Merry Christmas!

Thank you to all readers who have picked up Hybrid, and then continued with the other books in my Trilogy!

I really appreciate it, and will get the chance one day to continue this trilogy!

2015 has been an imaginary year - I can't actually believe it happened! I have been busy with family life, and have completed the first book in my historical fiction saga.

I hope 2016 slows down a little bit and allows me to catch up and perhaps publish another book...

To all of you - I hope you enjoy this Christmas period and get the chance to meet up with family, friends, or, if all else fails, read books!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

& 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Roll on 2016!

All the best,
Vanessa

Please Read & Review... help the Author!

I have a favour to ask...

Many of you might have read my book, HYBRID for free and enjoyed it. 

If so, I would love it if you reviewed my book. Apparently, the more reviews I have, the more Amazon promotes it. You might have to review it directly on Amazon, which is a pain - sorry! Sometimes, it does not work directly from your Kindle.

If you have also read & enjoyed the rest of the trilogy, then please share your thoughts.

I have had HYBRID free for nearly two years, and am amazed I don't have more reviews to show for this considering the thousands of downloads!

Thank you so much & I hope you understand the reason for the request!

Vanessa

Fate finds us...

HYBRID *~FREE eBook~*

Amazon 

smashwords 

Passion controls us ... 

COMPLICATIONS

Amazon 

smashwords 

Destiny defines us...

RETURN

Amazon 

Smashwords 

Desire binds us...

EMILY

Amazon

Smashwords

I promised cake...

On my last blog I promised pictures of cake... so here you go!

I was really pleased with how my "Fundraising Cake day" went and I managed to raise £120.63. RESULT...

It does not take much to do something for others and have fun at the same time.

I do have good news... I have started working on more "Evolution" books. If I get it done it will be a totally different collection, looking ahead with some new feisty characters.

I'll let you know how I get on.

My historical romance novels are also now moving along nicely. Finally!

Maybe, I can still call myself a writer after all.

Thank you again for your support & keep reading. For my latest recommendations visit my Reader blog, Goodreads, and Facebook sites.

Vanessa :)

Does life pass you by too?

I have been a terrible blogger of late... I just don't know where the time goes?

I have been busy with my family, and I have started working part-time too. Honestly, I got more writing done when I had a toddler!

Anyway, now I am baking for charity and having a social tomorrow at my home. Being a writer (or trying to be), can be very lonely and it's important to have a life outside of the internet!

I have been baking meringues yesterday and they came up a treat!

Today, I am making a cake... pictures to follow!

Cancer affect many of us and I will never forget the fact it took the life of my cousin when he was barely over 25 years of age.

If you wish to support the fundraising effort then visit the MacMillan Cancer website.

Anyway, it is interesting to see a lot of books discussing evolution in bookstores and I was tempted by one recently - SAPIENS. Overall, it rambled a lot towards the second half, but it raised a lot of true (if depressing) realities... personally, I think I prefer to live in the world of the paranormal when having these deep and meaningful thoughts! What about you?

Thanks so much to those who continue to buy my books and read my story... it brings a smile to my face to still see sales! Truly - thank you :)

Please feel free to drop me a line on Twitter, Facebook, or write a review. I love to hear your views.

All the best,
Vanessa

Bargain Booksy Promotion

After having tried a FreeBooksy Promotion, I decided to try a Bargain Booksy promotion for my trilogy. It cost $40 and has definitely been a success.

I rocketed up the charts yesterday and have already got my money back! I am even ahead of Anne Rice - amazing!

I know it's hard to know what advertisers work, but I can vouch for this one. Saying this, my bargain was (in my opinion) truly a bargain!

Four books for $3! Saying this, the price for the Boxset via Amazon is still only $5.95. It's still a great price. Or, you can still get the books on a deal via the half-price sale via smashwords!

Thank you to any of you who continue to give a my writing a chance. I promise I have more in the works, but life has caught up with me recently... my children have to come before my writing for now.

I have completed the first book in my new historical fiction series. But, it still needs some work.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your day. Thanks for visiting my blog.

All the best,
Vanessa :)

*~HALF PRICE~* SALE for #TETrilogy via #Smashwords & #Amazon

For the rest of JULY you can grab a copy of the entire trilogy & prequel for HALF PRICE via...

