Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Bits & Pieces: Leanna Renee Hieber

This is not the first time that I profile Leanna.   I met her for the first time at the first Lady Jane's Salon, and although I have not been able to attend them as frequently as I would like, the last one I went to was the The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker book party.


I was humbled when Leanna walked into Rectangles on the Upper East Side, apologizing for being a little late as she had been promoting Strangely, and was fresh off of the New Jersey conference this past weekend. We were not together for five minutes when she confessed, "I am trying to run to catch up to my own life all the time."

We dived right in from there.  The thing about Leanna is she pulls you in immediately. When I see her, I am always inspired. I dressed in pseudo-Victorian garb--my top--which she commented on, and I was very delighted.  And, now I know where to get a corset!  Leanna's spirit is so large, and she is so genuine. She is going so many places at once, but is so grounded. I kept being afraid that I was not going to be able to capture everything, and then I realized that this is only supposed to be bits and pieces. Enjoy these bits of Leanna's star.  It's like looking the sun in the eye, which you cannot do, but with Leanna....You absolutely can.



When I was a kid I wanted to be an ornithologist. Bird was my first word, and I loved the imagery of birds in flight. Flight would be the super power I'd have, if I could have a super power. People talk about spirit animals.  I have a birthstone (pearl), and an astrological sign (Gemini-Cancer cusp), and I believe that the bird is my spirit animal. Because of my high energy and chirpiness, I am told I am birdlike. Birds show up in my stories, and I have a bird tattoo on my back which I designed myself. The bird in the center represents my muse, and the feathers around it are the characters in Strangely Beautiful.

There is not a single art form I have not done. Writing is just the thing I have always done the most of. I have always been a storyteller; I was telling stories before I was writing them. I think visual art is static. I need the alternate reality aspect of writing. Theater is fun for alternate reality aspect, but you are limited to what is in the play. You can only be in 'Dracula' so many times.

I am an old soul, with a optimistic side.  And, when you mix the old soul with the eternal child (Gemini is the eternal child) that is what I am.

My own reality has been interrupted by characters from other worlds.  I do not feel all of my characters like the
Strangely Beautiful characters, which is why they are tattooed on my skin. I was just out of college when Percy walked into my life.

My playpen is the 19th century. That is where I have these fantastical settings.

Light versus dark is always going to be my favorite theme.  Where is the fine line between those things? Also, outcasts finding friends, if they are deserving of it.  If I throw them into codependency?
I am not interested in that in my personal life or my fiction.

I gravitate to the darker side of things.  I have always believed in ghosts.

My fuel is love for what I am doing.  I feel very blessed to have a dream come true.

The best thing about extra work (in acting) is that there are no expectations of you, and I have a lot of downtime to write. Writing is the only art form where unlimited festivity has unlimited possibility.



7 comments:

  1. What a lovely intro to the very lovely Leanna Renee. STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL... is a beautifully written book. I devoured it and eagerly await the sequel this spring.

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  2. I agree with Hope.Beautiful intro. I also love hearing about how others capture their muse. The Strangely Beautiful, is beautiful.

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  3. Lovely introduction to the magnificent spirit of Ms. Leanna Renee!

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  4. A wonderfully informative glimpse into the heart and soul of a lovely lady and an incredible talent. I am delighted to discover you are a Gemini, Ms. Hieber! And eternal child suits you - your energy is filled with the optimism of youth and innocence. And as for your spirit animal? I am not surprised to find it is a bird - for you always soar!

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  5. I love how we are discovering new things about these authors with all these 'bits and pieces.' Lovely. Congratulations to Leanna and FS.---Maria

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  6. Thanks so much for your kind words, my dears! Fidencia's such a great ambassador to create these bits and pieces as her own energy is so engaging and easy to love. I like the non-traditional format of these profiles as unique things occur that might not in the traditional interview. Thanks very much for this opportunity!

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