Monday, August 10, 2020

Interview with paranormal romance author Jeny Heckman

Fantasy-paranormal romance author Jeny Heckman joins me today to chat about The Warrior’s Progeny.

During her virtual book tour, Jeny will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:
Award-winning author, Jeny Heckman, was born in Bellingham, Washington, and was the youngest of two daughters. She met her husband, Jeff, in August 1992, and eloped three months later, at Magen’s Bay, on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

She wrote her first book, the Catch, in a few short months but took several years before she gained the courage to self-publish it at her son’s urging, and her love for writing began.
In 2018, Jeny knew her next project would be a series that showed adults could have adventures in the paranormal-fantasy genre too. So, she created the Heaven & Earth series, a story of doomed Greek gods and their only salvation, their modern-day descendants. Her first book of the series, the Sea Archer, was immediately picked up by the New York publishing house, the Wild Rose Press, and won, “Best in Category” from the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards.

In the year 2020, Jeny released, Dancing Through Tears, a short story from the anthology, Australia Burns: Volume Two, highlighting the Route 91 massacre from the perspective of one family at the concert, and at Mandalay Bay. She also intends to release, the Warrior’s Progeny, and Dee’s Cornucopia, in 2020, continuing the Heaven & Earth Series.
Jeny lives in Washington State with her husband of over twenty-eight years.

Welcome, Jeny. Please share a little bit about your current release.
Colton Stone is a newly traded tight end whose reputation is as battered as his football helmet. When he receives a vacation invitation from his new teammates, he accepts. There he collides with Dr. Lillian Morgan, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, and doesn't know what to think.

A widow with two children, Lilly is looking forward to her friends' wedding. When she meets Colton Stone, his arrogant attitude only makes her long for the love she took for granted. Lilly struggles between letting go of her perfect past for an uncertain future.

Strange events occur, out of the realm of normal consciousness. When black energy touches their world Colt and Lilly become the pawns of the immortal Greek gods. Is the love developing between them natural, or part of a larger prophecy?


Excerpt from The Warrior’s Progeny:
Colt’s body temperature heated until his helmet, now that of a Trojan, melted and became part of his skull. Painful, thick, fire plumes ignited from the sides of his head and curved toward the sky, until they solidified in a solid line down the middle of the helmet. Black snake-like smoke wafted up from the earth and encircled his ankles and wrists, locking him into place.

He looked over at Lilly, who now knelt helpless as her skin became dusky, then turned a brilliant shade of blue. However, the color became an iridescent hue that reminded him of something just outside the confines of his mind. Her skin bubbled, separated, and formed into thousands of compact hairs. Small points protruded from her shoulders and down her arms until they freed themselves from the surface of her skin, as she screamed. Several long, hollow shoots grew, lengthening into the elegant, arching rods, as more buds sprouted from them and turned into thready feathers. As the feathers lengthened, green and blue eyes opened in intervals. At a screech of transformation, Lilly turned into a peacock, whose tail plumed out in a perfect fan. A feathered diadem lifted from her skull and the beautiful eyes all blinked at him. He wanted to mate with her, devour her, possess her, and bellowed out an unearthly warrior battle cry. Breaking his bonds, he charged at her.



What exciting story are you working on next?
I’ll be finishing up a side novella on a fan favorite from the series, Dee Taylor. Afterward, I’ll start on book three of the Heaven & Earth series. I’m also working on a separate genre political thriller

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I got picked up by my publisher in New York, The Wild Rose Press. I self-published my first book and had no idea what I was doing, because I’d never written anything before. When I went to a writing conference I pitched this idea for the series. I didn’t have anything written, just pitched the idea to a New York agent. She loved it. And even gave me some tips on what to do. When I came back the next year, she wasn’t there but I pitched to four other agents, editors and publishers from New York, and they loved the book. I’ve been writing ever since.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I write part-time, and also work for our family business doing office work. I generally write in the morning and then tend to stay up late at night, especially if I’m on a roll.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
When I get started everything needs to be in its place, all clean and organized. It’s usually a mess within a couple of days, but for some reason, I’m more centered. I also need quiet or just music that’s instrumental and no words.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
So many things!!! An actor, an engineer, a writer, an entrepreneur, a mother, a hairdresser, and a nurse

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I hope you like the book! Thank you so much for joining me today. I appreciate your time! And a huge thank you to Lisa for hosting me today, it’s been an honor.

One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from the movie Hope Floats, with Sandra Bullock. I feel like in these trying times it’s relevant.

“Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it is the middle that counts the most. You need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up, and it will.”

Links:

Thanks for joining me today, Jeny.


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5 comments:

Goddess Fish Promotions said...


Thanks for hosting!

Jeny Heckman said...

Thank you for having me on today, Lisa! I’m excited to be here!

Rita Wray said...

Great excerpt, thank you.

Jeny Heckman said...

Rita, I'm dying to know about you! What do you like to read?

Victoria Alexander said...

Great post - I enjoyed reading it!