Author Life: Morning Writing Routine

Confession: I did not start out as a Morning Writer by any means.  When I first began my writing journey, I was a Midnight-3AM Writer.  I would say this was because I was trying to live that Gothic-Dreampunk-By-Moonlight-Creative-By-Candlelight lifestyle but the truth is that it was the only way, at the time, to fit a solid chunk of uninterrupted writing time into my day.  I'm a wife, mom, and had a full-time job (I was a graphic designer for a decade and then did a brief stint as an Executive Assistant at a Fine Arts museum).  Now that I have the opportunity to stay home (which I am extremely grateful to my husband for being so incredibly supportive), I've been able to figure out what time of day I'm actually the most creative when it comes to writing.  You guessed it--mornings!

I like being able to start the day with a fresh mind so I can truly focus on whatever story I'm working on.  Also, knocking out a writing session first thing in the morning makes the rest of the day feel like a breeze no matter what I have going on because I'm already starting out feeling as though I've accomplished something.

Here's what my typical Morning Writing Routine looks like these days:

7:00 A.M.

Wake up.  Get morning chores out of the way.  Check emails.

8:00 A.M.

Make coffee. Review where I'm at in the story and then begin the morning's writing session.  I know a lot of author's like to take breaks every half hour or so but I'm more of the type to set a parameter for a session and then solidly work through it.  I'll either give myself a world count goal to meet or just a time frame (usually an hour and a half to two hours) depending on my progress versus whatever deadline I've given myself to complete the draft.

10:00 A.M.

Get dressed for the day and review my planner and To-Do lists.  I usually get some laundry going around this time and return any calls/messages/etc.

11:00 A.M.

My husband and I meet up for lunch every day which is nice and I'm incredibly happy that we're able to do that.

11:30 A.M.

MORE COFFEE!  And back to writing.  I'll finish up whatever scene or chapter that I was working on that day or use this time to do any needed research.  If I've already met my writing goal for the day and I don't have the energy to jump into a new scene then I'll use this as Administrative time to work on the more "business" side of things like marketing, promotion, and brainstorming content ideas.  This session usually lasts until about 1:00 P.M.

That's my Morning Writing Routine!  I have no clue how interesting/dull you all might find it. haha  But if you enjoy these sorts of posts then be sure to let me know in the comments or on social media.  I love to hear from you guys and if there are any topics you'd like to see me cover in terms of writing or publishing then please feel free to ask!

Thanks for reading!

- Dez -

HUNTER is now available at:

AMAZON | B&N | NSP

Writing HUNTER: Special Extras

(Special thanks to @aparanormalromance for providing this photo)

HUNTER has been out in the world for a little over a month now and I'm so thrilled with how well it's been received!  For those of you that have already read it and are wanting more of the ROAMverse, here are some Special Extras:

WRITING HUNTER: A Dreampunk Author's Journey

If you've been following me for a while then you know that HUNTER was originally self-published in 2017.  Once ROAM was picked up by NineStar Press, I submitted HUNTER shortly afterward and they signed it as well.  So, even though HUNTER is now seeing its official re-release through a publishing company in 2019, I actually wrote the story around this time two years ago.

I'd initially written ROAM as a stand-alone novel but, just a few days after completing it, I knew there was an even bigger story to tell.  Not to mention the characters wouldn't leave me alone!  And I mean that in the best way.  At the time, Dacey was speaking volumes so I decided to go ahead and write his story, The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett.  Once that prequel was finished, I had already set some major story arcs in motion and was ready to play them out with a sequel.

Other than the obvious desire to explore Ethan and Grady's relationship further, I began to really flesh out what I wanted from a Dreampunk story and how to continue the original message of the first book in a way that would still feel fresh and unique.  HUNTER owes a lot to the creative journey that I took in writing The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett.  It honestly wouldn't be the same without me having dived into that prequel first.  I had the chance to make the story so much more complex and to bring back some of my favorite characters.  It also allowed me the opportunity to set the stage for what's to come next...

