Guest Interview: Raising Kane by Heather Long

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When the spirit fever struck a town, a village or an outpost, it left few if any survivors. The white man blamed the Indian saying they used their mojo on them. The Indians blamed the white man for angering the spirits. The survivors knew it didn’t matter. The Fevered were forever changed.

A gift he needs to tame… 

 Kid feels what the world around him feels, he is a raw, bleeding nerve, and he can’t control the pain anymore. After lashing out at everyone he loves, he agrees to an exile atop Quanto’s mountain to learn to control the power he wields. Desperate to end it, Kid battles with Wyatt the eldest Morning Star—hoping against hope that the man will kill him. He longs only for peace…

 A gift she wants to harness… 

Evelyn Lang grew up with a territorial judge for a father, and a secret—her father’s Fevered ability passed to her. When he’s killed in broad daylight in a little town in Kansas after freeing a slave, Lang is no longer bound by her father’s oath to never use her ability—now she must train it. She travels across hostile territory in search of the man who trained her father. She longs only for vengeance…

Tempestuous passions, opposing needs, and impulsive decisions divide them… 

 Conflicting goals put Kid and Evelyn in direct opposition. Her hunger for justice cuts him, but Quanto refuses his requests to train alone. Forced to train together, they must confront their deepest fears if they are ever to achieve their greatest desire….

 His pain. Her obsession. Their battle

Putting Heather on the Spot - Questions for the Author

Because every release is a little different, we're kicking off our release week with a Q&A brought to you by the readers! The following questions are some that I have received from readers of the Fevered Hearts series--and from my girls who were there from day one.  Do you have a question? Head over to the website and submit it or post it in a comment and I'll answer--as best I can--either here or in the next round of Q& A.

Is there a limited number of powers possible or can the fever grant any ability?

I don’t think I’ve directly addressed whether there is a limit on the number of powers, so far, we’ve seen a huge variety come out of the Spirit Fever—everything from Scarlett’s rather volatile firestarting to Cody and Ben as shifters to more sedate gifts like Jo’s ability to talk to animals. I haven’t seen anyone with the ability to fly yet, but that doesn’t mean we won’t—never say never.

What do you want the readers to experience with a world without technology?

I think it’s a look at a slower, simpler time—but they also face challenges of the day where food and potable water will come from or security. It’s a tougher world and it breeds tougher characters because it really does become survival of the fittest.

What Fevered power if your favorite and you yourself would choose to have?

None of them, honestly. They all come with such a high price. The power is amazing—but so is the penalty. Scarlett really does have to always be in control of her emotions and as spoiled as she is, she can’t afford to really get angry. Conversely, Kid’s ability is sweet and yet he suffers so much for the people around him and Jason—can you imagine hearing every single thought that travels through a person’s mind all the time? Even once they have some measure of control, there’s the penalties. I think I’d be good with being human.

Why unique powers instead of something predictable like everyone is changed by the fever differently?

At the end of the day, the Spirit Fever is a virus. Viruses mutate based on their interaction with DNA, since there’s always a wide variety of possible outcomes, it becomes the ultimate game of Russian roulette—that’s presuming of course you SURVIVE the fever in the first place.

How is it that the fever doesn't hit big cities back East?

That is a very interesting question—and one we may very well explore in future books.

Whew! Tough questions! Do you have a question about Fevered Hearts? Feel free to post.

Thank you for answering all of my questions, and sharing a bit about your world.

Check out my review of Raising Kane here!