SMASHWORDS

HYBRID - FREE

Use the coupon code SSW50 exclusively on smashwords to get the next two books half price!

COMPLICATIONS

RETURN

EMILY - FREE

AMAZON CUSTOMERS!

If you have a kindle, you have THREE more days only to grab your copy for only $3 for all four books!

Click here => AMAZON

PRAISE FOR THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY

"The Evolution trilogy was so much fun to read! All the components of a good series are there and I found myself thinking about the characters constantly. For me that is the sign of a good book - I can't get the characters out of my head, they come to work and the gym with me and I try to figure out what will happen next.

I fell in love with Caitlin and Steven, the main characters in Hybrid, joined in on their adventures in Complications, and was rewarded with a finale that tied up all of the details and loose ends in Return book 3... A very satisfying ending! I highly recommend this trilogy."
Susan

"A great set of books. A must read for all. Imaginative story somehow believable. I would like to visit the community myself."
Lovely Lane

"Really enjoyed all 3 books, find them so readable and hard to put down. As soon as you start reading you feel involved in the story."
Julie

"I loved the entire trilogy and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a paranormal story with a twist and some romance. I am impressed that the scenes that could have quickly turned these books into erotic were kept "clean" and "classy" while still bringing all of the emotion of the action between characters."
My Book Fairy

"... while I'll be sad to see it go, how thrilled I am to have any sort of melancholy feeling about saying goodbye to characters I've worried over and rooted for so long?
The truth is that I've been rather disappointed in the final book in trilogy series of late, so it means something to me that Ms. Wester has taken great care not to make a cookie cutter everyone-gets-everything-they-want-in-the-end final book; nor does she envision the alternate gloomy world which has also plagued trilogies of late (Allegiant or Mockingjay, anyone?)

As a matter of fact, Ms. Wester derives a way to both answer our must-know questions while also leaving a decent bit to our imaginations, an approach I appreciated...and one that will no doubt lead me towards reviewing more of this talented author's work in the future."
Lydia Aswolf via Goodreads

Change of plan #TETrilogy

After deciding to give Emily away at the beginning of May, I have seen some downloads but not enough to justify the decision.

So, as Taylor Swift has just said, 'Pay the artist!'

I already give HYBRID away for free, so EMILY will go back to being priced.

Ultimately, readers are a fickle bunch! I am one after all. It seems most people buy what they are told to buy by the media and retailers. If you look at the book currently at the top of the charts (GREY) I rest my case! I can't compete with that and don't want to either.

As I look to my new historical fiction novel, and consider my options I continue to be grateful to anyone who takes the time to read my writing.

I still find it hard to believe I wrote this trilogy. Sometimes, it feels like a dream.

Hope you're all keeping well,

Vanessa :)

Emily is now *~FREE~*

After some thought, I have decided also make EMILY free. I have not had many reviews on EMILY and I hope this might inspire some of you to read and review...

You can now download it for FREE via SMASHWORDS, BARNES & NOBLE & AMAZON

It took a while for price-match to happen, but finally it did!

HYBRID is still FREE to download - enjoy! :)

Emily has not changed in fifty years. An accident made her immortal, a vampire freak.

Finally allowed to return to her beloved England, all is not as expected. So much has changed. The past she was holding on to does not exist. Since the Second World War, people have embraced a new age. In this era, people have an obsession with gadgets, strange clothes and weird music.

Added to this her blood-lust has become insatiable and her promise to control herself is torn to shreds. That is until she meets Paul. She never expected to find love after all this time. Fate has never been kind to Emily, and it gives her everything she wants at a cost. She must pay a price for being a murderer.

Within Emily's twisted heart lies a dark soul.

*****

REVIEWS

"After being enthralled by the trilogy I was delighted to hear Vanessa Wester had written a prequel. This novella provides a fascinating insight into Emily, one of the key characters from the trilogy. It enhances the reader's understanding of the character's motivations and behaviour. The honest and heartfelt writing style is entirely consistent with the main books, and this tale serves as a great addendum to the series. I was hooked from page one!"
Adam

"I was really pleased when I saw that Vanessa had written a prequel featuring Emily.....who turned out to be a bit of a lass! A 5* rating which is completely deserved."
Mike

"... I understand the character of Emily and her choices even better. I couldn't put it down"
Charlotte

"Emily is one of the main supporting characters in The Evolution Trilogy which is one of the few trilogies that I can truly say I couldn't wait to finish and hated finishing all at once. I knew I wanted the entire trilogy by the time I wasn't even half way through book one, Hybrid... The entire series, including this novella, the realistic and relate-able characters, the rich environments and the variety of real life scenarios interwoven with the outrageous and the paranormal made these books a series on my LOVE to read list that I will always support and recommend to others.

