Seven 11 Blog Hop for April

Hi from Roanoke, VA! 

I'm here for the weekend signing books and staying up late chatting about book boyfriends and all the fun "fiction gossip" that goes with getting to hang out with My People. 

Monday, I fly out for Guam, and I Can't. Wait. For. Hot. (I meant the weather, not the husband. Okay, yes, I did. I meant both.) So next week I'll probably be a little absent as I adjust through the jet lag, etc. and get settled in my house there. and then Pictures!

This winter fellllt loooong. Pretty sure I left my house only on a Must-Survive basis. Same goes for real pants. But I did write three books during that time. 

More news on what's coming next very soon!

In the meantime, a throwback for this month's Seven 11 Blog Hop! 

7 lines from Dirty Blood, the book that started it all, really. 

Enjoy and then click through to some other awesome authors!

His eyes were the same exact color as his hair, a sort of bronzed brown, and they seemed to hold some dark edge that hinted at danger, no matter how gentle they got. The rest of him wasn’t bad, either. His face matched his eyes, rugged and hard edges from his cheekbones to his jaw. When he’d spun me around, I’d grabbed out to steady myself and even now my hands still rested on his shoulders, where I’d first gripped. Underneath my fingers, and the leather of his jacket, was solid muscle. The fact that I was actually checking him out—just moments after killing a girl—was my first clue I was in shock.

If you haven't read it yet, you can get book 1 and two FREE

when you sign up for my Love Birds email updates!

Amanda Aksel - 7 lines from her new secret project I can't WAIT to read!

Kayla Smith

Justine Winter

Steph Nuss - not YA-appropriate but GREAT adult reads!

Where you'll find me in 2015

My husband called me a globetrotter last time I flew home from Guam.

I gotta admit, my personal life, travel schedule, and living arrangements are pretty damn exciting these days. I mean, most friends start out the conversation with "and where exactly are you now? What continent, I mean."

I do not take any of this for granted. I get to live a lifestyle I once only dreamed of. I live in 2 places at once. I travel for pleasure multiple times a year. I ride motorcycles. And that was just 2014. I'm always going someplace new. I agree, makes it hard to find me.

But in 2015, it might get even harder.

Facebook used to be my krytoponite. If I was supposed to be writing, I was on Facebook. If I was in Guam or on an airplane or in my living room in PJs, chances are, I was on Facebook.

But now Facebook isn't being so friendly to all the time I've invested into our little relationship. They're changing the rules and our partnership feels a little one-sided, I gotta say. All these changes are a bummer because since publishing in 2011, I have connected with the majority of my fans through social media, namely the BookFace.

And I hate the thought of reaching less and less of you and talking with or reading about what's going on or where I can find YOU in 2015. As a result of that (not to mention a pretty hectic writing schedule for 2015), I am changing it up. And I'm giving you all a HEFTY reason to remember that where you'll find me going forward is probably changing.

For those of you that want to hear more about my REAL LIFE travels, my characters' travels, new releases, and generally what makes True Love More Than Just a Fantasy for moi, you really should sign up for my Love Birds inbox list. Like, really.

You'll get stuff  like FIRST LOOKS at new covers and releases, special promotions ONLY for Love Birds, and all the goings-on of a Where's Waldo sort of I SPY game that has become my life.

Another reason I want to address this and tell you where to find me:

I recently read some stuff on FB that authors aren't as "interactive as they used to be" with their fans, bloggers, etc. According to this chic, we used to goof off and shoot the breeze with readers more often than we do now. But here's the thing, I think that's wrong. I think we're more than willing to hang with you--we just aren't SEEING YOU around anymore. Not your fault. Not ours. The reach and landscape of social media is altered and you're feeling the consequences. We are more and more invisible.

This fact really bums me out because READERS are WHY I do what I do. Hence the "social" in the media!

2015 is shaping up to look very exciting, but also very NEW. I won't be in any of the old haunts or at least not as often. So please don't lost touch! I still want to hang with you, I'm just finding new ways to do it.

