Heather Trim's Blog

There's a new Middle Grade Christmas story headed your way! Sometimes, you just need to read a super cute Christmas book that checks all the boxes of nostalgia, winter beauty, and your favorite Christmas songs, all mixed with a fun mystery! 

Coming November 9th, 2023

Lost in Snowy Valley will be arriving in a few months, just in time for Christmas! Keep an eye on the book page. There will be pre-order bonuses coming very soon. 

If you're up for helping get the word out about this upcoming novel, join Heather's Book Launch Team for a chance to win prizes counting down to release day! 

Working Title: Lost in Snowy Valley

Author: Heather Trim

Audience/Genre: Middle Grade/Fantasy, Mystery, Christmas 
Status: In the hands of Beta Readers

Short Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Via is forced to wear a back brace after being diagnosed with severe scoliosis. She is embarrassed and refuses to attend her school Christmas concert. All she wants to do is hide. But when her favorite figurine goes missing, she is magically transported into her miniature Christmas village. Via goes on a journey where she finds more than just her lost figurine.

Welcome to the world, Little Dove!

This cute little book is now available at all majorretailers. What is fabulous is that you can read it in one sitting! 

Get ready to laugh, cry, groan, and laugh again as Huyanatells her story of life aboard a merchant ship and her journey home.

Softcover and eBooks are now available on Amazon.Through my website you can order a signed softcover.

About Little Dove

An orphan girl. 

A merchant ship. 

And a long difficult trek. 

A delightful companion novella about the origin of Ledger’sgrandmother… the lost princess of Ellery.

Heather Trim delivers another fantastic tale in a prequel tothe WingboundSeries where no matter how many times you say goodbye there can beeven more hellos, if you let them in.

Buy Signed Softcover

Buy on Amazon Kindle

New to the Wingbound Series?

Grab the entire series, beginning to end, in one excitingswoop! Get all four SIGNED books at Heatherine.com

Buy Entire Signed Softcover Series

Little Dove is now available for Pre-Order in two places. If you're an avid softcover reader, you can pre-order an autographed copy right here on my website. If you'd prefer the Kindle version, which is on sale for pre-order for only 99￠, you can pre-order on Amazon.

ABOUT LITTLE DOVE
Little Dove.

Paloma.

Huyana.

Orphan Girl.

No matter what they called her, she never let it hold her back from getting what she really wanted.

Held hostage on a merchant ship sailing the eastern shores, Huyana, finally takes the chance to return home to find her parents who hid her on that very ship fifteen years before.

Every year she begged to be taken home. And every time the captain refused. Every time she took no for an answer. Until this year.

Heather Trim delivers another fantastic tale in a prequel to the Wingbound Series where no matter how many times you say goodbye there can be even more hellos, if you let them in.

Pre-Order Signed Softcover

Pre-Order on Amazon Kindle

New to the Wingbound Series?
Get started on the first book in the series for only 99￠. Wingbound is the grand introduction to the world of Ledger and all his friends. 

Read Wingbound on Kindle

Grab Wingbound Signed Softcover

 

The Wingbound Series is about to welcome a new family member. LITTLE DOVE is a companion novella about he origins of one of our favorite characters! She is dynamic, stubborn, and old as dirt in the Wingbound Series. But in LITTLE DOVE, Grandmother Huyana share the truth about her tumultuous past.

COMING NOVEMBER 11, 2021

Little Dove will be arriving in a couple months, so get a jump on reading (or rereading) the Wingbound Series. The first book is only 99¢ on Kindle through release day!

Buy on Amazon

Buy Signed Softcover

Everyone knows a lot of thought and work goes intowriting an entire novel. Even though it may actually be ten times more than what theaverage person thinks it is (especially with fantasy novels because you have tocreate the world, laws of nature, governments, cultures, weather, andmore.) 

But one thing that I never knew took a lot of thoughtwas signing books. Sure anyone can sit down and write their name in a book. Butwhat about those signing phrases that have become so popular?

