I'm very excited to welcome HEATHER GRAHAM - I've been a fan of Heather's for a long time. If I haven't read every single one of her books, I'm sure I've come close! As you can see, even though we are nearing the end of our Month of Romantic Suspense, the big name authors continue to visit us.
New York Times and USA Today best selling author, Heather Graham was born somewhere in Europe and kidnapped by gypsies when she was a small child. She went on to join the Romanian circus as a trapeze artist and lion tamer. When the circus came to South Florida, she stayed, discovering that she preferred to be a shark and gator trainer.
Not really.
Heather is the child of Scottish and Irish immigrants who met and married in Chicago, and moved to South Florida, where she has spent her life. (She has, at least, been to the Russian circus in Moscow, where she wished she was one of the incredibly talented and coordinated trapeze artists.) She majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write. Her first book was with Dell, and since then, she has written over one hundred and fifty novels and novellas including category, suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, horror, and Christmas family fare.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty-five languages, and has had over seventy-five million books in print. She has been honored with awards from Walden Books, B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, the Lifetime Achievement Award from RWA and more. Heather has also become the proud recipient of the Silver Bullet from Thriller Writers. Heather has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, Mystery Book Club, People and USA
Today and appeared on many newscasts including Today, Entertainment Tonight and local television.
Heather loves travel and anything that has to do with the water, and is a certified scuba diver. She also loves ballroom dancing. Each year she hosts the Vampire Ball and Dinner theater at the RT convention raising money for the Pediatric Aids Society and in 2006 she hosted the first Writers for New Orleans
Workshop to benefit the stricken Gulf region.
She is also the founder of “The Slush Pile Players”, presenting something that’s almost like entertainment for various conferences and benefits. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.
The complete Flynn Brothers Trilogy has been released and include Deadly Gift, Deadly Harvest and, Deadly Night.
In 2009 readers can expect to see Nightwalker which will be available in late March and April. Other books available in 2009 are Dust to Dust, July, Unhallowed Ground, October, Home in Time for Christmas in November and her first illustrated book There Be Dragons will be available for Christmas. December of 2009 will also include a book written under her Shannon Drake synonym, Night of the Wolves, which begins a three book series on vampire hunters in the wild, wild west.
These are Heather's most recent books:
UNHALLOWED GROUND Mira pp, Harrison Investigation Series, August, 2009
When Sarah McKinley is finally able to buy and restore the historic Florida mansion that she has always loved, she dismisses the horror stories of past residents vanishing and a long-dead housekeeper who practiced black magic. Then, in the midst of renovations, she makes a grim discovery. Hidden within the walls of Sarah’s dream house are the remains of dozens of bodies - some dating back over a century. The door to the past is blown wide open when Caleb Anderson, a private investigator, shows up at the mansion. He believes several current missing persons cases are linked to the house and its dark past. Working together to find the connection and stop a contemporary killer, Sarah and Caleb are compelled to research the history of the haunted house, growing closer to each other even as the solution to the murders eludes them. But there is one who knows the truth…a spirit who follows every move they make. Soon Caleb begins to fear that if he can't stay a step ahead, he could lose Sarah to a killer with an ability to transcend time in a quest for blood and sacrifice.
THERE BE DRAGONS Medallion, September 2009
When the beautiful Marina tragically loses her parents, she is left alone and in the hands of the one responsible - the devious sorceress, Geovana. Greedy for power, Geovana arranges for the girl to marry her evil son, even though Marina is in love with someone else. As Christmas day approaches, the girl is faced with the terrible choice to either save her land and her people or follow her heart and believe in the magic of Christmas and true love. This enchanting holiday tale also includes an audio CD of original Christmas songs by the author as well as several classic carols.
HOME IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS Mira hd, Christmas Gift
Centuries ago, by a scaffold in Manhattan, rose petals drifted gently to the ground...
...like snow on a wintry Massachusetts night. Melody Tarleton is driving home for Christmas when a man - clad in Revolutionary War-era costume - appears out of nowhere, right in the path of her car. Shaken, she takes the injured stranger in, listening with concern to Jake Mallory’s fantastic claim that he’s a Patriot soldier, sentenced to death by British authorities. The last thing he remembers is the tug of the noose.
