Time for a swim?

Well I have not written a post in so long, I almost wonder if I am capable of anything resembling articulate thoughts! It’s strange to loose a part of myself since I don’t feel I can call myself a writer anymore. Do I have to just dig deep or have I lost the ability altogether? Honestly, I have no idea.

I can’t believe I have been back in teaching now for seven years! It’s been a rollercoaster ride and I definitely have taught maths at a level I never could have imagined when I was writing. The truth is that I love to teach adolescents! Weird, huh? I think my time in secondary school was full of so much - sport, socialising, friendships, acting & singing, studying & panicking… and yet, through it all, it’s hard to change from a child that lives at home to an adult that has to face the world in whatever shape that comes along. University, job, relationships & a new family? 

So, I guess I like being a part of the journey for our lovely young people. And even if some have a harder road to travel than others, it’s always good to, maybe, guide them towards the right path.

My first dip!

This year I was fortunate enough to be able to teach some Spanish and it was great fun. I might even have learnt some new words… “senderismo” anyone (hiking to you and me)? It’s good to use my skill set in a different way. 

With the lovely weather,  I have also managed to do some sea swimming - since I am lucky enough to live by the sea on the Isle of Wight. It’s truly refreshing, even though today I kept imagining what lurked below me as the seaweed seemed to be reaching out to get me. I have to stop thinking there is something sinister waiting for me. I did however miss the friendly seal that was at the spot I swam in a few hours earlier! Next time…

Anyway, to anyone who reads this, thanks. I hope I entertained if for a brief minute. 

What have you been getting up to recently? Are you a budding writer or teacher in the making? Always happy to answer questions or to help if I can.

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

Addicted to giving away free books? #TETrilogy

A year ago, I ran a free promotion via smashwords which led to Hybrid being price-matched on amazon. Since sales had not been easy to come by I decided to permanently leave Hybrid free since I had just finished writing the trilogy and had heard that this was a great way to increase your readership.

Last December, I also launched the trilogy in Gibraltar and got a lot of coverage via the local newspaper, TV, radio, and the Gibraltar Magazine. This led to a surge of downloads of Hybrid in January & February, followed by sales of the subsequent books. It was a fantastic feeling to be further up in the charts.

As the months went on, sales dropped again and downloads of Hybrid also tailored off. During the summer, I had a lucky break with a reader, My Book Fairy in the US, who loved the trilogy so much she promoted it and recommended it to her book club. Again, this was fantastic whilst it lasted.

I also decided to leave FIRST DATE permafree since sales were so insignificant. I then found that Hybrid was not being downloaded as much and so I came to the conclusion that I was better off pricing it again, which I have now done. This was even after I designed new covers (maybe one day these will need a complete rehash).

But, there is a dilemma. I do sell books via iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords. I think these sales come about via the fact Hybrid was free. I also believe sales on Amazon have also resulted from the fact readers enjoyed Hybrid. The problem is that there are so many free books out there that I wanted a break from the pressure of looking all the time. As much as I try not to care and not to look I can't help it.

This is the reason for taking it off. I am trying to ignore the sales and focus on my writing.

If I had tons of sales then the free option would be worth it. Sadly, this is not the case. I hear on a daily basis from authors that sell thousands of books! I think they're lying... I know indie authors that have sold hundreds, but not thousands! If they are truly selling this amount, I say WELL DONE! (Truly, I don't know how you did it, but I respect you for getting there)

Bottom line is my books are obviously not what readers want to read at the moment. So, I am extremely grateful to all who have enjoyed my books and given them a chance. It's time to write something new and hope for the best!

So, I'll start early with my New Year's resolutions!

1) Stop looking up Amazon & Smashwords on a daily basis
2) Write something every day!
3) Don't engage in conversations online I feel strongly about...
4) Keep in touch with readers & writers I enjoy talking to (it's so easy to stop doing this).
5) Read every day.
6) Think about something in my life I am happy about every day.
7) Exercise every day.
8) Drink water!
9) Avoid sugar!
10) Get lots of "warm hugs" from my kids... otherwise statues will do!

