Deirdre Riordan Hall's Blog, page 24

Valentine's Day Giveaway --- To the Sea

Happy love day!

Warm up this Valentine's Day with a giveaway to win a Kindle version of To the Sea, a new adult contemporary novel and a $25 Amazon Gift Card.




About the Book: 
Fresh out of college and newly married, twenty-something Kira plans the perfect future with a house in the suburbs, ski getaways, and fancy dinners. When her husband Jeremy dies in a car accident, loss casts her adrift, but her heart cracks wide open when she uncovers the secrets he left behind.
Despite her dislike for the ocean with the whipping wind and itchy sand, Kira seeks solace in salt: tears, sweat, and the sea, helping her move beyond the myth of perfection, and guiding her toward the truth of who she really is.
She takes surf lessons to overcome her fear of the water and her well of grief. In the local surf scene, she meets sultry Jamie, with a hot Australian accent. He’s eager to spend time with her, but mostly between the sheets. Then there’s soulful Ian, her surf instructor, who helps her get on her feet and ride the waves.
During a transformative trip to South Africa on surfari, she learns the best way to be loved, yet when she returns to the shores of New England, grief continues to haunt her. She must let go, but how? Torn between the tides, Kira discovers strength and courage, navigates loss, lust, and love, taking readers along for the plunge.


About the Author:
Deirdre Riordan Hall writes upper young adult and new adult fiction. She spends her days with her family, at the custom-made desk her husband crafted—writing (what else?) or seaside, pretending she's a mermaid.

If you just can't wait to see if you win, click to buy on Amazon. 
For more To the Sea surf swag, please visit my Etsy Shop: Words, Waves & Wonder! 
Please enter below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is only for residents of the United States. Sorry my international friends!
Good Luck!

To the Sea --- Releases Today

Click here to buy on Amazon...and I'd LOVE for you to leave a review (please & thank you :)

I'm not sure what to say or how to say it, and that dear friends, may be a first coming from me; I'm long-winded and a writer. I always have a lot to say, but today I think I will let the book do the talking, insofar as  a book can talk. (Feel free to discuss thatconcept among yourselves, in the comments below, or heck, we could have a multi-social-media* extravaganza *see below. If not, we could just discuss To the Sea, that'd be great too.) 
After a long writing journey that started with stories about shoes, that shifted into screenplays, and landed in the emerging YA and NA categories, my writing voice has found a home. I am beyond thrilled to share it with all of you. 
I present, To the Sea, available on Amazon and other booksellers in paperback and as an ebook.I hope you enjoy and would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE for you to connect with me on 
Twitter Facebook Instagram Goodreads Amazon Pinterest Etsy 
Thank you for your support and kindness. 


Okay, now I have to go eat a burrito with EXTRA guacamole (and maybe take a *Deep Breath.*)

To the Sea MEGA Giveaway

Notice that there's a check mark missing? Yup. So you know what that means? 
This is the epic giveaway post. As you may or may not know (if not, hop aboard!) my new adult contemporary fiction novel (*clears throat* that's modern romance for the uninitiated) will be released on Tuesday February 11. Can you hear me cheering? In addition to writing a smexy tale of love lost and then found again, I designed several items to tie-into the book's content and am excited to share them with you. 
Without further ado...



By entering below you could win a To the Sea tote bag, perfect to bring to the beach or for around town, a Golden State of Mind trucker hat in that classic surf-skate style, a gold shell necklace with a sea glass pendant and a paperback copy of To the Sea.

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About the Book: 

Fresh out of college and newly married, twenty-something Kira plans the perfect future with a house in the suburbs, ski getaways, and fancy dinners. When her husband Jeremy dies in a car accident, loss casts her adrift, but her heart cracks wide open when she uncovers the secrets he left behind.Despite her dislike for the ocean with the whipping wind and itchy sand, Kira seeks solace in salt: tears, sweat, and the sea, helping her move beyond the myth of perfection, and guiding her toward the truth of who she really is.She takes surf lessons to overcome her fear of the water and her well of grief. In the local surf scene, she meets sultry Jamie, with a hot Australian accent. He’s eager to spend time with her, but mostly between the sheets. Then there’s soulful Ian, her surf instructor, who helps her get on her feet and ride the waves.During a transformative trip to South Africa on surfari, she learns the best way to be loved, yet when she returns to the shores of New England, grief continues to haunt her. She must let go, but how? Torn between the tides, Kira discovers strength and courage, navigates loss, lust, and love, taking readers along for the plunge.
About the Author: 
Deirdre Riordan Hall writes upper young adult and new adult fiction. She spends her days with her family, at the custom-made desk her husband crafted—writing (what else?) or seaside, pretending she's a mermaid.
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Please enter below: 
a Rafflecopter giveaway


My apologies, but this contest is open to US residents only. 
Please check out my Etsy Shop: Words, Waves & Wonder --- Treasures inspired by the ocean and fiction.

Good Luck!

To the Sea has a Shop

Because I love to be extravagant (actually, only my husband would claim this is true, I deny it! Deny it!) I got all crafty and created several items to complement the novel, To the Sea (coming soon, like really soon! Stay tuned :)
Okay, I also really wanted this stuff for myself, because well, my other half would also claim I love stuff—the shinier, prettier, beachier the better! (Although my kids might disagree when I make them clean their rooms...anyway, I digress. I do that alot, and I admit it.)
I also thought readers would love to have access to these lovely goodies so I created a 'lil shop on Etsy. 


If clicking the banner doesn't work, please click here to link up with Words, Waves & Wonder. 

I'd love for you to check it out, add as a favorite, and I'm all ears for feedback!


Enjoy!