Safe at her parents’ house, Melody concocts a story to explain the handsome holiday guest with the courtly manners, strange clothes and nasty bump on the head. Mark, her close friend who wishes he were more, is skeptical and her family is fascinated - though not half so fascinated as Melody herself. Jake is passionate, charming and utterly unlike anyone she’s ever met. Can he really be who he claims? And can a man from the distant past be the future she truly longs for?
With the aid of enchanted petals, ancient potions and the peculiar magic of the season, Melody and Jake embark on an unimaginable Christmas adventure - and discover a love that transcends time.
This is Heather's next release:
NIGHT OF THE WOLVES HQN
There's a review of it here:http://www.thrillerwriters.org/2009/11/night-of-th
Night of the Wolves by Heather Graham
Heather Graham is the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of over a hundred novels. More than seventy-five million copies of her books are in print in twenty-five languages. An avid scuba diver, dancer, mother, and pet owner, Heather lives in Miami. Her books fall into a number of genres, but she is know as "an incredible storyteller" (the Los Angeles Daily News) with a knack for the "intense, unexpected conclusion (that) will leave readers well satisfied (Publisher's Weekly on The Dead Room).
Night of the Wolves is your newest book, a historical paranormal thriller set in New Orleans and Victory, Texas. This is the first in a trilogy, I believe. Tell us a little about the book and where the idea came from.
Night of the Wolves was a lot of fun -- but the concept didn't actually begin seriously. I was joking when I first suggested vampires in the wild, wild west, but the idea definitely grew on me! I incorporated history I find fascinating and incredibly poignant--a lot of what went on during the Civil War--or, as I was taught, growing up in the Florida--the War of Northern Aggression. But there are no sides taken in the story--both of the main characters are weary of the fighting and the death. West Texas at the time was still a very wild land where the law was difficult to uphold. It was still a frontier. But still, certain bizarre murders were bound to call attention, and military men know when they see something has little to do with war.
Night of the Wolves is the start of a loose trilogy; the characters from this book will make appearances in the next two. Each book, however, stands alone.
You're known to create vivid heroes and heroines. Do you begin with a plot idea or a character or does it vary?
When I'm writing, the germ of the idea might come from a person who has intrigued me, a situation, or a place. I think that everyone has gone somewhere and wondered what gave the place a particular feel, or heard a fascinating true story that might lead to a great deal more. In this instance, the germ was simple--vampires in the wild, wild West!
Do you believe in ghosts or paranormal encounters?
As far as the paranormal goes, I'm not sure what I believe. I honestly don't think we've had a society of vampires living among us for decades, but I do believe myth and legend comes from what happened, and grew. There were very real monsters in society, and one way to look at them is to create something unworldly about them--God knows, it's almost impossible for most of us to believe the cruelty that some human beings are able to inflict on others. I also grew up in an Irish household--my mom was born in Dublin--and my family told the best stories in the world, very easy to believe! If we misbehaved, the banshees would get us in the outhouse. My gran gave us that dire warning so well that my sister and I were in our teens before we realized it couldn't happen--we didn't have an outhouse. I'm was also raised in a "mixed" home, since we were half Catholic and half Episcopalian, but both religions recognize a "holy" ghost, and we believe in the concept of Heaven. Since I very much want to see the family and friends I've lost again, I very much believe in something after death. I've not sat down with a ghost--I would love to be a talk show host interviewing Robert E. Lee, Lincoln, and Jeff Davis in casual sofa style!--but I have heard enough about strange circumstances and events to keep an open mind!
You've published in romance, suspense, thriller--how many genres do you write in? Do you know what type of book you'll be writing when you start or is it a process?
