Deirdre Riordan Hall's Blog, page 25

Because it's Tuesday...

...and I'm wearing stretch pants, a hoodie, and fuzzy slippers.



India, a surf story. Beautiful, inspired, filled with the spirit of the waves.

Big Announcement

 Creating this vlog had nothing on actually writing the book. Video-genic, I am not. But alas, here you have me, barely edited, sharing an exciting announcement about my forthcoming book, To the Sea, available on Tuesday, February 11, 2014. 
This also means, I am officially an indie author. Squee, indeed. 
Stay tuned...

14 Writing Wishes for 2014

Looking forward into the New Year, the following are fourteen goals I have for the next twelve months, building off what I learned about myself and my relationship to writing in 2013. 

1. Capture voice and plot in a pitch. I'll be posting about that soon. 

2. Revise A GIRL CALLED DEATH, a Kali myth retelling. 

3. Update my projects page (see above.)

4. Remember the importance of refueling. Rest, sleep, nourishment, hobbies, meditation. I have to remember to step aside from writing and recharge my batteries. This gives me more fuel when I step back to the page,  er keyboard.

5. Go to more author events/readings/releases. 

6. Network and build my platform via social media (especially my blog and Pinterest, which are sometimes neglected) and continue connecting via twitter and Instagram. (And in person. Obvs.)

7. Master grammar. 

8. Expand my connections to other writers and readers. 

9. Hone my queries.

10. Be even more patient.

11. Weave rainbows into my sentences. 

12. Blog about what I've been learning at my desk more consistently. 

13. Promote other authors and writers in this art form. We need one another's support! 

14. Publish in some format. I've been chasing this dream longer than some, but shorter than most and would like to bring my words to readers this year. 



"My ideas usually come not at my desk writing, but in the midst of living." -Anais Nin

Quitting Sugar Resources

It's been just over a year that I've been sugar-free. My life and health has only gotten better. It's a big win for me. No more migraines, aches, pains, blood sugar crashes and spikes. It's all good and I'm so grateful. Many people are awakening to a sugar-free lifestyle or leaning into decreasing it in their diets. Wherever you are, I support you in your path to health and wellness. For me, no sugar has been the key to eliminating debilitating migraines, anxiety, and other health problems. Of course, consult your trusted healthcare professional for what's right for you.

Because several people have asked how I cut sugar out of my life, I decided to share a few sources of support and information. In my experience, you have to really want something to be able to stick to it. Discipline and awareness are key in navigating the day-to-day. Sugar is EVERYWHERE. Like, really. So if it's an issue for you and you don't want to eat it, being vigilant and not letting a little bit sneak in here and there is key. Tied to that, awareness of how pernicious it is, reading labels, asking questions, bringing food along when necessary have made the transition easier. That being said, it doesn't serve to beat oneself up over a slip or not reading a  label carefully enough. Just move on. New moment, new day.

What it comes down to for me is how I feel without sugar in my diet far outweighs what life was like before. It is worth the extra effort, the inconvenience, and forgoing some old favorite foods, especially around the holidays. In the transition, I found it especially helpful to read as much as I could about going sugar free, getting support, keeping a food journal, and making exercise (any kind of movement—even just walking) a priority.

Here are a few blogs I've found extremely helpful, chock-ful of supportive and insightful posts, and brimming with ways to feel your best. Not all of them are strictly sugar-free, however, they do all offer insight into eating in a way that is of service to each of our unique bodies.

© Photographer Cyrus Cornell | Agency: Dreamstime.com


Detoxinista- New York City based Holistic Health Counselor who believes healthy living can be fun and indulgent. Her site is very extensive and she's just adorable. Also, her Pinterest is fab.

Gabriel Bernstein- My modern life guru, my spirit junkie, the gal who helped me put a bit of ~ing into my be~ing. She has been there and done it (so have I) and she's found her way to the present moment with a playful and sincere dedication to honesty. Gabby is about three months sugar-free as of this writing and from time to time posts blogs or vlogs about her experience.

I Quit Sugar- The site that grew out of Sarah Wilson's (see below) work quitting sugar as part of a magazine article/experiment to see what would happen that grew into a major life-changing experience. A book, a program, support group, and recipes. This is where it's at.

Kate Quit Sugar- Kate's story about her emotional relationship with food. Heartfelt and inspired on a low sugar diet, great for those transitioning, leaning or considering removing sugar from their life.

Sarah Wilson- Outstanding writer and human being. Sarah Wilson guided me out of my sugar-coma with posts on thyroid and immune disorders, depression, real life, all with down-to-earth wit and compassion. She's also a waste-not advocate and avid cyclist and hiker. Oh, and she has a few cookbooks. Delish.

Spoonful of Sugar Free- Comprehensive site with recipes, thoughts on sugar and Alex's path to sugar (dairy & gluten) free is interesting. She also blogs about eating healthy on campus- a trick to be sure.

Sugar Free Kids-  Wonderful resource for creative snacks and meals for kids and adults alike who enjoy a little fun with their food. *Note, stevia is used in some recipes. I've not experimented with this and just as well keep it out of my diet. Some tolerate it just fine.

Tone It Up- Not strictly sugar-free, but these gals know how to do fitness and nutrition right by leading with the heart. They have free videos about health for the whole body including a meal plan that's delish and includes something for everyone.

And for your tasting pleasure,  here are a few links to some sugar free (and gluten free) treats I baked up recently. Enjoy! Also, please share any sugar free hacks you have!
Biscoff-style Gingerbread cookies
Pumpkin Pie 
Carob Chipppers
Fruit Crisp
Cupcakes

13 Writing Lessons Learned in 2013

In lieu of a New Year's resolution I've been reflecting on what how I've grown as a writer in the past year. The following are thirteen things I learned about writing in 2013.

***
13. Yes, I have to cross my t's dot my I's and write a compelling story, but now matter what stage I'm at along the writing-publication journey, it does take a team. Critique partners, editors, agents, the behind the scenes elves who do so much to help build a book from laptop to print or digital imprint.

12. Inhabit the world and characters. Light a candle to evoke a sense of place or person or time, tack a picture on the wall to help visualize—wherevahhh. By bringing myself fully into the present moment of a scene or chapter, I'm better able to convey an authentic sense of place or character onto the page.

11. The simple, yet never to be underestimated writing tighteners outlined in this series by Kelley Harvey helped me find my way back into editing. The link leads to the first, but there are ten and worth a read.

10. Patience and persistence. Just keep at it. Don't give up.

9. There's always more to learn and strengths to be gained. I love the adage, "The more you learn the less you know." It's a reminder to always be open act as a sponge, soaking up as much as I can about the craft of story telling (and grammar.)

8. Show don't tell. I think I clinched this. For the most part. Um. Maybe...See above.

7. Some people, though well meaning, don't know what they're talking about. Other people really do. I've resolved to set my ego aside, listen with open ears, and then follow my heart (and sometimes my gut, they're good teammates) to discern what to take in and what to leave behind.

6. I see, I noticed, I turned and... some, somehow, well, so... Equal my sentence set/up disasters. Avoid these, lady!

5. I realized I have a system, it unfolded organically, but after seven manuscripts, it's become clear. After completing a draft, I do one read through and of course a grammar check. Then I let it simmer. After washing my mind of the project (eg. thinking about obsessively) I then print out and read again making notes, corrections, adjustments, etc. Then I step aside and let it marinate yet again. (Apart from the kitchen analogies, I do this for much longer than I would anything I'm going to eat.) Then I reread aloud. And then usually I'll read it one more time, all the while finding funny mistakes (missing letters, a forgotten quote, etc.) There's much more involved, but realizing I have a method surprised me.

4. Write authentically.

3. Read widely. In finding making time to write, I'd let reading take the back seat and averaged about a half-dozen books a month (this includes fiction and non.) But toward the end of 2013 I ramped that up and I'd say it's widened my vision of the writing craft quite a bit.

2. Silence the voice that says I'm not good enough and instead use that energy to make my work even better.

1. I absolutely LOVE to write. Witnessing pieces of my mind unfold into a story is a joy.


There you have it. Stay tuned for more to come in 2014. 

Merry and Happy

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!


I'll be back in 2014!

Gingerbread - Biscoff Style Cookies: Sugar-Free, Gluten Free, Vegan

I didn't exactly mean for this month to turn into holiday dessert madness, but now that it has, I kind of like it. I also didn't expect to have over a foot of snow, ergo a white Christmas, but here we are. I doubt it'll melt. (Now it looks like we'll have a muddy Christmas :/) So when life gives me a snow day, I give it a go in the kitchen and create a gingerbread - biscoff inspired cookie that is free of gluten containing flours, fruit sweetened, and vegan-liscious. Yes. ALL of those things.

For transparency sake, I'm not vegan, but I lean heavily toward a animal-product free lifestyle and only on occasion include eggs in my diet...and having lived with and loved a beautiful flock of chickens (who are flying around in hen-heaven) my eggs are free-range. Like a few doors down free-birds. Anyway, I tried this recipe with a few variations and found I preferred the egg-less. It was lighter, crunchier, and more reminiscent of traditional gingerbread cookies. But they're also like biscoff cookies/cookie butter. Yes, the famed Trader Joe's delicacy. Really.

Heads-up, the ingredients list is longer than, say, a regular cookie recipe. If you bake gluten free this shouldn't be daunting, but if you're new to the scene, experimenting, or cooking for a special person in your life who is gluten-sugar-vegan, not to worry, it'll be okay, the recipe method itself is super simple.


Gingerbread/Biscoff Style Cookie Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 cup dates
1 cup almond flour½ cup oat flour¼ cup potato starch¼ cup brown rice flour¼ cup cashews2 tsp cinnamon½ tsp nutmeg1 tsp pumpkin pie spice1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla1 stick butter (when I say butter, I mean Earth Balance— using that name could mean so many things;)
Method: 
Put dates in a saucepan or measuring cup, top with water so they're just covered, cook/simmer for about 3 minutes, until soft. Drain water. Allow to cool. (Really, do this part.) 
Put dry ingredients into a food processor. Blend.
Add dates and vanilla. Cube butter, add while food processor is running. *If dough is really sticky, add more almond flour. The first time I made this, the consistency was perfect. The second time, I had to tinker...but it may have been because I didn't allow the dates to cool long enough.
Put in fridge for about a ½ hour.
Sprinkle clean surface with brown rice flour. Roll out dough. Cut into desired shapes or roll into balls and press down. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness. Longer for thicker cookies, less time for thinner cookies. 
I used my gingerbread people cookie cutters and one batch yielded about 12 cookies (minus a spoonful that ended up in mah mouth!) 
*** No photos taken (bah humbug!) but you can cut tiny slivers of raisins to make a face (add just before baking.) If the raisins are too big they will puff up and look insulted. 

More Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free Recipes 
Fruit Crumble (Vegan)CupcakesCarob Chip CookiesPumpkin Pie