1 of HUNTING THE MERROW for Free!Read on Wattpad - Sign in Required

LIWNS - Mary Stewart, Thank you.

I'm starting a new series entitled, Letters I Will Never Send (LIWNS).



(September 17, 1916 – May 9, 2014)


Dear Ms. Stewart,

Lady Mary Stewart. That's quite a title, but I admire that you didn't like to use it. It's quite pleasant to imagine you in your Edinburgh garden, toiling away in the soil while imagining new places to take your readers. You are an inspiring lady, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you.

I realize now, that you are one of the first women who exposed me to the Historical Fantasy genre. 

(The center cover was the one I read in 1986)My father, the stonemason, Raymond, strongly encouraged me to read your work, The Crystal Cave (published 1970) sometime in 1986. I was around the age of twelve and given these words from my father,

"You will smell the horses and the leather from their saddles. You will feel the biting cold of the mist, rising from the dark forest. You will hear swords clashing against chainmail while men die in agony from fatal blows." 

That was good enough for me. I devoured the book, then went on to consume the next three in the series:

Book 2: The Hollow Hills (pub. 1973)
Book 3: The Last Enchantment (pub. 1979)
Book 4: The Wicked Day (pub. 1983)

If you are not familiar with these works, they are based on the Arthurian Legends. You know, Camelot and all that. But these books were told through the perspective of Merlin. For a more specific description, I borrowed this from Wiki: The Crystal Cave is a re-telling from Merlin's point of view of his childhood and youth up to the time of Arthur's conception. The Hollow Hills is Merlin's recounting of Arthur's birth and boyhood until he is made king. The Last Enchantment is the story of Arthur's kingship as told by Merlin. The Wicked Day is a re-telling of the story from Mordred's point of view.

But, back to my thank you.

(In Scotland, at home, in her garden)
Ms. Stewart, you taught me the art of show, don't tell.

One of the most important skills a writer can have. You taught me to be in the moment. To smell, hear, taste, feel, see what is around me as I write, and then, and only then, describe, in specific detail, all these wonderful sensations to my readers. When I write, and I find that what I have written is flat, I say in my head,

"Be there, be there, be there. What's around you? Be in the moment. Write it ALL down."

Knowing that you, too, wrote about a previous time period, has helped me to believe in myself as a writer of events long past. The only way I can do this, is to see in the show in my head, and then record it. I could not have done this without you.

Thank you, Lady Stewart, for showing me the way...

Merrow are now sprawled across all platforms. No Excuses.

(I don't know who made this fantastic illustration. If anyone does know, please tell me so I can give them credit!)
Dear Readers,

For those of you who have read my book and told someone about it, thank you. For those who have used social media to tell others about my book, thank you. For those who have left a review anywhere about my book, thank you.

I am writing book 2. It's happening and it's exciting. Please stand by.

Today, I am very excited to announce two things.

1. Waking the Merrow is now available EVERYWHERE! books are sold online. Okay, maybe not everywhere, but the big, heavy hitters now have evil, blood-thirsty mermaid action for your reading pleasure.

Here are the links (which are always available on my Books page)
Online:Amazon: Paperback, Kindle Barnes and Noble: Paperback  Nook iTunes: Kobo: Kobo Reader

As well as these Rhode Island bookstores:

In Stores:  Twice Told Tales - Pawtuxet Village, Cranston, RIWakefield Books - Wakefield, RI
Symposium Books - East Greenwich, RI

2. I made Penny Watson's top 20! So excited to be along side some great authors AND Chris Pratt. He can guard my galaxy anytime. :)



I will be celebrating with Penny at her Holiday Bash and Book Fair, tomorrow! You can get all the information you need here. If you do go, you could win this:

Mermaid on the radio. Mermaid out and about.