I love different genres--I think going in different directions keeps me excited as a writer. It's a wonderful time to be writing--we're kind of in a no holds barred era. I do know when I start out what I'm writing, because books will have a different tone. My ghosts are actually grounded in reality--if that makes sense! Vampires are edgier. One I did this year for Christmas--home in time for Christmas--was fun because I actually refrained from killing anyone! And doing an illustrated fantasy was an amazing amount of fun, too. I just hope to get to keep growing, and trying new things, while keeping reader expectation satisfied as well.
How do you balance your busy writing schedule with all else you do?
Actually don't balance anything well at all. I stumble along. My family is everything to me, but I love my work as well, and my friends from writing groups are amazing. I guess I do want it all--travel, work, and family. My house is seriously a disaster, but I've already warned them all that no one is allowed to write that on my tombstone. I think it's important to get out there and live--that's how you find people, places, and situations!
Tell us about Slush Pile Productions and what are some of your favorite charities. You obviously have a great love for New Orleans, and your annual Writers for New Orleans conference is always a big draw. How is recovery progressing in the City That Care Forgot? Tell us about this conference and why you started it.
Slush Pile Productions came about in a couple of ways--I came out of a slush pile years ago, so it seemed a good name when I incorporated. I came from a musical theater background, and when I started hosting the vampire party years ago at RT, a production seemed the way to go. Now, we use the name for the band we have at various functions (our mainstays are F. Paul Wilson, Davie Simms, Alex Sokoloff and myself, with Harley Jane Kozak, Beth Ciotta, Nathan Walpole and others joining in when they're able--all thanks to Bob Levinson and the Thriller Killer Band!)
The vampire party raises money for Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids foundation and we've also raised money for the fire fighter and police (after 9/11) and we put on a workshop every year in New Orleans to benefit the libraries--and the city itself. Friends told me after the storm how grateful they were for help, but what they really wanted to do was get back to work. To work you need people in the city, and there is no finer group than writers to come and spend time exploring, heading to the museums--and, of course, Bourbon Street. It's a win-win situation--editors, authors, and readers. Hopefully, we're doing something good, and something that is tremendous fun as well.
To keep up with the every busy Heather Graham, check these sites: theoriginalheathergraham.com, eheathergraham.com, heathergraham.tv, myspace and facebook!
Carolyn Haines is the author of the Sarah Booth Delaney Mississippi Delta mystery series. GREEDY BONES is her latest title. She is a 2009 recipient of the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence.
Heather's blog is here:http://dpozz.com/theoriginalheathergraham/heathers
Heather's Links:
Presented in no particular order:
HEATHER GRAHAM'S WRITERS FOR NEW ORLEANS WORKSHOP
writersforneworleans.com
ALSO VISIT HEATHER AT THESE SITES
eheathergraham.com
heathergraham.tv
eheathergraham.com
AUTHORS
Alexandra Sokoloff
Harley Jane Kozak
Beth Ciotta
Mary Stella
F Paul Wilson
Deborah Leblanc
Helen Rosburg
GROUPS
Horror Writers Association
International Thriller Writers
The Stoker Awards
ARTISTS & DESIGNERS
Yevgeniya Yeretskaya
Artist, Illustrator, and everything in between
Derek Pozzessere
Graphic Design for Print and Web
Connie Perry
Specializing in Medieval Costumes, Mardi Gras Costumes, Renaissance and More
Heather also writes as Shannon Drake:
Bride of the Wind
Branded Hearts
No Other Man
Blue Heaven, Black Night
Realm of Shadows
Deep Midnight
Knight Triumphant
Wicked
When Darkness Falls
Seize the Dawn
Beneath a Blood Red Moon
The King's Pleasure
Tomorrow the Glory
Avon Books Presents
Knight of Fire
Princess of Fire
The Queen's Lady
When We Touch
The Queen's Lady
Come the Morning
The Lion in Glory
Reckless
The Pirate Bride
Burning Alive
Dead by Dusk
The Awakening
Beguiled
Conquer the Night
There's more by and about Heather here:http://theromanceclub.com/authors/heathergraham/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Graham_Pozzes
Here's another of Heather's blogs: http://heathergraham.blogspot.com/
http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a337178/Heather-Gr
http://www.bookreporter.com/authors/au-graham-heat
