Today we would like to welcome Heather Topham Wood to YAPC! She is here to talk about her book First Visions which is the first book of her Second Sight Series. If this seems like something you would like a read, please use the buy links to grab a copy! 

 

YAPC: How would you describe your book in 20 words or less without using the blurb?

Heather: First Visions is a fun and romantic mystery featuring a quirky psychic and a handsome detective. 

YAPC: Tell me a little about yourself. 

Heather: I’m a stay at home mom of two lovable and crazy boys who are both under five. I started working as a freelance writer about six years ago. Although I published mostly non-fiction pieces in newspapers and magazines, I never gave up my love for creative writing. After my beloved grandmother passed away last year, it made me realize that life is too short to not chase your dreams. I spent several months working on First Visions: Second Sight Book One and published it May 1. 

YAPC: State a random fact about yourself that would surprise your readers.

Heather: I grew up in a shore town, but I don’t know how to swim.

YAPC: Do you keep track or write reviews for books you read?

Heather: Yes, writing reviews is a new thing I’ve gotten into and I love it! Although you can run across some drama on Goodreads, it is really an awesome place to share reviews and connect with other book lovers. I also post book reviews, mostly young adult, on my blog.

YAPC: What’s the hardest part of writing a book?

Heather: The hardest part for me is getting everyone’s voice out of my head. Although I value everyone’s opinion when they read my drafts, I have to stay true to my characters as well. What works for one reader may not work for the next. 

YAPC: Which scenes were the hardest to write?

Heather: Love scenes! I can’t help but think, oh god my father is going to be reading this. Although the love scenes in my books are pretty tame since I’m writing for the upper YA audience, I still feel a little queasy when I think of family members who are reading a scene where two characters are getting hot and heavy in the backseat of a car.  

YAPC: Where do you get your inspiration?

Heather: The idea for First Visions actually came from a short story I had written in high school. I expanded upon the premise and got rid of the cringeworthy dialogue that I had written. To stay inspired, I try to read as much as humanly possible. On good weeks, I can usually finish two to three novels. Spending time outdoors is always helpful when I’m stuck too. I can run different story scenarios through my head while my boys are playing.   

YAPC: Your favorite books and author?

Heather: I go through reading phases where I’m really into different genres. Honestly, my list of favorites include everything from classic literature to cheesy bodice ripping romance novels. A few titles that come to mind include Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Host by Stephenie Meyer, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon and Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout.

YAPC: Where can your fans find you ?

Heather: My blog Heather’s Book Chatter (http://authorheather.com) and Twitter account (woodtop255) are usually the best places to follow me.

YAPC: If you could visit any place in the world or a place created by a book, where would you visit?

Heather: This question makes me realize I read way too many dystopian books and there is no way I would want to visit any of them! So, I’m going to geek out and say Hogwarts. 

YAPC: What is in the works for you next?

Heather: I’m almost finished with my first draft of the sequel to First Visions. It’s titled New Revelations: Second Sight Book Two. As long as editing goes as smoothly as it did with my first novel, I have set a tentative release date of October 2. I also have two new series ideas, I would like to start by the end of the year.

 

About the Author: Heather Topham Wood graduated from the College of New Jersey in 2005 and holds a bachelor’s degree in English. Working full-time as a freelance writer for publications such as USA Today, Livestrong.com, Outlook by the Bay and Step in Style magazine, she writes fiction in her spare time. She resides in Trenton, New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Besides writing, Heather is a pop culture fanatic and has an obsession with supernatural novels and TV shows.

Where To Find Her and Her Books:

On Twitter * On Her Blog * On Facebook

Where to Buy:

On Amazon * On B&N

First Visions

Two years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma. While unconscious, she crept into the mind of

a missing boy and awoke with the knowledge of his location. Friends and family were skeptical and wary of her new ability to see into the minds of others. Their fears prompted Kate to keep her psychic powers a secret. Feeling alienated, she dropped out of college and spent most of her days holed up at her mother’s home.

Now another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate for her help in solving the case. Reluctantly, Kate agrees and they must work together to bring 8-year-old Cori Preston home to her family. Although attracted to one another, Jared has a girlfriend with ties to the abduction case and Kate is sarcastic and guarded since her coma. With visions she can’t control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world. Otherwise, Cori may be lost forever.