Interview: Seeking Unseen by Kat Heckenbach

Today we have a treat for our readers. Kat Heckenbach's new title, book 2 of her The Toch Island Chronicles, Seeking Unseen has just been released this month. For the Splashdown launch party, I'm kicking off the blog tour to feature her and the two books, Finding Angel and Seeking Unseen. Here's her interview:

Did you always want to be a writer?

Well, yes and no. I actually grew up wanting to be an artist. I drew all the time and was very good. But, when I got to college (after deciding I'd like to teach art), I lost some of my interest in it. I had some phenomenal science teachers at the community college and ended up changing my major from Art Education to Biology. I never really went into science as far as work. I ended up teaching and tutoring (mostly math) until I had my son. Then I became a stay at home mom and eventually started homeschooling. Then, a couple of years ago I was overcome with the desire to write. I love reading Young Adult fiction--became completely addicted to the Harry Potter books and movies and Cornelia Funke's InkHeart series--and decided one day I just had to give it a try. Memories came streaming back that showed me it was a desire I'd always had. I read all the time from the time I was very young, but never thought I could do what those authors do, so I pushed the idea out of my head for so long. But, I suddenly remembered sitting on my bed when I was in high school trying desperately to start a novel. I also remembered writing fourteen-page notes to my friends all the time, which should have been a clue that I like writing :). And I always got A's on my papers and essays. I just think I was so focused on my art and never had the self-confidence in writing. I didn't think I was interesting enough to come up with any grande and creative ideas. And, I was too young back then. I didn't have enough life experience. Now, I've been through a lot and all of that comes out in my writing.



Tell us about your relationship with your publisher Splashdown. Any surprises as you’ve worked with them?

The whole experience has been one surprise after another! I had no idea what to expect from working with a small publisher. But it’s been awesome. Grace Bridges is wonderful, and the whole group of authors work really well together as a team. We brainstorm back cover blurbs and such for each other, and everyone is respectful of each other’s suggestions. I will admit, I love the creative pow-wows Grace and I have when it comes to cover art. We seem to totally connect most of the time and it’s ridiculously fun. Those moments of, “What if we….?” followed by, “Oh, yes, that’s brilliant!” happen a lot—in both directions. There have been far too many for me to doubt I’m in the right place.

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Kat Heckenbach grew up in the small town of Riverview, Florida, where she spent most of her time either drawing or sitting in her "reading tree" with her nose buried in a fantasy novel...except for the hours pretending her back yard was an enchanted forest that could only be reached through the secret passage in her closet...

She never could give up on the idea that maybe she really was magic, mistakenly placed in a world not her own...but as the years passed, and no elves or fairies carted her away...she realized she was just going to have to create the life of her fantasies.

Now she shares that life with her husband and two kids. Ok, maybe "share" isn't the right word--more like lives that life in her writing and tries her best to be normal the rest of the time...

Kat is a graduate of the University of Tampa, Magna Cum Laude, B.S. in Biology. She spent several years teaching, but never in a traditional classroom—everything from Art to Algebra II—and now homeschools her children.

Author Website: http://www.katheckenbach.com/

Toch Island Chronicles

Book 1: Finding Angel (Sept. 2011)
ISBN: 978-1927154137

Book 2: Seeking Unseen (Sept. 2012)
ISBN: 978-1927154298

Visit the other blogs in the tour:

Grace Bridges	http://grace.splashdownbooks.com
R. L. Copple	http://blog.rlcopple.com
Ryan Grabow	http://www.egrabow.com/rm.php?e=Prime
Diane M. Graham	http://dianemgraham.com/blog/
Travis Perry	http://travissbigidea.blogspot.com/
Paul Baines	http://www.pabaines.com
Caprice Hokstad	http://caprice.splashdownbooks.com/
Keven Newsome	http://www.kevennewsome.com
Greg Mitchell	http://www.thecomingevil.blogspot.com/
Robynn Tolbert	http://ranunculusturtle.blogspot.com/
Frank Creed	http://blog.frankcreed.com/
Fred Warren	http://frederation.wordpress.com/

Hero Game Ebook Now Available!

Yes! The sequel to Mind Game is now here. Here's the blurb:

Book 2 of the Virtual Chronicles - Being virtual superheroes gives Jeremy, Mickey, and Bridget all of the glory with none of the danger. Using Zori's virtual engine, the trio can become any number of superheroes to right the wrongs on Earth. But Jeremy hadn't counted on Lorian arriving in the Solar System, the brother of the alien Jeremy helped kill to save Zori. With revenge on Lorian's mind and the invasion of Earth in his plans, the super trio find the odds stacked against them. Earth's armies are defenseless before a virtual fleet they can't kill. The three superheroes are all that stand in the way of Lorian enslaving Earth before retaking Zori. It will take more than super powers to save Earth and Zori again.

The print version will be available in the future. I'll announce it here and on Facebook when it is ready. But it may be a month or so, depending on how sales of the ebook go.

You can buy it on Kindle, Nook, or from Smashwords in any format your reader needs. Go to my published page to get the links.

Be sure to read the first book, Mind Game, if you've not read that one yet. It is an exciting space opera adventure, and leads into this story. If these two books do well, I'll be prompted to write more in this series, as the possibilities are endless.

Back with a New Story

Hi folks. I've been out of commission for the last three weeks. Mainly due to an unexpected personal issue that blindsided me. Wish I could go into more detail, but it wouldn't be a good idea. Nothing dealing with death, sickness, or the like, but something just as emotionally draining and required I focus on it or else.

But I've worked my way back into getting stories out on the series I was working on, "Underground." I've put Chapter 3 up and it is now showing up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Sorry for leaving the crew on a cliff-hanger. I didn't expect to be this long getting the next chapter out. But short of another big personal issue arising, I should be getting these chapters out in a more timely fashion as I work on getting more time carved back into my schedule for writing.

But now you can find out what happens! Go now to either Amazon or B&N and load up the next episode on your reader. And enjoy the ride. :)

Underground: New Series

I wrote a short story that appeared in my anthology, Ethereal Worlds, titled "Father Jonah and the Renegade." It does read like part one of a series, and this was not missed by my one review on the anthology, and her desire to see that become a full novel of stories.

I actually had that in the back of my mind to do, and so lately I've been working on the list of characters and a story arc for the series. I decided to take each chapter I write and put them up for sale as an ongoing series if people would like to follow it, charging them $0.99 every couple of weeks or so to get the next episode. I would do a quick post on my blog to let folk know it is ready, as well as Twitter and Facebook. I'm putting them on Smashwords, Kindle, and Nook.

The series is a space opera story in the spirit of Star Wars and Firefly. If you like either of those, my thinking is you'll probably like these stories. Once I've finished the series, I plan to combine them into a novel that will come out in paperback as well as ebook. Until then, you can only get them in ebook format.

The first offering is already up at Barnes and Noble as well as Smashwords. Kindle has yet to get out the gate, but should within the next day or two. Check it out:

Underground: Chapter 1 - Fr. Jonah and the Renegade

Enjoy!