Category Archives: hollowtree

December 6, 2011

Tales From the Hollow Tree Blog Hop

By Isabelle

Hi! And welcome to Day 5 of the Hollow Tree Bloghop! I’m your host, Isabelle. :)

I rambled poetic on the release day post about how much the blog and this release means to me. But what I didn’t mention is how Hollow Tree became what it is today almost accidentally.

When we first opened its doors, Tales was supposed to be a place to share all things YA fantasy. Book reviews, legends and myths, bookish pop culture, and the occasional free read, known then as Fantasy Dipped Fridays. (Still love that name).

While we spent a significant amount of time ravaging books and talking about movie adaptations and having a great old time discussing things with followers (thanks to those of you who started conversations! it’s so fun to be able to discuss things with you!), the schedule was a daily obligation that soon became too much for Lisa and I to handle alone. We contemplated taking on other bloggers, even made a hiring call, but in the end, I’m glad we kept it between us (and our sister in fiction, thepheonix!).

It feels like home now. Like family. And I’m so thrilled that we chose to keep the best part of the blog alive because I feel it’s become quite the magical place since its reincarnation.

So go ahead and give Volume 1 a try! It’s currently available on Kindle, Nook, and special edition .pdf. This collection has eight stories previously published on the site, and two (one from both Lisa and I) that are exclusive to this collection.

Hollow Tree Vol 1

So that’s my little history lesson for the day! As part of the blog hop I will be giving away a FREE PDF copy of our collection! This copy is GORGEOUS. So trust me when I say it’s worth your time. All you have to do is comment and let me know what you’d like to see at Hollow Tree. Any themes you’d like to see tackled? Would you be interested in seeing prompts? A write off between Lisa and I? Ha ha. That’d be fun, actually. Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered in the drawing.

And we’re also having  a special giveaway on Friday, if you go to all the posts in the hop and collect keywords from each giveaway post.

My keyword is:

MALCOLM

Head back to the Hollow Tree blog on Friday to enter in that word for a chance to win some special Hollow Tree swag! (It is SO cute!)

And in the meanwhile, add us on Goodreads! Might just get you an extra entry. ;)

Stay tuned for the location of tomorrow’s blog hop post to collect your next clue!

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in author promotion, blogging, giveaway, hollowtree

December 3, 2011

The Day Is Upon Us

By Isabelle

Tales From the Hollow Tree – Volume 1 is now available!

Hollow Tree Vol 1

I am so excited to bring you a collection of the short stories that Lisa and I have been bringing you week after week. This project has been a real labor of love and more than anything has forced us to stretch our creative legs, to write even when we didn’t feel like it, to envision big moments wrapped in tiny packages, and to draw you- the reader- into our worlds in only a few short words, making sure you take that journey with us.

Friday has undoubtedly become my favorite day of the week because of the challenge it poses. Will I be able to come up with something good? Something moving and interesting? Something original and unlike what I’ve done before?

It can certainly be difficult to think outside the box. If you read our blog, you know I’m fond of retellings and fairytales, mostly because I believe every story can be retold in countless different ways. I tend to lean toward the Desolation aspect of our titles, while Lisa is very much full of magic and Enchantment, though every once in a while, we tend to surprise even each other (after all these years, who knew that was possible, right, Lis?)

I’m thrilled about the extra story I have in the collection, one I’ve never posted on Hollow Tree and one that’s never seen the light of day until now.  It came to me while listening to a song that made me stop and think… what if? And aren’t those the magical words every author wants to mutter? What if? Let’s just say the story has a touch of gold. ;) Hint over.

I posted a teeny tiny snippet of it on Twitter and my Facebook Fan Page today (which, if you haven’t checked out, I highly recommend! I post all kinds of sneak peeks and upcoming projects!). But if you haven’t had a chance to visit me there, I’ll post it here as well, for you to enjoy.

