Interview Jeny Heckman Author of The Warrior’s Progeny
Give a warm welcome to Jeny Heckman, author of The Warrior’s Progeny. Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Jeny and The Warrior’s Progeny.
Let’s start with why should we read this book/series and what sets you apart from the rest and makes your book/series unique?
This book is an interesting take on the Greek gods. It’s not a traditional fantasy or paranormal romance and it’s not set in the ancient Greek era. It’s the story of the gods being doomed forever and the only ones that can save them are their modern-day descendants. Mortals that don’t believe in mythical Greek gods. It’s like Percy Jackson meets Nora Roberts. The modern romance isn’t two people finding each other and just working out their quirks. They have figure out and come to terms with what they’re a part of and if what they’re feeling is real or manipulated. So, a little different adventure, with a lot of spice thrown in.
Who is your favorite character of all of the books you’ve written and Why?
It’s got to be Dee Taylor. Dee is a 75-year old woman who lives on Kauai. She only wears brightly colored, floral muumuus and a large floppy hat that she makes wreath around each day. Sometimes the wreath is floral, sometimes there’s kumquats, and a twig, with Dee you never know. She’s tiny, sassy, mischievous, has long, wavy silver hair and eyes the color of blueberries. I knew I had someone special when the fans asked for her story. So, I wrote one entitled, Dee’s Cornucopia, which will hopefully be out around Christmas time.
What do you want your readers to take away from your books?
First, I want them to be involved. I want them to go on the journey and become invested in the characters and their cause. Whether it be from the Greek god’s point of view or the modern-day descendants. Second, I want them to ask themselves what they would do if a stranger befriended them, then told them they were descended from the Greek gods and an integral part of a quest. Hopefully, I’ve captured that incredulity. Finally, I want them to enjoy themselves and be transported from reality, for a short time.
Do you find it easier to write from a male or female point of view? Why?
It’s easier writing from a woman’s point of view for me because I obviously know how they think better. I’m a woman, a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend, I can place myself in their reality and be able to navigate it. Men are harder but very interesting to write. Often, I will covertly study men and how they behave, from a place of non-judgement. They aren’t so different in feelings, just how they express those feelings, and have varying degrees of emotion about them. They look at things quite literally, rather than emotionally. Not that all women or men are like this but it’s easier to identify. If I’m ever in doubt about what a man would think, I’ll find fun ways to present the scenarios to all the men I know, then they show up in a book, and they’re like, “Whaaat?”
Okay, you’re casting the movie version of your novel – who would you choose for the main characters? We’re talking dream cast.
I was hoping I’d get to answer this question! Okay, so I write with vision type boards on my computer and have photos of the characters to draw inspiration. Without a doubt Colt is Sam Heughan with an American accent. Mila Kunis, would play Lilly Morgan, and the lovely Jody Jaress for Ms. Dee Taylor. Mel Gibson is the perfect Ray Butler (think Blood Father and Man without a face combined). Jennifer Anistan would be Raven Hunter, model Ben Dahlhaus and sexy Finn Taylor.
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Favorite movie: Pride & Prejudice
Favorite book: Outlander
Last book read: Betwixt
Favorite color: Green
Stilettos or flipflops: Flip Flops
Coffee or tea: Coffee
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: eBook/Audiobook
Pencil or pen: Pen
Favorite song: Unwritten
Streak or not: Absolutely Streak
Favorite dessert: Lemon Meringue Pie
Favorite junk food: Chocolate
Favorite thing to do to relax: Read!
Champagne or gin: Gin
Paranormal or Historical: Paranormal
Wonder Woman or Top Model: Wonder Woman
Favorite TV show: Documentaries
Hot or cold: Warm
POV: 3rd person
I’d die if I don’t have: My family
Review or Not: Review
Tell us a little about The Warrior’s Progeny.
If love dies, can it be reborn…only stronger?
Colton Stone is a newly traded tight end whose reputation is as battered as his football helmet. When he receives a vacation invitation from his new teammates, he accepts. There he collides with Dr. Lillian Morgan, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, and doesn’t know what to think.
A widow with two children, Lilly is looking forward to her friends’ wedding. When she meets Colton Stone, his arrogant attitude only makes her long for the love she took for granted. Lilly struggles between letting go of her perfect past for an uncertain future.
Strange events occur, out of the realm of normal consciousness. When black energy touches their world Colt and Lilly become the pawns of the immortal Greek gods. Is the love developing between them natural, or part of a larger prophecy?
A sneak peek between the pages of The Warrior’s Progeny.
Colt’s body temperature heated until his helmet, now that of a Trojan, melted and became part of his skull. Painful, thick, fire plumes ignited from the sides of his head and curved toward the sky, until they solidified in a solid line down the middle of the helmet. Black snake-like smoke wafted up from the earth and encircled his ankles and wrists, locking him into place.
He looked over at Lilly, who now knelt helpless as her skin became dusky, then turned a brilliant shade of blue. However, the color became an iridescent hue that reminded him of something just outside the confines of his mind. Her skin bubbled, separated, and formed into thousands of compact hairs. Small points protruded from her shoulders and down her arms until they freed themselves from the surface of her skin, as she screamed. Several long, hollow shoots grew, lengthening into the elegant, arching rods, as more buds sprouted from them and turned into thready feathers. As the feathers lengthened, green and blue eyes opened in intervals. At a screech of transformation, Lilly turned into a peacock, whose tail plumed out in a perfect fan. A feathered diadem lifted from her skull and the beautiful eyes all blinked at him. He wanted to mate with her, devour her, possess her, and bellowed out an unearthly warrior battle cry. Breaking his bonds, he charged at her.
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About the Author:
Award-winning author, Jeny Heckman, was born in Bellingham, Washington, and was the youngest of two daughters. She met her husband, Jeff, in August 1992, and eloped three months later, at Magen’s Bay, on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
She wrote her first book, the Catch, in a few short months but took several years before she gained the courage to self-publish it at her son’s urging, and her love for writing began.
In 2018, Jeny knew her next project would be a series that showed adults could have adventures in the paranormal-fantasy genre too. So, she created the Heaven & Earth series, a story of doomed Greek gods and their only salvation, their modern-day descendants. Her first book of the series, the Sea Archer, was immediately picked up by the New York publishing house, the Wild Rose Press, and won, “Best in Category” from the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards.
In the year 2020, Jeny released, Dancing Through Tears, a short story from the anthology, Australia Burns: Volume Two, highlighting the Route 91 massacre from the perspective of one family at the concert, and at Mandalay Bay. She also intends to release, the Warrior’s Progeny, and Dee’s Cornucopia, in 2020, continuing the Heaven & Earth Series.
Jeny lives in Washington State with her husband of over twenty-eight years.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://jenyheckman.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heckman.jeny
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenyheckman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenyheckman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeny-heckman/
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenyheckman17
GoodReads: https://bit.ly/3fd8RJA
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jeny-heckman
YouTube: https://bit.ly/30vNfUI
Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/dDTPI9
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with The Warrior’s Progeny
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Fantasy/Paranormal Romance, Greek Mythology, Heaven and Earth Series, Jeny Heckman, The Warrior's Progeny by Tena Stetler with 9 comments.