Elicia Hyder's Blog, page 3

Outhouser – A Dream Blog

Since I started writing Detached, a little more than a year ago, I’ve kept a dream journal. Some dreams are bizarre. Some make no sense. And some are absolutely hysterical. 

After the fascinating (and pretty hilarious) response to my recent newsletter detailing my dream flying, I’ve decided to share some of my wildest and funniest dreams here.

OuthouserMy redneck retelling of Outlander

Title courtesy of HYDERNATION member Adora Swift. [image error]

Ever had a dream so real it was hard to decide if you were awake or asleep? That’s me most nights. Lately, I’m hyper-focused on hydration, so I’m up a lot to use the bathroom. A few nights ago, I got up, went to the toilet, and walked out of the bathroom and into a (very startled) King’s bedroom. “Who are you?” he asked, pulling his blanket up around him. He was British, for those keeping notes. “Who are you?” I replied. “I’m the King. Why are you in my toilet chamber?” The Queen entered. “Who are you?” “I’m Elicia, from the United States. How did I get here?” “Good question, Elicia from the United States!” Quite angry, she looked at the King. “How did she get here?” He shrugged. “What is the United States?” I walked back to the toilet chamber. Inside the room was a hole in a wooden plank. “I think my bathroom was some kind of magic portal. I don’t know how I got here.” “Are you going to explain this?” the Queen demanded of her husband. The poor guy was as confused as I was. He was also really old and gross, and King or not, I do have my standards. The Queen was pissed. Obviously, I would be too if I walked into my bedroom and found my husband with a chick in nothing but a Jack Daniel’s T-shirt, but I digress… “Guards! Guards!” she screamed. I ran back into the toilet chamber, slammed the door, and returned to Tennessee. I woke up in my (thankfully) dry bed. Maybe I’ll start writing time travel books, where instead of magic standing stones in the Highlands, we have a magic portal toilet in Nashville. [image error] Do you dream?

Have you had an interesting dream lately? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

WARNING: Don’t tell me if you don’t want it to end up in a book!  

Never Miss an Update

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HYDERNATION Book Club – March

Our next book club meeting is happening Monday, March 29, 2021 at 7pm CT! This month we’re reading RUNAWAY FATE by Elizabeth Hunter! You don’t want to miss it.

Elicia and Elizabeth Hunter will be joining in the discussion!

WHEN:  Monday March 29
TIME:  8pm ET | 7pm CT
WHERE:  Zoom! Register Here
BOOK: RUNAWAY FATE by Elizabeth Hunter
WHO:  You! (Seriously, if you’re reading this, you’re invited!)

Moderator: Author Violet Howe
Special Guest: Author Elizabeth Hunter

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Elicia Hyder, Skeeball, and a Mariachi Band!

I finally broke out!

Because of my lung damage from chemo, I’m high-risk for COVID. And because of my over-active imagination (that serves me well as a fiction writer) I’m also high-risk for anxiety! Haha.

It’s funny because it’s true. My brain and body totally teamed up against me in 2020.

Example: On Christmas Day, in the Nashville bombing that took out our internet, I was CONVINCED it was the beginning of the Apocalypse, but that’s a funny story for another day…

For this story, I want to start by comforting you hand-wringers (my people!) with this disclaimer: I’m married to a first responder, so most everyone we know has already been vaccinated. I’m also still being cautious, and doing my best to protect others because that’s how we stop this thing!

But while the world is trying to climb out of this virus pit, I have to find some balance because I’m faced with a very harsh reality:

COVID might kill me, but the isolation and anxiety was actually killing me a little more every day.

I need people.

We all need people.

Suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse, and domestic violence have all skyrocketed in 2020 because isolation + desperation + boredom + opportunity can easily equal a different kind of deadly sickness that we’re ALL high-risk for.

AT THE SAME TIME, I can’t endanger others in my quest for liberation and sanity. I must do my part: socially distance, wear my mask, wash my hands, don’t go out with symptoms, and most importantly—behave as though I am an asymptomatic carrier because I just might be! I treat strangers as carefully as I would treat my older parents, my asthmatic sister, or my cancer-survivor self. Because those strangers are someone else’s parents, brothers, sisters, etc.

Hell, that was a looooong disclaimer. Climbing down off my soapbox now.

Sorry, not sorry.

Onto the story.

After months of isolation, I’m finally venturing back into the world more and more. Oh, how I’ve missed it! The food, the friends, the laughter… My heart (and my belly) are full!

