tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73648754051901350452024-03-05T20:11:46.562-08:00R.A.Desilets YA AuthorR.A.Desilets is a Young Adult author and spoken word artist.R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-75666486283915074712021-11-19T20:49:00.001-08:002021-11-19T20:49:31.874-08:00On Vacation During NaNoWriMoMy NaNoWriMo graph never looked so fantastically ... fantastic. Wow, those NaNo words are doing great things for my vocabulary, am I right?I decided a few months ago I was going to take a vacation the first week of NaNo to see what my life would be like if I treated my writing like a full time job. Mainly, I wanted to see how much I could get done within that first week. Not only did I finish R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-47703979053937807002021-11-06T12:07:00.003-07:002021-11-06T12:07:33.425-07:00Like a Phoenix from the AshesWell, folks, it happened. I spent the precious time (during NaNoWriMo no less) to resurrect my newsletter from the ashes. I have revamped it for MailerLite, so I am starting over from scratch.So if you subscribed before, you will need to resubscribe. But fear not! I have come back with a vengeance (and a ploy to get you to sign up again.) I have not only Zero available for free, but also two of R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-74152109802298412152021-09-21T19:24:00.005-07:002021-09-21T19:24:36.807-07:00Pitch Wars Prep and the Eternal Editing FlamesHi folks! It has been a bit, so I figured I'd do a simple post to say I am currently lost in the editing stacks. I've edited Dissimulate and The Mundane List, which I have been shopping to agents for the time being, and I'm working to bring Ferals into a finished state before Pitch Wars starts on September 26th.I am really excited to have the opportunity to enter this delightful story into Pitch R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-46073143814618826282020-10-26T10:56:00.001-07:002020-10-26T10:56:38.587-07:00Podcast, Podcats, and Gearing up for NaNoWriMoOn this edition of what is going on in my world, I present to you: ALL OF THE THINGS.The husbandperson and I have created a Podcast on creativity. We've been having morning discussions on our creative lives to keep the levity in a downright horrid environment. It's been helping both of us clear our heads, and we've been enjoying the discussions so much that we decided to have more formal R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-68393633267493432792020-08-01T13:27:00.002-07:002020-08-01T13:27:18.873-07:00Vlog: On idea emulation and creating HipstopiaI've talked about Hipstopia in the past, but this episode of the vlog focus on emulating ideas and creating something new out of your own style and personal experiences from those ideas.I'll be doing a few more of these episodes as I get back into the swing of writing! Also, I joined the masses and created a linktr.ee/radesilets because I now have two books on Wattpad, my books available to R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-84099361502969526802020-07-29T18:16:00.000-07:002020-07-29T18:16:24.145-07:00Playlists Released and Fun Trivia: Rios - a Wattpad storyHey, all! The cover for Rios is finally here, as are the playlists for Jeremy and Marcus. Everything is going to drop as a free read over on Wattpad! Check out the playlists and brief history of how Rios came to be now!The stunning cover is below. I am vastly excited for the opportunity to share this story with all of you. Get ready for some fun, it's going to be a wild ride.R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-72074569884040999932020-07-12T21:22:00.001-07:002020-07-12T21:22:26.806-07:00Coming Soon to WattpadNo official date yet, but I am excited to announce that Rios is getting a major overhaul and will be posted for free to Wattpad! More details to come with a cover reveal and upcoming dates for the first few chapters to be posted.I also have two delicious playlists for the characters.I am very excited to revamp Jeremy, Marcus, and Trixy's story, and I'm even more excited that I get to share the R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-5512777124160617582020-06-27T12:31:00.002-07:002020-06-27T12:42:08.837-07:00Carter Ortese is Trouble And Life UpdateHello, friends! Did you miss me?Here's the brief update on my writing:I finished Carter Ortese is Trouble, which is a free read on Wattpad. I do intend to edit it another couple of times and publish it as a paperback and ebook, but this is will happen likely by February 2021.There are three (THREE) titles that are now ready to be shopped for an agent. I will spend the rest of 2020 finalizing the R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-8408566830981020642018-10-25T08:42:00.003-07:002018-10-25T08:42:57.537-07:00Wording Wednesday - a Blue Moon Series story - White StoneShe wipes her hand across the mirror, which is spotted and blackened with age. The dust coating it comes off on her hand.
