Yup, it is that time again. Time for another author interview. Featuring 'Heather Marie', the beautiful author of 'The Gateway Through Which They Came', being published from 'Curiosity Quills Press' on August 25th 2014. Thanksto the author for taking the time to answer my questions and to the amazing people at 'Curiosity Quills' for making it happen.
Here comes the Q and A -
1) Welcome to the blog. Please start by telling us a bit about yourself.
Hey there! Thanks for having me. So I’m Heather Marie. I write YA supernatural or what most people consider paranormal. I prefer the term supernatural, to be honest. *wink* I live in Northern California with my husband and spend most of my time at home reading or writing. Before I was a writer, I worked as a hairstylist/makeup artist for several years. I did mostly print, weddings, and some independent films, as well as all things hair at a salon in Midtown Sacramento.
I’m a huge fan of Ghost Adventures and Universal Monsters. Boris Karloff is one of my favorite actors of all time. If I could have one wish, it would be that horror movies would go back to the way they were in the 80s—more scares/storytelling, less gore/shock factor.
With all that being said, I’m an introvert and I care a lot about people. But I also have a twisted mind that likes to mix the grotesque with the beautiful. My books tend to reflect this fact.
2) 'The Gateway Through Which They Came' is your debut novel. So how does it feel to be published?
I guess technically I’m not published until August 25th, yes? haha No, but it feels amazing. It’s been a long time coming, and it feels incredible knowing that all that hard work has paid off. All the blood, sweat, and tears were absolutely worth every second. I’m grateful for everything that has come my way thus far. I hope this is only the beginning.
3) Got any advice for all the aspiring writers out there?
Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Sometimes that pressure tends to rush us, which then rushes our work. Take your time. Be patient with yourself and your writing. It’ll happen. I promise.
4) People say Young Adult is a genre which is quite saturated with mediocrity, so what makes your novel unique? What do you think will make it stand out among the huge amount other YA books coming out this year?
Oof. This is a tough question. Both of them, actually. I think we all want to believe that our book(s) are unique, but they all stem from something. Ideally, yes, I want to believe that my idea is so unheard of that the masses will flock to it for something different, but as it is, people will find similarities in everything I do. Ultimately, I hope that the characters are unique in their own right, and that people will find them entertaining and/or relatable. I think that’s all any writer could hope for.
5) Tell us a bit about Aiden. What makes him special?
Aside from him being a Gateway for the dead… Aiden really struggles with his identity. He’s left with this gift without truly understanding his purpose. It’s because of this that causes him to lose faith in himself and the world around him. I think this struggle is realistic as we all experience this back-and-forth with ourselves throughout life. He not only has to confront who he is within himself, but all these other forces that challenge his true nature.
6) Will you tell us a bit about the things that inspired you to be a writer?
Words. Books. Imagination. I’ve always loved words. Even when I would write in someone’s birthday card or whatever, I couldn’t just write simplicities. It had to have meaning. Words are art. As a kid, I would write short stories, poems, even journal entries that went off on tangents just to feel the ink sinking into the paper. Nothing fascinates me more than the way letters can form such fascinating stories that make your imagination to do incredible things. How beautiful is that?
7) So what more books are you currently working on if I may ask?
As it is, I’m keeping everything under wraps. Even though it is absolutely killing me, I have to force myself to stay quiet. For now anyway. Once things move along, I’ll definitely tell everyone, but there’s so much going on behind-the-scenes, that I can’t say. haha However, I can tell you that I’ll be sticking with my YA supernatural. That will always be my one true writing love.
8) Tell us a bit about some books you are looking forward to in 2014?
Oh gosh. So many. To start off, The Lovely and the Lost by Page Morgan is very high on my list. It was released last month and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Also, my beautiful friend Andrea Hannah has her debut releasing in October titled Of Scars and Stardust. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.
About the author -
Heather Marie lives in Northern California with her husband, and spends the majority of her time at home reading. Before she followed her dreams of becoming a writer, Heather worked as a hairstylist and makeup artist for several years. Although she enjoyed the artistic aspect of it all, nothing quite quenched her creative side like the telling of a good story. When the day had come for her to make a choice, she left behind her promising career to start another, and never looked back.
Her debut, THE GATEWAY THROUGH WHICH THEY CAME, is a YA supernatural horror due to be released from Curiosity Quills, Summer 2014.
Social Links - Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
About 'The Gateway Through Which They Came' -
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To seventeen-year-old Aiden Ortiz, letting the dead walk through his body to reach the other side comes with the territory. Being a Gateway isn’t an easy job, but someone’s gotta send Bleeders where they belong. Heaven. Salvation. Call it whatever you want. Dead is dead. But when his search for Koren Banks––the girl who went mysteriously missing seven months ago––leaves him with more questions than answers, he finds himself involved in something far more sinister and beyond his control.
As if the onslaught of Bleeders heading his way isn’t enough, Aiden is confronted by a Dark One––a Bleeder gone rogue––who infects him with an evil that threatens to rid him of his humanity. What could be worse than a Gateway losing all touch with its human emotions? A Gateway whose veins are polluted with a curse only the Dark Priest could control.
