It's extremely surreal to celebrate the first birthday of my second book, which means Ascension is nearly two years old!But really, these stories are much older to me than just two years. I started writing the story that would become Ascension when I was twelve years old. This was after blitz reading Twilight and Vampire Academy and House of Night and Blue Bloods. I attribute my writing career, and true love of writing, to the fantastic YA vampire/witchy books that came out between the years of 2007-2010.
The original story came into my head after I woke up from a dream of a half vampire who was bullied and stuck out of her family like a sore thumb. I had to write that first chapter before it slipped out of my head, like most of my dreams. I was so excited, but when I went downstairs to tell my parents and ask them, "Do you want to read the book I'm writing?" They both looked up from the television and said, "No. Go back to bed."
But that didn't phase me. I spent the next couple of years writing every free moment I could. In class, in the gym bleachers before school started, during choir, in the church pews. And I believed in my story.
That belief in myself and my book led my family and friends to believe in me. It made my unofficial first editor Pam believe in me and in Cheyenne. It made my publisher and editor believe in my story.
I was not a confident person when I was twelve years old. Who really is at that age? It might seem like it, but no one truly is. But when I had my notebook, when I was writing my story, I was confident. I knew I was going to be a writer, and there was no other path in life for me.
From that year, I have never wavered in my decision. I edited my story all through middle and high school, part way into university. I started university as a Creative Writing major, and ended as a creative writing major. And now, I'm studying Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University in Bath, England.
I have two books published, with a third on the way to wrap up the Cheyenne Lane Trilogy.
And I'm still writing.
I kept thinking today how absolutely wonderful my life has been because of my writing. I have met so many interesting people, read so many wonderful books, and landed in an amazing place all because of my silly dream about a half vampire girl. All because I read Vampire Academy and Twilight in no longer than a month's time.
Don't knock the effect that books can have on you. Two wonderful vampire books completely shaped the course of mine, and look what's happening. It's Clandestine's Birthday!! WOOHOO!
