Tag Archive for: books

Dragon Con 2023 Schedule for Isabelle Hardesty

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I am so happy to be back at Dragon Con as an author panelist!

 

Here is my schedule with times and locations. I will have my books on sale there, and have two different times in my schedule below to sell books directly to my readers!  I can’t wait to see you there! Click here to see photos of me at Dragon Con on my Instagram account from previous years.

 

Title: Women Redefining Creativity: A Trailblazing Writers’ Panel
Description: Embark on a captivating journey as we celebrate women’s perspectives in the realms of publishing, writing, editing, and comics. Join this enlightening panel discussion that unveils the power and influence of female voices in shaping our creative world.
Time: Fri 11:30 am
Location: Hanover AB Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: Signing Showcase Diversity Track
Description: Authors from Women Redefining Creativity: A Trailblazing Writers’ Panel will sell their books at this event
Time: Fri 01:00 pm
Location: Overlook Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: Paranormal YA Fiction
Description: Vampires, werewolves, ghosts – paranormal is back in YA in a big way. Let’s talk about the books about things that go bump in the night.
Time: Fri 05:30 pm
Location: A707 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: The Gather: Welcome Home!!!!!!
Description: The best Gathering around of authors and fans! Who knows what surprises and treasures are to be found. We have more authors than the app will allow us to list, so you will be sure to find some great books to take home with your amazing Con stories.
Time: Fri 08:00 pm
Location: International South Hyatt (Length: 4 Hours)

 

Title: YA Today: Are there Boundaries? What are They?
Description: What’s going on in YA fiction? What are the kids looking for? How far can a writer go? How far is too far?
Time: Sat 11:30 am
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: YA Novels that Readers Will Love
Description: As you write your YA novel, are you thinking of the audience? Reach out and touch that kid–or adult who loves YA–and make them love your characters and your books.
Time: Sat 04:00 pm
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: Writing Outside Oneself: Stories and Characters that Go Where We Have Not
Description: The best part of Fantasy is the ability for authors and readers to live many different lives and see many different perspectives. It can be tricky to do so while not causing harm, our panelists will discuss this and ways to learn what we just don’t know.
Time: Sat 07:00 pm
Location: Embassy CD Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: YA Page to Screen
Description: You found out your favorite book is coming to the big screen. You’re both excited and anxious. Past experiences — from bad casting to leaving out essential plot details — are enough to make us all more than a little nervous. Is the book almost always better than the film or show?
Time: Sun 10:00 am
Location: A707 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: Self-Publishing for Young Adult Audiences
Description: What makes for success in the YA self-publishing space? Let’s talk to authors who succeeded and how they did it.
Time: Sun 05:30 pm
Location: A707 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Title: Maps: More than Squiggles on a Paper
Description: Which comes first the map or the journey? We will explore how maps have been used in our favorite stories to provide structure and context to a world as well as how our authors created their own maps.
Time: Mon 11:30 am
Location: Embassy CD Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

 

Seattle Heat Wave and Lavender Fields

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A few weeks ago,  we had a heat wave in the Pacific Northwest. Many people think that since I’m from Miami I am used to heat waves of over 100 degrees.

Well, not really. When I grew up in Miami, we had heat waves that would take temperatures into the 90’s. Rarely did it go into 100 degrees and up. Besides, most  homes have air conditioning in the South Florida area.

So, when my husband and I found out it was going to go up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit in Seattle, we both said, “Yeah. No.”

My husband planned the perfect cool get away for us! It was a family trip with our four-year old son and we were headed to the picturesque San Juan Island. It was supposed to only go up to 83 degrees! YES!

As we drove the hour to the ferry boat, we checked the temperature of San Juan Islands. The cool 83 degree forecasted weather had shifted to 91!

Despite the weather being almost ten degrees warmer than we expected, we were wise enough to remember to be thankful–thankful that it wasn’t 116 degrees!

One of the highlights of our time on the island was our visit to Pelindaba Lavender. It was fragrant, beautiful and  so serene. My son, husband and I enjoyed their lavender flavored ice cream. Yummy!

We got home later that night and were glad that it was cooler. Ahhhh.

Sometimes technology makes us feel like we can outsmart Mother Nature. We weren’t able to escape the heat wave, but we were able to get away to a cooler part of the scorching heatwave.

