Yesterday, on Twitter and Facebook, I asked if I should blog about my writing process or about super secret details concerning my new book, SOULBOUND, today. Several people answered for either subject, but I’m in the middle of writing the second book in The Legacy of Tril, so I’m kinda in the mood to divulge secrets. I tried to think of what you’d want to know about it, and I think I have an idea. And don’t worry! I’ll get to writing stuff the next time I blog. But for now, here you go, Minions…ten secrets about The Legacy of Tril: SOULBOUND.

1. How many pages is SOULBOUND? 394. It’s my longest book yet. And yes, I’m planning to keep all three books in The Legacy of Tril trilogy (AHAHAHA – it’s a TRILogy!!) roughly the same length.

2. How many chapters is that? There are 34 chapters.

3. How many words??? You writers! Yeesh! After edits, SOULBOUND came in at around 94,000 words. In comparison, EIGHTH GRADE BITES (my first published novel) was only around 40,000 words.

4. Will this book feature a lot of death and gore? Well, I wouldn’t say a lot, but it has its fair share. It also has giant, blue, scaly monsters WHO EAT PEOPLE. So…yeah. Death and gore kinda go hand in hand with Graplars (the monsters on Tril).

5. Will it feature *cue sighs from half of you and gagging noises from the other half* any romance? Oh yes. Definitely. There’s a strong romantic element to this book, though I wouldn’t call it a romance. It’s an epic fantasy, with romantic elements. But don’t expect our heroine to be one of those girls who swoons at the sight of every cute boy. Kaya’s a tough, sarcastic cookie. Stubborn too. But yes…there are cute boys (way, way cute). And yes, there is romance.

6. Does this mean you’re never writing about vampires/slayers/guys ever again?? DON’T PANIC! I’m serious about that. Don’t go thinking that your Auntie Heather has abandoned her evil ways and changed what she’s writing, simply because she decided to stretch her writing legs a little and try something different. Of course I’ll write stuff for and about guys in the future. But I think, once Joss has had his say in his five-book series, that I may take a break from vampires and slayers. Maybe a long break. I don’t know. I never know what pants I’m putting on in the morning, Minions. You can’t expect me to know how my career will unfold over the next forty years.

7. If you were any character in SOULBOUND, who would you be? It’s funny, but I wouldn’t be Kaya (the main character). Though we have much in common, I’m far more like her guard (and eventual friend), Maddox. Maddox says inappropriate things at inappropriate times, and then can’t seem to get why people don’t see that she’s just trying to help them. I love Maddox. I hope you will too.

8. When will SOULBOUND hit stores, and when is #2 coming out? SOULBOUND will hit stores this July, and the second book in The Legacy of Tril will be released summer 2013. No, I will not tell you the title. Yes, I do know it.

9. When can we read the first chapter of SOULBOUND here on your website??? Soon! I have to go offline for a while (maybe a few weeks), but when I come back, I’ll see about posting that first chapter for you.

10. Awww, come on! Can’t you tell us anything else?! Yes. I can tell you that, as much as I deeply adore Vlad and Joss, I have never enjoyed writing a book as much as I enjoyed writing SOULBOUND. Every round of edits was a pleasure. Every moment spent daydreaming up scenes was a joy. I love this book, these characters, this world…and I hope that you will too.

Oh…and I also loved inventing my own curse words.

See you in a few weeks, Minions!