Good morning. It’s Meet and Greet Monday! 

With us today is Romance Author, Felicty Heaton.

Welcome, Felicity!

 

1. What writing goals have you set for yourself this year?
   I’m setting out to write 400,000 words again this year and releasing five full length novels, including the first in a new series. Last year I managed to break the 400k barrier and released four novels. I wanted to get back to five releases this year. I have so many series on the go that I want to keep up with them and keep my voracious readers happy.

2. What was the best moment for you in 2013?
   Becoming a USA Today Best-seller with a wonderful group of indie/hybrid authors. It was a fantastic achievement for us and we’re hoping to recreate it in 2014 with our next paranormal romance boxed set. I also hit my target of selling 500,000 books in 3 years.

3. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where do you live, do you have a significant other, any young Heatons running around?
   I’m a British paranormal romance author and I’ve been writing since 2005, and have been an indie author since 2006. I live in the UK, in Oxfordshire, with my husband and fur-baby. I became a full time author in 2011 and it was amazing being able to leave my day job behind, although I haven’t left it behind completely as I was a web developer and designer, and I still do that sort of work as part of my career as a writer. I’m the author of over forty books, and I have several series either on the go or completed, including my Vampire Erotic Theatre series, Vampires Realm series, Her Angel series, and the Eternal Mates series.

4. Tell us about your “big break” in the publishing world. Was there any one person believe in your work first (besides yourself of course)? What did you do to celebrate your first contract?
   I had a wonderful cheerleader, Maria, who convinced me to make the leap from writing fanfiction to writing about my own worlds and characters. I was briefly contracted by an e-publisher in 2005, but to be honest, I preferred the thought of being independent. I worked with my cheerleader, who also wanted to go indie, to put together a cooperative of authors who all wanted to be indie and self-publish their work. We start self-publishing in 2006 and we’re all still self-publishing now. I’m a huge advocate for indies, especially the authors who put a massive amount of effort and care into their work, sourcing fantastic editors, covers, and producing quality reads.

5. Did you always want to be an author?
   No. I was happy as a web developer and designer, and sort of fell into writing when I discovered fan-fiction. I absolutely loved writing it and interacting with readers and other authors. We had an amazing and supportive community. For me, it was mostly about that connection to other people through my work. It was great sharing my stories, and it still is. Some of my fanfiction readers now read my paranormal romance novels, and it’s amazing to know that they’ve been with me since my beginnings. I feel they’ve been on this wonderful journey with me.

6. What writing rituals do you have? Same light on? Write at the same time daily?
   I don’t have any set rituals. I can write pretty much any time of day and anywhere. It probably comes from the fact that when I was working full time in London as a web developer, I would write on the train commute to work, during my lunch, and on the way home. I wrote whenever I could. I still do that now. All I need is my music, the book’s outline/plot, character profiles, and my laptop, and I’m set to write. I can write anywhere, whether that’s in my office, in my lounge, or in a café.

7. Name one quirk you have.
   I can’t write a book without having a full outline for it. Sometimes my outlines end up at 25000 words, because I compile them from all the scenes I’ve been jotting down while working on other books. If I try to write a book without a full outline, it really slows me down. I have to keep pausing and interrupting my flow to plot out the scene so I know what I’m going to write.

8. What is your favorite junk food?
   I’m not that into junk food, but I would never say no to something involving chocolate. Chocolate cake. Chocolate ice cream. Chocolate brownies. Chocolate. Yes. Anything chocolate.

9. What five items do you take everywhere with you – besides cell phone, keys and purse/wallet?
   Notepad, pen, lip balm, chewing gum, fingerless gloves.

10. If we were to come over to your house for dinner, what dish would you make us?
    That’s a toughie. I would probably make my vegetarian chilli, because it’s pretty awesome and it makes a huge amount, so I could feel a whole room with it. It’s really easy to make too.

11. Favorite book of all time? Why?
    I absolutely love Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I’m a huge fan of the classic romances. I like the theme of love overcoming adversity and being complicated.