For where I AM hanging out, here's a cheat sheet:

1. My newsletter. THIS is the #1 way you can hear what's up & stay connected. This is where I run giveaways. This is where I tell you FIRST what's new. And you can REPLY and we can chat! woohoo! Emails are numero uno.

2. Instagram. I kind of love posting pictures. I'm trying to post more bookish stuff but mostly it's my personal travel whereabouts and real life adventures.

3. Twitter  I'm there, I swear. Much more than I used to be. Find me: @HeatherHildenbr and say what's up. I will definitely reply and we will chat about any random thing you want. Matt Lanter's eye color, Damon's favorite brand of ketchup. Whatever.


And because this is important: a giveaway!!!

Here's the deal, sign up for my newsletter here OR fill in your info on the top right of this site and on Jan 15 I will pick 3 winners (newsletter subscribers) to receive a signed copy of Dirty Blood!

Good luck and share the contest. The more the merrier when it comes to Heather's Love Birds!

Halfway rockstars don't exist

This is a post I first wrote for Phoenix, my author coaching clients. I try to use my own STUFF as encouragement for my authors. Mostly because whatever I struggle with, you struggle with. Whatever wears on me probably wears on you. People are essentially the same. I decided to also post it here because it's been a while since I've been honest in a raw kind of way about my personal life with my readers. And these last four weeks or so have felt really raw. (no lie, I blame that last moon cycle. That one was a bitch!) But it's a new cycle now and I'm feeling much more like my TRUE SELF. I've got a good handle on my personal truth and I want to share it with everyone else who maybe struggles with keeping hold of their truth instead of taking on someone else's. (Living an OutRAGEous Life isn't as easy as you think!)

When I'm faced with a new choice, I spend only a few seconds deciding whether I want it or not. If not, I walk away. If so, I go for it.

But then I have a bad habit of spending the next LONG WHILE second-guessing that decision or feeling guilty for taking the opportunity OR unhappy as I contemplate all the judgment others must be passing on me behind my back because they would never do something so crazystupidinsaneunreasonable or just basically outside the box.

If you're like me, this sort of thing happens when you try to do something outside the "YOU" that fits into everyone's definition of what you "SHOULD DO."

Like, for example, Guam.

In July, I head back there--without the kiddos. Some people think that me leaving my kids makes me a less-than-great (Or unstable, in some conversations) mother. Or a slew of other judgy things that have been pulling me down in all areas. I mean, I've been though enough of a personal journey that I can't NOT follow my dreams (of travel and true love and anything that makes me this HAPPY) but I've been walking around feeling YUCK about it. Like that will make all of the naysayers feel better or come around. "Oh, well, she feels guilty for it, so, we forgive her."

Uh, no.

Doesn't work that way.

My point is, if you've ever felt this too. Maybe with wanting to write but everyone telling you it wasn't a "real job," over committing even though you didn't WANT to do something for someone but you felt obligated (aka GUILT), being afraid to write the kind of story you WANT to write because "what will people think?"

Building an entire life out of what you're "SUPPOSED TO" do or be or act like, instead of anything that gets you so happy and lit up that it makes you OutRAGEous.

I see you all writing books and publishing and living out that part of your happiness. But what about the choices you've made for others? The secret stuff, the paranormal erotica, the wanting to move to Bali, the stuff no one knows OR the stuff you've chosen but then walk around feeling bad about???? And then you wonder why this choice isn't working out now! Well of course it won't, not when you feel so awful about it!

It's not easy letting go of the yucky feelings that come with being a rebel. But it's totally worth it. The fact is, no one ever became famous or achieved their dreams or left a lasting mark or FULFILLED THEIR DESTINY or lived a happily ever after by "half-assing" their choices.

I saw this on Facebook yesterday:

When you die, your life is summed up by two dates and a dash. Make the MOST of the dash.

What are you making of your dash?

~Heather

If you like what you read here and want to join my Phoenix email list to get more of the same, you can click here to join Phoenix's mailing list. It's geared toward authors but my message: How to create your own OutRAGEous Life applies to everyone!

Extra, Extra...!

SO MANY THINGS. New things. Old things. Anticipated things. Surprising things <-- can't tell you about those yet. But I want to!!

