Interview and Giveaway with Heather Hildenbrand

Heather Hildenbrand is a mother of two who lives in coastal VA with her husband young family. She’s a part time property manager who writes YA paranormal romance.
I was thrilled to interview Heather, who was so lovely, and read her YA tale Dirty Blood.



Interview:

Hi Heather, first I’ve love to say a big thanks for taking the time to answer my questions and for allowing me to interview you. It’s a pleasure to have you on the blog.

You recently gave me the chance to read and review your novel Dirty Blood (thank-you once again) and I really loved it, what do you think readers going into it can expect?
I think they can expect a fast paced werewolf story with a twist and a main character you want to root for.

You’ve got a number of books published on smashwords, how do you feel knowing your stories are out there, being read and loved by readers?
It's so awesome! It's sort of a permanent adrenaline rush because I don't know when or where it's happening and then I start to get nervous and then I get an email from someone who says they loved it and want to know when the next one is coming out, and then it's all warm fuzzies.

You began writing for fun in high school, what advice would you give to anyone who wanted to do the same?
Don't stop!!! I wrote a lot in high school and then took a ten year break from it. Just think how many books I would have out right now, had I not strayed away from it! And like anything else, being a good writer takes lots and lots of practice, so the best advice is: Don't stop.

You yourself are an avid reader, what is your fave genre to read?
The same genre I write, of course: paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Although, I've really only been hooked on it for the past couple of years. (I was one of those converted by Twilight.) Before that, I read romance and murder mystery and epic fantasy and plenty of other genres, too.

What is your favourite book/s?
Books are sort of like moods to me, so I don't know if I can pinpoint just one favorite. The Lord of the Rings was epic for me, and inspired me to write in high school. The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis was probably the first love for fantasy I ever felt, so maybe that would be a good choice for 'favourite'. Also, Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends is something I can still quote here and there, and inspires me to be silly and goofy and imaginative in my writing. I also love The Forever King by Warren Murphy because he weaves the lines together brilliantly and makes you love his characters like they're family. Oh, and another that is so special I can't even begin to explain is This is Graceanne's Book by P.L. Whitney.

Who do you think is the most inspirational person you know/have read of/heard about?
Well, there's Jesus. For sure. I mean, you don't get more inspirational than that. But if you want a smaller scale answer, like maybe another writer, I am inspired by Stephanie Meyer. She was a stay at home mom with no real writing experience to speak of, and she put her mind to it, and got passionate about a story she had, and whether you're a fan of Twilight or not, there is no denying that woman's success. Nora Roberts is another one. She started writing to pass the time as a stay at home mommy, no writing experience at all. It's amazing to me; so when I have to turn off the computer to do laundry or clean a bathroom, I think, well, some of the most successful writers are stay at home mommies just like me. And they clean toilets, too.

Describe yourself in five words?
(Dang I hate these exercises, don't you?) Lover of words, kids, hubby. =)

If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, fictional or real, who would it be and why?
And we're back to Jesus. Seriously, I don't really know. I could never pick just one answer to this question. Too many choices. How about... Joe Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. Together. The rivalry and tension would be awesome AND they would have some killer marketing strategies for me.

What is your favourite place to write? Do you even have a fave or will anywhere do?
In the dead silence of my living room, because the kids are at school, on the corner of my couch, next to the fireplace, with laptop in hand.

Is there any news on upcoming books your working on that you wanted to share?
The second book in my DreamKiller series (an adult urban fantasy short story) is overdue to be out. Yeah, seriously. I kept saying how it would be out by the beginning of May but due to technical difficulties (my hubby not having time to finish the cover) it’s not out yet. It will be out by the end of the month though and it’s really fun. Each segment is only .99 and is a quick read for in between getting sucked into a full length novel or if you're on a lunch break at work. Its X-men meets Underworld meets Heroes and it rocks.

6 quick questions:
1. Cake or ice-cream? Ice Cream Cake
2. Favourite song? Seize the Day (Newsies soundtrack)
3. Favourite animal? Elephants!
4. Summer or winter? Summer
5. Lucky number? 9

You can find out more about Heather or her books on her blog: http://www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com/
or on her Goodreads profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4607856.Heather_Hildenbrand
Read my review for Dirty Blood here:
http://rachybee-the-rest-is-still-unwritten.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-shelf-dirty-blood-by-heather.html

Dirty Blood:

I killed a girl last night. I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster. But that’s not the part that got me. The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf. All snapping teeth and extended claws. But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again. That’s about the time I went into shock… And that was the moment he showed up.

Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face. One, Werewolves do exist. And Two, I was born to kill them.

GIVEAWAY:
Heather has so graciously offered one ebook copy of Dirty Blood to one winner. The winner will be able to pick their choice of format from smashwords and the contest is open worldwide.
To enter, you simply have to be a follower and leave a comment on the interview. You get one extra entry if you follower Heather's blog too here: http://www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com/

Contest will run from the 16th of May until the 31st, and I'll pick a winner after then.

A big thanks again to Heather, and I wish her all the best with future endeavors and stories to come!