One Year Blogoversary Author Interview: Heather Beck
Author Biography:
Heather Beck is a Canadian Author and Screenwriter who began writing professionally at the age of sixteen. Since then she has written eleven well-reviewed books, including the bestselling series, The Horror Diaries, which has sold in six continents.
Heather received an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree from university where she specialized in English and studied an array of disciplines. Currently, she is working on the Frostbitten series and has two anthologies slated for publication. As a screenwriter, Heather has multiple television shows and movies in development. Her short films include: Young Eyes, The Rarity, Too Sensible For Love, Circular, and the forthcoming Witch’s Brew.
Besides writing, Heather’s greatest passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Her hobbies include swimming, playing badminton and volunteering with non-profit organizations
Interview:
When and why did you begin writing?
I always knew that I wanted to be a writer. When I was young, I loved reading a variety of books and I would often write short stories. Then in high school, I literally took all of the English courses available. My love of the written word continued into university, where I obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts, with a specialist in English. I feel like I was born to write because it’s something that comes so easily to me. New plots, characters and settings are constantly entering my mind, making it hard for me to stop writing!
What books have most influenced your life?
Anything by Tennessee Williams. I’ve read all of his plays and am amazed by his ability to be so blatant, accurate and compassionate about the human condition. He really gets to the core of what it means to be human, and he does so in a beautiful and entertaining way. In my own writing, I strive to achieve Williams’ signature feat.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
My beta readers are my most influential mentors. Frostbitten was the first book I had beta read, and I was blown away by the thoroughness and helpfulness of their advice. These are avid readers who, out of the kindness of their hearts, are willing to help indie authors. I truly believe their comments and suggestions made Frostbitten into a much better novel, and I couldn’t be more grateful and humbled by their assistance.
What book are you reading now?
It’s really sad, but I rarely have a chance to read due to work/life commitments. There are so many books being published that I’d love to read, and I can’t think of anything better than lying in a hammock with a great paranormal romance book. The last book I read was maybe a couple of years ago; it was Ali’s Pretty Little Lies by Sara Shepard. As a fan of the TV show, I just had to read the book, and I absolutely loved it!
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I’ve always loved Jack London’s work because he depicts the wild so vividly, making you feel as if you’re actually there. He’s also wonderfully adept at portraying the struggle between man and nature. Being a Canadian who is eternally in love with nature, I’ve always felt a strong connection to that theme.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Although I’ve been writing for thirteen years and have ten previous books published, Frostbitten is my first full length novel (my other works were anthologies and novellas). With this novel, I felt I had to really stay focused on the writing process and being in the world of Cedar Falls (where my story is set). Frostbitten has a lot of plot twists and is rich in mythologies which are slowly revealed throughout the novel, so it was a challenge to make sure everything was flowing well and there were no logical fallacies. Having a detailed outline really helped, as did working with some amazing beta readers.
Have you been an avid reader your entire life? (since you could read)
When I was young, my favorite activities were playing outdoors and reading. I always had the latest Sweet Valley book and would devour a new Goosebumps (or Goosebumps spin-off) every month. It’s so great to get lost in a good book, and even at a young age, I’m thankful I could appreciate that.
What character in your books do you relate to most?
Instead of relating to just one character, I feel like I possess a variety of traits from them all. The main character, Anastasia Lockhart, is very strong-willed, passionate and unwavering in what she truly wants. Yet, she is also compassionate and has a very good heart. Anastasia’s best friend, Chloe, is loyal and when she cares about something or someone, she always follows her heart. Finally, another character I relate to is Frost, Anastasia’s boyfriend, because of his great love of nature.
Heather has written quite a few books, too many to include in this post....So I will just feature
Frostbitten.
Great beauty hides dark secrets...
Seventeen-year-old Anastasia Lockhart has never led an easy life, but when she starts getting into serious trouble, she’s sent to live with her grandparents in Cedar Falls. The small, picturesque town hasn’t changed since she visited four years ago, with one exception – the presence of a handsome, mysterious boy named Frost. Despite warnings from her grandparents and friends to stay away from Frost, Anastasia can’t deny their attraction, and the more time they spend together, the deeper in love they fall. Unfortunately, Frost has a secret that is beyond Anastasia’s wildest imagination, and she soon finds herself in the midst of a supernatural legend that has haunted Cedar Falls for years.
Can Anastasia and Frost’s love really overcome anything, or are their fates much darker?
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