#alexisdaria

[ladyazulina]

Dear writer, Why do you write? Maybe you write because you have a story inside you that needs to come out. Maybe you have something to say, characters who pull at your imagination or themes that speak to your heart. You might have whole worlds existing in your mind that need an outlet, and that outlet is the page. But when current events feel overwhelming, it can be hard to remember why we write, and why writing stories is important work. After all, we’re just sitting in front of a computer—or whatever your writing instrument of choice is—writing a book. About fake people. We’re playing pretend on the page. How does that help anyone? How does that make a difference? Why does it matter? The truth is, stories do matter. They matter a great deal, especially when there is still so much work to do to get to where we want to be. Here’s why. Stories let us know we’re not alone. They reflect ourselves back to us. They let us compare and contrast ourselves to the characters, giving us the opportunity to imagine how we would handle the situation and therefore learn something about ourselves. They show us characters in peril, in love, in deep despair, and let us know that what we think and feel is not just okay, but universal. Stories make us feel seen and heard. They entertain us and allow us to escape. They can make us feel hope again. They make us feel, at times when it seems easier to shut down. There is power in story. Stories bridge incredible distances. They bring us closer together. They take us out of our bubbles and help us understand the needs and experiences of others. They remind us that we’re all in this together. Sometimes I forget this. After a year like 2020, it’s hard to remember why all these hours I spend alone at my desk matter in the grand scheme of things. But at a time when the United States government commits human rights violations against Latinx families at the southern border (and additional atrocities toward other marginalized groups), it feels like a radical act to write stories where Latinx characters find love, success, and self-acceptance on their own terms. This is my answer to why I write. And even if no one else reads it (and no one has read any of my 2004 – 2015 NaNo projects), it is worthwhile for my own well-being to commit this narrative into words. Illustrated text: "Stories can heal. And we are in desperate need of healing..." - Alexis Daria Image by Sandra Moore. Because stories provide another function I didn’t mention above: Stories can heal. And we are in desperate need of healing right now. When the writing gets hard, or when it all feels like too much, remember why you write, and that there is value in what you’re doing. Stories matter. Your story matters. It’s time to write it down.

Pep Talk from author Alexis Daria, NaNoWriMo.

https://nanowrimo.org/pep-talk-from-alexis-daria

[wifeofhalloween]

My book haul for the week. Thank you to Renee at @booksonb and the beautiful @haywardlibrary for giving me places to travel safely from my couch. #bookstagram #luisvaldez #lianemoriarty #elizabethkostova #sirarthurconandoyle #kristinhannah #silviamorenogarcia #joehill #alexisdaria #raybradbury #reading #hispanicheritagemonth https://www.instagram.com/p/CUBRzDRvRYf/?utm_medium=tumblr

[intenselypassionatephotography]

Such an amazing book 😌 thank you @alexisdaria for this great read . . . #IntenselyPassionatePhotography #iphonexs #potd #dametraveler #adventurer #snapseed #aviary #photooftheday #potd #redwine #wildwanderlost #igersofnj #bookworm #booknerd #belletrist #wino #alexisdaria #youhadmeathola #mojaverainwine https://www.instagram.com/p/CMlD9hYDxjg/?igshid=140sdkh2jluet

[geekiemind]

Happy Thursday!!!! . . Hoping everyone's week is starting to wrap up. Definitely excited for tomorrow to join @ielatinxbookychismeclub for a discussion on 'You Had Me At Hola by @alexisdaria . Can't wait meet up with everyone tomorrow. Finishing up a second read to refresh the old noggin. • • • • • #thursday #book #jueves #bookstagram #books #instadaily #goodday #beautiful #read #photooftheday #instagood #youhadmeathola #alexisdaria #alexis #daria #bookdiscussion (at Denver, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLug2yhgiZ2/?igshid=2zgaah21gyid

[readergal]

𝐻𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑦 𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦! · · · 𝐼 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑒. 𝐴𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑎 𝑔𝑜? 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠? · · · #bookpost #mondayvibes #youhadmeathola #alexisdaria #fiction #latinx #hispanicheritagemonth #latinxheritagemonth #bookworm #instabook #audiobook #audiobookstagram #igreads #sunflower https://www.instagram.com/p/CFHvMxsA5LX/?igshid=1hptv04odr5gw

[thebookdragon217]

Ever received a book and you literally happy squealed? I've been saying I wanted to start reading some rom-coms and when I saw this one was coming out, my little Puerto Rican heart melted. I wanted to read this one because from the synopsis alone, I knew I would find so many parts of myself within the pages. Growing up latinx you are exposed to so many standards of beauty and femininity. I never saw myself on telenovelas and when I did they were always in subservient roles. I'm curious to see what representation looks like in this book and what nostalgia will be evoked. Thank you so much for sharing the love @melannrosenthal 🤗🤗. QOTD: What BIPOC rom com do you recommend? #representationmatters #latinxreader #readlatinxstories #ownvoicesbooks #readcarribbean #dignidadliteraria #booksandflowers #bookstagram #bookphotos #booksandgardens #takebooksoutside #bookwormforlife #youhadmeathola #alexisdaria #book #latinx #romcom #diversespines #bookdragon #booklover #bibliophile (at Bushwick) https://www.instagram.com/p/CECcBVPgRmu/?igshid=ln1boz0lhm54

[josjournal]

Went on a trip the last couple of days and got a few books from two really great bookstores. Bought @betties_pages : Estranged: The Changeling King by @ethanmaldridge (For my youngest - Emma - who went on the trip with me) The Girl from the Sea by @molly_ostertag (for Emma) The Legend of Brightblade by @ethanmaldridge (for Emma) The Witch Boy by @molly_ostertag (for Emma) You Had me at Hola by @alexisdaria (for me and my oldest - Andie) Eight Perfect Hours by @lialouisauthor Gray Hair Don’t Care by @karenbbooth All the Feels by Olivia Dade Murder at Pirate’s Cove by @josh__lanyon (Which I read, loved and am ordering the rest of the series ASAP) Murder at the Book Club by Betsy Reavley Seven Year Witch by @angela.m.sanders Second Photo are books purchased @epiloguebooks (We met @tommythebookstoredog but didn’t get any photos) The Cardboard Kingdom and The Cardboard Kingdom 2: The Roar of the Beast by @chadsell01 (For Emma) The Okay Witch and The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow by @emsteinkellner (for Emma) Fiona and Jane by @jeanho66 New Kid and Class Act by @jerrycraft Clap when you Land by @acevedowrites Local Woman Missing by @marykubica Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe So excited to read all of these and ignore all of my other books glaring at me with impatience. #bookstagram #bookhaul #bookaholic #bettiespages #epiloguebooks #graphicnovels #cozymysteries #romcombooks #lgbtqbooks #myhappyplace https://www.instagram.com/p/Ceo3LqPAWPd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[nanowrimo]

Pro Tips from a NaNo Coach: The Care and Feeding of You and Your Novel

NaNoWriMo can seem like a daunting task sometimes, for NaNo newbies and veterans alike. Fortunately, our NaNo Coaches are here to help guide you through November! Today, author Alexis Daria is here to share her advice on how to take care of yourself while you’re writing:

Welcome to Week 1 of NaNoWriMo! You’ve done it—you’ve declared your novel, maybe you’ve done some NaNoPrep, or some laundry to help you write by the seat of your pants all month, made some writing buddies, and now you’ve started getting words down. 

Congratulations! You are now one step further than most people who say they want to write a novel. The reality is, most people say they want to write but never do. Starting is the hardest part—the activation energy required can be tremendous—so whether this is your first attempt or your 20th (Happy anniversary, NaNoWriMo!), I salute you. 

Week 1 is marked by enthusiasm and excitement. Your mind whirls with inspiration. Your outline seems impervious to plot holes. You are on your way!

So let’s talk about how you maintain this momentum throughout the month. Writing advice seems to fall into two main categories: writing craft and writing life. However, I would argue that we can’t approach craft without also looking at how we take care of ourselves as creatives. 

Before we discuss maintaining our own momentum, let’s talk about how to keep moving forward with your novel. If you find yourself feeling stuck, here are a few story tips you could try:

1. Raise the stakes. 

What happens if your character fails at reaching their goal? If the answer is “nothing,” you want to raise the stakes. Why is success important to them? Not every story needs to be life or death—it could just be the emotional stakes that are high.