The other night, some friends and I went to Plaza Mariachi in Nashville. Is it a market? an entertainment venue? a food court with a bar? No one knows!

It was SO MUCH FUN. But Davidson county is still under strict social distancing laws (thank you!) so there was no salsa dancing, which I’d secretly hoped for.

Without the ability to get up and dance—which I will totally suck at but love every second of—coupled with the language barrier, after awhile, the evening waned a bit for me.

But they had an arcade! I grabbed the other girls at the table and the skeeball challenge was on!

One of our trio is a female cop, trained in aim and precision, so after she smoked us the first three games, we made her play left-handed. Then we moved on to basketball, Mario Kart, and Whack-A-Minion because why the hell not? 

When we were finished (I absolutely lost, but the way) I hogged all the virtual tickets we won. My friends are so gracious, happy to split one pack of Smarties between them so I could have a new rubber duck (with a mohawk!) and this tiny little eraser.

Why is this important? It’s not.

Which is kinda my point.

I’m learning to spend every second I can with intention. Did I tell you I’ve spent my quarantine in therapy?!? Once a week, I’ve had to admit I need help. And I’m so glad, because I’m learning to squeeze as much joy out of all this shit as I can.

In 2019 that meant a trip to Europe.

In 2021 that means skeeball, a rubber duck, and a rainbow Pride eraser.

Talk about perspective. I can now LITERALLY find big joy in the smallest of places.

Thank you, 2020, for that.

Hopefully all this time of self-reflection and therapy is making me a better mom, a better wife, a better friend, and even a better writer.

I feel the difference in my bones on the writing front. I’m having SO MUCH FUN writing Specter, book 2 of my new series, that I’m refocusing my whole business around writing again.

Seems like a no-brainer in the author world, right? Wrong. The business side of self-publishing can absolutely overwhelm the joy of writing. (But that’s also a separate post—or book—all on its own.)

I write this post for myself. And I’ll be posting more stuff like this in the coming weeks. Maybe a LOT more if we get any more historical winter storms! Seriously, enough with the record-breaking, history-making shit! Can I get an AMEN?

If anyone else finds a bit of comfort between the lines, know you are NOT ALONE. Take care of yourself. Reach out if you need to.

If you’re in Tennessee, I highly recommend The Nashville OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center. Resources are everywhere. Find help in your area, even it’s just a friend who will listen. The more you talk, the more you’ll realize it’s not just you! And you might save someone else’s life simply by being real about your own secret struggle.

Peace and love to you, wherever you may be.

Please say hello in the comments and let me know where in the world you are!

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FREESWAGFRIDAY – For audio lovers!

#FREESWAGFRIDAY

The audiobook for DETACHED dropped yesterday! I love love LOVE Nyx’s voice, brought to life by the incomparable Eva Kaminsky.

To celebrate, I’m giving away these cozy sleep headphones and a signed copy of Detached!

TO ENTER:

Tell me in the comments, do you love audiobooks??? Bonus entry: tell me if you visit one of the links below and listen to the sample!

AUDIBLE:
US: http://adbl.co/3qZPGJF
UK: http://adbl.co/3bDWrdQ
ELSEWHERE: http://adbl.co/2NErIVX

ITUNES:
http://apple.co/2ZQfbRI

AMAZON:
https://amzn.to/3r26IXu

The giveaway ends on Monday, March 1. It is also cross-posted in Hydernation on Facebook. You can enter in both places to double your chances to win!

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Should I buy your book or read it at the library?

Someone in Hydernation asked today about libraries. I told her to hang on for lots of words—and I meant it. Forgive any typos, this is long enough to go to my editor. Ha!

Here’s the reader’s original question:

Question for you, Elicia Hyder- I love reading and have always wondered how authors get paid from library rentals? I always purchase books from authors I really love (like you and Darynda Jones) but I’m curious to know how it works with libraries? I’m only asking because I want to make sure I do what I can to help authors since I’m an avid library user!

Libraries have always been highly debated in the publishing community. I get it now that I’m a publisher. We’re all about maximizing profit because—as much as I love writing, and as much as I love my readers—this is my business. It’s how I support my big ass family.

My big ass family:

 

So here’s the short truth of how I feel about libraries (Read on if you want more):

Writing and producing a novel takes a lot of time and money. Sometimes even blood, sweat, and literal tears. If you can afford to buy my books, please do! But if you can’t afford to, please ask your local library to buy them. Yes, I still get paid. (Libraries pay more for each copy, with restrictions on lending.) So you can read it,  and then it’s there for maybe another reader to fall in love with my series.

