Interview with Heather Burch + Giveaway

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On the blog today, I have special guest Heather Burch, the author of the Halflings series, of which the first two books are now available, Halflings and Guardian. I enjoyed both books and am very grateful for Heather taking time out of her no doubt busy schedule to answer some questions.

C: Love triangles can annoy some readers. What made you decide to include one in spite of that, especially since it seems a bit odd in combination with the Christian themes?
HB: I didn’t plan a love triangle. When I started writing, it just happened naturally. Each character’s wants and desires created the Mace/Nikki/Raven tension. Love triangles are a very real fact of life especially for young people—Christian or otherwise. When you are a teen, you’re still discovering who you are and what you want. Sometimes it’s easy to be attracted to two very different kinds of people. I really enjoyed exploring that dynamic.

C: Have you traveled to all the gorgeous locations Nikki visits in Guardian?
HB: I’ve been to Baden Baden where the Halflings ancestral home is located. It was the most
amazing area in the foothills of the Black Forest. I stayed at a hotel that had been converted
from a monastery. My room overlooked the Black Forest and a pool filled with the mineral
water Baden Baden is famous for. I can’t wait to go back. I’ve also seen the area in France.
Magnificent. Everyone should visit Europe if they haven’t.
C: I second that. Traveling Europe is simple marvelous, darling!

CB: Do you ride a motorcycle?
HB: I grew up riding and we own a street bike, but I’m the passenger now. When I was young, I did motocross racing. It was really fun.

C: What has your most meaningful moment as a published author been so far?
HB: That’s tough to say because there have been so many moments that touched my heart. Recently, I got a message from a fifteen-year-old girl who had only read one or two books her entire life. She read Halflings in one day and read Guardian over the next two days. Knowing I’ve helped someone fall in love with books … that’s pretty high on the list.
C: What a wonderful story! How marvelous that your books made her into a reader. :)

C: What YA books served as an inspiration?
HB: I hadn’t read any YA books when I wrote Halflings. Even though I’ve worked with teens for
years, that wasn’t a genre I’d explored. But the idea for Halflings entered my head and wouldn’t
relent. I thought about it day and night and finally, I had to tell the story.

C: What type of books do you like to read for pleasure?
HB: Now, I love YA books. I also like thriller authors like Ted Dekker. I love a great romance. I love
family stories. Suspense. Action/adventure. Wow, I guess there’s a lot I like

C: What will you work on when you're finished with the Halflings series?
HB: I have a couple of projects I’m pretty excited about. Since I live in a tropical area, I wanted to
write something where the tropics play a big part. I’m writing it now.

C: Does your holiday have any special holiday traditions?
HB: We wake up way too early on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve we play board games. I serve
party foods like Swedish meatballs and veggie and fruit trays. The main thing to me is being
together as a family. I love Christmas.
C: We play board games too. It's such a wonderful way to bond. I hope your family has a delightful Christmas!

Thanks to Heather for stopping by today! One reader can win an ARC of Guardian simply by filling out THIS FORM and leaving a comment for Heather! US only. Contest ends January 3.