The Wicked Deed
Published by Every Day Fiction - December 2007

The fire roared around me, like some great apocalyptic monster. I kept my hand raised even though my nose had picked up the scent of charred flesh, and continued to use my magick to keep myself relatively safe. The dragon was no match for a witch on a mission and he knew it, perhaps as well as he knew me.

The dragon had guarded our village for the better part of a century. My twin sister and I used to spend our summers on his back, viewing our village from the heavens above. The fire around me stopped, gusts of wind and the sound of beating wings told me that the beast had taken to the air. I unsheathed my sword, waiting for him to make his move.

Normally, I wouldn’t have bothered such a creature in his lair, but I needed his blood to heal my twin sister. A sorcerer had cursed my twin and there were two ways to cure her. One was to find the sorcerer and force him to reverse it. The other was dragon’s blood fresh from the heart. I had to kill a dragon to get it. Sadly, time was running out and the only dragon I knew was Menian. The sorcerer that had done the deed was long gone, and Alianaha was going to be dead by morning if I didn’t find the cure. As I gazed up at the sky, watching the red scales of the dragon shimmering in the sunlight, I reminded myself that I was doing this for her.

Visit Every Day Fiction to read the rest: https://everydayfiction.com/the-wicked-deed-by-heather-kuehl/ 

Raising the Dead

Raising the Dead
Published in Bewildering Stories - 2008 

It was never easy to raise the dead with magick and Kinandrea knew, now that the old magicks themselves were all but dead, it was almost impossible.

The human who had hunted Kinandrea, following her to the very edge of the earth, wanted her for just that reason. His wife had died four years ago, the result of a war between humans and mountain dwarves, and he knew that the only creatures who could bring her back were elves.

The magicks that were used in such a task hadn’t been seen for a century. The human didn’t seem to understand that, nor did he want to. He wanted his wife back and no one was going to stand in his way.

“Come out, elf!”

The human voice echoed over the stone, echoing louder than it actually was. She stayed still in the remains of a small worship hall that was little more than a hole in the ground, waiting for him to pass. He was a skilled hunter and she had gained several scars from his attempts to capture her. He was the predator, like some great serpent, and Kinandrea was a mouse trapped in a corner.

She held her breath, waiting for the human to pass. She didn’t know if human hearing could pick up what hers could. She could hear his soft, even breathing. She could hear his heart rapidly pumping blood throughout his body. He was nervous yet patient, a trait that most humans seemed to lack.

“I know you are near,” he whispered to himself. He poked at the rubble with the tip of his sword, moving aside small rocks and jabbing into open holes. He was trying to spook her into running. Kinandrea took a deep, quiet breath, and convinced her tense body not to do what he wanted. She could run, her long legs able to go farther than the bulky human’s, but her eyes had seen the crossbow on his back. If she ran, he would shoot.

Kinandrea had already gained the misfortune of being shot by one of those arrows and the ragged scar on her right hip was all she needed as a reminder. She knew that, given the opportunity, he wouldn’t miss again. All she had was the knowledge that he wasn’t shooting to kill.

The tip of the blade slid through the rocks and into her hiding place, coming just a hairsbreadth from her face. Kinandrea slapped a hand against her mouth, muffling a cry of surprise, but it was too late. She scrambled further back as the stones began to fall away and the human came into view. She froze as the tip of the sword pressed against her chest, piercing the skin and drawing blood. Kinandrea held back a cry of pain as blood slowly blossomed on her dress.

Want to know what happens next? Visit http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue288/raising_dead1.html

Guardian

 (c) Heather Dade

Published May 29, 2023 by Cypress Gardens, Moncks Corner SC

Where did all my books go?

 Unfortunately, things change.

The publishers I used to work with have closed their doors. And to be honest, after a blow to my creativity several years ago it's been hard to get back into the habit of writing like I used to. Recently, I have started writing poetry again. Usually short poems, but they have been allowing my mind to run down rabbit holes like it used to. Hopefully sometime soon I will have publishing news to share whoever may be left here. Time will tell.

So what is left out there?

Epiphany - https://www.amazon.com/Epiphany-Heather-Kuehl-ebook/dp/B005FY5YHU/
Everlena doesn't usually go out with friends, but when she joins them on a whim, she meets Mika, a man as mysterious as he is delectable. Can Everlena trust the wild stories he tells her or should she run from the menace that follows him? Mika, Fey-King of the Unseelie Court, seeks the princess of the Seelie Court, and is shocked to find her living life as a human. Even more shocking is that she has no clue his world even exists. Mika must get Everlena to safety while convincing her that a union between her light court and his dark court is the only way to end millenniums of violence. With danger around every turn, will Everlena be able to leave her mundane life behind and take her place as a princess of the Seelie Court? Or will the feelings blossoming between Everlena and Mika get in the way?

Far and Away - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53066
Filled with over 30 previously published poems and flash fiction pieces and 10 works that have never seen the light of day, Far and Away takes readers into a world of possibilities. Join a bride on her wedding day where all isn't as happy as it seems. See life through the eyes of a beloved pet as he tries to make the great escape. What is hiding in the dark? THIS IS FREE!

Struck By Beauty - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/49914
A collection of four fantasy stories. "Struck by Beauty" - Mika is forced to do the unthinkable. "Homecoming" - Carra returns home to confront her past. "Blythe's Vengeance" - Blythe seeks vengeance on the sorcerer that destroyed her hometown. "The Desire of Selkies" - Salena discovers that humans will do anything to get what they desire. THIS IS FREE!

Amythist Dreams - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/49843
A collection of three short stories; "Dalamar's Quest," "The Hunt," and "The Final Goodbye." "Dalamar's Quest" - Sorcerer Dalamar Shola and his apprentice, Amythist Dyier, investigate new magic in Ancient Egypt. "The Hunt" - Amythist wants revenge, even if it means going to the demon realm to fulfill it. "The Final Goodbye" - Will Amythist be able to say goodbye to her truest love? THIS IS FREE!

Dragon Sent - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/49712
The Wicked Deed - To save her twin sister from a sorcerer's curse, Xerri must betray the dragon that trusts her to find the cure. Redemption - Xerri goes on a dragon sent redemption quest to clear her soul of her wicked deed. THIS IS FREE!

Update

Yesterday I let you all know that I was asking for my rights back on my earlier works. Today I got the paperwork confirming my request. While I am happy about this, I am sadden to report that Eternal Press also returned the rights for Forbidden Magic. As of right now, I am back to square one with this book and will be working to find it a new home.

I'm not sure how much longer Fade to Black, Malevolent Dead, Blood Moon, and Promises to Keep will be available for sale online, so get your copies now while you can!

Big Decisions

So the other day I made a big decision. Some of you may know that Eternal Press was sold back in October of 2015, further delaying the release of Forbidden Magic. I had thought once edits were finished and I received the cover art in February that a publication date was on the horizon, but it looks like I was mistaken. As of right now, the company is a mess and communication has broken down horribly. It is because of this that I have asked for the rights back on my earlier works.

What does this mean to you?
Very soon, Fade to Black, Malevolent Dead, Blood Moon, and Promises to Keep will no longer be available for purchase. As it is, many of these titles are not available online at the moment (part of that mess I mentioned earlier), however print copies are still available for purchase. I do hope to find another home for them in the future, but that won't be for a while as my focus is on my works in progress.

What about Dream Lover? What about Forbidden Magic?
Dream Lover's contract ends a year from tomorrow. At that time I will be removing that title as well, unless the company cleans up their act and gets the ball rolling again. Forbidden Magic will remain in their queue, hoping to one day see the light of day. I love the story of T.D. and Dez and can't wait for the day that I can share it with you.

What about your other titles?
As of right now, Epiphany will remain with Decadent Publishing and the White Wolf series and At All Costs will remain with Muse It Up. I have no plans to remove them.


This is very upsetting for me. Eternal Press is the first publisher to give me a chance, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them. It kind of feels like high school; that bittersweet moment of realizing that a time in your life is over, but the journey is just beginning.

I hope you remain with me for the ride.
~HK

Forbidden Magic update

I would love to give you an update for Forbidden Magic. After all, the contract for it was signed in September 2014. By now I should have had cover art (I'll get to what you see here in a minute), edits, and a release date and I don't.

The publisher recently came under new management, so to say, so there is a lot of cleaning house going on. I have discovered that I am not the only author waiting for what feels like forever. I don't blame my publisher's current owner for this. I have been with this publisher since 2009 and they have always been awesome to me. I look forward to sending them more of my work in the future.

In the mean time, I've gotten to work on a lot of new manuscripts and even worked on perfecting an old one. National Novel Writing Month begins on Sunday and I have a great idea (my NaNoWriMo handle is dadewrites; please feel free to follow my progress. I believe there is a NaNoWriMo icon on the right side of this blog that will take you there too.). I've also found that I prefer Twitter's short format rather than a blog, so ramblings on here will be few.

Now for the delicious piece of art on this post. You can thank Ian Hill for it (follow him on Twitter @IanSHill1). I explained to him what I was looking for and BOOM! He made it. I don't think this will end up being the final art for the book (wouldn't that be cool if it was, though?) but it's something for me to look at rather than the black "Coming Soon" box I had before.

