Heather McCorkle | Interview
Writing endings her way.
Award-winning author Heather McCorkle joins me today to talk about her new release Bared & Betrayed, book three of the Children of Fenrir series, a paranormal romance steeped heavily in Norse mythology.
Congratulations on your new release! Tell me a little bit about where you came up with the idea for Bared & Betrayed and what’s it about in a nutshell.
The idea for this book came from a dream I had about the antagonist for the first novel in the series. He came to me begging to clear his name because he’d been misunderstood, blackmailed, and the idea was born.
Oh, my goodness, I love that. It sounds like a redemption arc in the making. Can’t wait to read! What inspired you to become a writer?
Stories not ending the way I thought they should when I was twelve. LOL! No really! I was very particular back then about the way stories went and it prompted me to start writing my own.
Ha! I can absolutely relate. What challenges did you encounter in writing this particular book?
It took a lot of research on different states, the amount of forested land on them versus the human population, and the presence of actual wolves. I also had to do a lot of research on wolf preserves, the habits of actual wolves, and Icelandic culture since my characters are of Icelandic descent.
Speaking of characters, which of yours do you love to hate?
Bain, hands down. In the beginning he was this dark, angry person who I didn’t know much about and just poured all my animosity into. But then he grew deeper and more complex and I started to realize…oh wait, I can’t tell you that! What I can tell you is that he killed his own brother and took over his pack, and has been instrumental in working toward forcing werewolves to come out to the world.
Oooh! Mysterious. I like it! If you can, pick a favorite character from your new release and tell me why they’re your favorite.
I love Detective Elexis Sandalius. She is wonderfully flawed from the murder of her mentor, and a vicious attack that forced her to become a werewolf. But it didn’t diminish her in the slightest. It made her stronger, more determined, and more focused on upholding the law than ever before.
You’ve already mentioned forested land, so where does your book take place?
Hemlock Hollow, Montana. I chose Montana because it is not only beautiful and forested, but the human population is still relatively low in comparison to other states. It was the perfect setting for a town filled with werewolves.
What drew you to writing paranormal romance?
Since I was little, I loved fantasy and science fiction. Vampires and werewolves in particular have always fascinated me. It was a natural progression to write about them for me. And I feel every story is better with romance.
Me too! I feel so cheated when a book doesn’t include at least something LOL. Speaking of romance, what are your favorite tropes and themes to play with in your work?
I don’t ever think of tropes or themes. I let the characters tell me their stories.
Nice! And are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you have pre-writing routine or do you just go with the flow?
I am a plotter who used to be a pantser. A mentor once made me write an outline for a book I’d already written. When I saw how many holes it exposed, I was hooked on outlining. Well, a hybrid really. I write a loose outline that lays down skeleton of the story, then I go on a ride with the characters that fleshes it out.
And writing is a wild ride to be sure. Describe your author brand in three words.
Uncovering the untold.
I like it! And what do you find is the most challenging thing about being a writer?
Finding the time to write in such a crazy, busy world.
I hear you! It’s always a balancing act. What’s a writer quirk you have that will make people raise their eyebrows?
I ask weird, random questions completely out of the blue, sometimes ones that would be incriminating.
Incriminating you say…I hope no one ever looks at my browser history LOL. If your latest release was a food truck, what would it be called and what kind of food would it serve?
Crescent Coffee, and it would serve coffee and healthy smoothies just like the shop in my novel. 😉
If you say coffee, I’m there! What are the top three items on your bucket list?
Ski the Alps, visit most of the US National parks, visit Machu Picchu.
Perfect! I keep asking that question to authors and I keep adding to my bucket list. 😂 To finish up this little chat, are there any words of wisdom you want to share with new writers?
Never stop improving your craft.
Excellent advice! What are you working on right now? Does it connect to your new release?
I am working on a spin-off series based on the seeker, Sonya Michaelson, the main character in Bitten & Beholden.
That’s exciting! Can’t wait! Where can readers interact with you or find out more?
I’m most active on Twitter and Instagram.
Awesome! Thank you for chatting with me today. Let’s leave some links here so readers can find your newest release and give them a taste of what to expect.
In this Montana town of Viking descended werewolves, there are secrets upon secrets.
In the name of protecting his family and his kind, Raul Anderson has made some terrible decisions, and even worse mistakes. Mistakes that got him bumped from First Verndari, to the bottom of the pack. Being blackmailed is no excuse, especially when he can't prove it. Now he has to work his way back up to the top of the pack so he can challenge the werewolf he suspects is plotting to throw them into a war with humans.
But that isn't his only problem. As punishment for his mistakes, he is sentenced to be a kennari—a teacher to newly bitten werewolves. His first charge is not only hotter than Helheimr, she's also the new detective the police chief has partnered with him to solve who is behind the unsanctioned bitings.
Elexis Sandalius will do whatever it takes to catch the werewolf that attacked and changed her—even accept a job as a detective in a town full of werewolves, and partner with a guy who bit another woman in without her permission. She couldn't dislike the sexy, cocky ex-quarterback anymore if he had been the one to bite her. Until it becomes clear he is not what he appears to be, and is certainly not what everyone thinks he is.
If they can't overcome their dislike of one another—and deal with their growing attraction—a mass murderer will not only walk but will launch their kind into war.