Without adding spoilers, this prequel novella can work as a stand-alone read, or in addition to the trilogy and you understand Emily so much better and why her actions and attitude seem to change with a "whim". What would you do if a change beyond your control took everything away from you and then you were taken away from everything you knew and loved? No one knows until they are in that situation. After years Emily is finally allowed to return to the place she loved, but so much time has passed and so many things have changed that it's all new...

The story is heart wrenching and beautiful all at once. Another solid story from the amazing mind of Vanessa Wester!"
My Book Fairy

*~EMILY has some scenes of an adult nature. It may be considered unsuitable for younger readers~*

*****

Find out what happens twenty years later. Read THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY, which is comprised of three novels: HYBRID; COMPLICATIONS; and RETURN.

"The Evolution trilogy was so much fun to read! All the components of a good series are there and I found myself thinking about the characters constantly. For me that is the sign of a good book - I can't get the characters out of my head, they come to work and the gym with me and I try to figure out what will happen next.

I fell in love with Caitlin and Steven, the main characters in Hybrid, joined in on their adventures in Complications, and was rewarded with a finale that tied up all of the details and loose ends in Return book 3... A very satisfying ending! I highly recommend this trilogy."
Susan

"A great set of books. A must read for all. Imaginative story somehow believable. I would like to visit the community myself."
Lovely Lane

HYBRID has been published for 3 years! Happy Anniversary!

I find it hard to believe hat 3 years ago, on the 27th March I published HYBRID via smashwords.

It does not seem that long ago and yet I can't imagine my life without my books now. The years feel like a blur, the writing even more so. I have no idea how I wrote so much. Where did I find the time and energy? It's all a mystery to me to be honest.

I have made a new updated video to celebrate!

Also, here is HYBRID in pictures... what an evolution!

Have a fabulous Easter everyone

Vanessa :)

First version of Hybrid... March 2012. It was going to be a 5 book series then!

Second version... 2013 - 2014

Third version... 2014-2015

A new look for 2015... my existing readers seem to like it!

What a day!

Another amazing day for feedback...

My Author Interview with BollyDophie gets published and then she writes the most amazing Review for HYBRID!

I admit that tears sprang to my eyes.

My husband is always telling me that I should not care about what people think, but I do. It does affect me and it's such a great feeling to be acknowledged for something other than being my children's mum, wife, or general dogsbody!

I have been adamant to not give up on my trilogy, to keep plodding away (even when I should be writing), and finally it is paying off.

I read a tweet today by someone who said they had finished three books after 7 years, coming in at just over 150,000 words! Well, my trilogy and prequel amount to just under 350,000 words. Written over a period of about 2-3 years!

I think I have a lot to be proud of.

I gave up my teaching career to look after my kids and now I have to ration my time between my kids, housekeeping, tutoring (I still teach mathematics at home), a part-time lunchtime job, and volunteering at school and the local FOODBANK. Becoming a writer is the icing on the cake!

I LOVE IT and hope you all can see what motivates me and enjoy what I write.

In life, we all have to find something to keep us going, to make us have that space we call our own. I am so grateful I decided to unleash my thoughts in novel writing and thank Stephenie Meyer for her inspirational words back in 2010 on the DVD I watched!

I am blessed and lucky indeed.

Thank you to all,
Vanessa :)

Never give up!

I have had a very interesting week which has made me realise that I am glad I did not give up sooner.

Lots of you lovely readers have been getting in touch and telling me how much you have loved my trilogy!

Thank you SO much. It has really lifted my spirits and inspired me to continue my current novel. I have now gone over the 50,000 word mark! Woo hoo...

The response to my new covers has also been fantastic. Thank you for all the likes on Facebook!

My books have also been selling every day which is a bit of a novelty! I think I have my promotions on FreeBooksy to thank for that.

So, here's me sharing the love. Enjoy reading :)

Vanessa

These are my latest reviews...

