Author Heather McCorkle

Photo Credit: McCorkle Creations I like making resolutions, especially on my blog where I can hold myself accountable. It's hard, knowing the evidence will be right there, so I work all the harder to bring them to fruition. With that in mind, here is a look back at last year's resolutions, along with honest answers as to how I did. 2014: #1  Focus on fitness. Results: I bombed this one. *Sigh* The weight I gained was not muscle. New Resolution: Work out harder, more often. Planned weekly regiment with activity on the weekend as well! 2014: #2  Write every day. Results: I ROCKED this one. Three novels written last year. Whoo! New Resolution: Write three more this year. Get them to my agents, sell them, hopefully this year as well. 2014: #3  Pursue traditional publishing. Results: So far, so good. See # 5. New Resolution: Get my manuscripts that are written highly polished along with the help of my agents, and sell them to great houses! 2014: #4  Chat with

Photo Credit: Turner Home Entertainment Survive Holidays: CHECK Finish Editing New Manuscript: CHECK Send New MS to Agents: CHECK It has been a productive year for me so far! This last week I finished the 'final' (nothing is ever final until it is in print, of course) edit of my latest manuscript, and I just sent it off to my agents. That means it's time to do a little happy dance, relax the brain, and try not to start writing another book until next year. This latest one is a historical romance about a nurse serving the all-Irish 69th infantry during the civil war. To see the images that inspired me while writing it you can check out my Pinterest board on it. How about you? How was your holiday, and what last minute things are you squeezing in before the end of the year?

Wishing you a safe, and very merry holiday! May you be surrounded by those you hold dear, and who hold you dear, and of course may there be plenty of books under your tree, or waiting in your eReader's for you on Christmas morning!

As a book lover, little is more special to me than a book received as a gift. It shows the giver truly knows what I love, and is supporting the industry I work in. In support of my fellow authors, and to help you with your holiday shopping, here is a list of books I would highly reccommed: YA thriller (edgy, think the movie Scream) : Charming by Krystal Wade Adult paranormal (sexy, think the earlier Anita Blake novels) Ever After by Kate Serine Adult paranormal (sexy, think Mercy Thompson books) Weird Girls by Cecy Robson Contemp Romance (sexy firefighters): Flirting With Fire by Kate Meader NA Romance: Pieces of Olivia by Melissa West NA Contemporary (for fans of dance): The Hit List by Nikki Urang Contemp Romance: The Valentine Challenge by Marisa Cleveland Contemp Romance (sexy): Dance With a Millionaire by Casey Crow Paranormal Romance: Ruined by Jus Accardo MG contemp: Pack of Dorks by Beth Vrabel YA Paranormal: Katana by Cole Gibson Holiday roma

Today I'm excited to be part of my agency sister's exciting YA paranormal release, Anomaly. This author and her book are a double whammy because they are both AMAZING! You know when you red a book and you think "OMG, I hope they make that into a movie!", this is that kind of book. And the icing on the cake is that Tonya is one of the sweetest people, so heat up those clicking fingers my friends because you don't want to miss this! Anomaly  (Schrodinger's Consortium #1) by  Tonya Kuper Release Date: 11/25/14 Entangled Teen Summary from Goodreads: Reality is only an illusion. Except for those who can control it… Worst. Birthday. Ever. My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah.

I have so very much to be thankful for this year. It has been an amazing, and at times trying, year. As always I am thankful for my family and friends, and my readers whose interest and willingness to buy books keeps me able to pursue my passion. This year I am especially thankful for the RT Booklover's Convention that changed the course of my career and deepened my passion for writing all over again. Saving the best part of this year for last, I am thankful for my agents Nicole Resciniti and Louise Fury who have inspired me to become a better writer and to expand my horizons. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Today I'm celebrating the re-release of my good friend Yelena's paranormal story, Amarok's Bite. It was formerly a part of the Winter Wonders anthology but is now available on its own! Congrats Yelena! Amarok's Bite  Urban Fantasy Short Story (previously published in the Winter Wonders Anthology) Title: Amarok's Bite Author: Yelena Casale Genre: Urban Fantasy - short story (4500 words) Release Date: December 3rd, 2014  Cover Design: Tina Moss Amarok's Bite Lilly and her sexy beast of a werewolf partner Shayne make a great team working for the Peace Control Department. But when she tries to take on a rogue amarok on her own, things go terribly wrong, and she is left with an agonizing choice between dying and becoming a despised amarok herself. When Shayne makes the choice for her, she has to come to terms with what she is, and her feelings for Shayne, before facing off against the creature that changed her life forever. Ab

