Tag Archive for: writer

Dragon Con 2023 Schedule for Isabelle Hardesty

 

 

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

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.

5 Reasons We Love Telenovelas

5 Top Supernaturals We Love to Read About

Okay, let’s be real. We love to read about supernaturals. Why? Because, at least for me, they are a fun escape into a world that’s interesting and filled with surprises.

Some readers love zombies, others swoon for vampires. But which supernaturals do you love to read about?

Here are my top 5 supernaturals:

Witches ~ Yes, I write about witches, so I love to read about witches, too! The Witch of Belle Fleur is my novel about witches coming out soon! Witches are fascinating and they can be more realistic than supernatural, which only makes them even more interesting to me.

Vampires ~ How can I not have vampires on this list? My current projects include a vampire novel and I love the drama, romance and history that surrounds vampires.

Shapeshifters ~ Shapeshifting is the power I would probably choose, if I had the chance. I wrote a trilogy called The Delacourt Shapeshifter Saga, which is about a half shapeshifter and half fairy.

Werewolves ~ They are like shapeshifters, but limited in power. They seem more tragic and limited than shapeshifters, at least to me. I love their passion and courage.

Fairies ~ Fairies, or the fae, can be both light and whimsical or the more serious and sorceress kind, which is what I favor. This makes me think of Bex, one of my favorite characters from The Delacourt Shapeshifter Saga, She’s a pretty mean spirited fairy queen and may have her chance at redemption in an upcoming trilogy.

Hmm. What about you? Yes, I left off zombies. I’m just a wimp and can’t get my head around the fact they’re not real. I confess, that I love a good zombie story, now and then.

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.

 

5 Quotes for Creativity

Discover these inspiring quotes that celebrate creativity!

These two quotes are perfect for a project’s beginning:

“If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.”

— Maya Angelou

 

“Creativity takes courage.”

— Henri Matisse

 

These two quotes will inspire you to keep going, when you may want to give up:

“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”

— Barack Obama

 

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

— Albert Einstein

 

The following quote is perfect for some who may think that growing older means they must give up on their dreams:

“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.”

— Gabriel García Márquez

 

I hope these inspirational quotes will help you achieve your dreams!

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.

 

An Inspiring Gift

paint brushes next to drawing book and water color palette
Mr. Flaum called me to the back of the classroom. He looked serious.

I couldn’t imagine why he’d want to see me. I was a good student, so I wasn’t too worried. But, I was a little concerned because, like most teens, I was a talkative middle school student.

I stood in the back of the room with him and relaxed once I saw him smile.

He said, “Isabelle, I’m giving this sketchbook to you because you’re an outstanding artist.”

Me? I liked drawing and loved painting, but I had never been told that before. I raised my eyebrows. This was much better than I expected. I reached my hands out and held the sketchbook as though it were covered in gems. This wasn’t my first sketchbook. But it was my first sketchbook given to me by an art teacher.

“Thank you,” I said. It felt good to know that Mr. Flaum thought my art was good. It’s quite simple but also profound.

A teacher’s day can be full of paperwork, phone calls, meetings, field trips, classroom issues, and students. Yet, countless teachers stop and recognize a student and influence a child’s life, with a simple gesture.

That sketchbook helped give me the confidence to pursue my love of art and creativity. I have had the pleasure of exhibiting my work in Paris and received my B.F.A. from Pratt Institute. I have had the honor of being an art teacher in fantastic schools in both Miami and the Metro-Atlanta area.

My writing is a celebration of my creativity and owed in part to my love of art, which was fueled by a simple gesture from a caring teacher.

Isabelle Hardesty

YA Fantasy Author

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