The Star Dwellers on sale for ONLY $0.99!

For those who have been looking to read The Star Dwellers (the sequel to The Moon Dwellers), it's on sale for ONLY $0.99 from now until July 10th on Kindle and Nook. And don't forget to tell your friends! Here are links:

Buy on Kindle
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Thanks for all your support and HAPPY READING!

First Times: From Skydiving to Getting an Agent

Originally posted on Boricuan Bookworms.

One of the most beautiful things about life is getting to experiencing so many things for the first time. Some first times, like taking your first step or saying your first word, are as much fun for those watching—the proud parents. Other first times get your heart pumping and are almost indescribable, like a first kiss. And the coolest thing of all is that your first times NEVER run out. No matter what age you are, no matter how much you’ve experienced, there are always more out there. There are always more first times for those who are willing to seek them out.

Two of my most memorable first times have come in the last five years, and though they appear very different at first glance, upon closer inspection they’re similar in a lot of ways. Skydiving and getting an agent.

I went skydiving shortly after I moved to Australia. It was a spur of the moment thing. Someone asked me and I was at a stage in my life where I was very open to trying new things. So I said yes.

IT WAS AWESOME! The entire experience was so surreal, from watching those jumping before me just disappear into the oblivion of the sky, to my own jump, which took my breath away and sent my heart screaming into my head. The free fall was thrilling, watching the earth get closer and closer, until the straps of my parachute (thankfully) tugged me back up, where I was able to float lazily toward the beach, where we landed. It was a first I’ll never forget.

Becoming an accountant-turned-author and getting an agent was almost like skydiving. I’m not kidding. When you’ve been on a conservative career path your entire life, and suddenly your wife convinces you to take a risk and quit your well-paying job and focus solely on writing young adult books for a living…that’s as close a feeling to jumping out of a plane as I’ve ever experienced. It’s scary as hell, but thrilling, too. Rewarding in so many ways, but a choice you worry about on almost a daily basis. Can I really make it? Do I really have what it takes?

Thank God for my wife, Adele, having enough backbone for the both of us. Although it was my own will that decided I was brave enough to jump out of a plane, it was Adele that believed in me enough to push me to take my writing career to the next level. And I’m SO GLAD she did!

Like skydiving, the initial parts were 50% exciting/50% frightening—like a free fall. I was selling so few books (of my debut series, The Evolution Trilogy) and watching our savings melt away. But Adele didn’t give up on me and I didn’t give up on myself. I learned from my mistakes, I learned from the successes of others, and I wrote two new series, which eventually became a combined 7-book YA dystopian series, The Dwellers/Country Saga. In its early days, the series sold much better than my debut series, but still not nearly enough to support us. But the reviews were good, I was gaining new readers each day, and I kept working hard. I met many unbelievably generous, kind and energetic readers who eventually became my biggest supporters, and the cornerstone of my Street Team, Estes Angels (you know who you are). Then a miracle happened.

Buzzfeed wrote an article called 15 Series to Read if you Enjoyed The Hunger Games. Suddenly I was getting dozens of e-mails, Tweets, and Facebook messages congratulating me on the article. I clicked into it and scrolled down past 14 bestselling big-published series, including Divergent, The Mortal Instruments, and Graceling, to find The Dwellers Saga as number 15 on the list. It was A MIRACLE. From there, sales ramped up until I was selling more than 1,000 books a month. An agent contacted me, and within a week I had a contract for representation. There have been film option inquiries (for The Moon Dwellers), although none of them have panned out so far. I’ve now sold more than 22,000 books in the last 18 months or so. And all because I stepped out of the metaphorical plane that was my safe career as an accountant.

All of the firsts I’ve experienced over the last five years have been special. ALL of them, even the not-so good ones, like my first 1-star review. Good or bad, all firsts are important, because they mold who we are and who we become. It’s up to us whether our firsts will make us better and stronger, or break us. We decide.

Although my agent and I are still seeking the elusive major publishing deal for a few of my new projects, I know it will come with time. If I work hard enough and am patient enough and always seek to do right by my incredibly supportive readers, my parachute will always open and I’ll be able to experience yet another beautiful first in my life. So here’s to firsts, my friends. Don’t be scared of them, appreciate them!

The Hunt For Tomorrow- STOP #19

The Moon Dwellers

By David Estes

In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms. 

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents' crimes of treason.

Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life.

When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past.

In their world, someone must die.

