Heather Hayden Interview and Announcement
You all remember Heather Hayden, whom I interviewed way back in October. Click here to read Heather’s previous interview! (opens in a new tab) Today I’m hosting Heather for another interview! This time she has a very special announcement for us!
Though a part-time editor by day, Heather Hayden’s not-so-secret identity is that of a writer—at night she pours heart and soul into science fiction and fantasy novels. In March 2015 she published her first novella, Augment, a YA science fiction story filled with excitement, danger, and the strength of friendship. She immediately began work on its sequel, Upgrade, which continues the adventures of Viki, a girl who loves to run, and her friend Halle, an AI. You can learn more about Heather and her stories through her blog and her Twitter, both of which consist of equal amounts of writerly things and random stuff she’s interested in.
C: Welcome back to my blog, Heather! Let’s get right down to it, what’s your announcement for us today?
H: Thanks for having me, Corinne! I’m here to announce my writer’s group’s fairy tale anthology, From the Stories of Old. We’ve been working hard on it for the past five months or so, and are very excited to release it on December 7th. (That’s today!)
In this international collection, new life is given to fairy tales, both classic and obscure.
Mythical creatures put the fairy in Fairy Tale. Mermaids, selkies, and ocean guardians experience the best and worst of humanity; sisters encounter an unusually friendly bear; a brave bride meets a silly goose; and a spinner of gold sets the record straight.
Urban fantasies modernize classics: a Frenchman learns the truth about magic, his past, and his girlfriend; a girl sets out to find love but receives a curse; and today’s naughty list makes Old Saint Nick not-so-jolly.
New worlds bring a fresh sense of wonder! In the future, a young woman fights for her people and herself; a bastard son finds acceptance in a world ruled by women; and a farmer’s wits win the heart of a frosty king.
Discover unexpected twists on old favorites, and fall in love with new tales and worlds to explore!
C: Wow, that’s so exciting! I’m very excited to collaborate with you on this project. You own the publishing company, Rowanwood Publishing, LLC, is that right?
H: That’s correct! My sister Heidi and I started it about a year and a half ago, when I published Augment. I did a lot of research on micropublishing (actually did a residency on it as I was still in college at the time), and we determined that a partnership would be the best way to go about creating a name under which to publish our stories.
Rowanwood’s motto is “Two Sisters, Many Stories, One Dream.” This is quoted straight from the website: We want to share the products of our imaginations with the world, and we want to have complete control over the process through which our stories are released.
Heidi designed the logo, I took care of the paperwork, and our wonderful mother helped us sort out the taxes last year. This year, I’ll be learning how to do taxes on my own.
Rowanwood will be releasing From The Stories of Old, as the ISBNs I’m donating to the anthology are in Rowanwood’s name. However, we’ve sorted out the contract and all proceeds from the anthology’s sale will be going to the authors, the illustrator, and toward future anthologies. Our website is located at http://rowanwoodpublishing.com/ if you’re interested in learning more.
C: And I’ve also heard that your sister, Heidi Hayden, is doing the illustrations for the book, as well? How long has your sister been into art?
H: Yes, she is! She’s loved art since she was a kid. Now she’s a senior at the Maine College of Art, majoring in illustration. She plans to write and illustrate children’s books when she graduates.
When she heard my writer’s group was putting together an anthology, she was very excited as she loves fairy tales! She offered to create a black-and-white ink illustration for each of the stories, and has done an amazing job. Everyone’s so delighted to see their work illustrated, and it definitely adds a nice, old-timey touch to the anthology, as anthologies such as the Grimm Brothers’ often included illustrations.
Here is one of the illustrations from the anthology:
C: Wow, your sister is so talented! Does she have a website or portfolio where my readers can see more of her work?
H: Absolutely! Her website is http://haydenillustration.wix.com/maine and she’s got examples of both paintings and soft sculptures up. You should definitely check it out!
C: Of course! That’s next on my to-do list, after we’re finished here.
