Katelin Maloney
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Heather Hamel--2nd book Interview

2/2/2014

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Heather,

Thank you for agreeing to another interview.  A few months ago, we discussed Murder of Crows, your first middle grade book. I’m so excited to talk about your latest book, Kobi: Memoirs of a Mustang.

Can you tell me about the book?

Absolutely! And thank you for having me back.  Kobi’s story is that of a wild mustang who is rounded up by the government off of the Nevada plains, sent to prison, and then auctioned off.  He makes friends along the way, both equine and human, before ending up in a show ring, proving a wild horse has every right to compete against purebred horses.  One thing I think sets this story apart from other horse books is that Kobi tells his own story – from his own point of view.  You know exactly what he’s thinking as he’s running from coyotes and being halter broke by a prisoner in jail.

The book is based on the history of your horse. What do you want people to know about Kobi?

He is such an incredible animal.  When I first began training and showing him, people were interested in his story and said it would make a great book – I tend to agree! 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rounds up the wild horses to try and keep their numbers sustainable.  It was through this program, I was able to add Kobi to my life.  To me, there is nothing better than hearing his nicker every morning.

How is this story special to you?

While the beginning of the book was pieced together from help from BLM based on Kobi’s freeze brand, the majority of the book was our journey together.  I was amazed by how many close minded people we encountered.  They felt because he was a mustang his only use was for slaughter, dog food, or something else gross.  So many people fail to see how incredibly smart these animals are – they had to be to survive on their own.

It’s also special to me because it includes my experiences with a formerly abused draft horse, Jake.  I felt I owed it to him, and other horses experiencing the same kind of abuse he did, to get his story out there and make others more aware of abuse that continues to this day.

What age group would be interested in this story?

This book is written at the mid forth grade reading level, so any upper elementary school student through adult.  There is something special about horse books that appeal to adults who either grew up around the majestic animals or always wanted to. 

The book cover is beautiful. 

Thank you.  I’m fortunate to have talented people in my life who are also willing to lend a hand to my projects.  Jean Drayovitch is a nurse at my school and also a very talented artist.  She created the cover art as well as the sketches seen throughout the book which are based on photographs of the actual horses in the book.  More of her talent can be seen at: http://www.jeandrayovitch.com/

How can we buy a copy of Kobi: Memoirs of a Mustang?

Kobi’s story is available on Amazon, both print version for $12.99 and e-book for $4.99.  click to buy Kobi: Memoirs of a Mustang


Last time, you discussed your future projects which included a four book crypto-zoological series.  Where do these books stand?

The first two in the series (Under Sapphire Skies and Beneath Diamond Water) are done – at least the first draft is anyway.  They are currently being revised and edited.  I’m hoping to be able to release them late 2014 or early 2015 with the other two books in the series (Within Emerald Forests and Across Ruby Fields) six to nine months later.

 
Thank you for your interview. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’d like to thank you and your readers for their support. Also, the Kindle version of Murder of Crows is currently on sale for $.99 to celebrate Kobi’s release.  Thanks again!



Thank you Heather! I loved reading Kobi: Memoirs of a Mustang and I know everyone else will love it, too!

Have a great week everyone.

Katelin Maloney

 



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Heather Hamel--Interview with Author

11/24/2013

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Hello Everyone!

I have an exciting blog today. Heather Hamel, author of Murder of Crows, has agreed to be interviewed. She has just released her book on Amazon.

Could you tell me about yourself?

I’m a special education teacher with a passion for history, horses, and the written word, and I live in North Florida. Before teaching, I was a Ghost Tour Storyteller in old St. Augustine.

Why have you chosen to write middle grade stories?

I spent so much time reviewing books to use in my classroom and was frustrated by what little materials were out in the world for older students who read on a much younger grade level.  I decided to give it a shot myself, for my students as well as other teachers and students experiencing the same issues.  I write Middle Grade stories with older themes, but not necessarily difficult to understand language.  Yes, I believe my students need to stay challenged, but not overwhelmed! 

Tell me about your middle grade book, Murder of Crows (MOC).

MOC is a ghostly, murder mystery.  My protagonist, Liam, has to move with his family to a super small town in Georgia, and is not happy about it.  The house is haunted by Sarah, a 14-year-old girl whose family was murdered in the house immediately following the Civil War and she was accused of killing them.  She begs Liam to help solve the murder and clear her name.  Liam starts researching the area of Andersonville, GA where the murder took place.  His two suspects turn out to be a Union soldier and Sarah.

I’m not going to tell you who did it either – you’ll have to read the book to find out.  :)

How did you come up with the title?

While I was driving into to work one morning, it was bothering me I was still working on a story without a title.  Stopped at a light, I noticed there were several crows on the wire and the phrase Murder of Crows popped in my head.

Also, while researching the Andersonville Prison Camp, my boyfriend noticed we were being followed by a ‘murder’ of crows around the encampment.  The cover of the book is a picture taken that day.

Where is MOC available?

It’s available through Amazon.com as both paperback and Kindle or you can go through my website (
www.HeatherHamel.com) for direct links to the Amazon versions.

What is the age group?

I write for a middle grade audience.  With guidance and support, my stories can be enjoyed by children as early as 4th grade.  I want my books to be fun, easy reads that challenge kids with the topics and ideas – not the language and actual reading level.

Are you working on any other projects?

That’s the funny thing about writing.  As soon as you start, your mind is flooded with more ideas.  I have another book almost ready to be published – Kobi: Memoirs of a Mustang.  It’s the experiences of a wild mustang (Kobi) and his journey from the wilds of Nevada to the show rings of Florida.  The story is straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, since he tells the story from his point of view.

I’m also working on a four book crypto-zoological series with fairies, mermaids, and Bigfoot, which I’m hoping to release the first two books next fall.

With teaching, how do you have time to write?

I’m a morning person, so I wake up every day at 5 AM which gives me time to answer e-mails and visit social media before dedicating 30-45 minutes to actual writing before work, while my mind is still fresh.  Weekends, holiday, and summer vacations have turned into my writing best friend.  Without chunks of time to dedicate to writing, it would take much longer to have a book ready to go.

Thank you so much, Heather! I’ve read your book and loved it. Such a great book for children and adults alike. Good luck with Murder of Crows and your other projects.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Talk to you next week.

Katelin Maloney

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    Katelin lives in Northeast Florida with her husband, sons, and cat. She loves writing, walking on the beach, and spending time with family and friends.

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