Our guest this week is indie author Hadley Holt. She has recently released a young adult e-serial called Wizard Queen at Sixteen, which sounds like it could be quite fun. She's written a nice post for us so please enjoy getting to know Hadley Holt!
When I’m not writing, (or doing financial consulting, or cleaning house), I love to read, to bead, to cook, and to watch movies (or a favorite TV/ cable series). I considered saying read, bead, and feed (myself) because the rhyming really appealed to me, and also, it’s pretty much true. Ultimately, I do love a good story, whether it is writing one, reading one, listening to one, or watching one.
As a writer of fantasy and paranormal fiction, story ideas pop into my head all of the time, but there isn’t enough time to write each one of them. I love to escape into another world – usually a world with magic, hidden mysteries, adventure, danger, and of course, characters that I can forge a connection with.
Every day, I fit in reading time whether it’s on my eReader or listening to audio books when I travel. I’ve always wanted to have a movie or TV series marathon at my house with friends, but I haven’t managed to fit that in (someday, I just know it will happen – please keep your fingers crossed for me).
It’s important to read, watch movies, keep up on current events, and interact with real human beings, because those activities always make the question - what if - pop into my mind and that is where all stories are born.
Writing is an isolating job and we (authors) need to crawl out of our writing caves and interact with real live human beings. I love to make movie dates with friends and family. Sitting down in a movie theater with the smell of popcorn in the air, a huge screen and surround sound while I drink a Coke and munch on a bag of popcorn (and maybe some M&M’s) fills me with anticipation as the theater goes dark and the music and credits begin.
Now, it could be said that I did meet up with a human being (or human beings) only to go into a big dark room and cease interacting with other humans when the movie starts. The thing is I don’t ever feel alone in a movie. I feel as if we (the moviegoers) are experiencing the story as a group. We laugh, or cry, or get frightened together and in the end, if our experience was awesome, we’ll even clap together (and also surreptitiously watch for those individuals who seem to know about the secret scene hidden somewhere in the ending movie credits).
For those two hours, we are all connected by a story and imaginary characters who take us on their journey. Oh how I love a good movie!
Also, I do have one true hobby which is beading. I make bracelets, necklaces, and earrings from crystal or natural stone (like turquoise, jasper, or tiger’s eye). It’s another type of creative activity but this one has an almost instant gratification as opposed to novel writing which takes months from conception to the finished product.
Beading a necklace usually takes me about thirty minutes and I don’t have to think hard. I’ve heard working with your hands releases some kind of endorphin and I believe it. I use creativity, a little concentration mixed with a redundant and relaxing pattern of movement with my hands.
The below is a bracelet I made as a prize for my DESECRATION launch contest. It’s my “heart of magic” crystal bracelet inspired by DESECRATION, Book One of the Wizard Queen at Sixteen Series.
I wish I could say that I loved to hike, climb mountains, or jump out of airplanes, but I guess I don’t. I do however like to walk my dog, Berkeley, in the park next to my house. He’s a neurotic Basenji-mix but he’s my canine companion and I love him.
Lastly, I do like to cook and to bake. Like so many people, I love to watch cooking shows and think about making impressive dishes that would amaze any pallet. I want to have a dinner party and serve everyone a delicate and beautiful amuse-bouche in a tiny bowl with a tiny fork and have them rave about the amazing chef that is moi, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.I cook old family recipes and casseroles using things like Velveeta, Ritz Crackers, and lots of butter which due to the mammoth calorie content must be reserved for holiday consumption. I also use good old cake recipes that don’t actually look beautiful but taste pretty amazing. I bake a lemon cake where I poke a gazillion holes in the top and then slowly and methodically cover the cake in a fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze until the whole cake is moist and fragrant with the tangy and sweet lemon juice glaze. That cake means family and springtime to me.
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Thanks so much for visiting us, Hadley! For more about Hadley and her books, check out the following links:
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Here's the scoop on DESECRATION:
Book One of the Wizard Queen at Sixteen Series
In a hidden world of wizards where only men hold the power of magic, one girl arises with the power to change everything, if she isn’t killed first…
Adriana Victoriana Evangelista (Addie), daughter to the High Chancellor of the Wizard’s Council, has always been the perfect wizard girl. She never questions why men possess magical powers and women have no power at all, magical or otherwise. Male wizards blend into the modern human world, leading huge corporations while wizard women are sequestered behind a magical veil in the wizard stronghold.
On her sixteenth birthday, Addie, to her own horror, discovers she possesses magic. Under wizard law, she is a desecration.
An ancient prophecy surrounds the emergence of a girl magic-wielder, the wizard queen or the Queen of Chaos. She is destined to love a half-sorcerer and together they will cause the downfall of the wizard-kin.
Addie has long had a forbidden crush on a human boy who lives in the wizard stronghold, Rory Devlin. In secret, she races to discover more about her magic and her destiny. As she delves deeper and deeper into the dangerous mysteries surrounding her, she suspects that Rory might be more than just human.
Addie’s fate sends her on a collision course with a powerful and evil sorcerer, but the worst danger of all may come from right inside her own home.Purchase: Amazon
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Hadley, I didn't realize you made jewelry, too! Very creative! Love you books and your talent!
ReplyDeleteI used to do jewelry too before writing. Now, mostly needlepoint. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteJerrie and Vicki, thanks so much for posting - you both rock! And yes, I do love to make jewelry - it's relaxing when I can find the time! Never learned to needlepoint, but I've always admired people who do, Vicki! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteJenn, thanks so much for inviting me to post on this awesome blog! Had so much fun sharing this information!
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what an amusebouche is. They must not sell it in the frozen aisle. : ) What a fun post! Thanks, Hadley!
ReplyDeleteDiane Kelly - you are too kind! A lot of those tiny bowls, tiny standing spoons are designed for an amuse-bouche. It's a one-to-two bite appetizer designed to tease your pallet (make you want more). The more I think about it, I am not your "one-bite" kind of girl. I might not be very amused myself (LOL). Thanks for checking in Diane! You, Vicki and Jerrie Rock!!
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