Wednesday 16 January 2013

Interview with David Njoku

Interview with Vanessa Wester, author of The Evolution Trilogy

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Tell us about The Evolution Trilogy
The Evolution Trilogy charts the journey taken by Steven Thorn when he discovers he is a member of the next evolutionary stage of mankind. The difference being that he is a Hybrid – half new breed, half human.
Throughout the Trilogy we meet and find out about this new community of individuals.  These special people have vampiric tendencies and are exceptional in many ways.  They are a family, they look out for each other, they keep to themselves, and they care for one another.  Generally, they stay away from humanity, but this is all set to change.
The next stage of evolution is complete, and the new members of humanity will come face to face with their ancestors.
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In Hybrid, Caitlin Chance and Steven Thorn meet at University and fall in love at first sight. However, when Steven is discovered they are forced to separate. Steven is taken to the community and his fate is sealed. He is not normal and his choices are restricted. An accident will change this, his life is about to get complicated…
In Complications , Steven gets to know his grandparents and comes face to face with the reality of his mother’s internal struggle. His mum, Emily, has a dark side that once exposed reveals her true nature. It turn out she is the main reason they can not live amongst humanity. However, when Steven manages to convince his grandparents to return to England, he is reunited with Caitlin, and then events take a further twist. It makes the return to the community imminent…
In Return (to be published in 2013) the future for the community, Caitlin and Steven is revealed…
What genre is it?
It is science fiction, subcategorised under paranormal romance, romantic suspense or utopian.
What kind of readers will it appeal to?
This is an interesting question. It is supposed to be aimed at young adults, but in reality it is aimed at adults. The main feedback I have obtained is that the readers never thought they would enjoy it and then found they could not put it down… It has been read by women and men of all ages. I would say that it could appeal to many, many readers.
Complete this sentence for us: If you like ___________, you’ll love The Evolution trilogy.
Again, difficult to answer… I would have to go with TWILIGHT, but it really is very different. It is NOT just the story of Caitlin and Steven (compared to Bella and Edward), it is the story of a new species of humanity and how Steven ultimately changes it. Honestly, I don’t think I would have so many male readers if it was a Twilight rewrite.
Tell us again, what exactly is a hybrid?
Steven Thorn’s mother, Emily is a new type of human formed after a freak accident during the Second World War.  A group of humans evolved into a new species of mankind after being bitten by radioactive bats. Emily conceived Steven with a normal human.
Steven has vampiric traits, but still retains a strong sense of humanity. The truth is this new species is relatively young and they have still not completely discovered their full potential and possibilities.
Tell us a bit more about the next book in the series. What did you say it was called?
In Complications, Steven is confronted with a lot of facts about himself that make him a threat to humanity. Regardless, he is drawn back to Caitlin and another series of events result to further change the course of the community in the Amazon.
The last book in the Trilogy is called Return; it should be released in 2013. All will be revealed…
Can’t wait. We read somewhere that you are bilingual. Do you write in Spanish? Does having knowledge of a second language help you see and use the English language in ways that those of us who are monolingual do not?
I did use some of my Spanish knowledge in Hybrid, and I will use it again in Return. There was not a lot of interaction with the Spanish characters in Complications.
I also used to live in Holland for a few years, and my sister in law is German. In Gibraltar, I grew up surrounded by people from all walks of life. People of Spanish, Italian, British and Moroccan descent live in relative harmony. All religions are practised on the Rock (although the main religion is Catholicism). I think an awareness of different cultures and habits does help in this type of story. Every culture is rich and full of different types of food (I love good cuisine), humour and traditions.
Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I was born and raised in Gibraltar.  I first moved to England to further my education and obtained a degree in Accounting and Law from the University of Southampton, in England, United Kingdom.  Initially, I embarked on a career in Chartered Accountancy.  After a couple of years it became obvious I was not cut out to work in an office.
A change in vocation led me to become a Secondary School Mathematics Teacher, which I loved.  For many years, I have been a stay at home mum and give up a lot of my time towards voluntary organisations.  I still teach maths as a private tutor and have many hobbies which include swimming, walking, reading, singing and acting.  I am also a qualified A.S.A. Swimming Teacher and volunteer on weekends at my local swimming club.
I am married, have three children and live on the Isle of Wight.
The Isle of Wight? We’ve been to the Isle of Wight once. It rained non-stop. You do not have to apologise, but it would make us feel better!
The Isle of Wight is in England… Need I say more? It is sunny every now and again. But, the weather in England is irrational. All I can do is say that it is a lovely place, with fantastic people – surely the weather is irrelevant?
Have you got a website or a blog where readers can keep up with your work?
MY MAIN BLOG: http://vanessawesterwriter.blogspot.co.uk
MY READER BLOG: http://vanessawester.blogspot.co.uk
THE EVOLUTION TRILOGY: http://theevolutiontrilogy.blogspot.co.uk
MY WRITER’S FESTIVAL DIARY: http://festivalofwriting2012.blogspot.co.uk
SHORT STORIES GROUP: http://shortstoriesgroup.blogspot.co.uk
MY NEW BLOG: www.vanessawesterwriter.wordpress.com
Where can we buy the Evolution Trilogy?
AMAZON ( US, UK), SMASHWORDS, APPLE, KOBO, BARNES & NOBLE, eDIESEL.
What’s next?
I have several ideas for stories.  I have started many… I come up with new ideas all the time.  I do intend to write a one off story next though, a Trilogy is a beast!  Something futuristic, maybe?  The short stories will continue – the next collection is out for Valentine’s.
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