Author Heather McCorkle

I have finally made the leap to Instagram . Photos inspire me so I figured, it would be a great place to feature photos that inspire both my writing, and my life in general. It seemed like a natural transition to move from Pinterest (where there is a lot of controversy over using photos you may not have rights to). I've love Pinterest, don't get me wrong, and I'll still likely post there, but I like the idea of a site that is pictures taken or designed by only me. So, Instagram , here I come! If you're on there, come find me, I'd love to connect with you there.

You know those moments when inspiration strikes you so hard you expect to be bathed in the white glowing hallow of a spotlight from the light-bulb over your head? Yep, one of those struck me. I can't say too much as one involves a novel out on submission, but I can say that I discovered a perfect way to tie it in with another series of mine. I'll only say, those wanting another channeler novel may get their wish in a round about way. I'm also thrilled to share that my writing hiatus is over! I started writing a new book today, in a genre that is new to me. I've written historical, and I've written paranormal, but I've never combined the two, until now. I'm excited about this one. It centers around a true historical mystery that was only recently brought under new light. And a paranormal touch seemed to be just what the story needed to start flowing. Want to keep up with what is inspiring my work? Come see me on Pinterest !

There is  lot an author can learn from movies and in the spirit of all that reviewing can do for an artist, I thought I'd throw a movie review out there once in a while, especially when one resonates with me. I didn't expect much out of Oblivion . Both Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman have had some hits and some misses for me. And being from the director of TRON (which I didn't much care for) I almost skipped seeing this altogether on the big screen. In fact, it was only when it was showing at one of my favorite discounted McMenamin's theaters that I finally decided to go. This movie made me think, made me sad, inspired me. In short, it blew me away. Jack is a tech who takes care of the drones that monitor the extraction of water from Earth. Once their extraction mission is done, mankind is leaving Earth after a long battle with a race called the Scavs due to the extent of damage caused to the planet during the war. The war, the alien race that attacked us, and what ...

I'm late, I know, but I had to celebrate the blog hop with my friends yesterday. I hope you'll forgive me! This picture ( designed by me ) inspired me this last week as I'm working on my new project. To see more of the photos that are inspiring this project, click here . Maybe you can guess what it's about. :) The Rise tour is winding to a close this week but I still have a lot of fun stuff planned, including the giveaway of my novel To Ride A Puca on the 2nd and 3rd, and the contest listed below. What inspired you last week? a Rafflecopter giveaway

Only one more week before the release of Rise of a Rector, the final novel in the channeler series! To celebrate, today I'm being interviewed over at Whispers at Moonlight , a fabulous blog by one of my lovely Romanian fans Antonia Calina. I hope you'll drop by and say hi, you'll love her blog. Just remember to click on the translate button at the top of the page. In other news, an online friend of mine, Michelle Leighton (M. Leighton) has a huge announcement to share that will lift the spirits of self-published authors everywhere. She has signed a three book deal with Berkley (Penguin) for her The Wild Ones Series ! If you've read this series, or any of Michelle's other books, you know why. She is a fantastic writer.  Both of these great ladies were my inspiration this week. And I'm getting ready for the Surrey International Writers Conference Book Fair on Saturday October 20th (starts at 5:30pm) where I'll be doing a book signing! That's been...

I’m working on a secret project that I hopefully get to tell you all about soon. This image inspired me as I worked on it the project last week. Like the picture, this project is a dark~channeler related~one, and that’s all I can give away about it right now. Last week I finished reading The Selkie Spell by Sophie Moss . It was a beautifully written tale of Irish lore that I absolutely adored. For a full review click here . Now I’m reading Artemis Rising by Cheri Lasota and am loving it. Such a rich story, in such a rich setting, I highly recommend checking it out. What inspired you last week? Reading anything great that you’d like to recommend? Picture credit: Design by CP Design , pictures from: © Moswyn | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

A cry arises from new and untried lungs, filling the room with its exuberance. The sound draws me closer to the birthing bed. Spent, the mother lies back upon the sweat-soaked pillows, her labored breathing beginning to return to normal. I pull my iridescent wings in close to my back to better fit within the small, crowded room. Handmaidens part before me, bowing. The midwife meets my gaze for but a moment, then lowers her eyes as she steps back. Moonlight spills in the nearby window, illuminating the cradle from which the cry emits. A hum builds within my chest, making me feel as though my soul is a tuning fork. The sensation grows stronger with each step I take. Stealing myself, I grasp the cradle with both hands and lean in to look inside. Tiny, perfect limbs thrash with an energy that matches it’s cries. Pale blue eyes stare up at me out of a pudgy face, the intelligence within them far too great for a newborn. The humming within me explodes, nearly buckling my knee...