It would be great to hear from some of you. What was your biggest challenge this year?

All the best,
Vanessa

p.s. Look out for my post on Christmas day... a special treat for all my lovely readers is on it's way! :)

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."

The tide always turns...

Yesterday, I wrote a melancholy post about how I was leaving smashwords - I have deleted it now! A lot can change in 24 hours!

Today, I found out I have been featured in the Gibraltar Insight Magazine and on the article it tells readers to buy the book via smashwords! SO... after deciding not to publish with smashwords anymore I had to republish everything today.

 

Fate has a way of dictating your life and sometimes its best to just RELAX and stop worrying all the time (I am shouting this at myself right now!)

This article is amazing and I have to thank Kay Xiarras for writing it after she briefly interviewed me.

Now all I ask is this... the next time I complain or sound disheartened tell me to zip it!

Thanks for reading,

Vanessa

EMILY: Prequel to The Evolution Trilogy

I just wrote a Halloween post on my main blog which you can read by clicking HERE

I have included an extract from EMILY, which went live today! Exciting! To tempt you further here is another scene to enjoy. In my opinion, the confident male has been blown out of proportion over the years...

Emily lay back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling, breathing deeply. After ten minutes of waiting, she had given up on Paul actually turning up. She picked up the Agatha Christie book she had abandoned the night before, and resumed the story.

As she read, she thought about Agatha. When the murder mystery stories first appeared on the scene there had been a lot of interest, but no one could have imagined the extent of her success. What an imagination! If she had even an ounce of Agatha’s talent, she would certainly deserve to live forever. Imagine the amount of books she could write. Unfortunately, writing had never been her forte. Truth, she was not sure what was – other than being an outsider. Everywhere.

Engrossed in a juicy bit, where Poirot is about to unveil the murderer with great finesse, she heard Paul return.

She shut the book, stuffed it under her pillow, sat up and patted the sofa. ‘Come sit next to me.’
Something about his demeanour had changed, as he took a seat and eased his hand into hers.

‘Everything okay?’ Emily asked.

‘Yes, I’m fine. It’s a bit stupid. But, I have to tell you something.’

Emily felt her heartbeat race. She imagined the worst. ‘You can tell me anything. I couldn’t think badly of you.’

‘I don’t think you’d think badly of me. It’s just embarrassing.’

She could not imagine what this was about.

After a minute of silence, he squeezed her hand. ‘I’ve never been with a girl before. I have to admit I’m a bit scared of you. You seem so confident compared to me. I think I’m going to disappoint you.’

She felt like laughing, yet held it back. It would seriously hurt his feelings. ‘Is that why you hold back? Is that why you keep running away from me?’

‘Yes.’ He was keeping his eyes fixed on his wardrobe. 

‘Do you trust me?’

‘Of course I do,’ he replied. 

It was her turn to be brave – to take the lead.

You can read the rest and find out what happens by clicking on the links!

Thank you for your support, Vanessa

Amazon    Smashwords    Barnes & Noble   iTunes 

Emily has not changed in fifty years. A freak accident made her immortal, or so she thinks. When she is finally allowed to return to her beloved England all is not as she expected. So much has changed. The past she was holding onto 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... and when it happens, can she do what it takes to hold on to it?

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. For within her twisted heart lies a dark soul.

Evolution of a Writer...

This weekend I attended the Isle of Wight Literary Festival. I was lucky to be given a slot alongside some fantastic authors, which I mention on my main blog - click HERE for more.

I also managed to get my books sold by the Waterstone's stall on site - I was organised enough to ask them a month before they event and they put me on their system!

It is an impressive sight to see my books alongside those published traditionally and to think "they look good!" Createspace did a great job with these - I love the smooth silky feel of the cover and pages, and the whole effect is fantastic!

Either way, I am an unknown author and my books were stacked alongside the YA books (even though I am not YA) so I did not sell many...

... so I'll tell you a bit about how it went.

There was a fundamental problem (as much as I am grateful to be included). It was not possible to buy adult tickets for my event unless you had a weekend pass! The reason for this is unknown to me, but I suspect that when I was given the extra session in the afternoon, since it was a talk geared at adults, they failed to take it off the children's program.

This would have been a great turnout
for my talk!

At one point, I figured I'd go with my friend Donna for tea & cake and forget it all if no-one showed up! I also came up with a plan B and changed the room layout so that I could do a writing workshop instead if the turnout was poor.

Luckily, adults managed to get tickets, although it was strange to see them enter with a child ticket!

Anyway, I was glad to see about 20 people arrive and all the chairs were filled. Trust me, I breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to the last talk I gave in Gibraltar this was a small cosy affair.

My plan was to talk for about 30 minutes and then do a writing workshop for the second half. Well... I talked for 50 minutes instead. What exactly I said is a blur, but I think everyone enjoyed it. Ultimately, I could have said so much more, but I focused on the lead up to my writing career and read excerpts from my trilogy that focus on topics such as relationships, war, my upbringing in Gibraltar, and personal conflict.

If I had been more organised I would have shown the trilogy video I made, but I did not think of that!

I was not focused on selling and it showed.

Honestly, I barely slept the week before and felt sick on the day of the talk... I was so nervous! I guess I am out of practice and lack confidence.

If I ever make it (and I doubt I have to worry about that too much) I'll laugh about this one day...

For the last ten minutes, I carried out a writing workshop. I gave them 2 minutes to write something about a character chosen by chance. Three of the adults read aloud what they had written and I was stunned by the quality. There are so many writers hiding in the woodwork, waiting for a chance to peek out and shine! Self-publishing has helped many do this already...

Ultimately, if my talk helped anyone discover hidden talents then it was all worth it! I can't help but think that I love to teach not to sell. Therefore, I am going to try to focus on what I started this for. To write and have fun. I am lucky to have achieved what I have since 2012. I have not done as well as others, but I simply am not ruthless enough. I can not change who I am and refuse to. If this means I sell no more books, then so be it.

I don't think Vincent Van Gogh would have ever believed how much his paintings are worth today... talent is not always spotted until someone gives it credibility.

I must thank my wonderful friend, Donna, for helping me on the day and for being incredibly supportive.

I also have to say a huge thank you to a lovely friend I have made via the web, My Book Fairy. She is also trying to drum up support for my NEW release, Emily via a BLOG TOUR. If you have a blog and are willing to get involved please contact her. Again, I am over the moon to have someone else who is willing to wave my flag!

In 2010, I had the foolish idea that I should write for fun... nearly five years later I have self-published three novels, seven anthologies, and am about to release a novella. My weakness is the fact I have wanted to do it all myself (I should get someone to design my covers one day), but I am proud of what I have achieved and hope some of you see something good in what I do.

Thank you for reading,
Vanessa

A time to reflect...

This year has been really interesting as far as book sales go. I did not know whether the complete trilogy would be a success or not, and had no way of knowing whether I would actually sell any books.

A few factors helped me along the way...

Being featured in the Gibraltar magazine in January & February meant a lot of downloads of Hybrid (especially in the UK), which resulted in sales of Complications & Return. The sales continued (to my surprise) and I was lucky enough to be featured on FREEBOOKSY recently, which again saw Hybrid downloads rocket (this time in the US)!

To have to be known you have to be seen...

Over the past few weeks, as downloads started to slump again on Amazon, I downloaded a new cover. I thought this might help. Unfortunately, it hasn't and my downloads have got worse. So, I have decided to revert to the original cover. It doesn't really matter since I am learning new tricks all the time, and I hope that I can use my new knowledge of making covers for other books.

As an indie writer, you have to be prepared to evolve and learn as you go.

In time, I might believe in myself enough to pay for a cover designer, editor, proofreader, etc. For now, I have been lucky enough to have brilliant friends who could help me with these jobs and I owe them a lot (they all got a signed copy at least!)

I have failed to mention or discuss sales on smashwords, iBooks, and Barnes & Noble. The reason for this is that they barely happened, BUT... smashwords have recently introduced a feature that allows you to see sales/ downloads on a daily basis (as you can via amazon KDP) and to my shock I am selling books regularly, especially via iBooks - WOW! So, I guess when it comes to smashwords... time will tell! A free book is a great way to get new readers.

ANYWAY... what I mainly wanted to say was ***THANK YOU*** especially to all new readers who give my trilogy a go. I know not everyone likes my books (I have had low ratings - knew it would happen...), but I am apparently connecting with a few of you.

I have to look at the bright side! For a while, I was selling at least a book a day, which was shocking at first... The strange thing is that when you make no sales, any sale is heavenly. When you make them regularly and they seem to stop you miss them more!

All I ask is that if you do read HYBRID and enjoy please make my day by leaving a review. I can only assume that the people who go on to buy the other books enjoy the trilogy, but I don't know since I rarely get reviews.

I know many authors are much more aggressive than me at getting reviews, but I guess my British nature dictates that I only ask those who I know have actually read it. I will never personally review a book I have not read.

Anyway, I will now update the pictures for Hybrid and see what happens.

As for my writing, it has been a real struggle recently. This blog is actually therapeutic! I find my time has been eradicated by family life, lack of motivation, migraines, dry eyes, etc... I guess I still need to recover from my lazer eye surgery operation since I find I can't stare at the computer for long periods of time.

I have started a prequel to the trilogy, but my main project is a historical fiction novel based on the life of my great, great, great grandparents. It is an exciting project, but extremely time-consuming since I have to do loads of research. Patience never was my strong point!

Well, to finish off (& try to get some writing done) I will remember the saying "Rome was not built in one day"... 

Have a great day & thanks for reading,

All the best,

Vanessa

Happy Two Year Anniversary, HYBRID

Two years ago, I published Hybrid on smashwords... and started blogging online via blogger.

It is amazing to think how much I have learnt and how much I have done since then. In celebration of the day, I have decided to recap the last two years... for all you budding authors out there wondering whether to self-publish!

27th March, 2012 - Published on smashwords!

My second ever blog post

"Well, I was going to wait some more... but then I thought "what's the point?" So I self published last night and I have sold 4 books already...so cool... Whoever you are, thank you...you made my day.  Let me know how you got on, did you like it?  Would you like to read more?  The sequel is written and in need of an edit... I guess I should get into that now.

For those of you who don't know me, a little sneak peak... I love to read paranormal romance and thrillers... so if you have any suggestions please let me know.

At the moment it looks like I'm about to sink my teeth into The Hunger Games...it might take the edge off my obsession with Twilight. (groan... I hear some of you say)  I will not apologise for this, if it have not been for an interview I saw of Stephenie Meyer I would never have started writing...I owe her one.  Since I started to escape into fiction I've been a happier person.  And I hope you like what I write as much as I enjoyed writing it...

Thanks for reading!"

So sweet and innocent... I had no idea what I had started!

Once I started on smashwords, I waited to try to get "Premium Status" ... eventually I did, but it is confusing if you are doing all the formatting yourself. I followed Mark Cokers' Style Guide to get it right.

I realised that selling on smashwords was not an easy task... SELF-PUBLISHING IS HARD!

I decided to branch out and joined the Beast => => => Amazon. I published there on May 8th, 2012.

It was at this point that I started to see the brutal side to selling books - FAKING REVIEWS!

It happens, there's no point lying about it - some people do rate a book without having read it, either to swap reviews with an author or to make the author look worse online - terrible, right?

If you look at my reviews, you will see that they are not extensive - I like to think they are genuine, from real readers. There are many books that have hundreds of reviews... I have no idea how they did this. The mainstream books will have them, because they sell thousands of books, but for the average author, I would estimate that for every 50-100 books sold, you might get 1 review if you are lucky.

Harry Potter in the UK has currently got 1554 reviews... think about how many thousands of books this has sold! In contrast, Fifty Shades of Grey (the masterpiece-NOT!) has 7049 reviews (2022 are one star!)... even though it was published only a few years ago. It is also in the top 100 of the charts - erotica (is this what these books are?) obviously sells. It's a shame I don't write it... I need to lower my standards!

For the record, I have sold several hundred books, and given away in the region of over 6000 books of Hybrid for FREE as an eBook and have 14 reviews on Amazon US, and 36 on Amazon UK! So, for FREE books the ratio is even lower, since most of the time they might not even get read!

I then joined GOODREADS in June, 2012. This is a great way for me to keep track of the books I read and occasionally I dip into discussions - the fun side of reading! :)

I decided to try out the Amazon KDP scheme, left smashwords, and worked with another author to run a joint promotion. amazing to think that in 2012 you could get 300 downloads in a day as an unknown author - this does not happen now to many of us without a paid promotion or excessive use of social media! I got over 400 downloads in a day for Hybrid, which rocked me up the charts last month - but that was because I was featured in a free magazine distributed in Gibraltar!

I then started blogging about other stuff... food, sports, personal stuff. I realised blogging was a great way to share photos with family. So I decided to start new blogs...

VANESSA WESTER, first blog started March 2012.

A READER'S PERSPECTIVE, April 2012. A place to vent about books I have read, or movies I have seen.

TIME TO ESCAPE, Oct 2012. Adult anthologies I have published for charity.

FESTIVAL OF WRITING, started Oct 2012. A one-off blog about my experience.

This one, THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY, started January 2013.

INTERVIEW OF AN AUTHOR,  links and some posts of the authors interviews I have done.

STORIES FOR ALL, June 2013. Anthologies that can be enjoyed by children & adults which I have published, raising money for charity.

A lot of my time over 2013 was taken up with the charity anthologies. This is a great thing to do in order to meet great authors, support a worthy cause, and to find an outlet to write about different genre's and try out new styles. I found the experience rewarding and even though it has raised some money for these worthy causes I have decided not to publish any more.

The reason for this is that it took too much time and I also felt a bit used. Most of the authors were fantastic to work with, but I found the process frustrating and made the decision to focus on my own projects. I will still promote them, and they do sell a few every now and again, but I think the market is saturated with these collections. I have seen a successful free one, where it is clear all the authors promote it since they have linked to the amazon page.

A great blog I wrote which has had over 700 views is HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK - MY JOURNEY! Worth a read, I think...

I blogged about editing (the pain of it all), negative reviews (the first one I got was weird!), publishing Complications (the stress involved), interviews, the first time I sold paperbacks via a Fair, skiing, Food, Chocolate Muffins, Easter fun with kids, pets, the completion of my trilogy - I did it!... and recently, I have started to interview authors I have read and enjoyed. I have set up a Facebook page to keep track of these a few weeks ago.

The world of blogging is immense.

Tools like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, FREE promotion sites, authors groups (like ASMSG), and Goodreads help you to create a profile and network with readers and authors (and family of course! Do not underestimate how helpful family & friends can be at spreading the word when you first start out).

You should also set up an author profile on the amazon sites, as recommended by Amazon when you publish via KDP or createspace. This also helps you to "fine tune" your book description.

Along this arduous road, I have learnt how to format an eBook and paperback, self-edit, create a cover, create a You Tube video (this was fun - I used windows movie-maker).

BUT, I have not gone alone... I did have help from friends & family who proof-read and suggested recommendations for all three books, and recently HYBRID underwent a thorough proofread & edit via Susan Buchanan.

Might I add, that since Hybrid has been free I am actually selling books - the fact the trilogy is complete has certainly helped & I got my first review for RETURN via Amazon US yesterday! Yippee... someone in Texas rated it as a 4 star and said they wanted another one - I could kiss them! :)

For my next project, I will know a lot more and I will actually try to get an agent (I think... on the fence about whether it's worth it!).

Truth, in order to sell paperbacks to the masses, I believe you need to have a mainstream publisher behind you. Also, to translate your work worldwide, it's easier to have help. If you are lucky enough to come up with a break-through idea the advertising that will go into it will make it big (regardless of quality, might I add!)

However, in the main unless you are known or famous, the chances of selling thousands of books are slim. So long as you accept this fact, you'll do great!

Happy 2nd Anniversary to Hybrid, I hope you enjoyed reading my rambles.

All the best,
Vanessa

I am in SHOCK!!!

I am soooooo EXCITED!

Last night, HYBRID had over 400 downloads in the space of an hour! This made it rocket to no. 88 in the ENTIRE free charts for Amazon! WOW... But, it gets better... this morning it was at no.70!

I suspect it came about due to the wonderful article written by Elena Scialtiel in the GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE.

Vanessa Wester: Evolution of a Writer

When I launched The Evolution Trilogy on the 16th December, 2013, in Gibraltar, Elena asked to interview me.

I met up with her the next day, and we sat on a park bench as she conducted the interview and recorded it. It was an enjoyable experience - I do love to ramble. The article she put together truly encapsulates what I am all about. She got me completely.

All credit goes to her for writing it so beautifully.

It means a lot to me to be featured in this way. In England, I have managed to get some publicity for my book, but it is truly limited, since as an "indie" author I have no idea where to go, or who would be interested.

However, in Gibraltar, I got a TV interview, radio advertising, reviews in the Gibraltar Chronicle and a full page feature.

And now, I am featured in the Gibraltar Magazine!

And they have done this all for me for FREE... in the interests of promoting a Gibraltarian!

Sometimes, there is a hole in my heart that can not be filled in England. It is in times like this that I understand why. To grow up in a community like Gibraltar was not always easy, but one thing I know for sure... it is a community that gives, and gives, and gives.

People from Gibraltar, a tiny Rock populated by around 30,000 people, can do amazing things.

Sports - the entire range...

Drama - fantastic productions...

Food - Spanish, Moroccan, English, Italian cuisine... and those CAKES!

And last, but certainly not least, EDUCATION - a brilliant school system that encourages youth to go to university - FULLY FUNDED!

Without the support and encouragement I got in Gibraltar, I would never have got my education and certainly never gone to university - it would have been too expensive! I did grow up in a 2 bed flat after all!

So, THANK YOU... sincerely,

I am truly grateful to the support you have all shown, and only hope I do not disappoint you with my books.

Have a fantastic day... un abrazo grande ha todos!

La llanita 'Beany',

Vanessa :) xx HUGS

p.s. To top it all... this blog has now reached 10,000 views! Amazing :)

A HUGE thank you...

I have just written a melancholy blog post on my main Author blog called "Perseverance" - where I discuss (or talk to myself as I write) my dilemma for the year.

Mainly, the question I ask myself is "should I continue writing or get back to my "real" job?

I don't have the answer to this yet, time will tell... but, from what I know most writers lead a double life - they have their day job and then at night they write.

Either way, I am extremely grateful for the moderate success I have had to date. Since HYBRID has gone free (or permafree - what a word!), I have had sales for Complications and Return. I have not had any new reviews on Amazon though, which makes me think readers don't love or hate it, or just have not read it! But, tracking sales/ ratings is driving me to insanity... I keep thinking "Why does that one sell?" "Why does that one get downloaded all the time for free and mine slips down the ratings?"

I am convinced that publicity and promotion is key, but if I do this all the time when do I actually write?

So, I have made a decision to write - yay! And I will have to watch as my books slide down the charts again - easy come, easy go!

If you happen to enjoy my books, it would make my day if you leave a review - on this blog, amazon, anywhere...

To those of you who have - THANK YOU. You are the reason I have worked so hard over the past few years. I know a lot of you have had enjoyment from my writing and so I know I have some promise. To those of you who don't like my writing - you know what, I respect you for sticking your neck out and saying so. I can be pretty critical too, but find I have to bite my tongue recently or I'll get accused of "jealousy".

Anyway, to anyone who visits this site for the first time... I hope you forgive my rant. Being an "indie" author is really hard, not all of us can achieve the sales Amanda Hocking got - she is what I call a true indie success story. She inspired many of us to give it a go, but I am afraid the bubble is set to burst or perhaps just loose air and fizzle out.

If you are a new writer I suggest you try to get an agent first, they are still looking for new talent. In this current market, they have found their feet and will use their marketing knowledge to sell books in a way indie's will struggle to compete against. Not every book should be represented or published, not every book is a mass paperback, but there is certainly enough out there to know that your book might have a place amongst the big boys! Don't lose faith, persevere... and if nothing works, ask me for help. I might be able to give you a few pointers.

Publishing a book is no longer hard - getting noticed is.

All the best,
Vanessa :)

Latest Interview with Madeline Dyer

I was interviewed by Madeline Dyer this week!

Highlights:

"I started writing as a form of escapism. My brain needed an outlet! Since I decided to take writing more seriously it has taken over my life to an extent. In a good and bad way at times…"

"Write because you enjoy what you do, not to make money"

Please click on the link to read all about it!

http://madelinedyer.co.uk/author-interview-with-vanessa-wester/

Thanks for reading :)
Vanessa

A bit about Madeline Dyer...

About Madeline Dyer, fantasy and prehistoric fiction author.

Ever since I was little I have been a keen reader and have wanted to write my own book, that I can display proudly on a shelf in my kitchen. Wherever I am, I always seem to find inspiration, whether it be for a setting, plot or character. Now I try to always carry a notepad to jot down those ideas that come flying at me when I least expect it, (although the ‘notes’ application on my iPod is also very useful!).

The main genres I like to write are of the fantasy category, young adult fiction and prehistoric fiction. As a teenager I was very impressed with Auel’s ‘Earth’s Children’ series and even started planning my own prehistoric series – books which I still haven’t finished.

I am the co-owner of a miniature shetland pony stud, and the ponies are absolutely adorable. Each has their own personality, making them so individual – something that is important for characters in fiction too!

I am an EzineArticles.com expert author – here I write articles on a variety of topics from Pets to Article Marketing. Check out my articles!

Also don’t forget to have a look at My Blog right here on this website, I try very hard to update it regularly with all the latest writing news, new releases and recommended reads.

When I’m not writing or reading I like to do a spot of photography, drawing and anything to do with arts and crafts. Or of course watching Eastenders on iPlayer.

I get my inspiration for such writing from a variety of sources and places. The initial idea for a story may be sparked by going to an atmospheric place, reading folklore and mythology, listening to songs (with good and meaningful lyrics), seeing a very good t.v programme or reading other novels in similar genres to that that I’m interested in. Alternatively, I’ll just see something in real life and think about what could have cuased that to happen, expand on it, build a story behind and there it is – a story waiting to be written.

When I have an idea for a story that I’m really excited about I’ll try to ‘hold off’ writing it for as long as possible, so I can develop it in her mind and add new twists to the plot. And when it eventually comes to the actual writing stage I’ll write out a brief outline, add more detail, do research into the background of the story (where’s it is going to be set e.t.c) and then write the scenes that are the most exciting, usually the climax of the plot. And then it’s just the rest of the book to write that’s left. Easy!

On a recent ‘count-up’ I found I had over fifty different story lines written in great detail (both on paper and the computer) but I doubt that all of these will be novels that I finishe, and even less will be the ones that get published. This is mainly beacuse I loose interest in some of them, or think “I’ll do that one another time.”

Recently I’ve been thinking about maybe writing some non-fiction on animals and animal-narrative-fiction.

Audio Recordings via @Audioboo

I recently discovered the world of Audioboo via a Twitter friend KingTaff Writes

It is great fun and has enabled me to share with you via Audio for the FIRST time.

Enjoy the prologues for my books, and a choice excerpt from Complications. I will add more as time allows...

Please take a look, and if you enjoy check out my books and pass on to other readers or listeners that might be interested.

Thanks a lot,
Vanessa :) xx

HYBRID - SUMMARY

HYBRID - PROLOGUE

COMPLICATIONS - SUMMARY

COMPLICATIONS - EXCERPT, Caitlin returns...

A NEW LOOK for 2013...

This is going to sound really silly, but I only just discovered the option to have pages on Blogspot... major edits to the rest of my blogs coming up I think - lol... I do love to play!

I hope you all like the NEW fresh look for this blog and find it easier to navigate the Evolution Trilogy.

As a means of introduction, I was inspired to write after seeing an interview with Stephenie Meyer in February 2010... For years I had written down ideas and hidden my scraps in the recesses of my computer. I was embarrassed to admit I had ideas and wanted to write stories.

I lost a lot of confidence at school. Even though I did very well in English in the end I was convinced I was not good enough to be a writer (even though I used to write stories all the time from a young age - I wanted to become the next Agatha Christie).

Since I was good at Maths & Science I naturally followed that road, ended up doing a degree in Accounting & Law (which I found extremely challenging, boring & depressing), and then decided (in my wisdom) to train as a Chartered Accountant. Are you surprised to find out it was a mistake? Anyway, after less than a year I resigned, even though they all thought I was very good at my job! I decided to retrain as a Teacher of Maths (since I always liked helping people) and found my calling.

I worked  as a Teacher of Maths in a secondary school (which I sadistically loved) for a few years before I left on maternity leave. We then moved to Holland for a few years and child number two came along. I had traumatic deliveries and found it hard to find "peace."  When we moved to the Isle of Wight I finally felt at home for the first time in years. It is fair to say that I am not a "city" girl...

I was about to go back to work in 2008 when I discovered number three was on her way!

To keep my sanity over the years I have helped voluntary organisations by doing their accounts, organised fundraisers, tutored Maths, read a LOT of books, cooked & cleaned (way too much), done craft with my kids, met up with friends... I tried it all. BUT, there was something missing...

So, when I listened to that interview in February 2010 I decided to try to write a story - for FUN! And I did. I wrote a romantic chic flick story of 67,000 words and I was very proud mf myself (it was not well written but the story had promise). Either way, as far as I was concerned at the time that was a lot of words... I naively submitted it to agents after reading the Writers & Artists Handbook (how little did I know? ha ha) and of course got rejections - I keep them as momento's.

I got the idea for The Evolution Series (now a Trilogy) around May 2010 and started to write. The original story started with Steven the summer before he started university. It was different to what it is now. Before long, Hybrid was born.  It was only 75,000 words at first draft.  It took 2 years to get it to the 103,000 word stage it is now. Whilst I edited and changed Hybrid, I wrote Complications, which is why I managed to publish Complications at the end of 2012.

I have started Return, but ever since I started to actively promote my writing, time has been more precious.

I have had great advice and feedback along the way from online friends at www.thewordcloud.org , Twitter, and Booksie. I also had amazing support via friends and family. But, I have to stress that I have done the bulk of the editing, so any errors are my own. I also designed the covers.

Anyway, enough about me, enjoy the first two books of my Trilogy! I have put my heart and soul into them...

Thank you for having a look
Vanessa Wester :) xx