If anyone finds out just how far her family fell from grace, they'd say things that shouldn't be said by heretics and heathens. She has to keep this quiet. She has to silence anyone who dares to speak ill against her family. She has to change the story, no matter what the R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-51258608284077313592018-10-24T20:03:00.000-07:002018-10-24T20:03:16.593-07:00Wording Wednesday - a Ferals short storyDirk stops short at the edge of the alleyway and glances over at Shepherd. "Did you hear that?" His voice is tinny, high despite being almost old enough to get into the agency program. He considers himself an adult now, with his birthday only two months away.
Shepherd takes a long look down the dark alley. No lights, the partial moon covered by clouds, nothing to see by. He cranks the flashlightR.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-77335531012482224862018-01-12T07:00:00.000-08:002018-01-12T07:00:25.688-08:00Powering ThroughBeing creative is hard work. It takes effort, commitment, time, dedication, and tenacity. I've seen artists become successful on a local level, but I also know how many years it took them to get there. Writing and editing are no different from other forms of art.
Writing for me comes naturally. My first drafts are messy, convoluted, and sometimes need a huge overhaul, because I do a little bit R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-83618395889658397442018-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:002018-01-05T08:00:40.623-08:00New Year, New PlannerI'm a saver, not a spender, and as such, I hardly ever buy things for myself. Sure, sometimes I splurge with this "I really need this," but I have to justify it to myself, much like a child would a parent. I have to explain to myself how vitally important this item is.
One recent purchase was The Simple Elephant Planner. I tried doing the bullet journal thing last year, but I found the page set R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-67911717756445836992017-03-28T12:37:00.000-07:002017-03-28T12:37:46.601-07:00How I feel when I write a novel ...Some people ask me: What is it like to be a writer? What does it feel like writing a novel?
Well, there's a lot of heart and soul that goes into writing a book. And sometimes, you lose yourself a little bit in the characters and the story and the drama.
So what does it feel like to write a novel? A little bit of everything. The proof is in the video.
Happy reading and writing!
R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-86334565750537217012017-03-03T10:22:00.000-08:002017-03-03T10:22:08.952-08:00YA Gets Real: SacrificeThe four of us watched in horror as green light exploded from the tip of the witch's wand straight into Madison Patrick. Madison's eyes rolled back into her head, her body shuddered once, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Josephine, Carlyle, and Trevor gasped behind me.
The witch, who I thought would be ecstatic to have just ended Madison's life, glanced at the end of her wand. Her brow R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-19641774901063797652017-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:002017-02-03T06:00:20.808-08:00January 2017 Book Wrap Up and GiveawayAt the end of every month, I wanted to do a vlog with a wrap up of what I've read, or more specifically, what titles I recommend reading and why. However, I have found myself continuing to read books that I feel "meh" about. Despite knowing that I should put them down and move onto a different read, I still finish the title despite knowing I'll probably never really enjoy it.
Thus comes the ideaR.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-66065422689436127272017-02-02T12:00:00.000-08:002017-02-02T14:57:39.316-08:00YA Gets Real: But School
Lindi sank into the seat next to Chris with a huff. She glanced over at him, her blue eyes blazing as she thought about the days ahead. Knowing she had to tell Chris the bad news broke her heart almost as much has having to repeat the same cycle over and over again.
Every semester since they had started high school, Chris and Lindi had saved the world. No one noticed, or if they did, no one R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-23724485844325158952017-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:002017-01-27T10:25:12.344-08:00We're in a Forest
Right now, there's no clear cut path. The political turmoil has everyone feeling unhinged, lodged in a dark, endless forest. We should be traveling this path together, guiding each other through while holding hands, but all I see is hatred, spreading on both sides of the fence.