QUESTION:

Adele, a moon dweller, is being hunted by a killing machine working for the President of the Tri-Realms. Who is the President’s son?

BONUS:

E-mail me at davidestesbooks(at)gmail(dot)com and receive a free ebook of Fire Country, the first book in a Dwellers Saga sister series! (epub, mobi, and pdf available)

Go to Stop #20

The Hunt For Tomorrow is HERE!

 

THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW

22 AUTHORS.

3 DYSTOPIAN BOXED SETS.

1 MASSIVE EVENT.

A virtual scavenger hunt through twenty-two fictional dystopias. Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm _(EST) - Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm _(EST). Join THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW, an on-line scavenger hunt, and embark on a virtual odyssey through twenty-two dystopian futures. Become an intrepid scavenger and solve clues at each of the dystopian author stops as you navigate your way to the finish line where you’ll be entered into a random draw for the Grand Prize. For each correct answer collected along the way you’ll get an additional chance to win. During The Hunt, the authors will offer up their own exclusive material, sneak peeks, contests, and giveaways at their individual stops on The Hunt, giving all scavengers multiple chances to win bonus prizes. The twenty-two participating indie authors include best-selling, award-winning and emerging writers from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom who all have books included in three dystopian boxed sets - - What Tomorrow May Bring, A Taste Of Tomorrow, and Shattered Worlds. In a unique collaboration of story-telling, nineteen of the authors will write a progressive short story over nineteen days following The Hunt. The Grand Prize Winner of The Hunt For Tomorrow will name characters and contribute the title for this dystopian world, and all participants in The Hunt will receive an advance copy of the story for an exclusive period before it is made available as a free download. The Grand Prize also includes a signed copy of books included in the boxed sets, an ebook of all the boxed sets, and the first copy of this one-of-a-kind progressive story. THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW begins at http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com on Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm _(EST) and ends on Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm _(EST). The Hunt is on for one weekend only, although there is no time-limit for completing the course. The Hunt is open to scavengers around the world; there is no cost to enter and one grand prize winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries.


Go to THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW for details and the full list of participating authors. JOIN THE HUNT. JULY 18-20.  

     
Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/20/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fire Country is $0.99 June 2-5!

My fan-favorite YA dystopian novel, Fire Country, the first book in the Country Saga, is ONLY $0.99 on Kindle and Nook from June 2-5!!  On those dates, you may download the ebook on Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com for ONLY $0.99!

Download from Amazon HERE
Download from Nook HERE

Check out what three other bestselling authors said about Fire Country:
"Exciting Post-Apocalyptic Tale...world building is rich, detailed, and believable. Readers who enjoyed Blood Red Road by Moira Young will absolutely love this book!"- Mike Mullin, bestselling author of ASHFALL

"Fire Country is a fast, fierce read. You will root for the protagonist, Siena, and her story will rake you across the coals. I will be keeping an eye on David Estes. You should too!" -Emmy Laybourne, bestselling author of MONUMENT 14

“Strong world building and vivid characters make Fire Country stand out from other post-apocalyptic YA novels. Young Siena is spunky and believable, and readers will pull for her to escape the clutches of her father and the dystopian society in which she lives.”- Rysa Walker, bestselling author of TIMEBOUND

The Synopsis:
In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer's even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life's hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

ENJOY!

I hope you all enjoy the Dwellers/Country Sagas, I poured my heart and soul into this 7-book young adult dystopian series, and I'm so glad it's complete so the entire story can be shared with you!

And if you enjoy my books, I'd really appreciate reviews on Amazon.com, they are so important to the success of my books, and allow me to do what I love for a living!

And please share the news with your friends on e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, and anywhere else you connect with people!

Thanks for all your INCREDIBLE support!!

HAWAII and my NEW BOOK!

As many of you know, the last few months have been a whirlwind for my wife and I, as our two-year trip around the world finally ended *sob* *gasp* *sob* But it's really nothing to cry about, because we made the decision to settle down in Hawaii! Four years ago, when I first started seriously writing, the thought of being a fulltime writer and moving to Hawaii would've sounded impossible, but now, because of the support of my INCREDIBLE readers, a couple of my dreams have come true. My beautiful wife (and editor), Adele, has also always wanted to live in Hawaii, so it's been an amazing experience for her, too. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

So what have I been up to? Well, at first it was mostly mundane stuff like getting a Hawaii driver's license and finding a place to stay, but lately we've really been able to take advantage of the laid back Hawaii lifestyle. We try to hit the beach as often as possible, here is the first selfie I took from Waikiki, where we swim and read and enjoy the beautiful weather here.