2. Increase the sense of urgency. 

How? Give your characters a deadline of some sort. It doesn’t even have to be an overall story-level deadline. Whatever their current scene goal is, see if you can add a ticking clock. Maybe they’re going to the bank—but they have to get there before it closes! Will they make it in time? Now we have tension.

3. Ask WHY. 

Focus on your character’s why. Why are they doing what they’re doing? Why do they want what they want? Dig into their past, their psyche. They lived a whole life before they showed up on your first page—use their past experiences to drive them through the story you’re telling now.

However, when we hit snags in our own lives, the writing stalls out, too. So let’s take a look at some ways we can maintain our own inner momentum:

1. Don’t ignore the basics. 

Eat, sleep, drink water. It can be very tempting to let these fall by the wayside as you try to carve out time for writing, but I promise, if you maintain your basic needs, the writing will come easier. 

2. No writer is an island. 

Yes, much of the act of writing happens in solitude. But in between those long stretches of isolation, reach out to your writing buddies for motivation, especially if you feel stuck. Ask if you can talk out a story problem with them—and then return the favor. Attend an in-person write-in or join @NaNoWordSprints on Twitter, which runs all month long. The beauty of NaNoWriMo is the community—make the most of it!

3. Keep a writing journal. 

Every day, I write a short entry in my Scrivener doc about how the writing went. Some days I whine about the struggle, other days I’m pleasantly surprised by the creative flow. I find it helpful to be able to go back and see not just how many words I wrote per day, but how I was feeling and what else was going on in my life.

4. Keep what works and scrap the rest. 

There’s a ton of writing advice out there (like this blog post), but I always recommend you take what works for you and discard the rest. For example, “write every day” is a common adage, but you might have a day job that doesn’t leave much time for creativity during the week. Don’t despair! Many writers are Weekend Warriors. Carve out a block of writing time on the weekends and do what you have to do to keep other obligations from interfering. 

Don’t like write-ins? You don’t have to go. Don’t like word sprints? You don’t have to do them. Don’t overwhelm yourself by feeling like you need to do everything this month. Certainly be open to trying new things to see if you do like them, but don’t feel like you have to. There are no “rules,” and you’re not receiving a grade on this. Do what’s best for you. The real goal of NaNoWriMo is to support and foster your creativity and growth. If you spend any time at all exploring your creativity this month, I count that as a win!

One last note: 50,000-words might be the “goal,” but you haven’t “lost” or “failed” if you don’t reach that marker in one month. The number might seem scary or unattainable, but don’t let it stop you from trying to write something. Just write. Use the momentum and structure of NaNo to your benefit. Go easy on yourself and stay flexible in your process. And then see what you end up with on December 1st. I bet you’ll surprise yourself. 

Alexis Daria is an award-winning contemporary romance author, former artist, and native New Yorker. Her debut, TAKE THE LEAD, was a 2018 RITA® Award winner for “Best First Book” and was named one of the Best Romance Novels of 2017 by The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly. She loves social media, and you can find her live-tweeting her favorite TV shows at @alexisdaria.

[pagingserenity]

QTOD: What's the last book you hauled?⁣ ⁣ I broke my book buying ban last month and bought 5 new books. 🙈 In my defense, a lot of stores were running really good sales during / around Black Friday and it was so hard to resist. I got a good deal and got to use some of my gift cards so I didn't end up paying anything out of pocket. AND I somehow managed to stay under the budget I set at the beginning of the year.⁣ ⁣ But just barely. I only have enough left to go book shopping at DollarTree.⁣ ⁣ As a result, #YouHadMeAtHola is one of the last books I'll be hauling this year. I really wanted to read it when it first came out, but I don't think that's in the cards right now. I am surprisingly not in the mood for a rom-com. 🤷🏻‍♀️⁣ ⁣ Where do you buy most of your books from?⁣ ⁣ —⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ ⚔ challenges⁣ ⁣ #BookBookOwlFestivities [I saw mummy kissing santa claus (cute couple)]⁣ ⁣ #BooksOfDec20 [beautiful]⁣ ⁣ #StarsInTheDark [wrapped in red]⁣ ⁣ #signedbooksundays [merry reds]⁣ ⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #AlexisDaria #instaread #instabooks #booktography #readinggoals #unitedbookstagram #readingismagic #bookwormsunite #bookishphotography #bookaesthetics #loveofreading #bookishgram https://instagr.am/p/CJCSsq7A1Ug/

