Deirdre Riordan Hall's Blog, page 16

My 140 Top 40 (Tweet Tweet)

Twitter is my jam, more so say than ALL the other social media sites I use. (Sorry Instagram, you're cute, but you're no blue birdie.) For me it is intuitive, engaging, straightforward... There's also the byproduct of thinking in 140 char quips and hashtags. Doh! We don't need to think about that. In the meantime, here are 40 of my favorite (and top favorited) 140 character musings, questions, and comments in the last year or so...*Note, I said my top 40...I've retweeted about 9,999 awesome thoughts that belong to other people.



40. Little two just asked, "Why don't they make a movie (book) where the princess saves the princess (or prince.) Word. #WeNeedDiverseBooks


39. That feeling, when writing, when you don't even realize two hours have passed and all the while it's been like you're playing...Yeah, that.



38. Quick, if your main character were an animal, which would it be? (Unless of course, your character is an animal.) #writers #indieauthors


37. Here's a #tbt #throwbackthursday post... I've been gobbling up #nineties reminisces lately. You too? Er. U2?... http://fb.me/3NUrChDr6 


36. For some of us, creating fiction is like breathing or taking water, it constitutes a basic need in our lives. #writerproblems #writing35. "From the steam, Julian appears black and white, colorful, a mutinous uprising of images against bare skin and hazel eyes." #1lineWed SPENT


34. "Life is too brief to shortchange happiness.” #1lineWed (Young adult contemporary novel, Spent.)


33. I cringe when I have to take out commas to make a tweet fit 140 characters. #amwriting #WriterProblems


32. Breathe life into your sentences, think and write in active verbs. #amwriting


31. Twitterverse, thank you for supporting & promoting #IndieAuthor (s) It means the world. #gratitude #GratitudeMonday


30. being a storyteller, a damn awesome job and privilege. #amwriting #indieauthor #authors #writinglife


29. Leisure, what a luxury. #amgrateful


28. Sometimes the best thing to do is detach from book sales and reviews...and keep on #writing #amwriting


27. You know you're a writer when...the desire to work on a manuscript electrifies with urgency, passion, and excitement. #amwriting


26. Why we need to READ (& write) YA http://buff.ly/1z1pqjV  "The communion of words on the page binds us to..." #books
25. That moment of possibility when you crack open a new book. #amreading24. no apologies for being yourself, 'kay?23. Readers, if you get a free book from Amazon or a giveaway, please review it and support #indieauthors. Thank you!22. The world of fiction is a good place to vacation. #amreading #books21. Pay attention, things are about to get awesome. #amwriting #life20. "By day, the weather reflected my mood; the dreamy, foggy morning spread across the landscape like a still-warm sheet." #amwriting19. "Hey, you there, writer, please, share your stories so they can become our stories." #amwriting #writing #writers18. You won this time chips & salsa. Well played.17. Books make life rich. #realwealth #readmore16. When you listen to a song so many times, it's a part if your thoughts. That.15. I'm flattered (rocketing around with glee) that readers who bought THIS SKY by Autumn Doughton also picked up IN THE DESERT.14. I have given up trying to make a 3D boxset cover. Hashtag DIY Fail. #sigh13. What I want to know is what happens at a Hogwart's Graduation Ceremony? #harrypotter #iwanttoknowmore12. Take the time to be appropriately and adequately awed. #thislife #magic #artofattention11. Read, you'll thank yourself later.10. That head spinning heart bursting conversation with editors. That. *puddling on the floor.9. Flat out Celeste: one of my fave books this year, more on the blog.8. Today, write a great book, or chapter, or sentence...or light bulb that exact right word. #amwriting #inspiration7. You know you're a writer when...something major (or minor) happens & you're trying to figure out how to turn it into a story. #amwriting6. Does anyone else suffer from I-just-finished-a-book-and-don't-want-it-to-be-over remorse? This happened with @mstiefvater Sinner. Sigh.5. If I could take a nap anywhere right now, I'd go to the Weasley's. #HarryPotter4. Checking flight info for a manuscript is such a fun pretend game to play. #indieauthor #amwriting3. "She turned in circles as the stars flickered on, each one sending her a wish that she no longer needed." IN THE DESERT #1lineWed2. I love my Kindle. Just saying. #amreading1. And now, I write a super-secret something for the new year! #amwritingHint...Hint...
  If you're not already hanging out with me on Twitter, let's connect! 