I hope 2016 will be the year of Forbidden Magic. It's a story that I am dying to share with you.
Forbidden Magic blurb:
When witches need their dirty work done, they call one person; their Enforcer Tabitha Drake. She is lethal and powerful with a dangerous secret. All magic comes at a cost, but she never has to pay. If the Conclave of witches ever found out, they’d experiment on her until there was nothing left. When a witch in South Carolina starts consolidating magic, the Conclave sends Tabitha to take care of it. There she runs into Dez, a born vampire with a secret of his own. It’s hard to work with someone you can’t trust, but it’s even harder when emotions start to get in the way. When secrets are revealed, Tabitha has to put her trust in a vampire shrouded in secrets. Will Tabitha’s heart get broken or is this the first step to a normal life?

Reaction to Kim Harrison's blog

I've been pretty busy over the past year. Writing has been slow going, and I have been developing a new project that isn't set in any world that I have had books published in. So lots and LOTS of world building and researching. Forbidden Magic, my next release, is in a sort of limbo, as Eternal Press has a new CEO and they are working on making things more awesome. Of Wolf and Man, my young adult baby, is no long available for purchase. I'm a little broken hearted, but also excited because I had an idea for a grittier version of that story that could span over two or three books. Now that I have the rights back, I can dive back into Juliet and Jenson's world and find out what happens when friends are not what they seem.

Today I came across a blog post by Kim Harrison. I love her books and am very much looking forward to reading her newest release The Drafter. It's not paranormal, like her Hollows series, but from what I read in the short prequel titled Sideswiped, I want to read more about Peri's world. Apparently, it isn't doing as good as Kim's publishers had hoped. This is from her blog, located at www.KimHarrison.net:

Unfortunately, this is the dark side of the publishing industry. She's right; there are no second chances if a book flops. Especially if the publisher put a lot of money into promoting it, like her's did for The Drafter. They were expecting the audience that put the Hollows series on the NY Times Bestselling list to do the same for this title. If a book fails, it will make publishers think twice about your future work. They don't care about how great sales were, they care about how great they're going to be. She may have to reinvent herself again; for those of you who don't know, she originally published books under her real name, Dawn Cook, but those didn't gain popularity. A new name, a new look (the wig!), and it was a clean slate for readers. Now, because of The Drafter's failure, she may have to go through the trouble of reinventing herself for a new series.

This, right here, makes me so nervous about writing and publishing. How one year you can be at the top of your game, everyone will love you and can't get enough, and the next year no one will want to touch you. It's heartbreaking. But it's reality if becoming an author is the path you take.

Across Time progress

Goal = 80-85K words (that's around 420 pages)
Current word count = 5k

Normally I'd be very happy at this point, but my progress is thanks for three short stories  that I'm struggling to add to the story. The prologue is a mixture of two of these short stories, changed a bit since this is going to be a novel. The  third story will be used for backstory for Amythist Dyier, my heroine.

In case you are interested, I have all my Amythist Dyier stories available on Kindle and Nook in an anthology called Amythist Dreams. You an purchase it on Smashwords HERE.

Tomorrow, Chapter One. I'll piece together the prologue later. :)

Forbidden Magic finished and beyond

FORBIDDEN MAGIC is finally finished. Final word count is a little over 21k. I've already done my read through and have submitted it for consideration to a publisher.

Which means I can finally start something new! I'm also changing my writing goal. When I first started writing, my goal was to get my work published. A fantastic goal, one many writers never reach. I've reached it, but only in the ebook market. I want more. To get more, I have to write more.

New Goal:
Write 80k or more per book
Submit to print markets

I want to walk into a bookstore and see my book on the shelf. So I will work harder. Which means that I will start outlining and preplanning my books. I tend to get carried away and the book is finished before I mean to and I suck at going back and adding stuff once it's done.

Today I will be researching methods to  help me with this new process of planning my books. Hopefully this will help me reach my new goals.

:)

As it stands, these are my current works in progress.

WIP:
DEMON SCORNED: Sarah Vargas 4
     *  I'm still outlining this. Writing about Sarah isn't coming easy this time. Maybe she doesn't want to fight demons?

ACROSS TIME
     * Story of Amythist and Dalamar. I've published several short stories about these characters. I'm looking forward to write a book to finish their story.

UNTITILED Beauty and the Beast
    * A twist to my favorite classic

UNTITLED Firestarter
     * Set in same world as my books

Wanted: Sarah Vargas

Name: Sarah Vargas

Height: 5'5

Weight: 120

Hair: black

Eyes: green

Last seen in Charleston, SC

Approach with caution. Sarah Vargas is armed and very dangerous.

"Fade To Black is one kick butt action-adventure ride from start to finish." - Dawn, Love Romances and More

"Malevolent Dead is an awesome adventure with kick-butt action, hot sexual encounters, and interesting characters." - Angelique, Happily Ever After Reviews.

