NEW COVERS for #TETrilogy

Last year I paid for five images via Shutterstock inadvertently since I was subscribed. The plan was to use them for my new book, but seeing as it is not ready I decided that I would get new covers for my Trilogy... and here they are!

Amazingly, it was four years ago, on the 27th March 2012, that I first published HYBRID via Smashwords!

Through Smashwords I found out a lot about formatting and design. If it was not right I would not get the exclusive Premium Status that enables it to sell elsewhere.

It was not until May, 2012, that I ventured onto the Amazon platform via KDP. Then going on to create my own paperback via Createspace.

Shortly after I joined this mysterious world I joined Twitter, etc... you can read my story here!


I was already working on the next book, Complications, so it did not take long to complete.

RETURN and EMILY followed in 2013 & 2014.

So, what have I been doing since then?

Truthfully, I have been working a lot more at my daughter's Primary school. First, as an MSA and now as a Maths Teacher! I also got some work as a Swimming teacher again.

I have really enjoyed getting back to this and using my qualifications.

I have not forgotten about writing though. I am working on another novel based on the life of my ancestors... Read more here!

And, of course, I still love to read & review other books... find out more here.

This book is taking a lot longer than I expected and I have decided to put more work into it to make it a one off complete novel, rather than a series.

I still have ideas for Steven, Caitlin, and the rest of The Evolution Trilogy characters... they are brewing in my mind and will explode on to the pages in due course!

This writing & publishing journey has been amazing and sometimes I struggle to understand how it all came about!

Thank you to anyone reading and for your support.

The question is, what do you think of my new covers?

My favourite has to be EMILY, although I think the HYBRID one is brilliant since it has morphed into Steven... the focus is in the right place!

I would love to hear your views and, as always, appreciate any feedback from you via comments or reviews.

Thanks so much for making these four years incredible.

From a stay-at-home mum to someone you can actually google! Ha ha

All the best,
Vanessa :)

Merry Christmas from #TETrilogy

During Christmas time, many will be loading up their kindle with some fabulous books!

Christmas is a special time with loved ones, when we eat and drink too much, open gifts, and perhaps remember what Christmas is all about. At the end of it all, the best thing to do is either settle in front of the TV to a great movie (Love Actually is always one of our favourites) or read a book!

I was raised as a Roman Catholic in Gibraltar and I have to admit that I loved going to Midnight mass on the 24th December. The atmosphere within the church, the revered silence, the smell, Christmas carols. It was truly magical. Since I have moved to the UK I have lost this tradition, mainly since I do not attend Church anymore. It's not that I don't hold on to my Christian values, I do. We have a nativity at home, teach our children why we celebrate Christmas and try to have a nice (relaxing - maybe?) day.

Ultimately, if we all show some consideration for others, share, respect each other, and try to be kind & considerate, I believe we can all lead happier lives.

This year I have volunteered at my local library, primary school, Foodbank, and have Face-painted at fundraising events for the PTA. I have also donated money to several charities via the Children and Adult anthologies I published. The amounts are not huge, but in this current economy every bit helps.

So now, it's time to give YOU a Christmas gift.

As some of you know, I wrote a prequel to The Evolution Trilogy, EMILY. I have had great feedback so far and have decided to let you read it for free, via Amazon, for a limited time only.

*~EMILY is FREE~* 25th - 29th December, 2014

I have also set up a kindle countdown deal for the entire trilogy in the UK (sorry, Amazon only allow me to use one site).

*~THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY is on a KINDLE COUNTDOWN DEAL~* 25th - 31st December, 2014

=> The entire trilogy will be over 70% off at the beginning so get in there quick!

However, you can download Hybrid for FREE and get Complications & Return at a 50% reduction via SMASHWORDS during this period, using these coupon codes.

COMPLICATIONS use => VN85E
RETURN use => CR58R

So, enjoy and spread the word... and if you want to make me smile leave a review. Thank you.

I wish you all the best for 2015,
Vanessa

Remembrance Day

My father was always telling me about the war when I was growing up and I have admit that I never saw the point of talking about death and destruction. What was so good about re-enacting war games? I have never been an advocate of violence and think that the human obsession to be "alpha" in endemic in society. I guess all animals do this to an extent. They ostracize the weak and kill anyone who is a threat to their family or pack. However, human being have done this over the years for very strange reasons, but to start with it was for a better life. As people had more children and needed more space, they naturally sought to explore and utilise this world's natural resources.

Recently, I have been reading a lot of historical novels and have been interested in the past. Why now? I don't know... I guess the past defines who we are and makes are aspirations clearer. There is something reassuring about knowing we are not alone. In my reading, I have come across many interesting facts which explain the lead up to the great war. Although, it is important to realise that war has always happened. Different cultures and social groups can not agree all the time.

Centuries ago Europeans conquered the "uncivilised" world and claimed it in the name of their King. They killed and destroyed established societies. Yet, we do not remember the many killed then - they are nameless! People were then treated as property and sold to the highest bidder in the name of commericalisation. Sad that slavery still occurs in this day and age. When we buy goods, do we ever really stop to think about how we manage to get them so cheaply. Years ago, commodities like pepper, sugar, and tea and coffee were only used by those willing to pay a high price. Now, we live in a throw-away climate. I am guilty of having thrown away goods that have gone out-of-date on countless occasions.

Industrialisation led to a society that was more clearly defined into haves and have-nots. In the previous century, those with nothing either died, were killed or were forgotten. The advent of accessible paper and record keeping via a census meant it was more difficult to ignore those in need. Trade unions also fought for the rights of the working class. Ordinary people fought for our freedom.

The two world wars were made more bloody and ruthless by the power of new weaponry. Machine guns, larger bombs, tanks, airplanes, and the nuclear bomb. Does man have no limits to the destruction he can bring on humanity?

This is why even though I started out life complacent about the war, we should now not forget - EVER. Remember the sacrifices men and women over the ages have made for our liberty and way of life. Likewise, we should learn to give up our time for those who are less fortunate. Today in the UK, we have poverty still. There are other social issues that plague us - the use of drugs for one. I would even go as far as to say that sugar is a drug, one that I try to resist every day!

So, this armistice day I write this blog post to remember others and hope that in writing the evolution trilogy I help to raise awareness for many issues that still filter through society. The need to look out for your family, respect all life, suppress our power to do harm, and yet live a life that is fulfilled and rewarding.

I leave you with one of my favourite extracts from Complications. I hope we never forget...

All the best, Vanessa

"Steven moved closer and sat on a chair opposite the bed. The room had a rancid smell. It was as though Judith reeked of death.

She must have seen him scrunch his nose as she said, ‘You don’t need to control yourself. I know the smell. I’ve been around for a very long time. Do you know that I am one hundred and fourteen years old? My body is just starting to show its age. Thing is, it’s not impossible to live this long. The longest living human being was a French woman – she got to the age of one hundred and twenty two. And did you know that there is a woman still alive in the United States born in the same year as me? I was born in eighteen ninety six, a couple of years before the turn of the century. Edwardian Britain, a Britain with no real knowledge of war, an invincible empire.’ She coughed. ‘Water please.’

Steven reached for the glass on her bedside table and passed it over.

She took a sip. ‘Thank you.’

‘Don’t strain yourself.’

‘No, you have to listen. It’s important you understand. The Great War changed the world. Did you know that? Millions of people died. I was your age when friends, relatives and acquaintances died to preserve our freedom. Your grandfather was one of the lucky ones, although he did not feel so lucky to survive at the time. It was the worst thing we thought we’d ever see.’ She coughed again and took another sip.

Steven waited. He did not want to interrupt.

‘We were wrong. It was not the worst thing. It was the beginning of the end for many. The roaring twenties brought many good things. Automobiles. Moving pictures or talkies as they then became known as. Walt Disney produced Mickey Mouse. And of course Jazz and the infamous Charleston,’ she giggled. ‘I was quite good you know.’

‘I imagine you were.’

‘You are such a charmer, just like your grandfather. Anyway, I got to dress as I pleased, was wild for a while and even got to vote like a man. What a privilege! You should have seen us girls lining up the street. Imagine. Well, I guess you can’t – you take that for granted now.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Don’t apologise. Each generation is faced with a different set of problems. The thing is it couldn’t last. As you must know, or they surely teach you nothing at school, the bubble burst in 1929. The Great depression brought hard times.’

‘Not that different to now. The latest recession has brought a lot of problems.’

‘Yes, life has a way of repeating itself. Or, humans have a way of making the same mistakes,’ she chuckled.

Steven was mesmerised, he had no idea Judith was so fascinating.

He could not wait to hear the rest. The past was a scary and yet very insightful place sometimes. If only people paid more attention, the world would be a lot simpler."

MASSIVE KDP Countdown Deal

*** Promotion running from 4th July - 10th July via Amazon.com only***

LINK => VISIT AMAZON & DOWNLOAD

It seemed apt to start my first ever KDP Countdown deal on the 4th July! 

Amazon gave indie authors like me the freedom to publish books to the masses, and earn much higher royalties (yes, I can now buy a sandwich AND a cookie! Ha ha).

There has been a lot of mixed press since I first published HYBRID in 2012 about the downfall of books! I have read both sides of the story from different perspectives, but the bottom line is if people buy more books and read more then going digital is a fantastic thing to do.

When music first went digital there were a lot of skeptics, but now sales are at an all-time high! It takes time for consumers (us) to adjust to the new way of things. Ultimately, there is room for everybody. I still buy CDs and DVDs, AND I download digital copies of music and film. I now also buy paperbacks AND download ebooks. I like both.

Some readers now only download to kindle... that is their choice & this promotion is aimed at the Kindle market! If I could offer paperback deals I would, but it's not possible - I'm sorry!

Ultimately, we readers have so much choice and freedom to choose now. I understand that even this promotion might be a hard sell. Why pay when there are so many other books to choose from for free? The bottom line is we will pay for what we want to read - and I hope you choose to read my Trilogy.

Let's be honest here... 3 full size novels at $6 is cheap! With this Kindle countdown deal you get them all on the first day for only $0.99! Awesome, right? 

So what else can I say to convince you to give my trilogy a chance? Not much, but I have been extremely chuffed today after receiving the most amazing feedback from THE BOOK FAIRY. 

She certainly is my fairy... with perfect timing, since the promo starts tomorrow and I had no reviews when I went for it.

Enjoy, I certainly did!

Thank you for visiting my blog,

Vanessa :-) 

MY BOOK FAIRY review for THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY

"I've left the reviews on each individual book, but I downloaded Hybrid for free and borrowed the books in the trilogy format from the Kindle library, which I would suggest for anyone wanting to read the entire trilogy. I've rated each individual book at five stars and although I am sad to be finished with the trilogy, I think it was absolutely amazing.

The Next Evolution of Humans - The review of Hybrid (The Evolution Trilogy)

This is a story that could be considered a paranormal romance, but it’s so much more than that. The story starts out with a young woman, Caitlin, headed to college and introduces you to her and her four “roommates”, getting right into the feel of starting out in a new place in college and the different types of people you will meet. I immediately liked Caitlin and could understand her situation and the feelings she had of being in a new place, both excitement and intimidation. A new place, new people and an unsure environment and the last thing she’s worried about is a boyfriend or falling in love, even though it seems that people are looking all around and yet she bumps into Steven, a “tall, dark, handsome and athletic” guy you expect to be another womanizer and yet he’s not. Steven is a complex character and he’s sincerely intrigued by Caitlin. You spend the first half or so of the story learning about Caitlin and Steven and watching their relationship develop. Then there is an unexpected turn of events, which sets the baseline for the remainder of the story. You see Steven taken away from everyone he knows and everyone he loves, no one knows who he is, or that he exists. You come to learn about the next evolution in humankind and their trials and tribulations, their wants and needs and the story leaves you wanting for more. All of the main and supporting characters are well built with complex personalities which brings the story to life. You can feel the pain they feel and understand their feelings from excitement, fear, love and lust to sorrow and uncertainty about the future. I couldn't put this book down and read from the start to about 63% in before I stopped and by the time I was about 80% done I knew I’d be buying the remaining two in the trilogy.

I gave this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars because aside from a single sentence which didn't seem grammatically correct, the story was nearly flawless. The characters and story had me enchanted from day one and the plot unfolded at just the right pace. This isn't your typical paranormal or vampire story, but it will keep you on your toes and isn't full of “fluff”, but has a lot of deeper issues going on in the sidelines along with the main plot. When I found out this was the authors debut novel I couldn't believe it. I can’t wait to see what else Vanessa writes in the remainder of this trilogy and beyond. I've already borrowed the trilogy on the Kindle so I can decide if I want to buy them all in the Kindle edition or in a physical book.

Evolution Doesn't Come Without Change... - The review of Complications (The Evolution Trilogy)

This is the second book from The Evolution Trilogy by Vanessa Wester. I was already in love with the main characters of the story from Hybrid, but this story took us through the changes experienced in the new evolution of humankind by Steven. How far would you go for the woman (or man) you love? The characters are real and you spend the better part of the time wondering about the changes Steven is going through, the choices he makes and contemplating alongside him if the choices he's made are right. In addition, you learn more about Steven's biological family. Without spoilers, the relationship of his grandparents is amazing and beautiful. Going through the emotions with the characters in the story is easy to slip into, you feel the confusion, the happiness, the joy and the pain right alongside them if you allow yourself to get swept away like I did. It truly is about life and that sometimes there are complications you never could have seen coming, you have to confront what happens in life, even if it's not what you anticipate and everyone has questions on their choices. I read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down, at the end I was left conflicted I wanted to read the third book in the series, but I also didn't want to rush this series to the end, knowing there was only one book left.

I gave this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars because aside from a single sentence, the story was nearly flawless. The characters and story had me enchanted from day one and the plot unfolded at just the right pace. This isn’t your typical paranormal or vampire story, but it will keep you on your toes and isn't full of “fluff”, but has a lot of deeper issues going on in the sidelines along with the main plot. When I found out this was the authors debut trilogy I couldn't believe it. I can’t wait to see what else Vanessa writes in the remainder of this trilogy and beyond.

Can Change Come Without Sacrifice? - The review of Return (The Evolution Trilogy)

This is the third and final installment of The Evolution Trilogy by Vanessa Wester. I read it in two sittings, once I got about 30% in I just couldn't put it down. The environment and characters were so realistic, even with the paranormal twist I found myself in the world along with the entire cast of characters. From the lovable Susanna to the love/hate relationship I developed with Ingrid I was for all intents and purposes part of this world. I had my suspicions along with some of the characters that things weren't quite what they seemed initially, and that seems to be the underlying theme of the wrap up of this trilogy - not everything is what it seems. Over the course of the story you see change and growth in the characters, much in the same way you see changes as people mature and grow. The ideas and thoughts of the main characters grow, making the characters grow as individuals. I think one of the most powerful underlying themes in the book is that sometimes love isn't enough, and other times it makes all the difference in the world. Another point is sometimes the end is just that - the end, and others it's just the beginning of something else. The raw emotion displayed in this book caught me off guard in comparison to the others and drew me deeper into the story, feeling the pain of the characters so much so that I found myself crying over some parts. I found myself both thoughtful, sad and wanting more at the end of the book. I slept on it, only to realize today that sometimes art (fiction) imitates life and "it is what it is". Overall, the entire trilogy was fantastic and I hope that Vanessa works on the prequel for Emily one day.

Once again Vanessa has created a flawless story, I didn't notice any grammar or spelling errors, which means there either were none or I was so absorbed into the story I didn't see them, which is a HUGE deal to me. 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."