Cardea, follower of the Great Goddess is cursed to live an eternity as a blood drinker. For centuries she has lived with hate hunting and feeding off humans. Now she finds herself at the end of a sword blade held by the most handsome and arrogant man she has ever met.
Aedan mac Gabrain, prince of Dal Riata and a Christian, trusts no one after suffering a curse that keeps him from touching any females or he will turn into a black cat like his brother. He especially distrusts this strange female who could be the one who cursed his clan since no one knows Cat Anna's true face.
Can two tortured souls find love while battling a dark goddess determined to destroy them?
Kelley lives in Arizona with her husband and two dogs. Her lifelong passion for Celtic mythology and storytelling is the inspiration behind her novels featuring fierce warriors, bold women and otherworldly creatures. Armed with a vivid imagination, Kelley spends most of her time daydreaming and crafting tales filled with romance, conflict and magic. She can be found online at www.kelleyheckart.com.
Also by Kelley Heckart
Of Water and Dragons Ravenwolf White Rose of Avalon In the Gloaming: An Anthology of Faery Stories.
An Interview with Kelley Heckart
By Holly Hewson for The Romance Studio
HH: Kelley, thank you for talking with us at TRS. Please tell us about your featured book, Cat's Curse.
KH: Hi Holly, thanks for taking the time to interview me. Cat's Curse is a Celtic historical romance with fantasy elements. This is the first book in a trilogy titled Dark Goddess. This series revolves around the entangled destinies of an Irish clan and an ancient Fae/Goddess. Cat's Curse is my first book featuring a vampire-like character, though she differs from a European vampire because she was cursed by her enemies to live an eternity as a Lamia (Greek vampire) a half-woman, half-serpent. This is also my first book based on an actual person in history. My hero, Aedan mac Gabrain did exist in sixth century Scotland. He is mentioned in various texts from Adomnan's Life of St. Columba and in the Welsh poems, he is called Aedan the Treacherous. He was a king, but his younger years were shadowy and he may have fathered a king of the Picts. This fascinated me and I imagined what his earlier years might have been like and what kind of woman he would be drawn to.
HH: This is the first story in your Dark Goddess trilogy. Where did you get the idea for the trilogy initially?
KH: I was researching the Picts and came across this Irish king named Aedan mac Gabrain who had a shadowy past and fought the Picts for many years. He fascinated me because he was a contemporary of kings like Urien of Rheged, the Briton King Riderch of Strathclyde and a close friend of St. Columba, but not much was known about him other than he was considered one of the most feared warlords of his time.
HH: Two people cursed find each other. Where did you get the idea for this first story?
KH: I'm trying to remember how I came up with this idea. I think I wanted to do a story with a vampire in it and I came up with this female vampire living in the forest of medieval Scotland who stumbles upon a Scottish noble forced to live alone in the forest because of a curse on his clan. If he so much as kisses a woman, he would turn into a cat. The hero's name was originally Dughlas, but when I started doing research to find a place and time period for my story, I came across Aedan mac Gabrain and I came up with more ideas on how to make it into a trilogy. Doing research usually inspires me. Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.
HH: What do you like best about Cardea and how do you identify with her?
KH: I like that she is a strong woman, but she isn't perfect. She can survive on her own, which is something I envy, but I can identify with her boldness, how she stands up for herself and her beliefs.
HH: What can you tell us about the other two books in this series?
KH: Like all my books, there is plenty of conflict and romance. Beltaine's Song is the second book and covers the time when Aedan is finally king of Dal Riata. Of course, being a king isn't an easy task especially with a Dark Goddess trying to destroy you, and having to contend with earthly foes as well. I also introduce another being who is somehow associated with Cat Anna (Cailleach). Their son, Gartnait, is one of the few people who can see her, but she may or may not be a threat. I had a theme going on through this second book that although spring brings about new life, it is also the time when clans battled one another so spring also brings about the harsh sound of the battle horn, and danger. The third book, Winter's Requiem, brings foes together to try to break the ancient curse that has plagued Aedan's clan and the three women--Cailleach, Brigit and Domelch (who used to be Cardea). The title of this third book has to do with Cailleach because she sleeps in spring and awakens in winter. This final book is where I reveal who she really is and how she came to be imprisoned by the seasons. There is a lot of heartache and self-discovery in this book, but of course there will be a HEA or at least a HFN. I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone. All the questions are answered in the final book and there are some surprises for readers.
HH: How did you go about creating their world?
KH: This world is based on sixth century Scotland and the kingdoms portrayed really existed, as did the kings. This was a time with lots of conflict when Christianity was still new to most places. I did a lot of research to try to find some plans of the fortresses at Dunadd (Dal Riata, which is now southwest Scotland), Dundurn(Pictish kingdom of Fortriu, which is now Strathern), Strathclyde (situated on Firth of Clyde and Gododdin (now Edinburgh). I found a helpful site on the Internet that had drawings of how Dunadd might have looked including archaeological evidence and pictures of the site. I found information on the other places as well and had to piece it all together, imagining what these places might have looked like. Some of the books that were most helpful to me were Adomnan's Life of St. Columba, Warlords and Holy Men, Arthur's Britain, In Search of the Picts, Pictish Warrior AD 297-841 and Picts, Gaels and Scots. I combed through timelines to create my own story timelines, had maps spread all over the place and did character sheets on all the characters, even the minor ones like the other kings, keeping detailed information from when they ruled, etc. Looking back, it was a lot of work. LOL
HH: Kelley, how did you get your start as a writer?
KH: I was an avid reader from the age of four and always interested in storytelling. My first experience with writing was as a songwriter/lyricist, telling stories to music. The ancient Celts also inspired my writing and I loved the tales of the gods and goddesses interacting with mortals. My favorites were the tales of the Irish Fianna and stories about the Tuatha de Danaan. Those stories were a huge inspiration for me. I ventured into short stories and then decided to take on a novel in about 2001. That's when I wanted to become a serious writer.
HH: How have things changed for you since then?
KH: I traded in a bass guitar for a pen so I spend a lot more time by myself than before, but I've discovered that I enjoy working by myself. Seriously though, I have learned so much about the craft of writing since I first started. I have been lucky to have some really good editors and being able to learn from other writers and editors online has been really helpful. I cringe when I look back on my first attempts at writing. I am still learning.
HH: What goals have you set for yourself at this point in your career?
KH: After working non-stop on a trilogy, I feel like I need to take a little break, but I probably won't. I already have ideas for something new, something set in a pre-Arthurian setting.
HH: What are you doing this summer?
KH: I have no vacation plans and will probably spend the summer working on writing. I feel like I can't stop because if I do, I might make my Muse angry. Maybe I can slip in some swimming and sun bathing. The summers where I live in Arizona get so hot that I don't spend too much time outside unless it's in the pool. Fall, winter and spring are when I like to go hiking or just sit outside enjoying a sunrise or sunset.