My very good friend and fellow author, Christine Fonseca were so inspired by the wonderful things they're doing, that we have joined the volunteer team at the IS Foundation (Ian Somerhalder Foundation. Yes Vampire Diaries fans, that Ian Somerhalder ;). They are an amazing organization that protects endangered species, abandoned and abused animals, works toward cleaner energy, and helps kids of all ages by educating them about the world around us and being a support net for them. So what does a volunteer do? Well, Christine and I work for different departments within the IS Foundation. I write for the environment department as their Environmental Division Content Coordinator (my first article is up now! Click here to read it.) and Christine writes for their youth page as their Youth Program Content Coordinator. You don't have to be a volunteer to make a difference though. Check out the site if you'd like to learn more. Currently one of the big projects the foundation ...

In the distance the dark shadow of a broken vessel is slowly swallowed by the aquamarine sea. Arms and tail pumping, I swim toward it, not wanting to miss my opportunity. In a few heartbeats I’m amidst the sinking wreckage. White sails billow in the water to my right, sunlight from above filters through them, casting an eerie glow upon me. A wave of guilt washes through me but I force it to flow off my shoulders. I have no time for such things. Bodies begin to fill the water around me, arms and legs sprawled out, hair floating about their heads. It’s surreal, almost peaceful, the way they sink. But there is nothing peaceful about the faces. They are frozen in a mask of fear, mouths open in an endless scream, eyes wide and bulging. The sight of them makes me shudder. So much death is a bad omen. I want to get this done and get as far from here as possible. But I must wait. Finally, the first body shimmers, almost like the water around an eel does. With a whispered magic word, I acti...

This lovely picture is one that I took while snorkeling during my trip to Maui a few months ago. Talk about inspiring! My muse was working over time while I was there. Can you blame him though, who wouldn't want to work in a place like this?! I discovered a love of snorkeling on this trip and was inspired to write the chapter that I worked on last week. As for reading, I'm beta reading Libera Me , the sequel to Christine Fonseca's Lacrimosa. It is amazing, that's all I can say for now. I'm also reading Dragon Champion by E.E. Knight and am loving it as well. It is most certainly an adult novel though. This week my novella, Born Of Fire (which is currently free on Amazon !), has broken the Amazon top 100 books!!! Not only has it broke the top 100 bestsellers but it is also currently #5 in Science Fiction/Fantasy/Magic and #5 in Contemporary Fantasy. Thank you to everyone who has downloaded it. I can't tell you how much it means to me. What inspired yo...

First for those who are dying to know the winners of my Channeler's Cause giveaway, here they are: a Rafflecopter giveaway Congratulations Angela and Saba! And thank you all for participating in my giveaway. If anyone would like swag just let me know and I'd be happy to send some along as a thank you. My muse this last week was fed by new music (old actually, Black Betty , Rolling in the Deep , Queen of England ~you can see the kind of mood I've been in. ;) and by Transcend by Christine Fonseca , which I just finished reading an advanced copy of. OMG, you peeps are going to love it. It is one of the most amazing books I've ever read, seriously. I'm so beyond lucky to have gotten a sneak peak at this one. And it will be out in just a few months! As for writing, yet another new chapter has demanded that I write it. *sigh* But I must acquiesce to my muse's demands because he is always right. Still, I fear my editor may want to have me flogged if I don...

This last week my muse was inspired by the show of support for Channeler's Cause , my new campaign to raise money for the IS Foundation . I can't thank you all enough for the support you've shown by spreading the word and purchasing one of the channeler novels. But I'll try, thank you SO much! To show my undying thanks, the eBook of my novella Born Of Fire is free right now on Amazon. I'm working on getting it free on B&N and will let you know the moment they cooperate. Speaking of readers and supporters, To Ride A Puca is one of many great novels up for the Reader's Pick Award on Melissa Luznicky's blog. For those who have read and enjoyed it, I'd love a vote if you have time. Just lick on Melissa's name to go to the link. Then on her right sidebar you'll see the voting area. My reading muse last week was fed by Breathkept by Saundra Mitchell. It is fantastic peeps! Click on the title to check it out, you won't be sorry! What ...

Happy May! With all the activity of spring and summer it can be hard to get any writing done. But, you don't have to miss out on all the fun just to keep your word count up. #WriteTip: Take a notebook with you and make a writing exercise out of your down time at the beach/lake/pool/whatever. You can write flash fiction (short fiction), record the five senses all around you, or people watch and record body language or conversation styles. All of this will keep your creative juices flowing and help your writing. Another bonus tip is to drop in on Twitter where we do #wordwars all the time. Basically writing sprints where we check in on Twitter and report our progress with those participating. Just search for or use the hashtag #wordwar to see if anyone is up for one. Also, don't miss the cover reveal for Susan Kaye Quinn's much anticipated Closed Hearts, the sequel to her fabulous debut novel Open Minds. Click here to check it out and leave her a comment!

