HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE...

I think VD is a touchy subject for a lot of people. Basically, if you don't have a date or partner you resent having it rubbed in your nose - I certainly did when I was single! And if you are in a relationship/ married, you might resent having to go and buy something just BECAUSE everyone tells you to.

But, I look at this philosophically.

We all need to earn a living. And so, if on one day restaurants can create a "warm and loving" environment, retailers can offload some "tasteful" stock, authors can flog a bunch of "romantic" stories, and people are allowed to say "I LOVE YOU" without someone thinking they want something... then, why not?

Of course, this is based on the stuff on offer being up to scratch.

Many, many years ago... B.C. (before children) my now husband and I decided to go out for a meal on VD. We had not booked, which was a fatal mistake! We cruised around the restaurants, found the balloons cheesy, and the menu's over-priced, and decided (because we are both of the prudent type - i.e. skinflints!) to go and make something nice at home instead. So, yes I ended up cooking, but we had a lovely meal, watched a soppy DVD and then... had a lovely evening :0)

JOB DONE!

The point is, its a day to spend some time together, stop and say how you feel.

So, yes I have actually got my husband a great VD present this year, and a romantic card and I have no idea what we are doing tonight (probably not much in this weather) BUT, I plan to remember why I love him... and that's what I suggest to you.

Whether in a relationship or not, tell someone you love them today!

However, if you're not bothered about VD AT ALL, then why not do something good, support a great cause and buy this charity anthology which I published last year? It features lots of lovely authors and has a few cynical stories to boot. Go on, you know you want to...

 LOVE IS IN THE AIR #Amazon US UK 

OR.... you can have three short stories I wrote for under a £1!
FIRST DATE (Love & Regrets)

OR, if you want something with a bit of a kick and CHEAP, i.e. FREE, then read my debut novel, HYBRID
Either way, don't look outside (if like me you are staring at doom & gloom), lose yourself in a book, and use those three precious words.

I LOVE YOU...

Have a great weekend!

Vanessa :) xx

A Very Literary Pop-Up!

Daisy White

Today I have the privilege of welcoming Daisy White to my blog...

Daisy White is a literary entrepreneur/ writer. she lives on the South Coast, near Brighton, and she loves 1920's hats!

She is the owner of Daisy White's Booktique. Read on to find out more...

Daisy White’s Booktique started life as a market stall with just six brave authors showcasing their books to the public (in the rain!) and has now grown to over 100 authors and publishers. 

Original authors included Vanessa Wester, Charlie Plunkett and Mick Oakey, who were quick to spot a marketing opportunity and have supported the venture all the way. Hogs Back Books, the Guildford based publisher has supplied childrens books of the highest quality since day one, and are one of our bestsellers.

Keith Mapp in Horsham

The idea was to provide an affordable High Street showcase for independent authors and publishers, who otherwise struggle with the high rental rates, the sheer flood of books currently on the market, and high commission payments. Hence the £1 a book commission – something even self-publishers can afford. 

This has led to some truly amazing books finding their way to the shelves. We also now have several traditionally published authors, who, as rights revert back to them, are self-publishing alongside the traditional route. Most notably we were joined in November by Sunday Times Bestseller, Andrew Crofts, who has seen over eighty of his books published and now has his ‘indie’ book ‘Secrets of the Italian Gardener’ firmly established on the Amazon bestseller list.

Art & Books, Cranleigh

Daisy White’s Booktique has attracted some excellent press coverage, from local papers, to National magazines, to a slot on the BBC Regional News! This has been down to sheer hard slog, and fitting things in around children and a full time job, not to mention the constant stream of brilliant ideas we all share.

I continue to be amazed at the stamina and effort that ‘indies’ put into not only their writing, but also their promotion, and am thrilled to be welcoming our latest writer Sarah Ann Horne whilst congratulating Vanessa Wester on her recent Amazon bestseller slot! (I got to no. 60 on the overall Amazon FREE list for eBooks with HYBRID - Thrilling! It is still FREE to download...)

Additions to the Booktique have included a Gallery, and some luxury items from local producers, and these are proving very popular.

We are currently at Cranleigh Arts Centre for Feb 2014, after a tour of the South-east including West Sussex, Kent, and Surrey and for the Summer the bookings diary is filling up!