HUNTER: Bonus Content

A HUNTER-inspired Mood Board on Pinterest.

What I listened to while working on this book: HUNTER Spotify Playlist

A fun Character Interview with Ethan, Grady, & Chris

Still want more?  Add some ROAMverse Merch to your collection!

HUNTER: Feedback

Readers have been incredibly supportive of this book!  I think I've received more positive messages on this one than any of my other books so.  Most people are excited about an event in the book which is a spoiler--so I can't mention it; but I'm glad it made so many people happy.  Readers also love the Dreampunk aspect of the series and the continued world-building.  I've also had a lot of lovely comments about Benny which, honestly, makes my heart soar every time because Benny is the first ROAM character that I ever created.  He predates the story itself because he's actually based on an original character that I used to roleplay as many many years ago.  haha  :)

Thanks again to everyone that has grabbed a copy of the book and also to those that have taken the time to send me messages and/or leave reviews!  If you have any other HUNTER-related questions or topics that you'd like to see me cover in future blog posts, please leave a comment or email me through my website.

Haven't read HUNTER yet?

No worries!  It's available here:

AMAZON | B&N | NSP

New Release - HUNTER (ROAM: Book Two)

HUNTER - OUT NOW

Dr. Grady Hunter has a vampire infestation on his hands in the town of Shady Pines but he’s been deserted by those best suited to help. After enlisting Chris Reed, a techno-mage, they find the vampires might only be the tip of a deadly iceburg. 


Returning home from his dream travels, Ethan Roam is eager to experiment with his newly discovered powers. But Ethan isn’t the only familiar arrival in Grady’s life. As more reminders of his dark past crop up daily, Grady and Ethan are swept up in a mystery of cosmic proportions.


Grady must fight to keep an ever-evolving Ethan on his side while being challenged by the ghosts of his past.

Available Online & Through Most Major Retailers

AMAZON | B&N | NSP | KOBO

Add it on Goodreads today!

HUNTER Available on Amazon

Great news, darklings! HUNTER (ROAM: Book Two) is now up on Amazon for pre-order!

What you can expect:

🔮Vampires...seriously, SO many vampires.

🔮Comedic techno-mage

🔮Werehuahua may be a crotch biter 🐕❗️

🔮Sandman tricks

Pre-Order Yours Today

Be sure to save your receipt because I'll be collecting them after the release! Everyone that pre-orders will get a little surprise in the mail as a Thank You from me.

You can also still pre-order directly from NineStar Press if you'd like to receive the ebook three days early!

Have a hauntingly happy week!

- Dez

HUNTER Now Available For Preorder

PREORDER NOW

Preorder to get the book three days early and use coupon code "PREORDER" for 30% off!

BLURB

Dr. Grady Hunter has a vampire infestation on his hands in the town of Shady Pines, but he’s been deserted by those best suited to help. After enlisting Chris Reed, a techno-mage, they find the vampires might only be the tip of a deadly iceberg.

Returning home from his dream travels, Ethan Roam is eager to experiment with his newly discovered powers. But Ethan isn’t the only familiar arrival in Grady’s life. As more reminders of his dark past crop up, Grady and Ethan are swept up in a mystery of cosmic proportions.

Grady must fight to keep an ever-evolving Ethan on his side while being challenged by the ghosts of his past.


Be sure to save your receipt!  I'm planning to give away some fun swag after the release to everyone that preorders. 

PREORDER HERE

Thank you, darklings!  See you on the page. x

- Dez 

Author Life: My Publishing Story

I get asked about my journey into publishing fairly often so I thought I would go ahead and share my story here.

There are various points at which I could begin but for the purpose of answering the main question that I get: "How did you get a publishing contract?", I'll start at the point after which I had already self-published ROAM.