I'm thinking some of these could go on t-shirts. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Sweet Indulgence

It's almost February! I know, I know, time marches on, but holy cricket 2015, slow down! February! Ack! 
I know Valentine's Day isn't everyone's favorite holiday (in fact, I wrote a fun anti-v-day scene in one of my novels) but I happen to love the holiday, the frills, the lace, the doilies...not so much the rampant consumerism, but Pinterest always has some unique DIY ideas for decorations, thoughtful gestures, and there's also the good, old fashioned bouquet of flowers, whether you have a valentine or not, be your own. I've been known to buy myself a bunch of blooms from time to time. Oh...and I forgot chocolate. Have a piece for me! PLEASE! 




Hallmark moments aside, I am all for having a day to recognize and celebrate LOVE! In an ideal world—or a work of fiction—we'd make grand gestures to our nearest and dearest (including ourselves) EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. But reality. So, yes, I'm all for a little Saint Valentine's in my life. This year especially, because I've collaborated with some wonderful authors to create Sweet Indulgence.




Here you have it, a sweet, new adult, clean steam collection of love stories (also a goose, high school crushes, music, surfing, and more!) All the novels are included in one box set.





Sweet Indulgence includes: 
Jellybean Kisses by Amy EvansFlawed Perfection by Cassandra GiovanniAmerican Girl on Saturn by Nikki GodwinTo the Sea by Deirdre Riordan HallOne Song Away by Molli Moran

All 5 books are just .99¢ on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. What's extra special about this is all the proceeds are going to The American Heart Association! You can't beat that. (Sorry, I had to.)

Winner Takes All Giveaway!

Check out this HUGE giveaway...The winner gets all 53 ebooks, including In the Desert. This haul will keep you reading for a while! 

Please sign up below and good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Follow your Bliss BONUS

When I started writing the Follow your Bliss series, it wasn't a series. What I mean is, To the Sea, the first book, was just that...a book. It was a single, a one off, a stand-alone story that I never meant to expand. In fact, it was the only book I wrote that fell into the New Adult category. Before that, I'd only written Young Adult novels (and a lot of them!) But I saw an opportunity, had a can do attitude, and went forth, into the frothing, wild, sea of self-publishing. 

As an indie, I ascended a steep learning curve with formatting and uploading and such and then, VOILA! I had myself a published book. There were a few flaws, a couple mehs, but mostly one big ocean-sized, dazzling sense joy and accomplishment. Oh, and also a real paperback and a true ebook. It felt tremendous. I was published! But as you know I didn't stop there...


An idea hatched from the seed of To the Sea in the form of On the Mountain and then Surfaced and then In the Desert and then Mirrored...and then one day in the car...THROUGH THE JUNGLE was born. 

Yes, I wrote them out of order. I'm a rebel and if you are too, you can read them out of order. I wrote The Follow your Bliss so each novel can all stand alone with unique characters, plots, and settings, but they're united by the shared aesthetic of recognizing obstacles, both inner and outward, and taking steps toward overcoming them, smashing through them, or dissolving them. Sometimes acceptance works too. It's an interesting recipe really, it's a one of a kind, if you think about it. Some of the characters intertwine and overlap; it's a small world, after all.

The point of all this is, I followed my bliss. I set forth on an uncertain path and persevered. There have been tremendous challenges and getting the ingredients just right has been tricky...But... 

Were they worth it? You betcha. 
Was it easy? Not all the time. 
I have learned and grown? Absolutely. 
Will I do it again? Maybe. 

I have more in store in the novels department. There is no shortage of stories swimming in my mind, outlines ready to become drafts, and drafts ready for some spit-shine. 

Also...

This year of following my bliss—pursuing my long held dream to become a published author—has resulted in a publishing deal with Skyscape publishing. (A dream team of amazing editors, I shall gush and gush some more!) 

About that recipe for bliss-dom? 

The exact quantities are different for everyone, but keep these items in your writer-ly pantry:

diligence, patience, courage, and compassion 
A serendipitous combination of the above, plus the eyes of an editor who saw promise in a story about a girl, chocolate, a boy and a bike (the motorized kind), has resulted in... 
SUGAR,a young adult contemporary novel, this coming June. Yes! I know! Gah! (There's confetti everywhere!) I can hardly wait that long. It's been an incredible process with an outstanding group of editors and designers, and I can't wait to tell you more. Check back here soon!  

