Self-publishing and turning a new page

As a self-published writer, I feel in quite a good place. I'm really happy with what I've achieved so far. My dream has always been, like every writer of course, to see my work in print, stories that are read by others...not just me. To date, I've published three novels, two in the 'Notes from Random Knight' series, NOTES ON A REBELLION  and A GIRL CALLED RANDOM, and A DISH OF STONES.

I've had a little break, decorated our guest room, primarily used by my grandchildren, made the curtains and the blind, shopped for new stuff and feel pleased with the results. It was something physically creative that I really enjoyed. (I was up and down the stepladder like a gazelle. Ahem). I've also baked Brownie Enrolment cakes with my granddaughter, Scarlet. It's her enrolement this week and she's so excited to become a fully fledged Brownie. And a bit nervous too, I think.

And all the time, I was thinking about the next story.

Readers of A DISH OF STONES have asked what happened to Kate, Emma and Christina, and whether Diana and Joe get together. I had planned to write the third story in the Notes from Random Knight and complete the series, currently titled, 'TICK...TOCK, The Time Has Come', in fact I started to write it a few weeks ago, but something tugged at me. I wanted to know what happened to Christina and Emma, and Kate, too. And did Diana and Joe get together? I couldn't stop thinking about them, and I knew I had to explore their story further.

My daughter, Samantha, who is always very vocal about these things, said, "How can you leave them there? You have to tell us what happened to them, Mum." So, that's what I'm doing. It's so good to be back with them, but they are in a very different place from where they were in 1975. CHRISTINA MCGUIRE is set in 1995, when Christina is seventeen. The fresh page can be rather daunting, but once I'd got the idea in my head it just took off. It helps that Christina, Emma and Kate know exactly where they want to go, and that their emotions and feelings are so familiar to me. I'm so looking forward to writing their story. Tell me, how do you feel when you start a new story? Does it scare you, or does it excite you? I'd love to know.

Lots of love Valentina xxx

NOTES ON A REBELLION ~ Flash Freebie on Amazon

To introduce A GIRL CALLED RANDOM, I'm offering the first story in the 'Notes from Random Knight', series NOTES ON A REBELLION for free here for one day.

 

Click me!

Past meets future when feisty seventeen-year-old, Random Knight takes control of the timing of her own death. After joining a renegade bunch of raiders, including her soul mate, Ethan Smith in an attack on Castle Firamodor, Random must make a judgement that throws her into the path of a brutal and terrifying adversary. Notes on a Rebellion is a powerful novel set in 2046 when fears for our world in a changing climate result in 'The Warming'.
'Is this the end of life or just the beginning?' 
Random Knight ~ Pray she succeeds!


NOTES ON A REBELLION is the first story in the NOTES FROM RANDOM KNIGHT series, and sets the scene perfectly for A GIRL CALLED RANDOM. 

'Love is mightier than the sword'.

The Warming has caused turmoil on Earth. Seeking vengeance against Random Knight and the exiles for taking his castle, power obsessed Zacharias Azazel enlists a grotesque accomplice, Chaos the Navigator, and his ghost ship, The Morvydd, to help him commit a crime that will make every parent shudder with fear. As Lord Azazel grooms the Scion of the Knights as his heir and prepares his soldiers to retake Castle Firamodor, Random and her companions run a gauntlet of obstacles in The Compendium, while Chaos forms Les Marionnettes, an army of children stolen from a century past and turned to stone. 

Set against a tale of sibling rivalry, time travel, and an under-sea war of angels between the Sachiel and Marceline, past and future collide to create a heart rending story of loss, discovery...and the most wonderful love of all.

Enjoy, lovely Blogettes.

Lots of love
Valentina xxx

MIREILLE ~ The beautiful new novel by Molly Cochran ~ New York Times Bestselling Author

Mireille

By Molly Cochran

There's nothing that grabs me more than reading about a woman in difficult circumstances who has the grit and determination to fight her way out of her struggles and make a life. Mireille is one such woman. Her story is set in France at the end of World War II, when it seems that all of Europe celebrates, rejoicing the return to a 'normal' life. Flags are raised in triumph, music plays in the street, and people dance with strangers, all of one mind, all looking forward to a future of freedom. 

Not so for Mireille. 

When I saw the cover for 'Mireille', it sent shivers down my spine. I knew immediately it was a story I wanted to read. I wasn't mistaken. I couldn't put it down. Mireille's story unfolds as it follows her life through the days after WWII, and the path she is forced to take to survive. 

Mireille is stunningly beautiful. She uses her beauty to become one of the most sought after courtesans ever known. She is known as l'Ange, 'Angel', and although her lifestyle brings her riches and fame, in her heart she is in turmoil, her grief for the the man she loves, the father of her daughter, never leaving her. The novel is perfectly paced, the story intriguing. I championed Mireille from the very beginning, right through to the glorious ending. 