First-this.
Deviation is out!!!
woot woot!!!

This cover just amazes me. Fascinates me. Seriously, Emily Tippetts is a genius and sort of my new idol. After these past few weeks I'm now convinced, she can do everything. I mean, everything. If you want to know how to turn water into wine, you should probably email her. Just sayin'.

Anyway, Deviation, book 2 in the Clone Chronicles, is now available for Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.

Coming soon in pb and everywhere else that's important. 

And to kick things off, there's a giveaway (there should always be a giveaway) and it's this:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the tour kicks off at A Book Vacation with Shana who rocks because she made me this:

And goes to places like Happy Tails and Tales on 3/15 with Maghon 

who will have a special announcement!!!!

and end with Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews

and then Cameron at What the Cat Read on 3/26. 

Be sure to enter the giveaway by then!!

Also, in the "New and Fantastically exciting department" is this AWESOME ANNOUNCEMENT I CAN FINALLY SHARE WITH YOU ALL!!!

I feel like I should do a cheerleader kick here--but I don't know how, so I'll just say it:

I am officially the proud (one-third) owner of a publishing company!!!!!!

OH yeah-- you heard me right!!! Check it:

And the best part is that we're not your average, run-of-the-mill publisher. Oh no (I don't do anything average and I don't really know what run-of-the-mill looks like so...)

What are we about?

This.

While sharing marketing tips and discussing cover art, independent authors Amanda Aksel, Heather Hildenbrand, and Sara Panek all came to the same conclusion; wouldn’t it be great if there was a publishing house that offered all the resources of traditional publishing, while still allowing the creative freedom of independent publishing? They set out to create their vision, and Elephantine Publishing was born.

Elephantine is a collaborative publisher. Our goal is to partner with you to turn your love of writing into a successful career for years to come. We work side by side with our authors through every step of the publishing process to create a unique and professional title to share with the world. Using strategic marketing, we provide our authors with industry tools and resources to build readership and grow sales.

Our aim is simple. We seek to provide access to all stories worth telling, whether or not the words fit into a neatly labeled box. Words that resonate in your bones. Stories you’ll never forget.

***

I am so excited to be able to FINALLY share this news with you!!! 

(THIS is where I've been hiding for months.)

I hope you'll check us out.

I'm pretty proud of my elephant baby.

www.elephantinepublishing.com

AND ALSO 

in the "EXCITING STORY OF MY LIFE" department

(I'm just full of good things lately and I love it)

I am still in Guam, still soaking it up. 

Still hanging out in places that look like this:

And I just want you guys to know I am so GRATEFUL for so many awesome readers and bloggers. You guys are what makes this possible for my life!!! Thank you so much for giving me this gift!! <3

Every day I wake up in awe of the life I get to lead. 

Much love. 

Guam and New Adult new releases

WHERE THE HECK IS HEATHER???

Uh, yeah, she’s in Guam.

I feel like this is probably a typical conversation right now among some of you. I have been here for 11 days now and I’ve been pretty quiet online because, really, I’m in GUAM!! And it looks like this:

And this:

Yeah, you’re seeing right. I took this from the back of the motorcycle. The ocean is that close to the road. It’s amazing. So much beauty and sun to soak up!

Okay, but I have been working here. Between trips to beautiful beaches and hiking to waterfalls, I have been working on Deviation. It comes out 3/12 and I can’t wait to share it with you!!!

The awesome Shana at A Book Vacation has made a killer tour banner and I’m getting the prize pack together and sending out review copies. Things are happening. Also, some of you have asked me and YES, there WILL be an NA version of Deviation. It will be called The Girl Who Was, a sequel to The Girl Who Wasn’t which came out a few weeks ago and looks like this:

It’s available now for Kindle and on Smashwords for any format. I am really excited to do this companion version!! It’s a gritty, sexy version of Imitation which is how I saw the story to begin with but because it’s the SAME story as Imitation, I wasn’t sure of the response. And so far, everyone has loved it. So I am going to do the same with book 2. It should be out by end of March. I will keep you posted.

For now, it’s back to the beach…