HYBRID

"Vanessa Wester's vampires are unlike the familiar fanged protagonists of other paranormal capers. Their humanity is at odds with their physical requirements and the lengths they go to to contain their needs lend the novel a realism not usually found in the genre. Hybrid is an enjoyable read with just enough mystery, romance and suspense."

COMPLICATIONS

"Vanessa Wester has done a fantastic job with this and I enjoyed every bit of it. The story flowed well and with a few twists in the story, Vanessa keeps you on edge! I loved the characters, especially the mc Steven.

Steven has had a horrible year to say the least. Finding out he wasn't exactly human, his life completely taken away from him and his girlfriend Caitlin is made to forget he ever existed. On top of all that, he is forced to live in the Amazon with people of his own kind.

After an accident happens , Steven is allowed to return home to get the help he needs. He also wants his life back and needs to be able to prove to the others that he control himself with humans and live a normal life.
Will Steven get his wish and remain amongst the humans? Will he be able to win back Caitlin and make her remember what they had? Or will the urge for blood be to overpowering for him to control?

A well deserved 5 stars and I cannot wait to read the last book in this brilliant trilogy."


"A fascinating sequel to Hybrid. I read Hybrid, book one of The Evolution Trilogy, last year when on holiday and although it was not the type of book I usually read I loved it. The style of writing suited me and I found the story and the characters gripping. I knew I had to read the other books in the series. Complications, book two, continues on nicely with the tale and the plot develops satisfactorily. Both of these books are a recommended read and I can’t wait to read Return, the third part in the series."

RETURN

"This is the 3rd book in the Evolution Trilogy and was absolutely fantastic!

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the story of Steven Thorn and his journey of finding out he is a hybrid and how he has handled his new life.

Return, see's Steven and his girlfriend Caitlin (who he changed in book 2) return to the colony. As the colony do some tests on Caitlin they realise her blood maybe the ingredient the colony needs to be able to produce their own blood source without the need to kill. This puts doubts within the colony as to whether they actually need to be segregated away from humans. The Colony is slowly showing cracks and suggestions are made to find a new colony elsewhere and split the group up and start over.

Steven isn’t happy about all the changes that are happening and feels guilty for what he has put Caitlin through by changing her. He cannot change the past and must learn to live with the consequences of his actions. Will Steven & Caitlin be able to get through what is thrown at them or will some little things come along and change both of their future's forever.
A superb finale in the trilogy and an ending I never guessed.

Well done Vanessa for a wonderful series and I'm looking forwarding to what you have for us next. ;-)"


"Yes. The conclusion to this trilogy was so good. I never expected the turn of events. I'm glad Caitlin found her way. Sometimes, you need that space to realise what you had all along was the real deal. Loved the story and wish I could have read more about their reunion."

EMILY

"Emily is one of the main supporting characters in The Evolution Trilogy which is one of the few trilogies that I can truly say I couldn't wait to finish and hated finishing all at once. I knew I wanted the entire trilogy by the time I wasn't even half way through book one, Hybrid. I was lucky enough to be a beta reader of this novella, and the minute it went live on Amazon I also pre-ordered the book. For less than the cost of a coffee at Starbucks you can read a story that will keep you laughing, crying and turning the pages to the very last!

The entire series, including this novella, the realistic and relate-able characters, the rich environments and the variety of real life scenarios interwoven with the outrageous and the paranormal made these books a series on my LOVE to read list that I will always support and recommend to others.

Without adding spoilers, this prequel novella can work as a stand alone read, or in addition to the trilogy and you understand Emily so much better and why her actions and attitude seem to change with a "whim".

Similar to the scenario of Steven in Hybrid, Emily was a young woman who was set up to have it all, she wanted a life, a marriage and children, what many women hope for in their lives. That is, until a freak accident happens and causes her to not only become immortal, but requires her to consume human blood to live. Without anyone there to guide her and being one of the first of her kind they had no knowledge of the changes she was going through and no idea how to manage them. Over time this changes, but she's never the same.

Hidden away in a utopia created by her family to learn about the changes and how to control it Emily thinks about everything she can't have, and what little she does have in comparison to what she wanted in life. The utopia isn't a paradise, it's a prison.

What would you do if a change beyond your control took everything away from you and then you were taken away from everything you knew and loved? No one knows until they are in that situation. After years Emily is finally allowed to return to the place she loved, but so much time has passed and so many things have changed that it's all new.