‘Near the end of World War II, seventeen-year-old Mireille de Jouarre flees the home of her stepfather, a Nazi collaborator and abusive drunk. She finds shelter with her childhood friend Stefan, and the two fall deeply in love. But as the fighting escalates, Mireille must escape alone to Paris, where she discovers she’s pregnant and lacking a way to provide for her child.

So begins her new life as l’Ange—the Angel. After an unlikely meeting with a wealthy aristocrat in a Parisian hotel—and her acceptance of his solicitation—Mireille becomes the most celebrated poule in all of France, eliciting huge fees and invitations to exclusive parties. At one of these events, Mireille meets Oliver Jordan, an American womanizer and film producer, and is soon launching a promising film career. As her star rises, Mireille is determined to bury her past. But her success isn’t as carefree and glittery as it seems, and when her daughter’s future is threatened, Mireille must make a deadly decision in a desperate attempt to finally choose her own path.’

You can find Molly Cochran's wonderful novel here

'Mireille'
(US)
(UK)

Love from Valentina xx

A GIRL CALLED RANDOM

Hi Blogettes,

The release date for A GIRL CALLED RANDOM is nearly here. I'm so excited about it, not least because writing it has stretched me to the limit. (Until the next one!)

I feel kind of proud of myself that I got to the end, 'cos truthfully, I did wonder if it would happen.
A GIRL CALLED RANDOM is a much darker novel than NOTES ON A REBELLION, and although still fantasy, the subject matter is close to all our hearts: A parent's love for a child.

Here's the blurb..................

‘Love is mightier than the sword’

The Warming has caused turmoil on Earth. Seeking vengeance against Random Knight and the exiles for taking his castle, power obsessed Zacharias Azazel enlists a grotesque accomplice, Chaos the Navigator, and his ghost ship, The Morvydd, to help him commit a crime that will make every parent shudder with fear.  

As Lord Azazel grooms the Scion of the Knights as his heir, and prepares his soldiers to retake Castle Firamodor, Random and her companions run a gauntlet of obstacles in The Compendium, while Chaos forms Les Marionnettes, an army of children stolen from a century past and turned to stone.

Set against a tale of sibling rivalry, time-travel, and a war of angels between the Sachiel and the Marceline, past and future collide to create a heart-breaking story of loss, discovery...and the most wonderful love of all.

I'm planning a promo on Amazon where you can get Notes on a Rebellion for free on the purchase of A GIRL CALLED RANDOM, and a Giveaway on my website www.valentinahepburn.com 

Would love to see you there.

Lots of love

Valentina xxx

Self-publishing. My first year.

It's been nearly a year since I made the decision to self-publish my novels. I'm sure every writer has a different reason for taking the plunge into self-publishing, just as their experiences of it will be different to mine, so this is just a personal take on my first year.

As I get to the twelve month mark of 'doing it for myself', I guess the question to ask is whether I think it has been a positive experience. The answer is, yes, mostly. It has also been frustrating, depressing, and costly. The frustration comes about due to the fact that even though as self-publishers we're not waiting for a decision from an agent or publisher, publishing is always a slow business whether you're self-publishing or going the traditional route. When you've finally published your novel, you're waiting with bated breath to see whether you've made sales. It's great when you do, horrible when you don't. There's no one to put in the frame for whatever happens to your work but yourself, because there are no other decision-makers apart from you; about the subject matter or genre, the way it's written, the voice you chose to write in, the typos that crept in, the lapse in promotion because you're writing something else and you just don't have time, bad timing, lack of knowledge about social media and what works best. Whatever. It's all you. And that's hard. It's kind of like a life-lesson, learning about responsibility and taking responsibility when things sometimes don't go to plan.

At the end of the first twelve months, I will have published three novels - A DISH OF STONES, NOTES ON A REBELLION, and A GIRL CALLED RANDOM which will be published shortly. As you can see from the above lines, I've provided links to my novels on Amazon. This is my way of trying to get you, the reader, to take notice of my writing, to be enthused by the introductions I've written, and to fall in love with the covers. It's what I have to do. There's no point in my writing about my titles unless I'm being a sales-person first and foremost, because if I don't get the message out no one will. If you're not a natural sales person, it's something you must learn. No one else does it for you. But hey, you might get lucky. You might have written a book that takes everyone by storm, that racks up sales without lifting a finger, and now, you can sit back and write your next bestseller. However, during the last year, I've read about only three people in that position, although that's not to say they didn't work very hard. Those names crop up time and time again. Occasionally I read about others who are doing quite well, and good on them, but I think the reality for most of us is somewhat different. It's hard work, harder than I had imagined. Am I put off by it? No, because I like to work. I'm the kind of person that will give everything to whatever I'm doing and I will continue until I get results. I've made sales and had some very good feedback, but yet again, this is difficult to come by. You can't twist someone's arm to write a review simply because they've downloaded a freebie that was on offer to everyone. I do question whether freebies work. We'll see.