Creative Writing, Camberley

www.daisywhitesbooktique.co.uk

I attended one of the first events held by the Pop-Up Bookshop in Ardingly - read about it HERE - after being invited by Daisy via The Word Cloud to sell my books at her "shop" when she first got the idea.

Hope you have a great week,

Vanessa :) xx

BLOG TOUR: BACK TO LIFE by Danielle Allen

This is the first time I have participated in a blog tour... so here goes! 
Enjoy reading about "Back to Life" and author Danielle Allen...

Details of her ***SPECIAL*** giveaway HERE

ENJOY & have a great weekend, Vanessa :) xx

*~* 2nd Round: Back To Life Blog Tour *~*

*~* Synopsis *~*

Sahara Lee has spent the last ten years living with the guilt of a tragic accident and its aftermath. That night irrevocably changed the outgoing, fun-loving college freshman into an introverted, workaholic with no social life. Sahara isolates herself from everyone and everything that reminds her of home in an effort to forget what happened. Using art as a substitute for love, Sahara throws herself into music and art as a way to feel something other than the guilt that haunts her. She accepts her lonely existence as penance for the role she played in the accident. That is, until she meets Tyree Barker, the good looking entrepreneur with baggage of his own. 

Blindsided by a legal loophole, Sahara is suddenly forced to confront the past she’s been running from. Juggling the guilty feelings of her past and the unexpected feelings of her present, Sahara’s future becomes complicated as she heads down a path of forgiveness, love, and heartbreak…and not in that particular order. 


Back to Life reminds you that living and existing are two completely different ways to go through life. Grief will break you but guilt, guilt will destroy you. And once that happens, what can bring you back to life?

*~* Links *~*

Amazon

Goodreads

*~* Main Characters *~*

               

                  Emanuel                                  Tyree

Sahara

*~* Author Bio *~*

I am a married event planner and life coach.  My awesome friends and family and my amazing husband make my life sweet.  I love to have fun and enjoy the life I’ve been blessed with.  I love shopping and football with equal fervor.  I’m an amateur movie critic (i.e. my husband and I watch and critique a lot of movies for fun). I love to read and I enjoy sharing my love of books with anyone who will listen. I love music. A good lyric with a good melody can paint a vivid picture and invoke such a range of emotions. I have a soft spot for most mediums of creative, artistic expression.

With degrees in psychology, human services, and marriage and family counseling, I have a unique perspective on life, love and the pursuit of happiness.   As an author, I combine an active imagination and life experiences to create stories that are easily relatable and intentionally intriguing.  I want to offer you a peek into someone else’s life and for you to get lost in their story, their trials, their triumphs.  My ultimate goal is to create a character or a story that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down.

So in a nutshell: I plan. I teach. I read. I write. I watch. I critique. I shop. I play. I love.

To know me is to love me.

*~* Author Links *~*

Facebook

Goodreads

Website

Twitter

Back to Reality is Book #2

ON SALE NOW!!

*~* Links *~*

Amazon

Goodreads

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!!

And we are back to CAKE...

My sister gave me a 3 in 1 SWEET SNACK MAKER for Christmas.

Now, as some of you know I like to bake for fun with my kids so this was a cool present!

So, I finally opened it up and had a look at what I could make...

First, we attempted doughnuts!

And then using a different mold we make "pops"

Here is my daughter looking pleased with herself!

I highly recommend this machine if you have kids or want to make something fun to share with friends!

Vanessa :) xx

Perseverance

For my first post of the year, I want to talk about perseverance...

I am naturally the kind of person who takes on a new challenge full on. I love to work hard, problem solve and find solutions. I think this is why I thought I would make a great Accountant many years ago - I probably would have too, if I enjoyed the office environment. But alas, I didn't. I do love to share knowledge and am very patient, which is why I decided to retrain as a school teacher. I know I enjoy teaching - both swimming teaching and helping students do better at/ pass maths gives me great satisfaction.

If you read about me on this blog, you will see that since I had children I had to reinvent myself again since I opted to stay at home, due to my husbands work commitments. It is really hard to do this (it was for me anyway) but I embraced it and delved into the world of crafting, PTA committees, etc... I have not always remained upbeat about this since my brain was shriveling up at times and I longed for some adult company. But, over the years I have made some amazing friends and been humbled by many situations I hear about.

What I find is that as my children get older, I get a huge sense of satisfaction at being here for them when they finish school, and I know I am lucky to be able to do this. But, this does not detract from the fact I am currently in "no-mans" land.