In fact, by the time I received my first publishing offer, I had already self-published four books.  I knew that I wanted to seek out a traditional publisher as well and had sent out a couple of query letters which were rejected.  One to a publishing company that responded that my book wasn't "what we're looking for right now" and one to an agent that auto-replied that they didn't have time to review new queries.  A lot of authors get a ton of rejections so I wasn't too upset but their responses made me decide to take some time to research querying a little more and just focus on self-publishing for a while.

In 2017, a year after I had stopped querying (it was perpetually on my "I'll get to it eventually" list), I ended up having a very unfortunate summer in which I broke my foot and was laid off from my job as a graphic designer where I had worked for nearly ten years.  The boredom of the recovery process and my overall "What have I got to lose?" mentality spurred me into action.  I spent time researching publishing companies that I thought would be a good fit for my M/M Paranormal novel, ROAM, and also freshened up my query letter.

I decided that NineStar Press would be the best place to start and I sent in my submission.  Three weeks later, I received an offer and the next day I was signing my first publishing contract!  

I recognize that not every author gets an offer so easily.  I do feel that perhaps the stars aligned in my favor at that time because if I hadn't been injured and entering unemployment then I probably wouldn't have felt the drive to go outside of my comfort zone and take that next step.  I also feel that I had more success the second time around because I did do my research on finding an appropriate publisher for my story and updating my query letter.  If you'd like for me to go more in depth about writing query letters then please let me know in the comments and I'll work it into a post!

I sent in my submission to NSP for HUNTER shortly before ROAM released and it was accepted as well.  I definitely plan to submit my manuscript to them for the third book and anything else I write that I feel would be in alignment with their company as they have been a pleasure to work with.

I also plan to continue self-publishing certain titles.  If you'd like to learn more about my self-publishing process, let me know that in the comments as well!

Thanks for reading and I wish you all the best of luck with your own creative journeys!

- Dez

- Be sure to stay updated with special announcements and new releases through my newsletter!  You can sign up on the main page of my website.
- If you're interested in my daily life, what I'm reading, and writerly musings, you can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter.

COMING SOON - April 8th 2019

ADD ON GOODREADS

OUT NOW

Amazon | B&N | NSP

It's time to face your nightmares.

HUNTER Cover Art Reveal & Blurb

I'm thrilled to finally share the new cover art for HUNTER!
So, without further ado:

The title was a pretty good indicator that you'd get a Grady cover. :)
Natasha Snow did an amazing job (as always) and I stand by my conviction that she is, in fact, a magical design creature.

One of the prominent things that stands out is the portal and I can't wait for you all to find out more about that!

BLURB

"Dr. Grady Hunter has a vampire infestation on his hands in the town of Shady Pines but he’s been deserted by those best suited to help. After enlisting Chris Reed, a techno-mage, they find the vampires might only be the tip of a deadly iceburg.

Returning home from his dream travels, Ethan Roam is eager to experiment with his newly discovered powers. But Ethan isn’t the only familiar arrival in Grady’s life. As more reminders of his dark past crop up daily, Grady and Ethan are swept up in a mystery of cosmic proportions.

Grady must fight to keep an ever-evolving Ethan on his side while being challenged by the ghosts of his past."

Old favorites plus new friends and fiends arrive in this one so prepare for a wild ride!

Be sure to add HUNTER to your Lists on Goodreads and I'll keep you updated once pre-orders are available!

AVAILABLE APRIL 8 - NINESTAR PRESS

I'll be back with more info soon.  

Have a fangtastic week!

~ Dez ~

- Be sure to stay updated with special announcements and new releases through my newsletter!  You can sign up on the main page of my website.
- If you're interested in my daily life, what I'm reading, and writerly musings, you can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter.

OUT NOW

Amazon | B&N | NSP

It's time to face your nightmares.

COMING SOON

- HUNTER (ROAM: Book Two), coming April 8, 2019 through NineStar Press.