When the Dark Priest is resurrected by the Brethren of Shadows, Aiden is forced to discover his identity and stop him from summoning his demon brothers, The Order, from hell. But time is limited, and Aiden’s blood is slowly turning him into a monster only the Dark Priest can control. Saving himself from becoming the Dark Priest’s puppet, Aiden must find it in himself to become the Gateway he’s meant to be, or allow himself to fall into the Dark Priest’s clutches and watch the world as he knows it, succumb to the darkness of hell on earth.
PS: The review will be up closer to the release date of the book, keep on the look out.
Here comes the Q and A -
1) Welcome to the blog. Please start by telling us a bit about yourself.
Hey there! Thanks for having me. So I’m Heather Marie. I write YA supernatural or what most people consider paranormal. I prefer the term supernatural, to be honest. *wink* I live in Northern California with my husband and spend most of my time at home reading or writing. Before I was a writer, I worked as a hairstylist/makeup artist for several years. I did mostly print, weddings, and some independent films, as well as all things hair at a salon in Midtown Sacramento.
I’m a huge fan of Ghost Adventures and Universal Monsters. Boris Karloff is one of my favorite actors of all time. If I could have one wish, it would be that horror movies would go back to the way they were in the 80s—more scares/storytelling, less gore/shock factor.
With all that being said, I’m an introvert and I care a lot about people. But I also have a twisted mind that likes to mix the grotesque with the beautiful. My books tend to reflect this fact.
2) 'The Gateway Through Which They Came' is your debut novel. So how does it feel to be published?
I guess technically I’m not published until August 25th, yes? haha No, but it feels amazing. It’s been a long time coming, and it feels incredible knowing that all that hard work has paid off. All the blood, sweat, and tears were absolutely worth every second. I’m grateful for everything that has come my way thus far. I hope this is only the beginning.
3) Got any advice for all the aspiring writers out there?
Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Sometimes that pressure tends to rush us, which then rushes our work. Take your time. Be patient with yourself and your writing. It’ll happen. I promise.
4) People say Young Adult is a genre which is quite saturated with mediocrity, so what makes your novel unique? What do you think will make it stand out among the huge amount other YA books coming out this year?
Oof. This is a tough question. Both of them, actually. I think we all want to believe that our book(s) are unique, but they all stem from something. Ideally, yes, I want to believe that my idea is so unheard of that the masses will flock to it for something different, but as it is, people will find similarities in everything I do. Ultimately, I hope that the characters are unique in their own right, and that people will find them entertaining and/or relatable. I think that’s all any writer could hope for.
5) Tell us a bit about Aiden. What makes him special?
Aside from him being a Gateway for the dead… Aiden really struggles with his identity. He’s left with this gift without truly understanding his purpose. It’s because of this that causes him to lose faith in himself and the world around him. I think this struggle is realistic as we all experience this back-and-forth with ourselves throughout life. He not only has to confront who he is within himself, but all these other forces that challenge his true nature.
6) Will you tell us a bit about the things that inspired you to be a writer?
Words. Books. Imagination. I’ve always loved words. Even when I would write in someone’s birthday card or whatever, I couldn’t just write simplicities. It had to have meaning. Words are art. As a kid, I would write short stories, poems, even journal entries that went off on tangents just to feel the ink sinking into the paper. Nothing fascinates me more than the way letters can form such fascinating stories that make your imagination to do incredible things. How beautiful is that?
7) So what more books are you currently working on if I may ask?
As it is, I’m keeping everything under wraps. Even though it is absolutely killing me, I have to force myself to stay quiet. For now anyway. Once things move along, I’ll definitely tell everyone, but there’s so much going on behind-the-scenes, that I can’t say. haha However, I can tell you that I’ll be sticking with my YA supernatural. That will always be my one true writing love.
8) Tell us a bit about some books you are looking forward to in 2014?
Oh gosh. So many. To start off, The Lovely and the Lost by Page Morgan is very high on my list. It was released last month and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Also, my beautiful friend Andrea Hannah has her debut releasing in October titled Of Scars and Stardust. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.
About the author -
Her debut, THE GATEWAY THROUGH WHICH THEY CAME, is a YA supernatural horror due to be released from Curiosity Quills, Summer 2014.
Social Links - Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
About 'The Gateway Through Which They Came' -
As if the onslaught of Bleeders heading his way isn’t enough, Aiden is confronted by a Dark One––a Bleeder gone rogue––who infects him with an evil that threatens to rid him of his humanity. What could be worse than a Gateway losing all touch with its human emotions? A Gateway whose veins are polluted with a curse only the Dark Priest could control.
When the Dark Priest is resurrected by the Brethren of Shadows, Aiden is forced to discover his identity and stop him from summoning his demon brothers, The Order, from hell. But time is limited, and Aiden’s blood is slowly turning him into a monster only the Dark Priest can control. Saving himself from becoming the Dark Priest’s puppet, Aiden must find it in himself to become the Gateway he’s meant to be, or allow himself to fall into the Dark Priest’s clutches and watch the world as he knows it, succumb to the darkness of hell on earth.
PS: The review will be up closer to the release date of the book, keep on the look out.
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