We've also both settled into a good routine. We work in the morning, enjoy the day in the afternoon, usually go do some exercise before dinner. The pic below is from the outdoor gym I use to do pull-ups, push-ups and dips, that sort of thing. I swear the rainbow isn't photo-shopped, they're everywhere!

I've also had some time to sign books, and I'm in the process of donating some to the Hawaiian library system. For those who have been asking about when signed books will be available again, it will be later this summer, perhaps July or August! Finally, I was lucky enough to be able to participate in an incredible charity event (Saint Baldrick's Foundation) to raise money for children's cancer. Here's me getting my head shaved as part of the event!



Although I haven't yet published a book in 2014, it won't be long now! The ebook of my 15th novel and the 1st of 2014 will be out on June 16th on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords, with iBooks, Kobo and everywhere else following shortly after. The paperback will be available on Amazon.com on June 16th too. The book is called SLIP and is a YA dystopian novel that focuses on population control. Here's the synopsis:

Someone must die before another can be born...

As sea levels rise and livable landmasses shrink, the Reorganized United States of America has instituted population control measures to ensure there are sufficient resources and food to sustain the growing population. Birth authorization must be paid for and obtained prior to having a child. Someone must die before another can be born, keeping the country in a population neutral position at what experts consider to be the optimal population. The new laws are enforced by a ruthless government organization known as Pop Con, responsible for terminating any children resulting from unauthorized births, and any illegals who manage to survive past their second birthday, at which point they are designated a national security threat and given the name Slip.

But what if one child slipped through the cracks? What if someone knew all the loopholes and how to exploit them? Would it change anything? Would the delicate resource balance be thrown into a tailspin, threatening the lives of everyone?

And how far would the government go to find and terminate the Slip?

In a gripping story of a family torn apart by a single choice, Slip is a reminder of the sanctity of a single life and the value of the lives we so often take for granted.

ADD SLIP to your Goodreads Want-To-Read list by clicking HERE
My agent and I are also currently seeking a publisher for another of my novels, a YA post-apocalyptic fantasy called Brew. You can check it out HERE.
So I've got a ton more awesome stuff planned for the rest of 2014! I hope you all enjoy what I come up with, and once again, thanks for all your support and word-of-mouth advertising, I couldn't do what I LOVE without each and every one of you behind me!

Writing, Travelling, and Inspiration

Originally posted on Sab the Book Eater.

For those of you who don’t know my story, my wife, Adele, and I left our jobs 23 months ago to travel the world while I write young adult books. Over the course of almost two years, we’ve visited more than a dozen countries on six continents, and I’ve written and published seven young adult dystopian books (The Dwellers/Country Sagas). The trip, as well as transitioning into life as a fulltime writer, has been an absolute dream come true, and I owe everything to the incredible support of my readers and bloggers around the world!

So what has it been like? In a word, surreal. I never thought I’d be able to make a living writing—and I never in a million years thought I’d be able to travel around the world for two years. It’s like combining the two coolest things I could think of. At the same time, it’s somewhat challenging writing while travelling. For one, we’re always in these unbelievably awesome places, and I have to do my best to stick to a strict writing schedule to ensure my writing doesn’t start taking a back seat to sightseeing. Generally, I write in the morning, from 8am-12am, and average three to four thousand words per day, which has allowed me to publish a new book every two to three months. After my morning writing session, Adele and I have lunch together and then go sightseeing, hit whatever beach we’re near, or go for a hike. To save money, we usually stay in places that have a kitchen, so we can cook dinner rather than having to eat out. Adele usually cooks so that I can sneak in some more work in the evening (usually reader mail, promotional activities, and social networking). We eat, I do the dishes, and then we unwind by watching TV. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect daily routine!

The other challenge is living out of a suitcase and moving around a lot. It’s hard to feel composed and settled enough to get into a writing routine when you’re always on the go. Adele, who books all our travel, has been awesome in helping me with this challenge. For the most part, she’s managed to give us at least three to four weeks in each place, so we can unpack and feel more settled. That gives us more time to spread the sightseeing over weeks instead of days, thus allowing me to write each and every day. Although it means we haven’t been able to see as many places over the course of two years, it’s been the perfect balance for my career and getting the most out of our trip.