Just please keep reading. Keep talking about my books (and others you love) because that’s still the best form of advertising. This world needs more readers. Libraries don’t hurt us in the long run; only book pirates do. Don’t read for free anywhere online because it feeds that thieving beast. Please, I beg you.

Now here’s the (very) long truth:

This isn’t a post about if books are worth their price. I’m going to assume everyone here agrees that $4.99 is steal for a quality eBook! But if you’re under any delusions that self-publishing is cheap and easy, let’s just say I’ve spent a year writing and publishing Detached, spending enough $$ to buy myself a very nice car. And that’s just getting the product! Don’t get me started on the costs of advertising!

But I’m not going down that bunny trail today.

PLEASE, if you are able, buy all the books you can. Mine and others.

If you are unable, I understand. I’ve been there too.

Life happens. Shit happens. 2020 happens!

If you are struggling financially, or if your book appetite is simply bigger than your budget, PLEASE keep reading and discovering new authors by supporting your local library. Again, NO BOOK PIRATING. 

Here’s my story about libraries:

Once upon a time, a friend gave me a copy of Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. I loved it, but my husband had just died, so I couldn’t rush out to the bookstore and buy the rest of the series. I read as many as books as the library had, and then I bought the rest. Then I found Grave Sight (book one of the Harper Connelly series). I read it at the library and bought the rest.

Since then, now that I’m able to, I’ve purchased every book I’ve loved by her. Some, I own multiple copies of: digital, print, hardback, audio… Some are even signed (and personalized with my name)!!! OMG!

Why?

Because I love them, and because I want to do my part to keep more books coming!

I’ve given back in other ways too.

Since publishing The Soul Summoner, my book that finally cracked the door to the room where my heroes abide, I’ve shouted Charlaine’s name everywhere I could. If you’ve been around me for more than five minutes, I do not need to tell you this. In fact, some of you are probably like, “When will Elicia shut up about Charlaine???”

Do you know why I shout about Charlaine? Or why I gush about Darynda Jones, Heather Graham, Jennifer Estep, or—I’d better stop because this post is wordy enough. 

I gush because I’m grateful.

Me and all my gratefulness:

I’ve experienced the life-changing, life-saving magic books truly are.

Books are more than just stories.

Books are hope.

Books are escape.

And sometimes books are salvation.

When I started devouring books at the library, as a young, recently-widowed single mom, I was barely keeping my shit together. Sure, those books gave me an escape, but they also gave me hope! The women in them aren’t called heroines because they get the guy. They’re heroines because they kick ass and make shit happen for themselves, which is exactly what they helped me be brave enough to do! 

Where would I be without Harper Connelly, Sookie Stackhouse, and Aurora Teagarden? What if I’d only been out partying, drinking, and trying to find a new dad for my kids?

It scares me to think.

I know you think I’m waxing poetic about the library and my favorite heroines, but I know one thing deep down in my bones: without them there would be no Sloan Jordan.

No Music City Rollers.

No Saphera Nyx.

I want as many people as possible to experience that kind of magic, so by all means, help KEEP THE LIBRARIES OPEN. And don’t ever feel guilty for using them.

(You can feel guilty as hell for book pirating though. That shit is killing us all.)

Here are some practical and priceless ways you can help authors you love:Snap a photo of the book you just loved and Tag the author on Facebook or InstagramSee an ad on Facebook of a book you loved? Share it and add your recommendationAdd and share on GoodreadsHighlight and post lines from the book you’re currently lovingWrite a positive review that you believe in. And unless you feel a book could damage another reader, don’t bother posting negative reviews! (I could write a whole post about this!)On that note, give a book 5 stars—not 4 stars simply because it’s not Pride and Prejudice. Haha! Did you enjoy it? Is it worth someone else’s time if they read it? Then it’s a 5-star read.

I really could go on and on, but I’ll finish with one more:

Please gush. Please fangirl (or fanboy) over your favorite authors. Write letters, send emails, and post online what a book has meant to you. Because we authors are often a fragile bunch.

Even one of the greats once said (paraphrasing here), “With every book release I fear this is the one where they’ll find out what a terrible writer I really am.”

^^^ That was Charlaine Harris! (You didn’t think I’d let another opportunity to mention her slip, did you?)

