(Originally posted on my old blog 25th August 2014)
This week I am pleased to welcome indie writer, multi-tasker and fellow red-head, Vanessa Wester as my guest. Vanessa and I met through the charity anthologies which she has produced in aid of such causes as NSPCC and Food Bank. Vanessa graciously allowed me to be a part of ‘A Test of Time’ and ‘Reading is Magic’, which both now carry my stories alongside those of other, talented writers. (For more information on these please see the ‘Buy’ page and ‘Other Works’.) Although I was fairly late to the party and there were several anthologies before I came along… But for now, I give you Vanessa, talking about her unusual and exciting take on vampires in the Evolution trilogy.
Tell us about yourself in seven words.
Author, teacher, blogger, mother, wife and friend.
Who is your favourite character in literature and why?
Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. I think her strength of character, resolve, relationship with her father, disregard for frivolity, English reserve, and love for books make her my ultimate heroine.
Who is your favourite character that you’ve written, and why?
Caitlin Chance, my main character from The Evolution Trilogy. She is partly based on me (so it made it fun to include characteristics I know well), but she makes decisions in her life I have never been brave enough to do.
Why vampires? A lot has been said, and written, about them recently. You managed to come up with a unique twist but were you wary of treading over tired ground?
Of course! When I started HYBRID, I shared some of my work on The Word Cloud and asked the same question. Ultimately, vampires will always be interesting (my curiousity of them has been there since a child; it had nothing to do with Twilight) so people will want to read about them.
In hindsight, I wish I had done something else since the market is now completely saturated… yet, because of what I wanted to write about it worked. I could have just copied Spiderman though… but, that would also have been done! Marvel ideas have been replicated a lot more than vampires.
What are you currently working on?
A historical novel based on the life of my great, great grandparents… Victorian times are fascinating!
Do you have an author who has most influenced you as a writer? Who and why do you admire them?
Agatha Christie – the ultimate master of suspense! I have always been in awe of the books she managed to write and was obsessed with her writing at one point. Love the whodunit!
What is your desert island book?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
What are your plans for writing in the future?
To keep going, finish a lot of the ideas I have started, and to try and believe in myself more.
You’ve worked on several anthologies, are you likely to do any more?
I doubt it. I might do some more for schools if the opportunity arises. But, they are too time consuming and I need to focus on my own work.
Tell us one really random fact about yourself?
I am scared of heights, especially when there are no barriers… I have been known to have panic attacks!
Thank you for having me.
Vanessa Wester Blog
The Evolution Trilogy BLOG
TWITTER @vanessa_wester @VJBeanland
And thank you for joining us, Vanessa 🙂