Last week my inspiration was a fantastic read. You know the feeling when your heart pounds from the words, you clutch a book tighter, and flip eagerly through the pages? The book I just finished reading elicited such a feeling. It is BECOME, by Ali Cross . At first glance this book appears to be a tale about the daughter of Lucifer, but it is so very much more than that. It is actually about the daughter of Loki and is a beautiful blend of mythology and religion. It surprised and delighted me. Here is my review: From the depths of Helheim to the lofts of Asgard, this novel propels us on a breathtaking journey of self-sacrifice and redemption. The author takes characters that should be impossible to sympathize with and makes you fall in love with them. I was completely swept away and utterly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. The author has made a fan for life of me. My review is short, I know, but alas, I’m not a reviewer, I’m a writer. Just trust me and add this to your...

First, for today's stop on the Channeler's Choice blog tour, I'm over at Candace's Book Blog . I hope you'll drop by. Candace's blog is one of my favorite places to hand out and get fantastic book recommendations. Now on to today's writing tip. Inspiration is a huge part of writing, and more importantly, preventing writer's block. I love to find pictures of people that I feel look like my character and use them as background on my computer. But, as many of you know, there is this new website called Pinterest where you can do that online. In fact, you can 'pin' pictures of anything that interest you on your page. Sounds pretty cool doesn't it? You won't find me on it thought because the last thing I need is another time suck. Of course I say that now, but I may cave eventually. Writing Tip: Find pictures, art, or music, that inspires you and makes you think about your characters or the world/setting of your book. When you're stuck...

Last week I was reminded of one of the main reasons I write. Between thinking about grammar, sentence structure, flow, voice, plot, and character building, we writers can lose sight of one of the most important elements of our story; the readers. A friend called me up one night last week to tell me he had come home to find his daughter with her Nook in one hand and a broom in the other, attempting to read as she swept the floor. He laughed at her and told her that must be a really good book to make her read while trying to work. She said it was and that she was so close to the end she couldn’t stop reading it. It was my book. I may have laughed for joy then got teary-eyed when he told me this story. I’ll never tell. Later that night he called back and told me she was dying to read the next one. I told him how to find it and I could hear her cheering in the background. She said she hadn’t read anything that good since Harry Potter and Twilight. In all my life, I never expected to stac...

Today’s Friday Creature Feature is special because it is in celebration of the release of Tangled Tides, by Karen Hooper. There is a war going on amidst the sea creatures and those of us participating in Karen’s tour are taking sides. Take a look at this amazing cover. Doesn’t it make you just want to pick it up?! Here is a bit about the book: Yara Jones doesn’t   believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.  Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides...

Last week was a rough one for me and my writing for many reasons. My friends helped pull me through it though (yes you!) and I emerged on the other side, perhaps not unscathed, but I emerged! As writers we all go through rough patches where something is challenging us, rejections, editing, outlining, that first draft, or outside forces. This tip~and you wonderful people~got me through it. The most important writing tip ever: Never give up. The moment you do, that's the moment you fail. But if you never give up, then you can never fail. Friends will be there to pull you through. Don't be afraid to talk about it or even ask for help.  One of the helping hands that lifted me up and made me smile last week was Christie from The Ficiton Enthusiast who wrote this sweet review of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll and blogged about my upcoming giveaway. How about you, any writing tips of your own to share? 

This beautiful snowy view out my window with the bald eagle kept me going and inspired me despite the fact that I felt like I was stuck in an eternally burning pit with demons snapping at my heals (formatting will do that to you). It was a rough week to put it lightly. But all is well, and I’m back on track. Whew! For anyone who has every had one of those days (weeks, months, years), I’m raising a glass of wine to you tonight during the #WritersRoad chat on Writing Helping Hands. I hope you’ll join us. It’s a half hour chat followed by a half hour word war (writing sprint). Click here to join us at 6pm PT. These last few weeks I’ve been reading Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan. I had trouble in the beginning. The writing just didn’t pull me in and the striking (and numerous) similarities between this and a friend of mine’s book ( Across The Universe by Beth Revis, which I loved by the way) were too hard to ignore. The deeper I got into the book though, the more I realized how different...

Today for the I Love Dark YA Blogfest we're picking one of our favorite dark YA novels, casting it, and giving it a soundtrack. There are a ton of YA novels I love, but because I'm strapped for time~and because I thought you might like to know who I'd cast~I'm going to pick The Secret Of Spruce Knoll. Vanessa Hudgens are Eren Donovan. Her hair is a bit light since Eren has truly black hair, but that can be fixed. Otherwise, she has the same slightly exotic look, and despite some cheesy roles, she can act (no seriously!). Taylor Kisch as Aiden Moldovan. Need I say why? *sigh* Those hazel eyes are just perfect and his ability to play a lost, slightly sullen teen is unparalleled. Okay, maybe not, but I'm smitten, what can I say? Sure, he'll be too old by the time the movie is ever made, but a girl can dream. I've always thought Michelle Rodrigues would make the perfect Aunt Sylvia. It's time someone gave the lady a role besides a bada** ...