If she sometimes feels that way, then NONE of us are exempt. You never know if your note might keep us writing the next book.

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Your Next 10 Years

While cleaning out an old computer today, I found this gem. This is something I wrote almost exactly 10 years ago. No idea now why I wrote it, but man, I’m glad I did. Maybe 29 year-old me knew that 39 year-old me might need a reminder that a lot is possible in a decade.

Start Moving

A wise man once said, “If you set a five year goal for yourself and never start moving toward it, in five years you’re still going to have the same goal, but you’ll be no closer to reaching it.” The past three years of my life have seemingly been a perpetual rebirthing cycle. This has caused my five year plan to become merely a rough draft that has been scratched through, thrown out, and rewritten more times than I can count. I have a few aspirations that I am certain of, but as of today, I’m still a little unsure of what I want my destination to be. However, I have decided to get moving!

My children are my number one priority. More than just being a good mother, I want to be a woman they are proud of. I desire their respect, not because I demand it, but because my character has earned it. When they are grown, with maybe children of their own, I want them to be able to say, “My mother loved me well.” Loving them well doesn’t just mean being a good provider. It means setting an example that will be an aspiration to them. My prayer for them would be to believe they are capable of the impossible, to never stop growing, and to consistently love others as they love themselves. My life must set that example.

I have many clear, short-term goals I would like to achieve. I want to make the US Masters Nationals in swimming.

I want to start and finish the season with the Nashville Roller Girls.

I want to get some kind of academic degree. I want to have something – anything – published in the very near future.  While none of these hopes are earth-shaking, they define my passions and my passions are the make-up of who I am.

If I could do anything with my life, I would move to a sunny place and sip fruity umbrella drinks as I write bestselling novels.

However, my practical side often reminds me that the publishing world is, at best, uncertain. My family cannot afford for me to be a starving writer forever. With that in mind, I will most likely major in some type of sports-related medical field and find a career that I truly enjoy. No matter my day job, I can always burn the midnight oil behind my keyboard.

In twenty nine years, I have ticked off most of the major life headlines: I’ve been married, bought some real estate, had a couple of babies, held onto a good career for a decade, and then retired. When my husband died suddenly three years ago, the foundation of our little family was shaken to the core, but now I can see that he left me with a precious gift. I really grasp the cliché that today could very well be my last day and I must make it count! I have been given the opportunity to reinvent myself and I’m finally taking it. I’m training, I’m writing, and I’m studying. Now, hopefully before I finish my final draft on this life, I’ll figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

— Elicia, 2010

 

Thank you, young Elicia, God, and the universe for this. Thank you readers for giving my books a chance and not letting us starve! As you can see, I have a lot more mouths to feed!

Cheers to the next 10 years. It’s time to set my next set of goals.

Where will YOU be? Drop your goals in the comments if you dare.

 

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#FREESWAGFRIDAY

It’s still release week, and I’ve got a huge Detached prize pack for you with lots of goodies for one lucky winner! Here are some hints:Like puzzles?
Like coffee/tea?
Like shopping?Even more will be in this mystery box!
TO ENTER:Tell me… Have you started reading Detached?? Let me know in the comments! (This giveaway is cross-posted in HYDERNATION on Facebook. You can enter in both places for more chances to win!)I’ll pick a winner on Monday! Open internationally.  Good luck!

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Bess’s Independent Woman Playlist

From your favorite Miss Independent…

THE FULL PLAYLIST

TOP PICKS FROM BESS:Kelly Clarkson – Miss Independent

Blu Cantrell – Hit ‘Em Up Style

Flo Rida – Low (Apple Bottom Jeans)

Kelly Clarkson – Since You’ve Been Gone

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Detached – $100 Release Week Giveaway

Help spread the word for DETACHED by entering the giveaway! Increase your chance of winning by sharing  the book and giveaway with your friends and the interwebs!

 

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HYDERNATION Book Club

You asked for it…

The first ever HYDERNATION book club meeting is happening February 22, 2021! The first book we’ll be reading and reviewing is DETACHED.

WHEN:  Monday February 22 ​
TIME:  8pm ET | 7pm CT  ​
WHERE:  Zoom Link in HYDERNATION on Facebook ​or via email (see below).
WHO:  You!

Need to join HYDERNATION? It’s free! You can join on Facebook or drop your email here:

 

Signed Paperback Special

To celebrate, I’m running a special promo this week. Buy a signed paperback of Detached and receive the eBook for free early! Like, same-day early. Woot!

 

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