P.S. And if you've read this far, there's going to be a BIG surprise tomorrow regarding all those things you saw at the shop AND more!

To the Sea --- Book Trailer

Presenting...
The book trailer for To the Sea available Tuesday, February 11, 2014

To the Sea --- Cover Reveal

I can't believe it's time!
I'm so happy to share the cover for To the Sea,
my forthcoming new adult (romantic-beachy-sun kissed) novel...
available in just a week-ish.

You've read the announcement. 
You've seen the teasers #1, #2, & #3. 
You've possibly drooled, maybe swooned.

There's a chance you felt like dipping a toe in the water...

You've patiently waited, losing sleep, the passing days punctuated with excitement, with bated breath (maybe that's just me.)

Alright, alright.
So, without further ado...
Okay, maybe...
A drum roll please...

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And now, the great unveiling of the cover for To the Sea. 
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I would love to know what you think.
If you would like to share, I would be forever grateful. Simply copy the text in the box beneath the image below. Then paste it into your blog's HTML area in a new post or on the sidebar. Voila! 
If that's not for you, you can still share the cover reveal (on your social media outlet of choice: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr) by copying the address link in the navigation bar above. 
As always, thank you for your support!



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The book will be available as both paperback and as an ebook in twelve (more!) days. 
February 11, 2014. 
Ay, ay, ay!

To the Sea --- A desk, a lappy, and a dream

Please join me in celebrating the upcoming release of 

To the Sea!

I wrote a book. Not only that, but I finished it, and then revised, edited, smashed my head on my desk, stayed up nights wondering, what the heck am I doing... Then I wrote another one, and yes, another after that. In fact, if you haven’t heard from me in the last five years, it’s because I’ve been in my writers cave. No, not an actual cave, but a room with windows, a proper desk, and a laptop. There are books and notes everywhere too, just so yanno, I feel writerly. I’ve scoured tag sales for a prop typewriter, but no luck. Occasionally I emerge for food or a hug, but mostly I’ve just been writing. I’d tell you I’ve been in here so long I grew a beard, but alas, genetics and all that.
The exciting thing about all this is my new adult novel, To the Sea, is going to be published. Yes! I know. *Cue jumping out of chair, falling over my feet, cheering, and a loud Squee!


What’s To the Sea about?
Fresh out of college and newly married, twenty-something Kira plans the perfect future with a house in the suburbs, ski getaways, and fancy dinners. When her husband Jeremy dies in a car accident, loss casts her into despair, but her heart cracks wide open when she uncovers his secrets.
Despite her dislike for the ocean with the wind and itchy sand, Kira takes surf lessons to overcome her fear of the water and her well of grief. In the local surf scene, she meets sultry Jamie (with a hot Australian accent.) He’s eager to spend time with her, but mostly between the sheets. Then there’s soulful Ian, her surf instructor, who helps her get back on her feet and ride the waves.
On a heart-searching trip to South Africa for a surfari, Kira discovers what she really wants, but when she returns to the states, the grief she left behind haunts her. Torn between the tides, she navigates loss, lust, and love, taking readers along for the plunge.
***
So yes, in case you’re wondering, I’ve also been surfing. Just a bit. But don’t worry, the rest is fiction.

When can you read it?
To the Sea will officially be released on Tuesday, February 11, 2014.
Not long now! Follow along here, check in with me on Twitter to keep updated. 

I'm on Goodreads (you can add To the Sea to your To-Be-Read list :) 

Also, after a long time,  I'm also on Facebook. Would love your like/friend! 

I appreciate your follows, friends, likes, and reviews. Thanks everyone!

I  have some fun giveaways coming up with treasures inspired by the book and the ocean, along with some other surprises. Also, please check out my fiction-inspired shop on ETSY.
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 For a tease of what's to come, check out these three sneak peeks: Jamie, Ian & Kira. 
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I also want to give a special thanks to all those who have helped me with this endeavor so far, your support means the world to me. I value all the encouragement, feedback, and cheerleading. 
Mwah! Xo Deirdre

To the Sea -- Teaser Three

...And teaser number three for To the Sea, available in less than three weeks! On Tuesday, February 11,  my new adult contemporary novel will be available to read. I can't wait to share it with you!
To see the previous two teasers, click here and here. 
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Meet Kira: She longs for Paris, lives for fashion, and prefers dinner by candlelight. But everything falls to pieces when she's rocked by tragedy, thrusting her into rediscovering her true self, whether behind the lens of her camera or in the ocean—her dreams await. 
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I'd be thrilled if you'd like to share this teaser on your blog/site. Simply copy and paste the text below into the HTML portion of your blog and voila! the image below (minus code) will appear.
Thanks for reading. Cheers!


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To the Sea -- Teaser Two

Huzzah! Teaser number two for the soon-to-be released new adult contemporary novel, To the Sea. It will be available Tuesday, February 11, 2014.
To see the first teaser, please click here. 

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Meet Ian:Soul-surfer, board shaper, and dreamer. He laughs easily, loves to cook, and his dimpled smile is irresistible.


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If you want, please copy and paste the text below onto your blog to share the To the Sea buzz!

Thank you!

XO




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To the Sea -- Teaser One

Here's the first teaser for To the Sea. (!!!)My forthcoming new adult contemporary (romance) will be available Tuesday, February 11, 2014. 

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Meet Jamie:He's Australian, a pro surfer, and likes to get frisky at the beach. Always wearing his sunnies, he knows what he wants, isn't afraid to go for it, and believes that life's short— surf hard. 

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Copy and paste the text below if you want to add this teaser to your blog. Also, if you want part in the cover reveal, book launch, please comment below. Thank you! 
XO


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