A lot of my friends~especially my indie author friends~wonder why I'm a Nook girl instead of a Kindle girl. And nope, this is not a slam post on either. Sorry to disappoint. But Heather, Amazon is so much better to indie authors than B&N is , they say. They have Kindle Select that helps indie's promote, bestselling lists for free books, and they have publishing lines. True, but they also have confusing algorithms that authors can't seem to break now days, and their Select locks authors into a contract that alienates readers with other brands of eReaders (which just seems really wrong in so many ways). I'm not saying Amazon is the devil, or that I'm against them, I'm not. I'm Switzerland on the subject since I believe they do good things for authors as well. If so, then why did I choose a Nook over a Kindle? Easy, as a lifetime reader and an author, I love physical book stores. The smell of books will always sooth me, even though I read eBooks almo

  A world like ours, but filled with gears of brass, where the beating heart is fueled by steam and the simplest creation is a complex clockwork device. Within this tome, you’ll find steampunk fairy tale re-tellings, as well as original stories that will send your gears turning. Welcome to the steampunk realm, with eleven authors guiding your path. Sounds fun, doesn't it? I've been on a steampunk kick lately and I loved this read! Here is a bit more about it: Gears of Brass is a steampunk anthology published through Curiosity Quills. Within the pages, you’ll come across clockwork inventions and steampunk-ified fairy tale retellings. Eleven authors will guide you through worlds filled with airships, top hats, and corsets. TEASERS from different stories in the anthology:     Stealing a few steps backward, I reached for him and brushed my fingertips along his cheek. Static energy crept across my palm. It glowed blue and pulled like taffy, sticking to my finger

No matter how you celebrate (so long as it is something that won't land you in jail~or worse), have a safe and fantastic Halloween! Remember to watch out for little goblins and bring your animals inside where they can stay safe too. OH, and here's a word from the King of horror: Pic credit: Horror Selfies

Today I'm excited to be taking part in my agent-sister's book release party! Tonya Kuper's paranormal YA novel, Anomaly is now out and it is one you don't want to miss if you love YA or paranormal! Here is a bit about it before we get to the giveaway: Anomaly (Schrodinger's Consortium #1) by Tonya Kuper Release Date: 11/25/14 Entangled Teen Summary from Goodreads: Reality is only an illusion. Except for those who can control it… Worst. Birthday. Ever. My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening… Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it. When hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everythi

I'm elbow deep in the Civil War right now, somewhere I never thought I'd be. A few months ago two characters came to me and simply would not leave. So, after a lot of research, my new work in progress was born. Now I am nearing the halfway point and am completely swept away by a story I never thought I'd love so much, let alone write myself.  Pic Credit: Charlie Siem , Violinist Almost right away I came across this picture and instantly it felt like my main character. My main character is a violinist and this is a photo of Charlie Siem, an actual violinist. It is a bit haunting how much he reminds me of my MC. Don't you just love it when that happens? By the way, Charlie's music is fantastic if you ever want to check it out, and yes, I have now added it to my playlist for stuff to listen to while writing this novel. Though, I must admit, my MC's music has a much darker quality to it.  To see more of what inspires me, I invite you to visit me on Pinte