Other than those couple of challenges, writing while travelling has been the ultimate way to get inspired. Seeing all different types of people, cultures, landscapes, sunsets, climates, and languages keeps the creative juices flowing. I’m constantly pulling out my iPhone to take notes because something I see inspires me or gives me a new idea for a book, a plotline, or a character. I firmly believe that much of my recent success is tied to the inspiration gleaned while writing on this once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Although our travels have generally inspired all of my books in some way, shape, or form, Fire Country in particular came from our travels. We were in Mexico (part of a four month jaunt around the Yucatan Peninsula) and I was working on my most popular series, The Dwellers Saga, when a character started speaking in my head. Her name was Siena, and she had an exceptionally strong voice with a slangy accent and funny way of speaking. I immediately pictured her with brown skin and living in an exceptionally hot climate with lizards scurrying through the dust, slaloming around cacti. For that day, I stopped worrying about my word count on The Dwellers Saga, and put it aside to take some notes from Siena’s voice in my head. In a single morning, the entire world of Fire Country was born! The parallels to the hot, dusty climate of Mexico are definitely evident in Fire Country. There’s no doubt in my mind that seeing lizards and cacti, being in a hot-weather environment, and interacting with the Mexican people, with their brown skin, great sense of humor, and strong accents, led to Siena appearing out of nowhere. I firmly believe that Fire Country, and what would later become The Country Saga, would never have entered my mind if we hadn’t been living in Mexico for a third of a year. I owe SO MUCH to our trip!

Even though our trip is finally at an end, the memories captured in my mind, in the pages of my books, and in the beautiful photographs that Adele and I took, will last for the rest of our lives. Now that we've settled in Hawaii (Oahu), it’s a new chapter in our lives and another set of experiences to look forward to!

Advice for my younger self

Originally posted on Dark Obsession Chronicles.

I often think about my past and what I would change if I could do it all again. Living with any sense of regret probably isn’t the healthiest thing, but I think learning from mistakes IS important, particularly when you can pass that advice on to the next generation.

So if I could hop in the Delorian or some other time travel machine and have a Pepsi with my sixteen-year-old self, what would advice would I give him?

Well, besides slipping him a list of sports teams to bet on and lottery numbers to play, the first and most important thing I’d say is: Follow. Your. Heart. Although there’s a lot that can be said about making smart decisions and using your brain to make them, I personally believe that life is too short to be pragmatic all the time. Sometimes what seems like the smart decision, is really just the easy one and it won’t lead you to true happiness. For me, I went into accounting because I was reasonably good at it and I was pretty much guaranteed a decent-paying job after I graduated from college. I even stuck with it for 7 years! But was I ever really happy in that job? No. I made some good friends, saved a bit of money, and was able to move to Australia because of it though, so I don’t regret any of it, but I could have been doing something I loved all those years…writing books.

The next thing I would say is: If it doesn’t feel right it’s probably not right. That might come across as rather cryptic, but if interpreted correctly, would save him a lot of pain in the future. That being said, I wouldn’t want my younger self to avoid all the mistakes I made, as sometimes it’s our mistakes that allow us to grow the most and become a better version of ourselves.

Finally, I would tell teenager David Estes to enjoy every moment. The years pass by in a flash, and it’s the small moments in our lives that we regret not having appreciated at the time. Enjoy those moments when they’re happening, not ten years down the line when you wish you could do it all over again. Laugh more. Argue less. Count your blessings.

Although I still consider myself young at 33 years old (don’t you dare say I’m not!), to anyone younger out there who’s trying to find your way in life, I’d say to enjoy life NOW. Don’t always be looking ahead to a time you think will be better, like retirement. Love your high school years, love your college years, and love your adult lives. Every stage of your life, even the ones that feel the most awkward, are worth living to the fullest and equally important. Be yourself and don’t let anyone tell you you’re not special, because you are. Dream big and fight for what you believe in. Treat others with kindness and pay kindness paid to you forward to others who need it. Love with all your heart and don’t be afraid to let it be broken sometimes. It will heal and it will become stronger. Love you for you, and don’t try to remake yourself to satisfy someone else. Be you. Perfectly imperfect.

Now if I could just follow all my own advice, I could be the happiest man alive! In any case, we’re all human and we’re all connected and trying to live our lives as best as we can. And if we fail, we’re always allowed to get back up, even if we need someone to pull us from the front and push us from behind.