But today...I present the cover for Through the Jungle!
******

Grab your copy of Through the Jungle. It's FREE and always will be. I want to thank you readers for joining me on this bliss-journey and give you a little something more to take you deeper into the lives of the FyB characters.
How to get it? 
Simply sign up below and write Through the Jungle (and include Kindle, Nook, or PDF for your copy format) in the Untitled box. 

That way, you'll also be the first to hear about Sugar and all future projects, news, and other author-reading related shhhtuffff!
*If you already have signed up, simply leave a comment below or email me. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
Sign up for my enewsletter for your copy of Through the Jungle* indicates requiredEmail Address * First Name Last Name Untitled

***
Through the Jungle follows your favorite Follow your Bliss characters before they concocted that magical recipe for happiness and then after, culminating in an unforgettable weekend that concludes the story of Kira, Ian, Alex, Brighton, Baskia & Trace. Through the Jungle is my way of saying thank you for supporting me in following my dreams, and I hope you do too!

Oh, and stay tuned for the Follow your Bliss BOX SET with the complete set of all SIX Follow your Bliss books!
...AND how about a GIVEAWAY? Yeah, I thought that would be a good idea!
*US Only

Your choice of one of the Follow your Bliss books. 
Plus surprise swag from my Etsy shop (plus a few more treasures!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway



  

A Teaser & a Hint and a Wink

Happy Twenty-Fifteen! 
I've only written it once on paper, but yeah, it feels strange. Although, I like the roundness of the five on the end...anyway...the writing elf was hard at work this holiday season preparing something fun for readers or to-be readers of the Follow your Bliss series. 


Drum roll for...Through the Jungle! 
It's a novelette (longer than a short story and shorter than a novella) and it's coming out next Tuesday! That's right, January 13, 2015 (typing doesn't have the same effect when indicating the year, yanno?) 

Check back next week for all the details for how to get your FOREVER FREE copy. Yes, it will always be gratis, my friends, because I want to say thank you for reading my work and because FREE is how writing makes me feel: liberated, the follow your bliss bang, pop, weeee! Freeeeeedom! 


I'll leave you with a teaser and check out more on my feeds this week...


Oh, and one more thing...next Tuesday, when I release Through the Jungle into the wild, I will also be sharing a HUGE announcement. 
I have a feeling 2015 is going to be an epic year!

Happy Seasons!

A Christmas Merry to you I wish!It really is... "that time of year, when the world falls in love..." 

In love with gratitude, with the smell of pine, obscene amounts of cookies, our relatives' obnoxious endearing qualities, twinkly lights, and of course the spirit of giving and togetherness. 

I want to thank you for joining me on this little online space while I pursue writing and have the opportunity to connect with readers through story. 

I wish you the merriest, jolliest, happiest of Christmas seasons and a stunning New Year! 


I'll be back in 2015 with a FREE novelette that brings the pasts and futures of the characters in the Follow your Bliss series into one sweet tale, involving wedding bells, beach bums, and romance, of course! 


...AND I'll announce something I've been practically bouncing off the walls, waiting to share. The only hint I'll give is this. Wink, wink. 

Alliances Cover Reveal Spectacular!

It's the Alliance cover reveal! Woohoo! This is a sequel in my indie author friend's Razia series...and today is the first time we get to see the cover! Read on for the blurb, to preorder a copy, check out a teaser, and enter the giveaway for your chance to win a copy!

//
Blurb:
Piracy is a Game. Whom do you trust?
Lyssa Peate has found a tenuous balance between her double lives - the planet-discovering scientist and space pirate bounty hunter named Razia. No longer on probation, Razia still struggles to be thought of as more than a chocolate-fetching joke, and Lyssa can’t be truthful to those closest to her. But both lives are turned upside-down when feisty government investigator Lizbeth Carter shows up to capture the same pirate Razia is after.
Lizbeth’s not interested in taking Razia’s thunder; rather, she convinces the caustic bounty hunter to help solve a mystery. Somebody’s hiring pirates to target government ships, and there’s a money trail that doesn’t make any sense. From the desert planet of D-882 to the capital city on S-864, the investigation leads them deeper and deeper into a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of the Universal Government - and to one of the most painful chapters in Lyssa’s past.


Pre-orders for Alliances will be available on Amazon Kindle begin January 1, 2015.
Double Life, Book 1 in the Razia Series, is available now on the following stores:
Amazon//Barnes & Noble// Apple
Source: http://www.susherevans.com/p/about_2....