When one of my agent sisters posted about her upcoming review tour I eagerly jumped on board. Not only did I want to help a sister out, her book sounded amazing. OMG (yes I went there, had to) it blew amazing right out of the water. I haven't read a YA book in a long time. I'm SO glad this one was the one that broke my hiatus. Then again maybe I'm not because this is going to be an incredibly hard act to follow. Superb writing draws you along through this heartrending novel, writing so good that even as an author I never once stopped to think about the nuts and bolts of the writing within~it's just that good. This is like Scream combined with The Fault in Our Stars. That may not sound amazing to everyone, but it was spot on for me. If you like suspenseful, mysterious, edgy fiction with a heart, this book needs to be your first priority when it releases and it is an absolute MUST READ for October. Keep your eye on this one peeps, she has the makings of being the next

Writing used to be a lonely thing, but with social media now writers are connected through many different avenues. Yet, seeing one another in person is still something many of us don't get to do. But with social media, is it even necessary you might wonder? I definitely think it is. A friend of mine and I got together recently for a writer's retreat weekend and had a fantastic time. We read chapters to each other, brainstormed, and of course spent time writing. It helped me make a leap forward in editing the book I was working on and also inspired a few brand new ideas for the next books I want to write. If you're a writer I highly recommend finding a great group of critique partners or at least one beta to connect with and get together with in person. Even if you aren't in the same state, so long as you can travel to see one another for a long weekend once a year or so, it could make a huge difference in your writing life. Need help finding them? On my right side

When I went traditional the questions from my friends started pouring in. Aspiring authors everywhere want to know all about advances, how much they typically are, how they are paid out, all the fun details. The answer isn't a simple one, but I'll try to break it down. The amount of your advance depends all on the commercial appeal of the novel (movie, cable deal, etc.). Payout is generally (but not always) half upon the deal and half upon turning in the completed work. For a smaller deal ($10 and under) consider this: $5,000 on signing, but that's not net, that's gross.  $750 to your agent (based on typical 15% domestic sales). $1572 to put away for taxes (37% to be on the safe side). Leaves you: $2678.  And, if you are getting an advance of $10k or less, it isn't likely you'll receive much marketing so you need to be prepared to do some serious marketing on your own. So, you may need a bit of that money for it. You definitely won't be ge

  I love Rashelle's books and have been looking forward to this for some time now. Finally, it has relased! Here is a bit about it and about the series:  Title:  Vampire Secrets (Blood and Snow Season Two)  Author: RaShelle Workman  Genre: Urban Fantasy (Reinvented Fairytale)  Release Date: September 14, 2014  Publisher : Polished Pen Press Corporation  Organized by Literati Author Services             ~ Synopsis ~   Blood and Snow Season Two Book 2 ~ Vampire Secrets A dream is a wish your heart makes... It's been a month since Jasmine agreed to the wish that would keep Laeddin safe. By all accounts she should be happy. She's attending high school, hanging out with friends, and spending time with Laeddin . but she isn't. Ever since the sorceress ripped away a part of her, she hasn't felt like herself. To make matters worse, the man with red eyes, the one that haunted her dreams, is appearing in real life. And demonic creatures keep

For those who lost their lives on that fateful day, and all who have lost them since in the fight against terrorism, we appreciate you, we love you, and we will not forget. 

Part of why I love my new agency so much... The Seymour Agency is hosting a fundraiser to support the Literacy Council Gulf Coast through a national online auction taking place during the month of September 2014. Industry editors, agents, and authors have donated critiques, phone chats, books, and goody packages as prizes . Literacy Council Gulf Coast works with underprivileged youth and adults to provide quality literary education needed to function in today’s society. Their mission is to assist adults and children to acquire the literacy skills necessary to improve their quality of life. The Literacy Council Gulf Coast provides free instruction for adults in reading and writing, and in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). They offer a Moms and Tots Family Literacy program for mothers and their young children and a program called Kids+ Lifelong Learning, which teaches parents through an innovative partnership with the Lee County School District. Additionally, they

The blank page is a daunting thing for many, especially if you sit staring at it. But I think that's because we writers know the first page has to be perfect and we often think it has to be perfect right from the start. But I learned a long time ago that the first page is going to change a lot over the course of the book's editing so there is no reason to stress over it and take days and days to write a mere 700 or so words that are just going to change later. And that attitude seems to be the key that has freed up my creative mind so that the first page often isn't as rewritten as it once was. There was also a time in my career when I wasn't sure where to start a new manuscript, another problem that can keep a writer staring at a blank screen. Over the years I realized it was because I was thinking of the story, not the characters. Once I learned to let the characters tell their story rather than let a story propel them along through it, then I always knew where to s

