Women. Crab fishing. The Bering Sea. Some men don’t think they belong together. One woman wants to prove them wrong.

Wild Women Authors feature Releasing the Catch, a contemporary women’s fiction novel by Jeny Heckman, released by Celtic Butterfly Publishing. First up is Faith Pearson.

Where are you from? I was born in Seattle, Washington but I live most of the year on the Bering Sea in Alaska.

Tell us a bit about Releasing the Catch. It is essentially told in two parts. The first part is more Mack’s story… that’s Mack Carter, my surrogate father. It’s about his life and how he met my real dad, Nels. Then I came along, and well, you’ll have to read the story but let’s just say I haven’t led a very conventional life. Growing up on a crab boat and fishing, I was definitely in a man’s world back then. This of course, didn’t bode well for a lot of them since most have superstitions about females onboard boats. They think we’re going to somehow doom their boat or some such. . .stuff.

Part two is about me after I grew up and went to work on other boats. I have some rules about men, fishing and relationships. Fact of the matter is I don’t have them when I’m working, but the trip Jeny tells about is the one I met Jake on and things kind of changed for me. My entire life shifted course, and I learned a few million things about myself.

What did you think the first time you saw Jake Rasmussen? That he’s really good looking. If Brad Pitt and Rob Lowe had a kid, you’d have Jake, if you can imagine that combo! But, back then I was a little more jaded and knew pretty men usually meant a pretty f#$%^d up… oh, can I curse on here? Sorry, I’m around fisherman all the time. Pretty meant you usually marked high on the arrogant and conceited scale.

What was your second thought? Hmmm, well, I can’t lie thought I did think about what it would be like to be with him. He has that effect on women.

Was it love at first sight? Oh, hell, no. We went through a lot to get there. I fought it every step of the way. I’ve had a lot of loss in my life, and I don’t love easily. Jake had to drag me there kicking and screaming.

What do you like most about him? He’s not anything like I thought he’d be. He knows he’s good looking but he doesn’t use it to hurt people, if that makes sense. He’s very loyal to his family, but the thing I love about him most is his friendship. I never knew the two… friendship and lovers could go hand in hand like that.

How would you describe him? He’s got Rob Lowe eyes and that square jaw and Brad Pitt’s adorable nose and fun personality. He’s tall, and in our line of work you can’t help but be a little leaner and stronger.

How would he describe you? He’d tell you about my hair and freckles. I’ve got a million freckles, all over. So, my mom was a full-blown Scot, and my hair is that red-curly monstrosity you can only find on a Disney cartoon character. My eyes are green and I’m tall like my dad. Jake would also say I’m a stubborn pain in the rear, a trait I also got from my full-Swedish father.

What made you choose crab fishing for a career? Let’s just say it’s in the blood.

What is your biggest fear? Losing the people I love. I don’t let many people in but when I do… yeah… I have to say, fear of losing them is way up there.

How do you relax? I didn’t do a lot of that after I grew up. I guess I’d say the outdoors on the water. Maybe fishing or camping. I love hanging out with my family.

Who is your favorite fictional character? She’s not fictional but it’s the stories my grandparents told me about my mom when she was my age.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? How about the best piece of advice I ever learned, was don’t accept the narrative. Ultimately, everything is up to me. My career. My relationships. The way I am with other people. I’ve been told almost my whole life that I don’t belong in the world I’ve chosen, but if I want it, work hard, and develop my skill, I truly am capable of anything.

Thanks for spending time with us, Faith. Now it’s time to chat with Jeny.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I started reading those books when Diana first started writing them, a very long time ago. I love the way she flawlessly colored the scenes, created an adventure for a fully-grown woman, and made that woman flawed. Made her hero flawed too. I love things that don’t happen or end the way you expect them to. Not everything has a wholly happy ending and that’s life but it’s how we bounce with those obstacles that make us who we are.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? This story isn’t just a love story. It’s also about fathers and daughters. I wrote it as my father-in-law was dying and he is everywhere in the story.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I actually have two publishers. The first is Celtic Butterfly Publishing and I use them for my non-series publishing. They’re new but I love the personal touches they make and the way they promote me. My other publisher is The Wild Rose Press, who publishes my award-winning paranormal romance series, Heaven & Earth. They picked up the first book of the series, The Sea Archer, which was only the second book I’d ever written, the third book of the six-book series will be out next year. I LOVE my editor Dianne, who keeps me on my toes!

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Right now, I’m reading Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella, who is my favorite rom-com author! I’ve got several fellow Wild Rose authors I want to read and of course eagerly awaiting Darynda Jones and Diana Gabaldon’s next books.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Next year, in the first part of 2021 I’m releasing a novella on a favorite character from my series, that the fans asked for entitled, Dee’s Cornucopia. Toward the end of the year I hope to have out book three of the series. However, I’m also working on an off-genre political thriller, that I’ve actually been working on for a very long time, and a YA dystopian series.

A bit more about our feature author: Jeny Heckman is the award-winning author of the paranormal-romance series, Heaven & Earth. When she isn’t writing, you will find her boating with her husband, enjoying game night with her kids, cocktails with her friends, getting frustrated with photography or dreaming and plotting her next adventure. Jeny lives in Washington state with her husband of over twenty-eight years.

To learn more about Jeny Heckman and the stories she creates, go to:

Website: https://jenyheckman.com/

Amazon Author Central: https://amzn.to/3hfq6fh

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heckman.jeny

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenyheckman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenyheckman

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenyheckman17

GoodReads: https://bit.ly/3fd8RJA

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jeny-heckman

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dDTPI9

To Purchase Releasing the Catch, go to:

Amazon: e-Book: https://amzn.to/3qwf9uC