I love getting signed books and one thing I see theyhave in common is saying something to the reader, about the book. Many of themsay something about enjoying the "adventure." Others are specific tome (because they are my writer friends.)

Well if you're sitting at a signing table, scribblingin ten, fifty, or a hundred books for the people standing in front of you,there's no time to consider who this person is, and what they mean to you. Thatwould be awesome if I could be that thoughtful! LOL! 

So my solution is two-fold. #1 to thinkof something I'd like to say to each one of them that coincides with the themeof the book. (Although, THEY don't know it at the time, because they haven'tread it yet. Hehehe!) And #2 something that encourages them at the sametime. 

Wingbound's signing phrase was birthed out ofsomething from the back of the book: "Following the rules isn’t always the right thingto do when you were born to be the exception."
This stems from the main character, Ledger, wanting to be good and follow the rules, but their rules are wrong and go against everything Ledger is. He sees good in everyone and when he meets a girl with wings from the enemy floating island, he breaks the rules and befriends her. Because of who he is inside, he is the exception to their rules and causes some amazing things to happen as a result. So my signing phrase is about him and an encouragement to the reader, "Be the exception!" 
Now Book 2 is here and I have to start again. Check out these scribbles...


It was hard enough to come up with the first one, the second one is even harder. Wingless is all about the world believing differences are a BAD thing, but in the scope of life, they're not. It's what makes each person unique and special. 
Even people's personal limitations are seen as horrible or unacceptable. People judge themselves harshly, just like Ledger does: "I'm a wimp, no one listens to me, I must hide my insecurities." But like the back of the book says, "Your most daunting limitation can be your greatest weapon." Ledger's limitations are what make him special and qualified to do what he sets out to do. That's the same for you! Your limitations aren't bad or evil, they can be your greatest weapon or your best thing that helps get you where you want to go. 
I'll be signing Wingless with this one simple phrase: "Don't hide your greatness." And by that, I'm not talking about your strengths. I'm talking about your limitations. Don't hide your limitations. Just be yourself, in your full glory! You are unique and specifically qualified to be the best you!

Now available at most major retailers (or right here on my website.)

About the Author      Author Q&A       Join the Book Launch Team

Beta Readers come in all different forms. Some authors need them to give a thumbs up or thumbs down. Some authors need their Beta Readers to edit grammar, spelling, sentence structure, etc. 
I bring on Beta Readers who are good at (and for the purpose of) Developmental Editing, which means they give me feedback on the story, plot, character development, point of view, etc. 
DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING

How is the story/plot overall, beginning to end? Did youlike the beginning? Was the ending satisfying?How is the story/plot in each chapter? Is there a chapterthat is too slow, or nothing happens and you think it could be moreinteresting? Is there too much action at a certain point?Are there any MAJOR inconsistencies? (ie: is everyoneaccounted for in a scene? Is something big missing from the plot? Is somethingmissing from the action? etc)Are there any MINOR inconsistencies? (ie: Areobjects/props accounted for or suddenly missing? Is someone’s physicaldescription inconsistent? Is each character's language and behaviorconsistent? etc)Is there anything you see that should be altered? (ie:Overused phrases/words? What the characters say? Inner thoughts of Ledgeror Tolliver? A plot point that is unbelievable or unrealistic?)

If you have an eye for grammar, punctuation, and word usage, feel free toedit, but just know that it will be sent to a professional Copyeditor for indepth line editing and a proofreader after that. 
Although, if there is anywhere that is hard to read(grammatically) please feel free to point it out. 


If this sounds like something you'd be good at, fill out the application to be a Beta Reader.

Beta Reader Application

Hollis's beloved pet from WINGBOUND

WHATS IN A NAME:Tristeh (meaning: French for “sad”.)