During the editing process for my historical romance, I've realized a great agent is worth their weight in gold~and then some. I've been agented before with other books and I've had good feedback that improved the novels they represented. But this time around, with these outstanding agents, it's different. Their suggestions are transforming this novel into something that brings tears to my eyes in the most wonderful way as it transforms beneath my fingers. Their suggestions come from a deep, content level that makes it clear they are truly invested in the characters and the story. And they don't stop at just one round. Looking back at the first version of this novel and seeing how far it has already come with their help floors me. Even more exciting, is looking forward knowing how much farther it will still go, and how much more polished and honed to perfection it will become. This is something I could have never done on my own because I'm too close to the s

Like many writers, my road to publishing has been more of a climb along a lava flow than a stroll down a country road (if you've ever walked down a lava flow you know what I mean, if not, careful when you try it, you may break an ankle. Seriously). I've written several novels and have had two different agents on two different occasions, for two different novels. My first agent, whom I had my very first book with, ended up retiring from the business after only sending it out to a few people. We parted on good terms but that manuscript has since been put in a drawer. The second fork in my road was longer. It was the fourth manuscript I'd written and I landed an agent who helped me polish it up a bit and sent it out to editors. The timing was all wrong though as they had filled their paranormal lists and passed on it, though many enjoyed it. Then the literary market crash occurred and my second agent cut back on his clients who hadn't sold. Again I was to part ways with

I love doing research because it leads to inspiration for me. Sometimes it's a new chapter that I hadn't planned on, or an entire new book idea that springs up. History in particular is a subject that I love, but not just any history. I like to find the stories that haven't been told, things that were covered up by the conquerors. While researching recently I was struck with an idea for a novel but it was set in a time period that is so overdone that I myself cringe at the thought of reading anything set in that era. But, there remains a story that is untold and that drew me in like a moth to a flame. Still, I wanted the idea itself to be unique, not just the story. Editing another book as I am, I put thoughts of the story aside to work on later. Photo Credit: Dwayne Johnson But my muse had other plans. He woke me in the middle of the night (Did I mention this is how I picture my muse? He's very demanding. You don't say no to a man like that.) and inspired m

I have longed for someone to push me to help my manuscript be the best it can be. Finally, I have that. As many of you know, I have the wonderful good fortune to now be mentored by agents Nicole Resciniti and Louise Fury thanks to the RT contest that I placed in. They are taking me in directions I would have never thought to go, to new horizons that I didn't think I could achieve. It isn't easy, but that's all right. I didn't expect it to be. One of the biggest lessons I'm learning is to revise outside of my comfort zone to help transform my manuscript into the very best it can be. I'm also learning to look at the industry, what readers desire, and what genre dictates to help guide me. Don't get me wrong, I am not fitting my manuscript into a mold. But I am looking at each part of the big picture and approaching my writing from a business perspective, not just an emotional one. This is possible one of the hardest things for us writers to do, but it's

Karen Amanda Hooper, author of two of my favorite series,  The Kindrily series and The Sea Monster Memoirs , is releasing a new series, Virtual Arcana. Today, we’re helping her reveal the cover... Karen says: “I love the cover because it represents the story so perfectly—a blend of old-fashioned and techy, romance and magic, reality and illusion, The Notebook meets The Matrix (with a sprinkling of The Giver). Some friends saw an early sneak peek and asked if the girl was real or a CGI (computer-generated image).   That put a huge smile on my face because that is the perfect question for this series.” *insert mischievous smile here* Karen gives huge thanks to friend and talented cover designer, Steve Graham of   the INFINITY CREATIVE ( www.TheInfinityCreative.com ) for making her virtual reality-esque vision a beautiful reality. Virtual Arcana will release this fall serial style, meaning short episodes (averaging 15-20k) will be published frequently (official