Emily decides to feed her urges until life throws her yet another curve ball, in the form of everything she ever wanted and never thought she could have and life becomes "normal" and the urges fade. Content to finally feel like she has everything she always wanted and determined to make it work no matter what, her needs return and she's forced to make one of the hardest decisions a woman may ever have to make in her life.

Would you do anything for love, at any cost? That's just what she does and it costs her everything she ever wanted.


The story is heart wrenching and beautiful all at once. Another solid story from the amazing mind of Vanessa Wester!"

NEW Covers

Exciting news... I have designed new covers for the entire trilogy!

I am also in the process of updating all the paperbacks & you will now be able to buy the Trilogy & Emily in one!

Even if you don't like them, please say you do! This has taken me HOURS!

I hope this more modern & fresh look will appeal to you all. The covers were the only thing that I felt were not selling the trilogy - let's see if I'm right or not.

Thank you for your continuous support.

Vanessa :)

Exciting news...

I have bought some images from Shutterstock and designed new covers!

BIG REVEAL coming soon...

If you would like to help me promote via a blog interview or otherwise in exchange for some prizes let me know!

Thank you
Vanessa

~*NEW*~ PAPERBACK for EMILY

I have decided to create a paperback for EMILY and am having a lot of fun figuring it all out again. I have to admit that I am tempted to redo the others since I prefer the font.

To celebrate I would like to run a paperback giveaway for the Trilogy. All I have to do is figure out how to do this. If you have ideas get in touch please.

I wonder if I will ever stop dabbling and write?

Who knows...

I have even started thinking of the next trilogy to follow this one, and am eager to get stuck in. 

For the past year I have been working on a Historical novel, based on the lives of my great grandparents. I am enjoying it, but have to admit the pressure gets to me. I don't want to disappoint family with my interpretation of the past. 

So, to all you readers who encourage me to write about Steven & Caitlin some more. I will not say no!

I miss them SO much! I know, fictional characters should not be missed. But, I do.

In the same way I missed BUFFY when it finished and countless other Book & TV Series I miss my world.

I hope to dive back in soon and bring them back to life again.

A few of you have asked for the Caitlin and Steven wrap-up, but I want to go into the future.

Thoughts?

Anyway, back to formatting I go.

All the best,

Vanessa

I love the dystopian world

In my last post I explained that I had read the Divergent trilogy and loved it, so I bought the DVD and it definitely met my expectations.

I don't know what it is about this imaginary world that I love. It's my ultimate escapism.

Recently, I read another trilogy that I read in three days! The Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass. It was a case of Cinderella meets Ella Enchanted meets The Hunger Games!

THE SELECTION

Thirty-five beautiful girls. Thirty-five beautiful rivals…

It’s the chance of a lifetime and 17-year-old America Singer should feel lucky. She has been chosen for The Selection, a reality TV lottery in which the special few compete for gorgeous Prince Maxon’s love.

Swept up in a world of elaborate gowns, glittering jewels and decadent feasts, America is living a new and glamorous life. And the prince takes a special interest in her, much to the outrage of the others.

Rivalry within The Selection is fierce and not all of the girls are prepared to play by the rules. But what they don’t know is that America has a secret – one which could throw the whole competition… and change her life forever.

THE ELITE

The Selection gets fierce as rivals stake their claim on the Prince.

Six girls, one life-changing prize…

America Singer will leave her pre-destined life for a world of glamour and luxury, if she wins…

But surviving The Selection is tough. Rivals are battling to become Prince Maxon’s bride as the threat of rebel violence just beyond the palace walls escalates into war.

Only six girls are left and sworn friendships are tested to breaking point. America’s feelings for Maxon grow stronger, but she suspects darker mysteries in his royal past. With ex-lover Aspen waiting for her in the shadows, where do her loyalties truly lie?

THE ONE

THE SELECTION changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. Now, only one will claim Prince Maxon’s heart…

It’s swoon meets the Hunger Games in the third instalment of THE SELECTION series!

For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives.

Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

I bought the entire collection via paperback at The Works for £9.99! I loved the silky soft paper they used... you can't get that via kindle! I have since realised it will no longer be a trilogy... the next book is out in May and I had to pre-order it - my daughter will be pleased!