Isabelle Hardesty has always had a love of magic and nature and weaves this into her books.  Her favorite things include silly socks and yummy chocolate. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Hardesty is a Miami native and writes OWNVOICES work. Find her novel THE WITCH OF BELLE FLEUR on Amazon.

Jump into Spring with a New Book!

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I am so happy that SPRING is around the corner! Last year I visited the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. It was breathtaking. It was a celebration of color and flowers.  My toddler loved running through the tulip fields and yelling, “Towips!”

What’s your favorite spring flower?

I am so excited about The Witch of Belle Fleur coming out soon! Woo hoo! Click here to pre-order your copy today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I’ve been busy with — 

I recently blogged about Five Reasons We Love Telenovelas. I hope you enjoy the post.  I remember watching telenovelas with my mother and sisters. We laughed and cried together.

In my novel, The Witch of Belle Fleur, Juliette is a telenovela actress and a witch! It’s amazing how life inspires authors to create characters and plots!

The Witch of Belle Fleur has had a long journey on its way to my readers’ hands. It has received three book contracts and after much thought,

I decided to go indie! If you’re interested in reading about my book’s journey, please read a guest blog post I wrote for Women In Publishing.

 

Quote I LOVE — 

“Love makes your soul crawl from its hiding place.”
–Zora Neale Hurston 

 

Please email me at: isabellehardesty (@) gmail dot com with any questions or comments.

~Isabelle

Related blog posts by Isabelle you may enjoy:

Pre-order your copy of The Witch of Belle Fleur today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isabelle Hardesty is a writer of young adult fantasy.

She enjoys writing about characters who are like people you know and people you want to know.

Isabelle lives in Seattle with her husband and son. She loves being with her family, eating chocolate, and connecting with readers. When she is not writing, you can find her either researching for her next book or painting.

 

 

Cheerio on My Yoga Mat – Ditching Perfection Part 2

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This year I’ve jumped back into yoga, or rather stretched into it. I’m older and hopefully wiser. I’m ditching perfection and showing up—which isn’t always easy. So here is my third blog post of many this year. Yay me! I didn’t give up on my blog challenge.

This blog post was inspired by the little Cheerio that was hidden in my yoga mat⁠—courtesy of my little one! LOL! I made sure to take a quick photo of it before I rolled up my mat.

Even though the yoga instructor always says not to compare oneself to others, I can’t help but sometimes feel like I’m going for the gold in the Olympics each time I step on the mat.

Ugh!

Well, this time, I had a cute little reminder to chill out and enjoy the process.  I swooped low for a forward bend and noticed this cute little Cheerio on my mat just behind my feet.

The cheerio dissolved my self-imposed perfectionism. I smiled as I unwound and enjoyed the moment on the mat.

What did the little Cheerio on My Yoga Mat remind me?

  • Let go and stop trying so hard

  • Enjoy and give in to the moment

  • Remember the love of those around you. That Cheerio represented my toddler’s hugs

I don’t know if a Cheerio is going to show up on your mat, or another silly moment will pop up for you. When it does, recognize that it’s there to remind you to give in to the moment.

I’m still over the moon for my new book coming out soon. The main character has a bunch of things thrown at her at once. She’s a recent high school grad, new telenovela actress and new witch. Whew! Juliette juggles it all in THE WITCH OF BELLE FLEUR.

I was inspired to write the book because of my love of nature and my fascination with magic.

Read more about the book here.

 

Isabelle Hardesty writes stories about girls doing magical things and kicking butt. She writes these stories for all readers, and girls like her, who didn’t see themselves in their favorite fantasy adventures growing up.

She is the author of THE DESTROYER WITCH CHRONICLES and THE DELACOURT SHAPESHIFTER TRILOGY.

The heroine of her young adult novel, THE WITCH OF BELLE FLEUR, is just the courageous mixed with awkward teen she would have fallen for and been inspired by as a kid. Juliette Mariana Fontaine is Afro-Latina. She’s a budding telenovela actor, who’s a recent high school grad, and she re-awakens both good and evil magic in her hometown, Belle Fleur, which is tucked near the swamps in South Florida.

