Ask the Author: Heather Hiestand
Answered Questions (11)
Heather Hiestand
I would love to know who the inspiration for my "Redmond" name really was. He sort of winks into existence around 1910 and winks out in 1915 in terms of records, but he couldn't have died in WWI as family history goes, because someone fathered a child with his DNA in 1919. I'm good at genealogical research, but he is beyond me. Gangsters, Chicago, they are a hard nut to crack.
Heather Hiestand
Thrilled, she accepted the fantastic job offer. The next day, the company announced massive layoffs.
Heather Hiestand
Recently, I've been learning a lot about my ancestors, and I'm supposedly a descendent of Mary Boleyn, Queen Ann Boleyn's sister of Henry VIII fame. So I'd like to visit the world of a book like Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession by Allison Weir or The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, to meet Mary and find out what the real story was. Today, we don't know the basics like whether she really was the older sister, or when she died, or most importantly, who her children's fathers were. I'd love to know if I'm descended from Henry VIII!
Heather Hiestand
I'm looking forward to reading more of Julia Keller's mystery series set in West Virginia, and Toby Neal's mystery series, Lei Crime. In the car I've been listening to the Private series on audio.
Heather Hiestand
I went looking at other people's lists to answer this question, because I can't get past Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride & Prejudice as a fictional couple that continues to resonate. They seem to be everyone's favorite! Another one I come back to is Cinderella and Prince Charming. The story, about seeing underneath the surface glitter, is compelling.
Heather Hiestand
Hi Peggy! Thank you for your question. I do both general, ongoing research on my favorite time periods, and specific research for certain books. Right now, for instance, I've been playing with an 1835-set story idea. Because I've written very close to that time period recently, I was able to get my head into the period by watching a little costume drama, do a couple of hours of research on period dress on Pinterest and in my personal library, research historical recipes and holiday traditions (for the scene I was writing) and do a couple more hours of biographical research on a historical figure in the scene.
Heather Hiestand
The best way to get inspired to is work on a story I genuinely love. If I find myself doing research during my "leisure time" I know I'm excited by the subject matter. Otherwise, writing can be a slog. I prefer for the hours to melt away when I'm working.
Heather Hiestand
Trifling Favors was just released this week and the inspiration for it was my longstanding secondary character, Betsy Popham. She's grown up over the course of seven books, and by adding a major secret to her past, I could explain a lot of her story and finally find a way to give her a happy ending.
Heather Hiestand
My upcoming book, If I Had You, has Shakespeare references because some of the characters are actors! They perform the "Scottish play" during the course of the novel, which, as you can imagine, creates some serious problems. Macbeth is not a lucky play!
Heather Hiestand
"Finish your book" is the best advice I can give. If you don't have a completed project, you haven't learned everything you need to know yet, and you have nothing to sell to a publisher or self-publish.
Heather Hiestand
I am currently working on "Wedding Matilda" which will be #6 in my Victorian-set Redcakes series.
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