Funny, because I have recently considered extending my own trilogy. Originally, I wanted my story to be a series of five books, but was advised to stick to three. However, some of my readers have asked me to continue what I started... and I just might do that sometime soon.

These are my other top dystopian reads! (Source: Wikipedia)

HARRY POTTER

The novels revolve around Harry Potter, an orphan who discovers at the age of eleven that he is a wizard, living within the ordinary world of non-magical people, known as Muggles.[9] The wizarding world is secret from the Muggle world, presumably to avoidpersecution of witches and wizards. His ability is inborn, and such children are invited to attend an exclusive magic school that teaches the necessary skills to succeed in the wizarding world. Harry becomes a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and it is here where most of the events in the series take place. As Harry develops through his adolescence, he learns to overcome the problems that face him: magical, social and emotional, including ordinary teenage challenges such as friendships, infatuation and exams, and the greater test of preparing himself for the confrontation in the real world that lies ahead.

Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life with the main narrative being set in the years 1991–98. The books also contain many flashbacks, which are frequently experienced by Harry viewing the memories of other characters in a device called a Pensieve.

The environment Rowling created is completely separate from reality yet also intimately connected to it. While the fantasy land of Narnia is an alternative universe and the Lord of the Rings' Middle-earth a mythic past, the wizarding world of Harry Potter exists in parallel within the real world and contains magical versions of the ordinary elements of everyday life. Many of its institutions and locations are recognisable, such as London. It comprises a fragmented collection of overlooked hidden streets, ancient pubs, lonely country manors and secluded castles that remain invisible to the Muggle population.

THE HUNGER GAMES

The Hunger Games trilogy takes place in an unspecified future time in a dystopian post-apocalyptic nation of Panem, in the ruins of North America. The country consists of the wealthy Capitol located in the Rocky Mountains and twelve (formerly thirteen) poorer districts ruled by the Capitol. The Capitol is lavishly rich and technologically advanced but the twelve districts are in varying states of poverty – the trilogy's narrator and protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, lives in District 12, the poorest region of Panem, formerly known as Appalachia, where people regularly die of starvation. As punishment for a past rebellion (called "The Dark Days") against the Capitol wherein twelve of the districts were defeated and the thirteenth supposedly destroyed, one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, are selected by lottery to participate in the "Hunger Games" on an annual basis. The Games are a televised event with the participants, called "tributes", being forced to fight to the death in a dangerous public arena. The winning tribute and his/her home district is then rewarded with food, supplies, and riches. The purpose of the Hunger Games is to provide entertainment for the Capitol and to serve as a reminder to the Districts of the Capitol's power and lack of remorse.

DIVERGENT

Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant all take place in the same area, a futuristic and dystopian vision of Chicago. Society defines its citizens by their social and personality-related affiliation with five different factions, which removes the threat of anyone exercising independent will and re-threatening the population's safety. Beatrice Prior, who later changed her name to Tris, an Abnegation-born and Dauntless transfer, must figure out her life as a Divergent. If the Dauntless leaders find her out she will be killed. She must learn to conceal her ability and not let it show.

A Trilogy? Oh My...

Yesterday I was really ill again... this winter flu virus is taking its toll on me. Luckily, I got to spend most of the day in bed reading. There had to be a perk to this sickness lark!

Anyway, I got given the Divergent trilogy for Christmas so I finally for my teeth into Insurgent, having read Divergent a while back. I have to be honest, when I read Divergent I was not convinced - it read too much like The Hunger Games. But, this second book takes it into a different level. For anyone who has read the Hugh Howie books, I have read Dust and Shift, there is some resemblance.

A dystopian society brought about by man's failure...

The difference between Divergent and the Hugh Howey books is the style of writing.

Divergent is written very much for YA, and is so easy to read that I devoured nearly two books in a day! At times, the addition of new scenarios and characters confused me, and the lack of "action" left me slightly disgruntled (teenagers do a lot more than what they are described to do here). But, considering the audience in mind, it worked, even though I found the descriptions to be repetitive at times (how many times can you hook your fingers on trousers, bite the inside of your mouth, and play with the fray of a t-shirt?).

Saying this, I loved it & am now keen to watch the film, Divergent...

Insurgent is due out soon too...

Having read The Hunger Games, The Divergent Trilogy, and series like Twilight and Harry Potter, I can see a similar theme running through these. In fact, I can even liken it to my own trilogy. I feel quite honoured to even think that what I wrote can be compared to these amazing best-sellers. But, it has...

For example, read this review by Lydia Aswolf

"This is the third book in the Hybrid Trilogy, and while I'll be sad to see it go, how thrilled I am to have any sort of melancholy feeling about saying goodbye to characters I've worried over and rooted for so long?

The truth is that I've been rather disappointed in the final book in trilogy series of late, so it means something to me that Ms. Wester has taken great care not to make a cookie cutter everyone-gets-everything-they-want-in-the-end final book; nor does she envision the alternate gloomy world which has also plagued trilogies of late (Allegiant or Mockingjay, anyone?) 

As a matter of fact, Ms. Wester derives a way to both answer our must-know questions while also leaving a decent bit to our imaginations, an approach I appreciated...and one that will no doubt lead me towards reviewing more of this talented author's work in the future."

Having now read both Allegient and Mockingjay I now understand the reference.

It was important to me to leave doors open, and yet close others. The truth is humanity is not perfect and one day we might just press the self-destruct button. Until that day, let's cherish what we have and look for the light at the end of the tunnel - it is there if you look for it! :)

Let me know your thoughts...

All the best,
Vanessa

Have I finally become a risk-taker?

Life has many risks. I have always been averse to this... I am a bear, not a bull!

However, it is good to try to go out of your comfort zone every now and again. To be bold and go bravely where no other, etc, etc...

Since I published back in 2012, I have avoided spending any money on advertising for fear that I may not get it back. I spent £10 on Facebook about a year ago and it did NOTHING! A complete waste of money. I might have thrown it on the fire for all it did.

However, last year I was lucky enough to be featured on FreeBooksy for free, and my downloads rocketed in the US. I also saw after-sales of my books, so it was a huge success. They now charge to be featured, so I decided to go for it and spend some money! I have actually made some money in 2014 (shock, horror, gasp!) so this is actually reinvestment... right?

I was featured yesterday on FreeBooksy. The feature cost $100 and I have had over 1200 downloads for HYBRID on that day (so not thousands as other authors claim), but this was enough to get me to the No.1 spot in my category! YAY!

I did not get into the top 100, which is a shame. This would surely have made the downloads reach the skies!

The amazing thing is that I have also had sales already. This really shocked me! I assumed readers would download my free eBook, and then decide whether to get the trilogy. Whoever you are - THANK YOU! I sincerely hope I do not disappoint you.

Anyway, I think I am nearly halfway to getting my money back on the second day, so its fair to say that this has been an AWESOME investment. I think that to get results you have to put your money in your pocket... (No, a sweet wrapper will not do!)

I have also been watching the Buffy TV series again, after having got the Box-set for Christmas. I am already on season 2! I have said before that my main character, Steven, is based on Angel. I have to say that I stand by that. My trilogy is not like Buffy. It lacks the humour (can we call it that?) and madness with all the crazy paranormal stuff that happens on the hell-mouth!

But, there is a serious side to Buffy at times (really) so my trilogy captures the trauma of first love and what happens when it is not possible. The whole Buffy-Angel romance really got to me. They could not be together regardless of how they felt.

My trilogy also has a SciFi element to it, a could-it-happen twist. With Buffy, we all know its pure and utter escapism in the paranormal, which is why I love it!

The Evolution Trilogy was inspired by my obsession with vampires, which started in the 80's with THE LOST BOYS (R.I.P. Corey Haim - so sad!), continued in the 90's with INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE, and exploded in the 00's with BUFFY and TWILIGHT.

I will always be grateful to Stephenie Meyer for encouraging anyone to write in an interview included in the TWILIGHT DVD back in 2010. I loved the TWILIGHT SAGA back then and was obsessed.

I guess I just love the brooding vampire...

Ultimately, Caitlin is my heroine in my trilogy. She follows her heart, makes mistakes, but then makes the most of her situation.

Steven is also a man of conviction, who follows his beliefs and does the right thing.

For me, escapism in the paranormal is fantastic, but I want people to have a conscience. We all have a soul, no matter how dark, and its important that we consider others before own own interests.

Writing EMILY was interesting. Some people will never do the right thing... they are simply jinxed!

Thank you again for your support. 2015 is looking great!

All the best,
Vanessa