There are also costs involved. Unless you're e.pub or whatever savvy, (I'm not), you have to pay for someone else to do it. Createspace is different. The site allows you to upload a pdf of your manuscript on to one of their templates, along with your pre-designed cover. It enables you to make a paperback of your book, which is a great service for the self-publisher. Again, it's all down to you with regard to quality and appearance, but you do get the opportunity to order a proof of your novel, so you can check it out before you publish on Amazon. Be careful here. Make sure the book you upload is the one you want to stick with. You can upload second editions which I have done for my first two novels which have a change of publisher name and ISBN, but they don't always get promoted in front of the first edition which is very frustrating. My second editions are better than my first, and it's a lesson I've learnt. Well, it's all a learning curve. A very steep one.

Along the way, I've 'met' some truly lovely people. This has been one of the great positives apart from seeing my work in print and knowing that people have actually paid for my work, taken precious time to read it, and let me know how much they loved it. When that happens, it's just wonderful. Writers are a very encouraging band of people. They know about the dreams, the frustrations, the highs, the lows, and I've found they're willing to offer advice and practical help if needed. Be prepared to do the same. Pay forward and find some fantastic friends.

In conclusion, the last year has been a roller-coaster. When I see my novels I know I've achieved something great, something a few years ago I would never have been able to achieve. Next week I begin my new novel, and I can't wait. I love the beginning part, a fresh manuscript, knowing that at the end of the year I'll have something new and exciting to offer my readers. You know what they say, 'feel the fear and do it anyway'. It's what you must do to achieve anything. It's what life is for!

Lots of love

Valentina

A DISH OF STONES ~ PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Visit www.valentinahepburn.com for review paperback copies and an author bio.

A DISH OF STONES

Amazon Review:~ 'Using a unique writing style, Valentina explores the darker side of human nature and the results of bad choices. I followed Kate on her journey to overcome the choices of others and their effect on her steadfast hope in life. Sometimes these darker characters haunted me, kept surprising me, and I grew to understand and care for each of them. Very emotional to read.' ~
Tanya Reimer ~ Author of Petrified and Ghosts on the Prairies ~ 

Thank you to Tanya Reimer for her Amazon review.

Cover design by www.pryoritydesignstudio.com

It's 1975, the middle of a fabulous, wild decade when rebellious teenagers dance to the parent-defying music of Glam-Rock. Kate McGuire longs to be like other 16-year-old-girls, but she has something else on her mind, like the whereabouts of her missing father, Joe...and how to win her mother's love. The parental role has fallen on Kate's shoulders, but her sister has her own unique way of surviving the fall-out of Joe's disappearance. Wayward and independent, fifteen-year-old Emma sacrifices her innocence to find the intimacy and lifestyle she craves resulting in a chain of events even the engaging and resolute Kate finds impossible to solve.

Valentina Hepburn

can be found at

www.valentinahepburn.com, @HepburnWrites, YouTube, and Facebook/Valentina Hepburn

Reviewers ~ Please contact me on valentina@valentinahepburn.com if you wish to receive a paperback copy of A DISH OF STONES. A link to your blog will be appreciated.

Many thanks

Valentina

A DISH OF STONES ~ the movie!

I've had some brilliant comments about my YouTube trailer which I'm thrilled about as I created it myself. Hopefully it gives everyone a flavour of what A DISH OF STONES is about, and up to now the novel has received some great reviews, not least because of the very haunting cover, designed by Tim Pryor of Pryority Designs.

People have asked me if the story is based on my own life.  I suppose writers draw from their experiences all the time; it's impossible not to colour our writing with events of the past, no matter how long ago they were.  There are some moments in A DISH OF STONES that are personal; some that made me happy and some that made me sad, perhaps some experiences that changed my life, but although Angie, Kate's mother in 'A Dish of Stones', abuses alcohol when Joe, Kate's father disappears, I can assure you my mum would get squiffy on one sherry. The two sherries she allowed herself on Christmas Day usually resulted in lots of laughter because she was so funny, so she and Angie have nothing in common.

Each of the characters has something about them that I remember from being a teenager in '70s London. I had many new experiences during that time...we were all caught up in the excitement that seemed to accompany every day.  Anything was possible and I had a wonderful time working in the West End, first in a bank on Oxford Circus and then for a government-backed fashion export company.  (I was secretary, client greeter and catwalk model.  Such fun, and so many interesting people.  I even met John Lennon!)  It was a very unique time, and although people constantly talk about the 60s (which I also remember) the years of the 70s were brilliant.

Glam rock was fantastic, as were the clothes and the laid-back culture of the day which made those years so full of fun and without the 60s angst of trying to be cool. We were unconscious of how we were meant to be.  No one thought about it.  We were who we were, and there was a definite shift to being totally independent and out in the world. We were determined to have fun and we did.  And I'll never forget it.

Unfortunately for seventeen-year-old  Kate in  A DISH OF STONES, life is not like that. Her story does document some of my own experiences, but her life is vastly different to how mine was then.  I hope you will read about her and how she fought her way out of the difficulties she was presented with.  I would love to know what you think.  Below is the book trailer for A DISH OF STONES.

Love
Valentina