Sunday 24 March 2013

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - HEATHER HILDENBRAND

A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR FIRST:

Heather Hildenbrand was born and raised in a small town in northern Virginia where she was homeschooled through high school. She now lives in coastal VA, a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean, with her two adorable children. She works from home, part time, as a property manager and when she's not furiously pounding at the keyboard, or staring off into space whilst plotting a new story, she's lying on the beach, soaking in those delicious, pre-cancerous rays.
Heather loves Mexican food, hates socks with sandals, and if her house was on fire, the one thing she'd grab is her DVR player.
Heather is a co-founder of Accendo Press, a publishing group she operates with fellow authors: Angeline Kace and Jennifer Sommersby. Accendo (a-CH-endo), A Latin word, means “to kindle, illuminate, inflame, or set fire.” This is something Accendo strives to do inside a reader’s imagination with every title released. For a complete list of titles and author bios, visit www.accendopress.com.



AND NOW TO THE INTERVIEW?

What is your name, where were you born, and where do you live now?
I was born in Norfolk, Virginia and although I grew up in a small town a few hours north of here, I am back now. I currently live in Virginia Beach and I love being so close to the ocean!


What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My latest release, Imitation, is a YA dystopian. It’s about a clone named Ven who was grown in an incubator, trained, and then sent to impersonate her human likeness in order to save the human’s life. (Yeah, that’s more than 20 words. I tried. #longwinded)

What can we expect from you in the future?  
I am working on the 4th book in my Dirty Blood series now. It will be out this summer.  

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?
Whisper is my favorite. I think it’s because I poured so much emotion and passion into that story. It stemmed from the grief of losing my son in 2011 and it’s the only book I’ve cried while writing. It’s very raw. 

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
Absolutely not. I’ve had some not-so-great reviews from bloggers. Some for their lack of enthusiasm in a love triangle or they didn’t like a certain plot twist. That honesty gives a certain credibility to potential readers so I respect that they say how they really feel. But I would never ask them to change their review. I want honest reviews, period.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
I love to read and try to do so often, but it’s hard to concentrate on a good book when I’m in the middle of crafting my own. My head’s too deep inside my book world to appreciate someone else’s. So when I’m knee-deep in a story, I do something more active. My number one favorite thing? Motorcycles!
I went for my first ride last fall and I’ve been hooked and addicted ever since. I currently have a Suzuki endure (which means it works for on and off road) that my friend is fixing up for me. I ride a lot with friends and even in the cold I am always itching to go. Because of my affection for bikes, Linc, the hottie bodyguard in Imitation, rides a motorcycle.

What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?
The first book I loved was The Hobbit. In addition to being an amazing story, it inspired my love for fantasy and imagination and made-up worlds. It’s stayed at the top of my “favorites” for a long time. Last year I read The Fault In Our Stars by John Green and fell in deep, longing LOVE with that book. It is now #1. Beautiful. Sad. Hopeful. It made me want to memorize every line. If you haven’t read it, you must. And then email me to gush.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?
I am currently reading a paperback of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is quickly edging its way into my top 5 favorite books ever. Beautiful writing. And such deep thoughts presented in such simple language. This author is so gifted. I can’t believe I’ve never read it before.

Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them?
Yes! Desiree Deorto, author of the Divinity Stone series. Her debut novel is due out in May and I’ve had the privilege of reading a snippet of the draft. It is very good and she will be one to watch.  You can find her Facebook page here.

Where can readers follow you?

No comments:

Post a Comment