She used to whisper to him through the thin rice paper of the room dividers, telling him of the effervescent sunshine or the falling of the leaves. At times, she told the stories in such vivid detail, he could actually feel the cold sting of a snowball in the face, or smell the sweet, floral aroma of the plumeria bush in the garden.

Anyway, we really hope you’ll enjoy it! It’s currently available through Nook, Kindle, and limited edition PDF on our sidebar over at Hollow Tree. For only 0.99 cents, you can’t go wrong.

Whichever your poison, I hope that you’ll get lost in the magic of it all. And if you feel so compelled, drop us a line or leave us a review. Those are like chocolates for authors. They make us happy. :)

Happy Friday, guys! And happy release day!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in author promotion, author support, ebooks, happy friday, hollowtree, release day

November 15, 2011

Who’s That Girl?

By Isabelle

So lately, I have been this crazy whirlwind. Blink and you might miss me! From the moment I wake up to those final moments before I drift off to sleep I am in constant thought/movement. Some days I stop mid-stride and have to gather my thoughts. Wait a sec, where am I going? What am I doing? Oh, right… Those tiny pauses actually help more than you’d think. They make sense of a world that’s spinning pretty quickly.

All of this has left me physically drained, but emotionally fulfilled. I feel like superwoman! Let me break it down for you.

I went back to work at Barnes and Noble at the start of November. If you’ve been following my blog for a while you know that working there is and has always been my crack. Everything about the place makes me happy. The smell of books, coffee, chattering excitedly about the new Hunger Games movie. :) It just rocks, plain and simple. I do my bookselling at night.

In the day I am busy mommy/housewife. I try to make sure the house is clean (since I know it’ll be a wreck by the time I get back home from work), the dishes are done, and that the boy has had at least some exercise (usually in the form of a lightsaber battle or two) and some learning. We read together, we watch Caillou on PBS, and we’ll sometimes break up the routine by hitting the park or the shopping center nearby.

While he naps, I’ll usually busy myself with couponing (which thus far has saved my family at least $300), writing, reading, showering, or occasionally… I’ll pass out for a siesta too. ;) Don’t judge me.

This is on top of socializing with friends on weekends and religious activities and the occasional splurge (karaoke night in NYC at a swanky high heels only club!).

Oh, and did I mention the book I’m releasing with Lisa at Hollow Tree? And the free story I post there every other Friday? (Shameless plug: Check out this past Friday’s story, Primal, a retelling of 12 Dancing Princesses!)

Who’s that girl? Yea, that’s me! *dancing to my theme song*

So if you blink and happen to see a blur sweep by, make sure you wave! I’ll try and return the favor. :-P

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in free read, hollowtree, karaoke rocks, life, random thoughts

October 14, 2011

10 Mins Til

By Isabelle

So if you’re wondering where I’ve been, the answer is quite simple: everywhere and nowhere, all at once.

Truth is, with family life being as hectic as it is, I find it hard to focus on too much at a time. (Example: my son has said “Mommy, look” about six times since I wrote that last sentence- train of thought, gone!). But since May my main focus has been on my health and I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been surprised by the amount of attention and energy it requires to keep myself dedicated and on track. Let me explain.

I took the initiative to join Weight Watchers and do something about my unhappiness with my physical fitness. Partly because I saw THAT picture, the one every person claims to see and just KNOW they didn’t want to look like that ever again, and partly because it was becoming next to impossible to keep up with my very active toddler. I never considered myself ginormous or anything, but eating poorly, sleeping even more poorly, and not taking care of myself was starting to take its toll. Weight Watchers led me to confidence and a feel of having more control over my life. This confidence led to results. Results let to Zumba! And Zumba has led to more results, along with an unquenchable excitement over something I never thought I’d be excited about: exercising.

Eating healthy also led to something else I wasn’t expecting: couponing. Before you roll your eyes, I am not a hoarder ala TLC’s Extreme Couponing. The stuff I buy can actually be put together into well rounded family meals. But so far this month, I managed to save us about $150 on our overall grocery bill, and to get enough stuff to last us into next month. Which as you can imagine takes a surprising amount of time and energy. There is a system in place, labeled folders, dated envelopes, lots of clipping and sorting of coupons, and going to the store at least once a week to take advantage of sales.

