October 2016 already?!

I can't believe the time has gone by again SO quickly. Last year, I remember thinking that 2015 was a blur, but 2016 is like an afterthought!

Saying this, my life has changed a lot and I am constantly trying to balance what I do so that I am happy and my family is settled!

Writing took up too much of my time. It engulfed my every thought, and the need to keep up-to-date with social media to see sales, comments, etc, became an obsession. Yet, there has never been a more exciting time to be a writer.

Now, both paperbacks and kindle books are sought after. There are so many ways to get your words heard. And recently, I saw an online friend of mine get incredible success with her debut novel, SAVING SOFIE, which I read and enjoyed immensely.

Amazing to think that I published her short story first via a fundraising anthology! To read some of the author's earlier work download her short story collection and our anthologies... Amazon link

Read my review of Saving Sofie via GOODREADS

This gives hope to all aspiring writers. Just write your bestseller and submit. You never know - yours could be the next big read!

I have to complete my novel - a labour of love which has truly caused me to reflect on my life, the past, and the events that have shaped the world.

But, until my writing muse visits me again I head back to the world of mathematics! I am actually enjoying teaching A level and am shocked that I actually remember it after so many years. I can only strive to do my best, as we all should...

This weekend I was struck down by the dreaded winter flu... but, I managed to read again and devoured 5 books! Sometimes, it is easy to forget the power of a great story.

Keep reading & writing everyone,

Vanessa

p.s. If you have not read my work yet, please click on the links on this blog. 3 of my books are now free. I wrote them so they might as well be shared.

London Trip

For my next book, I am going to HAVE (I know... such a sacrifice) to do research in London.

I am going with my son tomorrow and my schedule is now sorted!

We are visiting the London Dungeon, Tate British, British Museum, Firepower, Cutty Sark, Maritime Museum, Science Museum, V & A, AND are going to watch The Mousetrap.

I'll let you know if I actually manage to fit it all in...

Really excited now since all the pieces are beginning to fit together nicely. Hopefully, I will be able to crack on with writing the book and finish it sometime in this century! HA!

Hope you are all keeping well,

Vanessa

WOW... over 30,000 views!

Okay, so let me just say that this is amazing... (at least for me it anyway). As of this precise moment my blog has had 30,614 views!

(MASSIVE clunking sound as my jaw drops to the ground........)

Right!

So, firstly, thanks a lot for visiting my humble site.

When I started this blog back in 2012 I had no idea what I was doing, what I was doing it for, and frankly, doubted if anyone cared.

A blog was a way to vent about stuff, promote my books, post lovely pictures of things I did with the kids, my baking, cooking, etc. I'm amazed I actually got any book writing done when I look back and see what I did. You should read this post as a summary => HAPPY TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY, HYBRID. (My Evolution Trilogy blog has already amassed over 15,000 views, which is FABULOUS!)

Recently, I have been finding writing tough. Mainly because of my new work in progress...

When I finished the trilogy, I SAID I was going to work on something easy.

The trilogy had been incredibly tough as my first ever writing project. Without a publisher, I had to ask my super friends for help in reviewing the novels, but ultimately I made most of the big decisions. If you hate it, I'm sorry you feel that way. But, I did not write it to fit a niche market, or satisfy anyone in particular. I wrote it for myself. The ending is the ending I wanted, the one that left me smiling. It's not what everyone wants, but that's life - nothing is ever perfect!

So, moving on... my next project (and I have written over 20,000 words so far - early days...) is HUGE. I had no idea what I had let myself in for when I decided to write the story.

In a nutshell, I am writing a historical fiction novel based on the life of my great, great grandparents.

My father wrote several articles in the Gibraltar Heritage Magazine, one of which made me cry, and I knew this was what I wanted to write about. I was (AM) naive and foolish! I do not have a history degree, or even GCSE for that matter... so I am doing all the research myself and there is heaps of it to read. All fascinating of course, since it is the rich Victorian era, but writing about it is tough. Most of my time is spent researching, then writing.

I am keeping tabs on the various sites I come across so that readers can visit and discover this amazing world, outside of fiction. A lot of the information is shocking to say the least. The human story behind a lot of things we take for granted is something I want to flesh out. People have been the same for thousands of years. The only thing that changes is what we do with our time.

Fortunately, my great, great grandfather wrote many letters and luckily I have copies. These have helped me piece together their story. But, a lot will be fiction... my imagination is running wild again!

I hope to keep you posted on my book as I go, but I know it'll take a while to do the period and characters justice. Please bear with me.

Anyway, thank you for reading & I hope whatever projects you are involved in go to plan!

All the best,
Vanessa :) xx

P.S.
HYBRID is permanently free - so tell your friends about it, download, & (whispers) please review?
Visit my blog for the links => THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY