Book Launch Party and Blog Stop

I'm getting very excited for The Siren's Secret book launch party. Sometimes I feel like getting a book launch ready is like planning a wedding. You have to find your venue, get the word out, make a budget, and get the perfect dress (you think I'm kidding, but finding the right outfit for a book launch is incredibly daunting). Last month I had some freak-out moments getting everything ready, but now things are more set in stone (keeping fingers crossed). 

The book launch will be Saturday, June 15th at the Orem Barnes & Noble at 6:00. Yay! 

I learned a lot from my last book launch, namely that people like giveaways, and honestly I love giving out giveaways! I have a lot ready, so hopefully there will be plenty of readers who leave happy—That doesn't count as a bribe does it? Oh well, book giveaways get me to events! 

You know how weddings have a theme? Well, my book launch has a theme. Because it's for The Siren's Secret, it's going to be an "underwater" party. All the treats, prizes, and decorations will make you feel like you've gone to Sirenity (The island where the sirens live in my book). 

Now all I need is to ask a mermaid to come to the event ;)

I really hope to see you there! 

Also, today's blog tour stop for The Siren's Secret is at Getting Your Read on. Aimee has posted a lovely review. Click here to visit her blog. Thanks Aimee! 

"One of the things I appreciate most about this book is that it's clean.  Heather does a great job with this.  

Julia is definitely on a journey of discovery.  By the end of the last book and at the beginning of this book you get the feel that Julia thinks she has a good handle on things.  She is efficient at shape shifting and her studies are going well.  She has a boyfriend and seems pretty content despite the ongoing struggles with the Guild.  Of course, we all know that when a character in a book gets comfortable, things are really going to get shaken up.  Poor Julia.  It was inevitable.  ;)

I loved the world of Sirenity and I loved how the Siren's basically proved the prejudice's against them wrong to some degree.  It was a great new addition to the plot line. " --Aimee from Getting Your Read On. 

Review, Interview, and Excerpt from The Siren's Secret.

I am in absolutely in love with today's blog tour stop at Cover Bound. Mallory is an amazing host, and if you hop over to her blog you'll see the review, interview, and excerpt from The Siren's Secret. As a bonus you'll get to see awesome stuff like this:

It's totally worth it. I love her blog, please stop by! 

coverboundbookie.blogspot.com

Here are some of my favorite questions from the interview:

Have you considered ever writing a novella from different character’s perspective to accompany the series?

I’ve thought many times about writing from Alexis’s perspective. I like getting into the villain’s head and seeing what drives them to do the things they do. I like villains that are complex and unpredictable.

 I love Ossai and Sirenity. How did you develop those worlds? Did somewhere you visit inspire those worlds?

Thank you so much. Yes, my traveling adventures have definitely inspired the settings for my books. England and Italy helped to shape Ossai, and Sirenity was largely influenced by The Caribbean and The Mexican Rivera.

Did Julia or her comrades ever take you down a different road then you had planned while writing?

Definitely. So many characters have changed, and one character in particular was going to betray Julia, however I stopped him. Sometimes you have to go with your gut, and your outline goes to the trash. It takes more time, but you have to write the story until you feel good about each scene and each character.

Happy Reading! 

ARC review of The Siren's Secret by Book Briefs

Today's blog tour stop is with the wonderful Michelle at Book Briefs. She's posted a review of The Siren's Secret, and I've posted a little preview below. 

"I fell in love with The Shapeshifter's Secret as soon as I started reading it, so I jumped at the chance to read the second book in the series. I have been waiting for The Siren's Secret for a very long time. I couldn't wait to get back to Heather's magical world of shapeshifters and water nymphs and the evil guild. The Siren's Secret did not let me down! But what is even more interesting is that it was not exactly what I expected the sequel to the first book to be. It was darker and had a different overall tone. I liked the contrast to the first book. It was really interesting and honestly, it just makes me all the more excited to read the third book. I can't wait to see what Heather is going to do next. She has proven that she has such versatility with her writing and it makes me excited to see what else she is going to come up with."

To read the full review, visit Michelle's blog at: 

http://bookbriefs.blogspot.com/2013/05/arc-review-sirens-secret-by-heather.html

Dorine White's The Emerald Ring Blog Tour

Ordinary tween life turns upside down when Ancient Egypt intrudes on modern middle school life. Twelve year old Sara Guadalupe Bogus reads about adventures, but unexpectedly is drawn into one when a mystical emerald ring that once belonged to Cleopatra becomes stuck on her finger.

A series of burglaries spook Sara’s small Ohio hometown. Concluding that the root of all the crimes is the emerald ring, Sara realizes it’s up to her and her friends, Heidi and African exchange student Kainu, to save the town and protect Cleopatra’s legacy. Filled with magic, the ring thrusts Sara into a world filled with nightmares, allows her to shape shift into an Egyptian cat and battle assassins.

You can read the first chapter here: 

http://dorinewhite.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-emerald-ring-chapter-one.html

Buy the Book: 
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Cedar Fort

About the Author:

My name is Dorine White. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Humanities. I am a member of the SCBWI and the PNWA. I write middle grade and YA fantasy. My first book, The Emerald Ring, will be published in 2013 by Cedar Fort Books.

Twitter: @DorineWhite
Email: dorwh@aol.com
Website: http://www.dorinewhite.com/

Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway

Today's Blog Tour stop is at Fire and Ice, where you can read my guest post about sirens, and enter a giveaway for an early Ebook copy of The Siren's Secret! 

To enter, click below. 

http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-sirens-secret-blog-tour-author.html

School Visit to Lone Peak

Recently I had the opportunity to go to Lone Peak High School to talk to the Creative Writing classes. It's funny because I always have this idea that students who are taking a writing class want to be writers. I shouldn't do this, because I realized halfway through my presentation that very few students actually wanted to become authors. A lot of them were just finding their creative side and fostering it through a writing class. When I asked the students, "So why are you in this class?" one responded, "To see if writing is something I want to do." 

As I spoke to the next class, I tried to make sure that the creative process applied to everyone. It's not just for writers. Artists, musicians, cooks, or anyone who is creating something needs to find how they get inspiration and transfer it to their medium.

I told the students that whether they wanted to choreograph a dance, write a song, or become a writer, finding their muse is key. Maybe their inspiration comes by brainstorming, keeping a journal, or sitting in nature. It's completely different for everyone, and I hope I got that message across.

Even though I was so nervous, it turned out to be a great experience. The teacher, Mr. Nelson is an awesome Creative Writing teacher, and I really liked this video he found for the class. It's about the Hero's Journey, and I think it's really helpful for writers, readers, or anyone who likes to create! As an added bonus it includes Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo.

Blog Tour Stop: Review of The Siren's Secret

Forget About TV Grab A Book has posted a review for today's Blog Tour Stop! To read the full review visit Forget About TV Grab A Book. 

Thanks for stopping by, Happy Friday! 

"Heather found a way to twist the story into a way that I hadn’t expected. When I read the title I was super excited, what could a shapeshifter have to do with a siren? How would Caleb and Terrence fit into this story? What more does Ossai have to offer?

It was nice to see the characters and the story that made this book memorable to me, to walk in Heather Ostler’s New York, Ossai and Lockham Castle.

The direction this story took was really unexpected; it gave me another sense of Ossai and all we haven’t discovered, not only in all the land we still don’t know but all the problems and races that live in it."