12. No matter the story, where do you always draw inspiration from when you begin each story?
    My outline. I bottle up the inspiration for several stories in me at any one time and my outline helps me draw that inspiration out of me. I tend to flesh out and complete the outline just before I write the first draft, because it fires me up for writing the book.

13. What book – print or e-book – is sitting on top of your to be read pile that you are eager to read?
    I have about five at the top of my TBR pile at any one time, because I’m never sure what I will be in the mood for reading. At the moment, I’m reading the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, the Dark Carpathian series by Christine Feehan, the Demonica series by Larissa Ione, and also the Leopard People series by Christine Feehan so at the top of my list are the next books in those series.

14. If you were given an all-expense paid, five day/night trip to anywhere, where would you go?
    Probably the Maldives. It’s next on our list of places to travel, but we want longer than just five days in paradise. Five days isn’t enough snorkeling time for me or my husband.

15. Who/What are you currently reading?
    I’m not reading anything because I’m editing and I never read books by other authors while I’m working on my own stories. I don’t want to taint my voice or style with anything I pick up while reading. The last books I read were: Bound by Night by Larissa Ione, Dark Gold by Christine Feehan and Fever by Christine Feehan.

16. What do you find most challenging about writing?
    Fitting in time to do all the other work that goes with writing. It’s not just writing and editing, unfortunately. There are the interviews, the guest posts, the tours, and marketing. Plus, for me, because I’m indie and do all of the work for my books myself, I also have to do things like creating the cover, maintaining my website, formatting the ebooks and paperbacks, arranging tours and cover reveals. It really is full-time work, even with a fantastic assistant. I’d love to just write, write, write!

17. What is your one pet peeve about the writing business?
    It used to be the stigma attached to being an indie author. A lot of bloggers weren’t interested in indie authors back when I started out as one in 2006. We were viewed very badly by the writing community and by bloggers. That has changed so much now, and so many blogs are wonderful and friendly, and extremely supportive of indies. Now my biggest peeve are the big publishing houses and companies related to traditional publishing who try to constantly push down indie authors, or make out that indie authors are just a blip that will go away, or we’re not really doing as well as we are. I make a very good living as an indie, selling over 150,000 books each year, and I have complete creative freedom. My limits are based on how hard I’m willing to work, and like many indies, I put in a massive number of hours each week on making my dream a constant reality.

 

Claimed by a Demon King (Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 2)
Felicity Heaton
The moment the demon King Thorne of the Third Realm set eyes on the mortal huntress Sable, he knew she was his fated one. The fiery, dangerous female awakened hungers he had never experienced before, a dark craving and passion that has consumed him in their time apart. As the lunar cycle wanes, she enters his world again and nothing will stand in the way of him claiming his forever with her—not the relentless assault from the Fifth Realm or the dark elf male determined to seduce her out of his grasp.

Intent on achieving the coveted position of commander at Archangel, Sable leads her small team into the dark underworld and the Third Realm, to a war where her allies are the very creatures she normally hunts—vampires, werewolves, and demons. Her eagerness to lead the deadly mission has everything to do with winning her promotion, and nothing to do with the kingdom’s brash, lethally seductive demon king—a king who stirred fierce desire and wildfire heat in her with just a look and an innocent touch when they first met, and has been in her wicked dreams ever since.

As the gathering storm between rivals unleashes irresistible passion that flares white-hot and the heat of the battle brings life-shattering realisations, can Sable place her duty before her heart? Or will she surrender to her deepest desires and be claimed by a demon king?

Claimed by a Demon King is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback. Find the links to your preferred retailer at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/claimed-by-a-demon-king-paranormal-romance-novel.php

Books in the Eternal Mates romance series:

Kissed by a Dark Prince (Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 1)

Claimed by a Demon King (Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 2)

About Felicity Heaton:
Felicity Heaton is a USA Today and international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!

If you’re a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:

Website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk

Blog: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/blog/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/felicityheaton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

Mailing List: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/newsletter.php

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~