"Blood Moon is a fast paced read, filled with suspense, action, and heat." - You Gotta Read Reviews.


Buy your copy today: Heather Kuehl's EP page

Epiphany has a new review!

Found this delightful review in my inbox this morning.

From Deana at Romancing the Book:

"The connection between Everlena and Mika is just magical. It’s my feeling that they were born to love each other. I found myself smiling a lot while reading. The secondary characters bring spunk and humor to this tale. I love tales of the Fae and I think this one hits spot on."

 

Read the entire stunning review, which was rated a Lovely Rose (that's 4/5!) at http://romancing-the-book.com/2012/08/review-epiphany-by-heather-kuehl.html

Interview today

I'm being interviewed at Brenna Zinn's blog today. Stop by and check it out!

http://brennazinn.blogspot.com/2012/08/heather-kuehl-how-kewl-is-that.html

Back in the saddle

I finally submitted Of Wolf and Man, in its entireity, to a publisher yesterday. With all the personal crap going on, I was in no mood to edit the manuscript in its current form... until this past weekend. I had the completed manuscript printed, however computer issues meant that I was three drafts behind on the file itself. I had to sit down and go page by page, line by line, until what was in my notebook matched what was on the file. Tedious, as this book is over 45k in length, but I'm hoping it was worth it.

Now that this is finished, I'm trying to figure out what to work on next. Sarah Vargas 4 is outlined, and I think I have a page of it actually written. I also have Forbidden Magic that's 2/3 of the way finished. It's a toss up, and as long as my Muse isn't going anywhere I'll leave it in her capable hands.

Where I have been

Dear Readers,

I feel bad that I haven't posted much during these last few months, even with new releases coming out. In many ways I feel as though I've abandoned you. Now that things are settling down, I think I owe you all an explanation.

Back in December, my husband of six years left to be with another woman. I was a stay at home mom, with only my writing as my income (and we all know how little that brings in unless you're a bestselling author). I had to figure out what to do. I had an apartment to pay for and a son to take care of. Thanks to both my family and his, the rent on our apartment was paid for until the lease ended in March, at which time me and my son moved in with my mother. I got a full time job at a call center, answering questions about Medicare Advantage plans. My Muse poked at my occasionally, but I think she understood that I had a lot on my plate.

Now that things are settling down, I'm looking forward to writing again. I have OF WOLF AND MAN that still needs to be submitted to a publisher. And I've had three new releases since December; AT ALL COSTS, WHITE WOLF, and coming on July 27 LOVE AND CONSEQUENCES. All three are through MuseItUp Publishing.

In the coming weeks look for website and blog updates. I'll be "cleaning house" and starting to get things back on track. Also, if you're not already, following me on Twitter (@heatherkuehl) and on Facebook (/Author.Heather.Kuehl) to get updates.

Thank you for your understanding during this rough time,

Heather Kuehl

New review

BLOOD MOON has a fabulous new review from Bitten by Books. Carol gave it 3.5 tombstones, saying "Once again, Kuehl does an admirable job of pulling the reader in to her very interesting paranormal world with its various alliances and characters."

For the full review, please visit http://ping.fm/dEfxC

Cover art!

I got the cover at for AT ALL COSTS yesterday. It's it gorgeous?!!

Time flies...

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted on here. I wish I could say I've been busy, but I haven't. I'm currently working on the edits for White Wolf, due out in April with MuseItHOT. "Raising the Dead" was featured in Shelter of Daylight and can be purchased on Sam's Dot Publishing's website. "Wedding Wizard" has been accepted by Residential Aliens and is due out in the near future. Other than that, nothing. Nada. My muse has gone on vacation, leaving me all alone.

Okay, it's not as bad as I'm making it sound. I've been catching up with my reading (almost finished Mortal Coils by Eric Nylund right now, and will start reading Secret Circle by LJ Smith next) and watching Supernatural via Netflix. I've got ideas for my future WIP, but right now I'm just going to relax some more.

And I just rememered....NaNoWriMo is next month!!! Holy crap I'd forgotten. Dear Muse, please come back from vacation. It's NaNo time! You can follow my progress on NaNoWriMo.org. My handle is dadewrites.

Dream Lover's first review! 3 hearts!

From Sizzling Hot Book Reviews;
"Dream Lover is a good concept with loving characters and is a good sweet love story."

For the complete review, go to http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net/2011/08/dream-lover-by-heather-kuehl.html

Epiphany has been released!

Today starts my Epiphany and Dream Lover blog tour! It's also the day that Epiphany is released! So excited!

To purchase Epiphany, please visit http://www.decadentpublishing.com


I'm blogging at Decadent Publishing's blog today: http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com

I'm also guest blogging at The Sweater Curse: http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com



For a full tour list, go to http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=199964386700292