Check out more from author S. Usher Evans:
 Website // Twitter // Facebook


Alliances Chapter One Teaser:
The room was dark, with a single, dingy lamp hanging over a table where three men sat, each holding a hand of cards. They said little, except for the occasional grunt or movement to tap their grungy mini-computers to up their ante. The first sighed and rubbed the scruff around his chin. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette and a lighter.
"You hear that Llendo is running for re-election?" he said, cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"What else is new?" The short, squatty man and whose toes barely brushed the floor, threw a few chips into the virtual pile using his mini-computer. "The guy’s a puppet. There ain’t nothin’ that comes out of his mouth that ain’t been sent through the ringer about a million times."
The other two men chuckled and shuffled around their cards. The third man, with a long face and sallow complexion, pulled two more cards for his own hand and shuffled them together and apart again.
"But who else is there to vote for?" he asked, counting his cards and stacking them together again.   
"That general? You know that buffoon Peate works for him. He ain't getting my vote until I know he's gonna play along."
The second shrugged and said, "Nobody’d vote for him in a million years."
"You and your millions." The third rolled his eyes. "Everything you say has been done a million times."
"Bah, can it," the first barked. "And hurry up and make your move."
"I'm taking my time. Don't want to get fleeced again," the third said. "You're all a bunch of crooks."
"Takes one to know one." The second man peered at his cards through a pair of thick glasses, hunched over.
"I am retired," the first man said, sitting back and taking a long drag of his cigarette. "None of that piracy crap for me anymore. Getting too dangerous for me."
"Gonna break a nail?" the second snorted. "Bad enough you got that girl. Whatsherface."
"I hear she's doing all right," the third said. "Kidnapped Jukin Peate's brother and held him for ransom last year."
"And what's she done since then?" the second said.
"More than you've done."
"I'm just saying, it's unnatural to have a woman out with the men," the first said. He paused for a moment and began to smile. "Although I can't say I hate seeing her scamper around '882."
"Shame she doesn't wear tighter pants," the second said. "I seen pictures. She wears these baggy things. I bet if she wore something that made her look like a girl, she wouldn't even have to fight nobody."
"She could come capture me any day of the week. I don't care what she looks like," the third said. "I'd lay down and let her do whatever she wanted to me."
"Care to test that theory?"
The three looked up sharply at the sound of a distinctly female voice in the doorway.
"Hey, hey," the first man said, standing up. "We don't want no trouble. We're retired here, lady."
"You are," Razia said, stepping into the light with a smirk on her face. She turned her eyes on the third man in the room. "He isn't."



Good luck! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kindled Release Day!

Happy Holidays! 

I’m so very thankful to you readers and Team Bliss. Thank you for helping ferry the Follow your Bliss series all this way. It’s been quite a journey! 
Today, I hope we can all pour a cup of tea, wrap up in an afghan, and relax and read Kindled. 

Oh, and enter to win the giveaway, including ALL the books PLUS an awesome MUG here! *Sorry, US ONLY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

As a bonus, On theMountain is FREE today, grab your copy and catch up on the Wes, Baskia, Maisy, and Mellie saga!

 Happy reading! P.S. Check in soon for a BIG Follow your Bliss surprise! 

Kindled Super Santa Giveaway!

It’s the holiday season. I'm feeling thankful and by default, generous. 
 Check out the Follow your Bliss series and enter to win ALL the things. 
Like to read about heartbreak and redemption? Lust and love? Honesty and angst? Feeling stuck and finding freedom? 

 The prize pack includes Kindle copies of all six books:

To the Sea // Surfaced

In the Desert // Mirrored

On the Mountain // Kindled   
And this mug, straight from the pages of the novel. It's perfect for filling with tea, cocoa, or coffee and curling up with your favorite Follow your Bliss book. 

Enter here...and have a happy, merry!
*Sorry, US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Kindled Cover Reveal

It really is the most wonderful time of the year. The air is crisp and fresh. We cozy up around the fire. The smells of cooking and baking fill the kitchen. There’s cocoa, of course.We gleam and sparkle as we prepare to celebrate.Friends and family gather. 'Tis the season.And then everything falls apart…
Reality? Yes. Fiction? Also, yes.
And I have the Christmas novella, Kindled to share with you this season…along with the Cover Reveal! 


And like Sparky, in National Lampoon’s Christmas, when he plugs the lights in...Blam, here it is!



Ready to get your copy of Kindled? It launches in paperback and for Kindle Tuesday, September 9. Need to catch up on the Follow your Bliss series? Check out the previous novels here. Also, get a copy of  book #2, In the Desert here and Mirrored is FREE on Amazon today!