[astoldbytina]

*waves* remember me? Well my life has been hella crazy these past couple months so I’ve been MIA. I’ve mainly been reading but not reviewing. But I’m changing that in October or at least that’s my goal. These are Two of my #currentlyreading have you heard of any of these? They release in October. #book #books #bookish #books📚 #bibliophile #bookblog #bookworm #bookworms #booklover #booklove #takethelead #alexisdaria #echoafterecho #amyrosecapetta #amreading #igreads #reading

[princessalethea]

Princess Alethea and Princess Alexis! ✨👑✨ #rwa17 #smpauthors #alexisdaria #aletheakontis

[serataino]

Just a few of the holiday books that get me in the spirit: Amor, Actually The Lights on Knockbridge Lane Just for the Holidays Twelve Dates of Christmas #AmorActually #LatinxRom #latinxromance #thelightsonknockbridgelane #justfortheholidays #twelvedatesofchristmas #newrelease #bookstagram #holidayromance #anthology #latinxinpublishing #readromance #instabooks #romancereads #booklove #romancereadersofinstagram #readersofinsta #romancenovels #bookloversofinstagram #romcombooks #romcoms #PriscillaOliveras #prisoliveras #miasosa #alexisdaria #adrianaherrera #sabrinasol #zoeycastile #dianamuñozstewart

[stacyalesi]

A LOT LIKE ADIOS by Alexis Daria

New #bookreview: A LOT LIKE ADIOS by Alexis Daria, the fabulous sequel to You Had Me at Hola! This is a #mustread @alexisdaria @avonbooks @HarperCollins #readAvon #steamyromance #romance #ownvoices #latinx #amreadingromance #newrelease

CLICK TO PURCHASE From the publisher: The national bestselling author of You Had Me at Hola returns with a seductive second-chance romance about a commitment-phobic Latina and her childhood best friend who has finally returned home. Hi Mich. It’s Gabe. After burning out in her corporate marketing career, Michelle Amato has built a thriving freelance business as a graphic designer. So what if…

[atumbleamongthepages]

New Release: A Lot Like Adios, by @AlexisDaria

New Release: A Lot Like Adios, by @AlexisDaria

Hi Mich. It’s Gabe. After burning out in her corporate marketing career, Michelle Amato has built a thriving freelance business as a graphic designer. So what if her love life is nonexistent? She’s perfectly fine being the black sheep of her marriage-obsessed Puerto Rican-Italian family. Besides, the only guy who ever made her want happily-ever-after disappeared thirteen years ago. It’s been a…

[georgiamoorewriter]

July reading wrap-up! Had to spread the covers out over two tiles. Can you tell I’ve been in lockdown the entire month? . 🏃‍♀️Acting on Impulse @miasosaromance 🔨Butterface @averyflynn 🐝Honeybee @craigsilveyauthor 🍦How to Fail at Flirting  @nicwillwrites 🤍Ocean Light, Wolf Rain, Alpha Night, Last Guard @authornalinisingh 🏉Playing it Cool, Playing the Player @amyandrewsbooks 📚The Alice Equation @davinastone_ 🪐The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, Becky Chambers 🔪Too Hot to Handle @tessabaileyisanauthor 🛏Wallbanger @authoraliceclayton 📽You Had me at Hola @alexisdaria . https://www.instagram.com/p/CSBKqf2n5Ui/?utm_medium=tumblr

[theheartofabookblogger]

What’s a book you bought because of the cover? • • I won’t lie, the gorgeous cover for YOU HAD ME AT HOLA totally made me want to buy the book! This sizzling romance novel was so fun to read. I loved how it took place on set of a bilingual romcom show and really put a spotlight on Latinx representation within media/Hollywood. This book is perfect for fans of Jane the Virgin! • • • #youhadmeathola #alexisdaria #readavon #avonbooks #romancenovels #romancebooks #romancelandia #romancereader #romancebookstagram #readromance #ireadromance #readingromance #romancestagram #booksandflowers #prettybooks #bookobsessed #coverlove #booksbooksbooks #booksconnectus #latinxbooks #weneeddiversebooks #diversebooks #diversereads #ownvoicesbooks #latinxromance #ireaddiversebooks #weneeddiverseauthors