Monday, March 22, 2010

Please Welcome My Guest, Mystery Author, Bonnie Hearn Hill

Contest Alert: Be sure to leave a comment with your name and email address here. One lucky person will win a copy of Aries Rising.


Bonnie Hearn Hill, a newspaper editor in a past life, is the author of Intern and five other adult thriller novels. She teaches writing in Fresno, California and an occasional online class for authorlink.com She also mentors writers and speaks at numerous writing conferences.

Here's a few questions thrown to her about her mentoring:
Q. I know you have chosen to teach and mentor other writers. Who are your most outstanding students?

A. I can't answer that. Would it be Hazel Dixon-Cooper who got a six-figure advance for two humorous astrology books and went on to be the Cosmopolitan magazine astrologer? Or would it be Gloria Salas, a fourth-grade dropout/genius, who sold her first confession and ran through the grocery store, screaming to everyone in line, "I wrote this. This is my story." ?

Q. Any other student success stories?

A. More than I can recount here. I do recall one young guy back in the early '90s who didn't understand that his point-of-view was bouncing all over the place. I kept writing, "VP," on his manuscript, and he kept moving his story higher on the page. He thought I was writing, "UP." Happy ending, though. His book, PRISON SHIP, was published this year by Ace. His name is Mike Bowers, and he told me the book was accepted pretty much as I edited it ten years before. He had lost faith in it and asked me to tell other writers, "Don't give up the way I did."

For more from Bonnie, check out:

http://www.bonniehearnhill.com/
facebook.com/bonnie.h.hill

Here's a little something about Bonnie's Latest Release -

ARIES RISING -By Bonnie Hearn Hill
First of the Star Crossed Series from Running Press/Perseus Books

When Terra Bella Beach student Logan McRae discovers Fearless Astrology, all she wants is to win a writing fellowship for the summer to Monterey, and maybe catch the interest of Nathan, the senior she’s kissed only once. He seems more interested in Geneva, the tall, blond Libra editor of the school newspaper—until Logan uses some Leo-pleasing flattery on him. Nathan seems to be coming around, but Logan still has to convince Mr. Franklin, her gruff Taurus English teacher, that she deserves the fellowship.

Frankenstein says she doesn’t put enough of herself in her writing. She tries to appeal to him with homemade brownies. That falls flat, but her opportunity presents itself when the Gears, a group of boys causing mischief at school, streaks her friend Chili’s backyard while Logan, Chili, and Paige, are in the spa.

The Gears also paint nasty things about the Capricorn journalism teacher, Ms. Snider, on the wall at school. Logan decides to identify them using astrology. Frankenstein is intrigued.

Logan is Aquarius with a Pisces Moon. Pretty mellow, but her Aires Rising gives her some Fire. She decides to put it to work to get what she wants. With the fellowship—and Nathan—hanging in the balance, she resolves to trap the Gears on the night she is certain that they will strike again. It is a risky scheme that involves Calypso, a dress mannequin that the girls have dressed up to resemble Logan.

What Logan has failed to see in the stars is someone with a more deadly motive. Then suddenly, the stakes increase, and there’s more at risk than any of the threats by the Gears.

Buy Link for Bonnie's Book - http://www.amazon.com/Star-Crossed-Bonnie-Hearn-Hill/dp/0762436700

One last question, Bonnie -

Q. I'm a Leo. What does that say about me as a writer?

A. Leo is one of my favorite signs, if only because you have such fabulous hair (manes). You're ruled by the Sun, and that light probably shows on your face. You are probably also extremely talented. Your challenge may be to decide what you really want to write, as opposed to what gives you a quick ego fix. Go for the long-term high.

Thanks for letting me visit your blog on my 31 Days of Aries.
Bonnie



Can't find Bonnie? Then you're not looking!
Here's a few spots to try -


facebook.com/bonnie.h.hill


Aries Rising, March 2010
Taurus Eyes, Summer 2010
Gemini Night, Fall 2010

Please welcome Bonnie by leaving a comment and your email address. You may be the lucky winner of Aries Rising - check her website/facebook pages for details on an ITouch contest.

17 comments:

  1. Hi Bonnie! Your book sounds intriguing.

    I'm an Aquarius too... maybe I can relate to Logan!

    Debra
    debrastjohn08@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome to Double M, Bonnie.
    I think the stars got it wrong about my hair, bu have good advice about going for the long term.

    Morgan Mandel
    http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

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  3. Anonymous12:46 AM

    Hi, Bonnie:

    Small world, thanks to the Internet. Sorry I can't be one of your success stories -- I'm still working on THAT book, a few years and a few working titles later. Ah, but life happened. Even so, I'm halfway through. Need to make myself finally finish it. (:

    Your astrology series sounds fascinating. I'll throw my e-addy in the drawing:
    browning.pat@gmail.com

    See you on Facebook --
    Pat Browning

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bonnie Hearn Hill3:14 AM

    Hi, Debra. Aquarius can be all "thinky," but I picked it as Logan's sign because I knew it would provide great opportunities for conflict. I happen to love Aquarius people, maybe because I have an Aquarius Moon that my best friend, astrologer Hazel Dixon-Cooper, says makes me, "want to save the world." Oh, well. The writing world, at least.

    Morgan: The Leo usually has a mane, but much depends on what else is in your chart. Absolutely go for the long term.

    Dear Pat: So good to see you here. You are, as you know, one of my favorite writers of all time, and my early role model for honest voice. You rock. So glad you are here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have always had a fascination for astrology, so this looks like a cool book to me.
    Margay

    Margay1122(at)aol(dot)com

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  6. Anonymous8:21 AM

    Thanks for sharing your book, Bonnie. It sounds like a good one. I'll be putting it on my wishlist (unless I win a copy here!).

    janezfan(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  7. Another Aquarius stopping by! This sounds like such a fun book and I absolutely love the stories of your ex-students. Especially the 'VP/UP' one... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Commenters -
    Remember to leave your name and email address to be eligible for the drawing for Aries Rising!

    Morgan Mandel

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bonnie, I think it's fantastic how you mentor writers -- what a way to pay forward your talent. And Aries Rising sounds very intriguing. Best with it.

    Libby

    Libby McKinmer
    Romance with an edge
    www.libbymckinmer.com
    libby@libbymckinmer.com
    Also on Twitter, GoodReads & Facebook

    ReplyDelete
  10. Enjoyed the interview and the comments. It is always so nice to read about one writer helping others. Good for you, Bonnie. And your book sound great.

    Maryann Miller maryann@maryannwrites.com

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  11. I know what sign I am, but that's about it when it comes to astrology. It's very interesting that you have a series with characters who know and use astrology.

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

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  12. Bonnie, How great that your students are getting published also. I've never read an astrology based novel, I will have to check yours out. Do Taurus's ever get discovered and/or published by a traditional publisher?
    Beverly J Scott
    bevscott1@msn.com
    Contest coming

    ReplyDelete
  13. Doesn't sound like your typical mystery book!

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  14. Welcome to the wonderful world of the Zodiac! Glad to see your series is out now. Maybe your young readers will graduate to my Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries.

    Take care, my Gemini sister. The stars are shining brightly for you!

    Sunny Frazier at sunny69@comcast.net

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  15. Sounds like a fascinating book I'd like to read. Btw, I had a journalism teacher named Mr. Snider in college. :)

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  16. Great interview. This sounds like a fascinating book.

    Cheryl

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  17. Super interview! Learned a few things I didn't know about you, Bonnie.

    Will see you at Bouchercon, if not before.

    Marilyn

    ReplyDelete

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