So let’s see if I can recap: healthy eating which means meal planning and food diary keeping, exercising at least 3x a week, couponing to afford healthy eating, day job, parenting, housework, and oh yes… writing.

As you can see, writing has been pushed to the very end of that list. :( Boo! Not too thrilled about that. The past few months have been a whirlwind I was really not expecting. So now, I feel like I’m starting from scratch. I have a TBR list that’s meant to light that fire under my bum and get my hands back on the keys. My creative well is dry! But I’m ready. More than ready.

In fact, I miss the worlds I’ve left on paper. I miss the characters and their quirks. Weird how they become so much a part of our consciousness and lives. I’m going to have to wake up early if I want to exercise or stay up late if I want to write but these are the things writers do to fulfill their dreams and quell the voices inside. Once I get a schedule in place, I’ll wonder why I didn’t get organized sooner.

In the meantime, I’m glad that one thing hasn’t suffered. TALES FROM THE HOLLOW TREE has been my beacon of hope all this time. The proof that I am not a lost cause, that I in fact have something to offer the world and myself. And that when given a deadline, I can force myself to work. And you know what? I’ve really enjoyed having that anchor during the madness that has been my life.

Not to mention, there are some seriously exciting things coming for Hollow Tree. I can’t tell you what yet, but trust me when I tell you, it will not disappoint. :)

So, as I’ve written this, the ten minutes have passed, and…

Do you know what today is? Friday!

And do you know what that means? I’ll give you a hint:

FREEBIE FRIDAY at TALES FROM THE HOLLOW TREE

Get thyself over there and read my offering for today: A Perfect Pause.

Happy Friday!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in free read, happy friday, hollowtree, inspiration, life, writing woes, yay im so excited

August 16, 2011

Home Sweet Home

By Isabelle

The funny thing about vacations is that as the last day creeps closer, you start to whine that it’s too soon, that you don’t want to leave. Meanwhile, you come home and wonder how you ever left the comfort and convenience of your home and bed. I do, anyway. :) I came back yesterday after an entire week in the Poconos with my family, wasting days away poolside, playing ping pong, challenging my genius father in law to Scrabble (and losing every time). That was a tough pill to swallow. I’m a writer. Shouldn’t I be good at Scrabble?

The week was also movie heavy, which is kind of nice since I don’t get to do that often. We went and saw Crazy Stupid Love in theaters. It starred Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Kevin Bacon. OMG. See that movie. Seriously. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. I laughed, cried, and developed a new appreciation for family, and friendships, and relationships. I’m also more in love with Ryan Gosling than ever. He’s sexy and suave and somehow also completely charming. Him and Emma Stone on screen were magic. She’s creeping up my faves list rather quickly. She’s just so real. I feel like I might have gone to school with someone like her. Brainy and cute and awkward in all the right ways. Go see.

20110815-091606.jpg

We finally bought Rio for Little Bear. Man, he loves that movie. And I won’t lie… I kinda love it too. I want to buy the soundtrack. I spend hours after it’s done singing the theme song. And LB likes to get down to the Samba beat. Haha. Who knew he was such an impressive dancer?

For rentals, we did The Dilemma and Red Riding Hood. The first movie convinced me that Winona Ryder is inherently evil and that Channing Tatum can play any part you give him, comedy included. He was insane. Haha. The second movie was odd and creepy and actually… Kind of awesome. It was a clever adaptation and while it was more weird than genius, I enjoyed it. Wasn’t sure what to expect from Hardwicke, given the train wreck that was Twilight.

So now I’m back home and doing the dreaded unpacking. But I do have a great little free read up on Hollow Tree called Summer Rain, inspired by the weather we had on the long drive back home and by my listening to Lungs, the Florence + The Machine album on repeat. So go check it out! Make this Monday go down a little easier. ;-)

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in free read, hollowtree, vacation

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.