Politically, I will disagree with Republicans on a lot of levels, but I am respectful and open to discussion. They R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-9749357994432720122017-01-20T13:31:00.000-08:002017-01-20T13:31:09.790-08:00YA Gets Real: New GirlHarvey smirked, giving me a slick sideways glance with his dark brown, almond-shaped eyes. He slid his chair a little closer to me. We were in our homeroom in the science lab. I was surprised when he sat down next to me, but became even more surprised when he kept staring.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi?"
"What's your name?"
I swear my jaw dropped to the floor. Over the summer, I had gotten laser eye R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-16418976731974593992017-01-18T07:30:00.000-08:002017-01-18T07:30:42.151-08:00Book Reading: HipstopiaI have a feeling that reading out loud is something that you get better at with practice. For the first time ever, I can be seen reading Hipstopia, my YA dystopian satire about hipsters taking over Los Angeles.
I was definitely a bit nervous, as this hasn't been something I've even attempted in the past. But I'm fairly happy with my first attempt. Enjoy! And happy reading!
R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-22642821031584217792017-01-13T07:00:00.000-08:002017-01-13T07:00:18.529-08:00Staying Creative to Beat the Blues
Some of you know that I take a lot of pretty photos, mostly of Oregon seeing as how I live here. A few of them are on @OregonIsGross on Instagram.
Last year, my creativity took a nose dive. I had no direction. I was struggling to publish even one book, let alone work on my other ones. I distracted myself with video games, and then I fell in love with running. At first, running was also a R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-80857545524442952642017-01-09T07:30:00.000-08:002017-01-09T10:08:41.763-08:00Excerpt: Girl Nevermore
Purchase your copy on Amazon
Girl Nevermore is my dark contemporary young adult novel based on real life events. When I was much younger, my best friend at the time tried to take her own life while sitting next to me in class. She went to the bathroom with the pass that hung by the door, was gone for a while, and came back a completely different person.
She slowly started fading away as R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-46027168689769480362017-01-06T13:43:00.002-08:002017-01-06T13:43:25.083-08:00YA Gets Real: Wizard School
The rolling hills fly past us as we head down the lush landscape and into a deep valley. I'm adoring the drive, and my mind rushes with the ideas of how the next four years will play out. To think, my parents had been keeping this a secret my whole life.
"We wanted you to grow up as a normal girl," Mom said.
"That meant keeping your past a secret from you." My dad nodded.
I grin as I look upR.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-64092686086703732832017-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:002017-01-04T08:00:01.730-08:00Goodbye 2016, and Hello 2017.I apparently make vlogs now! I have no idea what the world is coming to, but I am making a commitment to post three vlogs a month for the next year. We'll see how it goes.
In this one, I review 2016, state some of my accomplishments, and uh ... Hang out with some cats? I also look ahead to January 2017, where I'll be um ... Hanging out with more cats?
Watch the video. It's funny and stuff.
R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-75037935932488416192016-12-30T15:00:00.000-08:002016-12-30T15:00:23.805-08:00With Dreams So PowerfulI woke up this morning from a dream not with a yawn or a stretch, but with tears running down my face. The dream made me angry, sad, hurt, and confused. When you have dreams as powerful as that, there's no way to avoid your emotions.
Last night, I struggled to actually sleep. I tossed and turned, awoken every hour due to pain. A customer jokingly said to me yesterday that he didn't want to live R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364875405190135045.post-60883678807518936442016-12-30T08:33:00.000-08:002016-12-30T08:48:28.965-08:00YA Gets Real: Don't Go Inside the HouseThe lone house loomed at the end of the street, dark and foreboding. Night crept around the car's headlights, trying to shut off what little light illuminated the front of the building. As Trevor cut the engine, a crow cawed in the distance.
"This doesn't look anything like the brochure." Katie held up the bed and breakfast pamphlet, one that promised pampering and relaxation. She glanced R.A.Desiletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08440729149601654745noreply@blogger.com0