I was on the radio today! I even got to wear headphones!  It was very exciting. I was on WADK 1540AM in Newport, RI. The pleasant and calming Bruce Newbury, host of Talk of the Town, walked me through my interview, and  I had so much fun. It was a blast! If you missed it, you can listen to the entire show below (brought to you by my husband, the nerd.) Go on and click the link below.
Click here to listen!
And, tomorrow I will be at the 2nd Annual RI Authors Expo in West Warwick, RI. If you are interested in grabbing some books for yourself (OR, think Holidays!), please stop by. I will be the one in the green mermaid wig. 

Book Club Parties - I'm your gal

 

Since my debut novel, WAKING THE MERROW, launched in early June, 2014, I have attended three book club events (or Salons, if you're fancy, and, IMHO, it's always good to be fancy.) On my events calendar, I have another one scheduled for August, and two other women have expressed interest in hosting their own events.

From each event, I have had anywhere from five to ten people buy my book before the event, and then, at the event itself, I made several more sales.

As for the parties, they have been so much fun! I love to talk. Having taught for twelve years, I have missed blabbing away to captive audiences.

Each host did something unique that complimented my novel. One host ordered a Pu Pu Platter (my main character's husband, Paddy--a big man--eats a whole one by himself), and served my main character's favorite drink--bourbon. She also had another character's favorite beer, Narragansett (a Rhode Island fav, also named after the RI's central bay where most of my story takes place.)

Another host served Pimm's Cup cocktails, a vintage drink served in one of my more historically-based chapters. 

Before the last two book clubs, I helped each host design postcards. Here is a sample:

Interested in having me at your book club? Contact information can be found here. Are you an author thinking about jumping into the book club circuit? You should. Read this article for more information and encouragement.

The pretty lady on the left is the hostess with the mostest! That's me, in red! Isn't her house GORGEOUS? Also, check out the nifty bookmark on her mantle right below fellow RISD grads, TALKING HEADS, TRUE STORIES on vinyl ...

Dark Historical Fantasy - WAKING THE MERROW available now!

It's available! Go and get yourself a copy today! 



Amazon.com Kindle Version - $2.99Paperback - $10.79
Need a nudge, here's an article from The Cranston HeraldNeed another, here's a fantastic review!

Path to Publication- This Is JUST A TEST.

I'm in the home stretch now, and man, I'm tired. But hold up a sec, I wrote a book.

I wrote a book!

Damn. I wrote a book. And now it's ready to be unleashed on the world. If you're wondering how I got here, let me tell you something--I made a lot of mistakes. I fell on my face. Time and time again. But I got back up and kept going. If you are out there reading this and thinking of all the things you wanted to do but didn't--don't worry. You have plenty of time. Go do it.
That's right, go fall on your face, get your butt up, and keep going. 

You are supposed to make mistakes. It's how we learn. The Beastie Boys knew it. I know it, and now, you need to say, "Yeah, that's right. I'm going to go and  _________________. And it's going to be hard, and I will fall down, but it's all good. I WILL make mistakes."

But now it's time to celebrate. There's a party going on in here for real and you are all invited!


I will let you know how it goes in a few weeks and give an outline on how to throw a kick-ass launch party. Right now, however, I need to go kick it.

Yo I'm out and I'm gone
I'll tell you now, I keep it on and on ...

Everyone Loves (Well-Designed) Swag!

I'm wearing my designer hat. A good friend with awesome hair helped me design these products.

I wanted to make something that people would want to wear--not chuck into a closet (or, worse, into the goodwill bin).

I also wanted something that was not a billboard, something more like:

Curious person: Hey, what's that on your shirt?

Kind, swag-wearing person: Oh, this? Well, I know this author, and she wrote this awesome book about mermaids. No, not the nice ones--these mermaids kill people. It's cool. You'd love it.

So, I give you my swag. I give you an opportunity to spread the word, grass-roots style, about my book. If you like, please support me!

You only have until May 18, 2014, and then this offer is gone. 

I used the crowd-sourcing site teespring.com. Why? Because I did not want to buy 200 shirts, all size medium, all unisex. This seemed like a better idea.

What do YOU think? Head over to teespring.com/wakingthemerrow and see for yourself!

I also made some ads to put on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram. Here they are: