Being a full-time writer - if only temporarily...

When the rotas went up for the new year, I was surprised to find out that I had 11 days off! A great feeling I can tell you! It's not very often you don't know when your time off is coming up, but this one was unplanned and booked in for me, so when it showed up on the rota it was a warmly welcomed surprise!

Sunday was my first day off, so I spent it as a Sunday should be spent... doing nothing! It was amazing. Normally I would be fitting in cleaning, seeing family, time with Simon and an evening in the pub for the local jam night. Most of my time was spent reading, and at the pub! 

Come Monday, I was ready to settle into my days off and use them wisely! I have a new book due out in the spring... Therefore I planned to spend my time off pretending to be a full-time writer! And I can tell you, it has been awesome!!

I made a plan, chunks of editing and/or writing, social media time to connect with readers and other writers and other odd jobs like chasing beta readers. 

I was careful to make sure that my goals were achievable, as I have a tendency to set myself ridiculous intentions and then get frustrated with myself when I don't achieve them as planned. This year I promised myself that I would be more careful, meaning that I would be less down on myself. So far, I've done alright. 

I finished off my read-through of the latest Hidden World Novel, making a detailed timeline so that I knew where things were at and therefore having a list of plot holes that needed to be filled. When I did my planning, I gave myself three days to get the read-through finished and it was plenty - I even got to do some writing on the third day. 

Come the weekend, when I would normally have those pesky chores to do (which I had been doing a little bit at a time all week so I didn't have the house to clean) I got to go out with my family, enjoy the day, have fun, without worrying that I had to get everything done before going back to work the following day. 

We headed out to Thor's Cave and had a muddy fantastic time! We were all very dirty and very tired by the end, but we made some fantastic memories and had a great day with lots of smiles!!

I enjoyed another lazy Sunday, reading and visiting family. Then we headed to the pub for another jam and spent the evening amongst friends whilst listening to some great musicians.

Then there were only three. I was due back at work on Thursday, so I had three days left of being a full-time writer. Monday didn't go so well as I had picked up the newest book in one of my all-time favourite series' and struggled to put it down... but I did fit in some social media time and started this blog post! Then I got a pep talk from another writer online so managed to write a new chapter before bed. I call that belated productivity haha!!



I hit 250 followers on my writer's profile on Instagram - a great feeling :) Thank you if you are one of those followers - I couldn't be who I am today without the support of my readers and those who help on social media!!

I also celebrated my three year anniversary of publishing my first book in paperback! The Love that Binds Us is the first of four Hidden World Novels so far, and is available, along with the others, on Waterstones and Amazon!



Proud moments!!




The last day of my temporary full-time writer gig saw me finish the first draft of the newest Hidden World Novel. I am fifteen days ahead of myself as I wanted it done by the end of January. It's safe to say that I feel good! I set the printer going and went to raid the cupboards in celebration, only for the printer to run out ink... a quick change for the new cartridge and back to eating while it finished... only for it to run out of paper a few minutes later, around thirty pages before the end... Damn! I now have to buy more paper, and ink, before I can finish printing and get it to the first reader!!


Overall, I have loved my time off and pretending to be a full-time writer! If I could afford it, I'd be all in! Being a writer is still my long-term goal... but it's back to the real world for me for now... Gotta earn those pennies somehow!

The Binding by Bridget Collins

So, I read this book back in the summer. I was lucky enough to receive one of the beautiful proof copies of Bridget Collins' book, The Binding from Harper Collins when I attended one of their Bookseller events back in June. It was a marvelous event filled with like-minded people who all love books and a few of the authors of the up and coming books we got to see... one of them being Bridget herself. It was amazing to hear her speak and get to listen to her talk about her book and what inspired her to write Emmett's story. The proof itself was just beautiful, a book that showed its potential without even having to open the cover... but of course, if I had never opened the cover, I would have never gotten to read the words inside! - I even got my book signed :)



It was a good few weeks before I got around to picking it up, but boy was I glad that I did. The only downside to reading it back then was that I couldn't get too excited because not everyone had access to this awesome book! Now, however, the tables have turned, and The Binding is out in all the shops, available on all the websites and you can all go and read it! And read it you should! Now, I can shout about it for all to hear! So, let's start with a link to the book - The Binding by Bridget Collins is available everywhere - but I am obviously going to direct you to Waterstones - or your local independent retailer!! *whispers* 'Don't go to Amazon'

My review for The Binding is on the usual sites, Waterstones and Goodreads (and as much as I hate to use them, I do review on Amazon too!) Check it out...

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"A phenomenal read and a story that will live on in you long after you close the book"

What a phenomenal book!! I received a proof of this book at a Bookseller event, and had the privilege of meeting Bridget Collins and hearing her speak about her story before I read it. Listening to her was fantastic, hearing where her ideas came from and how the story developed. The intriguing idea of books being true stories, bound from people who want to forget, or needing to in order to make money, was one that intrigued me on a level that I think only true bookish people can understand, but the story was much more than this. Emmett's story, one of honour, secrecy, guilt and love gripped me from the first few pages, and had me crying and laughing along with him. Lucian made a great supporting lead role and tugged on heart strings in just the same way. Their stories, so seemingly separate yet intertwined on so many levels had me eager to keep turning the page!

This is a book is one that I believe will be a fast and easy seller, and I cannot wait to put into people's hands. As a Bookseller I get to see how people react to books and I can't wait to see the love and support that I know Bridget Collins will receive for The Binding!

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I'm going to use a phrase that I rarely use because I don't think that anyone should ever only read one book - but despite it only being the very beginning of January - IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO READ ONE BOOK THIS YEAR - MAKE IT THIS ONE!!!

And to go one step further - as the Event's Manager at Waterstones Sheffield Orchard Square, I have organised for Bridget Collins to come and do a Q&A event in store in February so that you too can hear her talk about this amazing story - and get a copy of her book signed!!


Check out the Waterstones website for more details and share the love on Facebook!! And I hope to see you there!

Vanessa x

December Wrap Up

December, as we all know is a busy month in many ways, and unfortunately, my reading did slow down a little because of this - However that doesn't mean that I didn't fit plenty in...

First up, I had Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh on the go from just before December, book 7 in the Psy-Changeling Series.

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Nalini Singh returns to the Psy/Changeling world as a woman without a past becomes the pawn of a man who controls her future ...

Dev Santos discovers her unconscious and battered, with no memory of who she is. All she knows is that she's dangerous. Charged with protecting his people's most vulnerable secrets, Dev is duty-bound to eliminate all threats. It's a task he's never hesitated to complete ... until he finds himself drawn to a woman who might yet prove the enemy's most insidious weapon.

Stripped of her memories by a shadowy oppressor, and programmed to carry out cold-blooded murder, Katya Haas is fighting desperately for her sanity itself. Her only hope is Dev. But how can she expect to gain the trust of a man who could very well be her next target? For in this game, one must die ...

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I found this one hard going, and I can only put it down to the fact that the characters were removed from the pack - I found myself waiting for them to get involved... Still a great story, check out my review, and I look forward to returning to the pack in the next book!


On the first of December, I found myself sat at the corner of the bar on my own while Simon and the band set up for their last gig of the year - what was I going to do when I didn't have a book on me... read one of the ones on my phone of course... I have had FrostBite - Book 1 of The Hunter Chronicles by Claire Marta on there for a while but never got around to it... I finally picked it up!

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Being kidnapped with a co-worker is the last thing Jasmine Hunter is expecting from only two months at Scotland Yard in a job she loves. She is even more unprepared for the sparks that fly between her and one of their captors, especially when her unique senses are screaming he isn’t human.

Eric is a vampire, deep undercover with centuries of secrets. He has no time for distractions, yet he can’t seem to get the feisty female out of his head, nor the hungering desires she evokes within him.

Forced to work together, they must stop the diabolical plans of Marcel Coupe – the French arms dealer responsible for her abduction. As time starts to run out can they save themselves and Paris from disaster? Or will the sizzling attraction between them be their downfall?

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Wowsers! Not what I was expecting but exceeded anything I could have imagined! A must-read for all fantasy and supernatural readers, and the beginning of a series I'm sure we won't regret!

Check out my review here...


December is the time to bring out all the proofs for next year, I have a pile of January and February releases ready to go - I chose to start with Red Snow by Will Dean, the follow up to his debut novel Dark Pines from earlier this year!

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Red Snow is the eagerly awaited follow-up to Dark Pines, selected for ITV's Zoe Ball Book Club

TWO BODIES

One suicide. One cold-blooded murder. Are they connected? And who's really pulling the strings in the small Swedish town of Gavrik?

TWO COINS

Black Grimberg liquorice coins cover the murdered man's eyes. The hashtag #Ferryman starts to trend as local people stock up on ammunition.

TWO WEEKS

Tuva Moodyson, deaf reporter at the local paper, has a fortnight to investigate the deaths before she starts her new job in the south. A blizzard moves in. Residents, already terrified, feel increasingly cut-off. Tuva must go deep inside the Grimberg factory to stop the killer before she leaves town for good. But who's to say the Ferryman will let her go?

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Whilst reading Red Snow I got addicted to Claire Marta's Huner Chronicles and had to keep going - damn the sexy vampires!! On finishing the first one, I quickly bought Dark Desires, Book 2 of The Hunter Chronicles Series by Claire Marta, and it was just as good as the first one!!

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Jasmine Hunter finds herself knee-deep in a decadent vampire nest in Prague. A killer lurks the medieval city and is preying on blood donors who frequent the home of the local Vampire Mistress.

With her teammates from Scotland Yard in tow Jasmine, must attempt to discover the murderer's identity.

But will things go to plan? Sex dungeons, submissive human pets, and sexy dominant males are a lot for a rookie to cope with.

Especially when Eric is the last person she expects to see…

Requested to assist with the hunt for a vicious serial killer by an old friend, Eric is left speechless to find Jasmine offering herself up as food. The attraction between them is burning as red hot as before, and his lust for the feisty female is just as deep.

More disturbing, his emotions which he normally has leashed, once more slip in her presence. Yet this time they feel different. Darker, primal, and savage yet Eric cannot explain why. The insidious pull of the other predators around him is also more than a sweet temptation he finds himself unable to resist.

Combining forces, Jasmine and Eric must play the parts of Master and submissive.

But nothing is as it seems.

Can they work out who the killer is in a household full of deception and secrets before it is too late? Or will a price be paid in blood….

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I loved this, and could not get through it fast enough! Check out my review and then bring on book 3!!

I'm still reading Red Snow when on the tram to and from work, but am too addicted to The Hunter Chronicles to put them down.

Claimed by Magic is book 3 of The Hunter Chronicles by Claire Marta, a step away from the vampires and some time to get to know Twitch, our favourite supporting character!

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Broken hearted from Eric’s betrayal in Prague, Jasmine turns to her best friend to get her mind off everything she has lost.

Twitch takes her on a wild adventure in an attempt to cheer her up, but unbeknownst to either of them, danger lurks within the shadows of the techno mage’s magical homeland.

An ancient evil is rising.

No one is safe.
No one can be trusted.
Lines are drawn.
The battle to survive begins.

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I found myself wishing for more from this book - by no means was it a disappointment, but I kind of wanted a certain development to happen that never did... Just enough vampires to keep you going, but a lovely way to develop the other characters in the series and show us some background insights. Check out my review here.


Straight into The Serpent's Kiss, Book 4 of The Hunter Chronicles by Claire Marta. Ditching one vampire for another in this story... Here's hoping he fills the space.

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Jasmine Hunter’s addiction for the vampire bite is swallowing her whole. Left with no other choice; she seeks out the Master Vampire of London to ease her pain.

But Asier Serpico has his own agenda. Dark, lethal, and intoxicating; he offers sweet seduction and even more—pleasure. He wants to take her pain—and her body—from the one she loves.

Can Jasmine resist Asier while fighting to prevent the impending disaster of a new drug wreaking havoc on the city streets....

…or will London fall?

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Wowsers!! Asier definitely did not disappoint! Check out my review here and then get the next book ready to go...


Whilst reading The Serpent's Kiss I finished Red Snow... A fantastic follow up to the first Tuva Moodyson Mystery novel. You find yourself right there along with Tuva in the way Will Dean describes her surroundings and the way she feels. A stunning writer and I am looking forward to seeing what situation Tuva lands herself in next time.
Check out my review here.


Tiffany Reisz writes a short story from the world of the Original Sinners every Christmas, and we all wait impatiently for it every time! This year was no different, and I read A Midwinter Night's Dream the day she released it... If you have never read the Original Sinners novels before, then I highly recommend looking into them and getting started! If you're into that kind of book, then I promise you won't regret the reading time!!!!!!!

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USA Today bestseller Tiffany Reisz turns back the clock on her Original Sinners series to the Victorian era in this kinky Christmas romance...

Two days before Christmas 1871, the newly-minted Baron Marcus Stearns returns to London for the reading of his long-estranged and much-despised father's will, fully certain he will inherit nothing but the title. He receives the shock of his life when he learns that he and his sister Lady Claire will only inherit their late father's vast estate if he marries—immediately.

Kingsley, the Baron's lover and devoted valet, offers a simple solution to a seemingly Herculean task—the Baron should simply marry his beautiful ward Eleanor. Yet while the Baron longs to do just that...he possesses a dangerous secret that threatens to destroy their marriage before it's hardly begun.

Written in the spirit of "Once More, With Feeling" (the musical episode of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) and "Atomic Shakespeare" (the legendary "Taming of the Shrew" episode of MOONLIGHTING), comes A MIDWINTER NIGHT'S DREAM, an Original Sinners Victorian Christmas novella.

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Be still my beating heart!! I have nothing to say other than get reading this series! Check out my review here...


And last but not least, I finally got around to picking up Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale on Christmas Eve; a perfect winter read!!

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At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind--she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed--this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.

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The first of a trilogy, with the final book due out in the new year... I did not get this finished before the turn of the year, so look out for my review at the start of my January wrap up!!

Thanks for reading, and a Happy New Year to each of you. I hope that 2019 brings you happiness and mnay books!!

Vanessa x