After reinventing myself again and becoming a "writer/ publisher", I find I am lacking confidence again.

Don't get me wrong, I am very proud (and bewildered) by the fact I have finished my Trilogy - how did I find time to do that? I have NO idea... at the moment, time flies through my fingers like rain falls from the sky (I am in England!)

The problem is, I do not have a very thick skin. Reviews do get to me. I don't burst into tears or anything like that, but seeing as I have changed my clothing (so as to speak) so often, I am very quick to think - forget it! Get back to your "real" day job...

There are so many things I can do with my time - is writing really the best use of it? I would love to hear from other writers to know what motivates you, what keeps you going, why?

I try to remember the writer I was four years ago, when I finally put my thoughts down. I was someone who was bored of brainless TV, who needed to escape by writing, who did it for fun - not for ratings, who just wanted to remember things that made me laugh/ cry and adapt them into a story.

I have honestly done as much as I am willing to do at the moment to promote my books, and I have had some success - thank you to anyone who has purchased my books. I appreciate it. It has been brilliant fun to see my books in the charts.

Now, it is time to start writing again... to escape and find my sanctuary.

I will still be around Twitter and if you want to chat, have a book you want me to promote, etc - please include me in the link.

Here's to 2014 - a year that will hopefully give me an insight into what exactly I should do with my life...

All the best & thanks for reading,

Vanessa :) xx

Another year bites the dust... Goodbye 2013

And now, the end is near...

I find it hard to believe that this is the last day of 2013 - where did that year go? UNBELIEVABLE!

Anyway, to top up the year, my blog has been featured by Jill Edmondson, I have been interviewed online, and I was nominated for an award... pop goes the weasel! HA!

When it rains it falls... but as I have said in my blog post, ON GIBRALTAR BOOKSHELVES, nothing can compare to seeing your book for sale on a real bookstore!

The reviews from readers have also made me smile, and made me think that perhaps I am a reasonable writer after all - thank you...

So, here goes - ENJOY

HAPPY NEW YEAR - I hope 2014 does not whizz by as fast as 2013 did!

Vanessa Wester :) xx

Reflecting on the last year, my thoughts at the end of 2013, is live on THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY blog, and has been featured by Jill Edmondson - LINK HERE

Interviewed by Tony Gilbert, thank you - LINK HERE

Nominated for...

This nomination came from Scarlett Flame - a very feisty red-head who is all heart! Thank you

All details on this award can be found HERE

I have received these "awards" over the last year and have to admit that I find them to be a bit like chain letters... you either are into them or you are not. Either way, I am glad someone thought of me and so I will recommend some bloggers who I wish to "award" now. By the way, you can collect up to six stars... ooooooo

So, a very Happy New Year to the following bloggers - please attach this badge of honour to your site if you wish...

Terry Tyler   Susan Buchanan   Val Poore   Carol Hedges   James Smith   Francis Potts

Can I also remind you that HYBRID is now FREE, please tell your friends and download. Thank you :)

= >>>>>> CLICK ON THE LINK FOR AMAZON, SMASHWORDS, NOOK, KOBO, etc...

20,000 views... WOW

I just realised whilst updating my blogs that I have had over 20,000 views on this blog!

Awesome... Thank you to anyone who has come and had a look at my rambles!


Anyway, I had a fantastic Christmas with my sisters in Tewkesbury... we stayed in a massive converted barn (I did however look forward to my shower when I got home since the shower head was so big it flooded you, so I bathed instead... it was quite nice actually). I hope you all had a great Christmas too...

I am going to try and keep this blog updated with extras (like recipes, etc) in the new year... I know there are a lot of cake fans out there!

Saying this, I ate a lot of food (still am - but I made a soup today... phew) so I am going on a "diet" in January - when the clothes start to get tight, it's time to do something. My diet will mainly consist of exercise, more fruit & veg (tuna salads!) and less chocolate :(

It has to be done... So, here are my New Year resolutions

1) More exercise
2) Less processed food
3) Write again...
4) Major clear up - yes, some books HAVE to go to the charity shop!
5) Read... (this is easy!

What are your top ideas?

Happy New Year to you all
All the best,
Vanessa :) xx

P.s. if you want to read my debut novel, HYBRID, as an eBook for free, then head on over to The Evolution Trilogy for all the links to Amazon, Kobo, Nook, etc - I have had over 1000 downloads in the US already! :)