THE WITCH OF BELLE FLEUR is book one in the DESTROYER WITCH CHRONICLES, a three-part series. Book two is MIDNIGHT IN BELLE FLEUR, which is published, and the last book is RETURN TO BELLE FLEUR, available later this year.

THE WITCH OF BELLE FLEUR was named quarterfinalist in the ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition and was named to the Coverfly RED LIST. It is in the top 10 fantasy book manuscripts on Coverfly.

Isabelle was recently in Atlanta for Dragon Con, one of the country’s largest multi-media conventions focusing on science fiction and fantasy literature, art, and gaming. She is a returning author panelist at Dragon Con, where she discusses her books, the writing process, evil witches, and more!

Isabelle Hardesty lives with her husband and son in the Pacific Northwest.

 

5 Must Haves for Readers

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5 Must Haves for Readers by Isabelle Hardesty

Reading is a pleasure that we can sometimes take for granted. Stop. Let’s make sure you’ve got some creature comforts to make reading pure joy.

  • Slow down. What will you be having to drink? Take a few minutes and prepare your drink of choice. It will be worth the wait.

 

  • Pillows can make all the difference for comfort. Throw a bunch of pillows around you to get extra cozy. Perfect for the plot twists coming your way.

 

  • Are you reading a tear jerker? Have tissue nearby. It’s good to have a good cry, now and then.

 

  • What time is your perfect time to read? Don’t fight it. Find the time that works best for you and celebrate it with a great book. You’ll have the energy to read for as long as you feel.

 

  • And finally, lighting can make reading a joy or chore. Be sure your lighting works for your print or ebook.

The Takeaway…

Some people find they don’t read as much as they used to. Maybe it’s the time of day they read. Or for some, it’s just about changing the lighting. Find what works for you and enjoy reading!

 

~Isabelle

Related blog posts by Isabelle you may enjoy:

Isabelle Hardesty is a Miami native who uses her creative work to share her experiences growing up in South Florida. She is committed to creating rich and strong female characters in her books. Hardesty wants young people and women of color to see themselves in her novels and know they are a meaningful part of the world they’re in.

Hardesty received her BFA from Pratt Institute and has worked in NYC as an assistant fashion designer. Her rich and textured life experiences allow her to create characters and plots that engage readers. One common thread in all of her professional experiences is that storytelling is always king.

Isabelle Hardesty’s first published work was a short story that was published in an anthology. This short story grew into The Delacourt Shapeshifter Trilogy.

Hardesty wove her love of magic and nature into her most recent novel, The Witch of Belle Fleur. Her book tells the story of Juliette, an Afro-Latina teen telenovela actress, teetering on the edge as she unravels her family’s secret of magic, only to discover that if she becomes a lead witch, she must let both good and evil magic return to her town.  Midnight in Belle Fleur is the sequel and will be available this year. This year, Isabelle will be returning to Dragon Con where she will discuss books, creativity, evil fae and more!

Her book, The Witch of Belle Fleur, placed on ScreenCraft’s Cinematic Book Competition 2022 and is on the REDLIST. In 2022, she is the Young Adult category winner for the SPF Foundation 2022.

Isabelle Hardesty lives with her husband and son in the Pacific Northwest.

 

Print books and ebooks

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person holding opened book

There are some people who are devout print book readers, while others sing the praise of the ebook.

For print book fans, the feel of the pages are one of the things they enjoy. Many readers talk of the smell of the pages. Some say the weight of the book in their hands just feels right.

Ebook lovers say that they now are able to travel without having to drag a heap of books with them. Ebook readers enjoy the ease of downloading a book instantly, with ease.

Some readers are like me and see the benefit of both. I do love the feel of pages at my fingertips, but I also enjoy the clarity of the ebook page.

What’s your favorite way to read?

Whatever format, just keep on reading!

Please email me at: isabellehardesty (@) gmail dot com with any questions or comments.

~Isabelle

Related blog posts by Isabelle you may enjoy:

Pre-order your copy of The Witch of Belle Fleur today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isabelle Hardesty is a writer of young adult fantasy.

She enjoys writing about characters who are like people you know and people you want to know.

Isabelle lives in Seattle with her husband and son. She loves being with her family, eating chocolate, and connecting with readers. When she is not writing, you can find her either researching for her next book or painting.