Feature: Heather Hildenbrand, author of The Dirty Blood Series

Book One

I killed a girl last night. I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster. But that’s not the part that got me. The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf. All snapping teeth and extended claws. But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again. That’s about the time I went into shock… And that was the moment he showed up.

Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face. One, Werewolves do exist. And Two, I was born to kill them.

Book Two

Wood Point Academy is not at all what I expected. For one thing, it looks like a cross between military school and Buckingham Palace. Everyone stares, the floors shine so bright you can see your reflection in them from a mile away, and no one smiles. Unless they're kicking your butt in the process.

At least I've got plenty to take my mind off the fact that my psycho cousin, Miles De'Luca, keeps calling and declaring his love and promising to come for me just as soon as he's destroyed anyone standing in our way. Wes isn't going to like that idea. So between Miles, Wood Point's evil welcoming committee, and the drill sergeant hottie trainer from hell, I just keep asking myself, how did I end up here?

Book Three

Hybrids.

If I had to choose one word to sum up all of my problems, this would be it.
Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to watch my best friend slowly becoming a monster. Without hybrids, I could let go of the mentality “hunt or be hunted.” CHAS wouldn’t be scouring the Earth, intent on slaughtering and using Alex to do it. Without hybrids, I wouldn’t have to be on guard that losing my temper meant losing my shape. There would be no monster inside me, struggling to get out.

Then again, without hybrids, I wouldn’t have Wesley St. John.

Author Interview

Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?

A plunger handle may or may not be used as a weapon.

 

Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.

I suck at covers. Like, for real, suck. My first Dirty Blood cover was horrible. I paid a local photographer who used free stock images and it was blurry and just BAD. I knew I had to do something about it but I had no idea what. SM Reine who writes the Seasons of the Moon series (also badass werewolves) was doing cover design at that time and she did the covers and found the artwork. I don’t know where I’d be without her!

 

Did you self-publish or publish traditionally and why?

This book is self-published because I didn’t want to wait around for queries and agents, etc but since then, I’ve started my own publishing company AND signed one of my books with a major publisher and I love the diversity of publishing now!

 

What do you consider the most important part of a good story?

A hot guy.

=P

Okay, seriously? Conflict. Without that, there’s no story.

 

What is your writing process?

I have to have quiet. No music, no TV. I enjoy the silence and solitude. Summers are always hard for me because the kids are home and it’s so hard to sit and work. I just want to get up and play!

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I started out as a punster but I’ve learned to be a plotter. Like it or not, I work better that way.

 

What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?

Pushing through the middle point. Around the 50-75% mark I get the “YUCK” and it’s like a sickness. It makes me doubt myself and my story and just drags me down for a while but if I just push through, I always come out the other side happy and confident in my story after all. And then I’m fine but during that time, it’s just, well, yuck.

 

What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?

Writer’s Block is nothing more than poor planning. Go back to your plotting board (if you have one. If not, make one!) and figure things out better.

 

What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?

Cue the silence.

 

Who is your favorite author?

Hmm Cassandra Clare is pretty up there. And Nora Roberts. It depends on the genre.

 

Who is your favorite character from a book?

Don’t laugh, and it’s cheating because it’s a movie, but Sam Wikwiki from the Transformers series is the BEST WRITTEN character! Seriously! I would love to meet the creators of that character! Genius!

 

Read anything good lately?

Nora Roberts, the Dark Witch series. Love!

 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Read. (duh!) and ride my motorcycle, though not at the same time.

 

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

Write every single day. Especially when you don’t feel like it.

 

Have you had anything else published?

Yes. My Imitation series is the most recent and it’s being developed with a publishing house although the details are very SEKRIT, HUSH-HUSH right now so I can’t say more for a few weeks.

 

What's your next project?

I’m reworking Imitation and Deviation a little. And then probably Dirty Blood 5. In between all that, I’m fiddling with the sequel to A Risk Worth Taking, my NA contemp series. Lots of irons in the fire!

About the Author

Heather Hildenbrand

Heather Hildenbrand was born and raised in a small town in northern Virginia where she was homeschooled through high school. Since 2011, she’s published more than eight YA & NA novels including the bestselling Dirty Blood series. She splits her time between coastal Virginia and the island of Guam and loves having a mobile career and outrageous lifestyle of living in two places. 

Heather is also a publishing and success coach bent on equipping and educating artists who call themselves authors. She loves teaching fellow writers how to create the same freedom-based lifestyle she enjoys. For more information visitwww.phoenixauthorink.com and find out how to create your own OutRAGEous Life. 

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