APPEARANCE:12 Years old (still a baby)
2,000 pounds (hollow bones)
25 feet tall to the brow
    20 feet to the shoulder
    6 feet to the underside of the belly
Slender (malnourished)
Red scales
Eyes: Gray
Living Conditions: In a cage in the belly of Ellery


HEALTH:Malnourished from being left to die
Eats her cell mates
Hunts while off on her own


PERSONALITY: Smart
Sassy
Senses Fear
Well trained around people (saddling, flying, etc)
Loyal (always comes back)
Compassionate (doesn’t torch those who feed her)
Fun-loving
Justice (tries to save the Green dragon)


OTHER DRAGONS: On Ellery:
   1. Tristeh
   2. Bijou – (Green) *died on Ellery and eaten by Tristeh
   3. Gaetan – (Black) *died on Ellery and partially eaten by Tristeh
Stolen from Lianmin & kept by Ellery on the ground
   4. Green Dragon (Tristeh helps dismount his rider during the battle.)
   5. Black Dragon
   6. Gray Dragon


HISTORY: “Their beasts” (mentioned in chapter 1) are dragons.
Tristeh is still a baby. (10 years old)
She is left for dead in the cage on Ellery when Ellerian leave island.
Ellerians take only the Green dragon off the island.
Ellerians steal other dragons from Lianmin (on the ground.)


**Photos courtesy of Pinterest


MORE CHARACTER SKETCHES:LEDGER     ~     ALOUETTE     ~     HOLLIS
TOLLIVER     ~     ANGUS     ~     KAVA     ~     TRISTEH



FAN ART CONTEST: 
Draw one of the characters from WINGBOUND and submit it to the Fan Art Contest

Congratulations to our Winners! 















Q&A 
How old do I have to be to submit Fan Art?Any age between 0 and 99. If you're 100 or older, we might be able to make an exception. 

Do I keep the rights to my art work?When submitting Fan Art, you retain all right to your art but allow Heather Trim and TrimVentures Publishing permission to post your Fan Art on all platforms (website, all social media, and email.) 

Can I post my Fan Art on my personal social media?Yes! Post anywhere and everywhere and don't forget to use the hashtag #WINGBOUND. You still own your art and may distribute it anywhere you wish. 

Main Character’s Brother’s Girlfriend


WHAT'S IN A NAME:Kava (an herb used for anti-anxiety)
She is the daughter of the village herbalist/healer.




APPEARANCE:18 Years old
125 lbs
5’5”
Skin: toned
Hair: Straight Brown
Eyes: Brown
Nationality: Balfourian
Living Conditions: Cottage in Balfour
     Live in a small village on the south side of a mountain near river that flows into a lake.


FAMILY:Father: Clovis, the village healer
Mother: (never mentioned)
Self: Kava (18 yrs)
Siblings - none


EMOTIONAL DESCRIPTION:Emotionally intense
Emotes openly—shows frustrations, anger, love and compassion openly
Loyal to those who don’t annoy her
Judgemental


MENTAL DESCRIPTION:Smart, knows a lot about herbs and medicinal remedies from her father (Village Healer)
Argumentative, will tell you like it is


HEALTH:Physically fit and healthy
Girly, but tough


PERSONALITY:Color Code Personality: BLUE: A Do-Gooder
Natural Leader
Communicates well
Well liked
Smart
Quick thinker, jumps to action
Fighter, hard worker


STRENGTHS:Emotional and Admired
Committed and Loyal
Self-Disciplined and Stable
Self-Sacrificing and Nurturing
Appropriate and Sincere
Puposeful and Dedicated


LIMITATIONS:*Greatest enemy is herself
Self-Righteous and Insecure
Perfectionistic
Highly Demanding
Unforgiving and Resentful
Worried and Guilty
Moody and Complex


INTERESTS:Herbs, healing, nursing
Tolliver <3
Having a family


*Personality info courtesy of Color Code Personality Profile: www.colorcode.com
**Photos courtesy of Pinterest


MORE CHARACTER SKETCHES:LEDGER     ~     ALOUETTE     ~     HOLLIS
TOLLIVER     ~     ANGUS     ~     KAVA     ~     TRISTEH




FAN ART CONTEST: 
Draw one of the characters from WINGBOUND and submit it to the Fan Art Contest