I’m back after the most amazing holiday to Cyprus to celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary and recreate some of the memories. It was a little different not having small children with us this time around but I have to say, holidaying with teens is a lot more fun and relaxing. I really didn’t want to come home to Ireland and the rain.

The great thing about taking a break is that it gives you time to shut off and reassess. You remember what’s most important in life and for me, that’s my family. My phone was turned off for the week (mostly) and I didn’t have to think about client work, writing deadlines, agent submissions, rejections, etc. In fact, I completely shut off and I have to admit it was the best thing I could have done. I arrived home invigorated, refreshed, and more focused than ever. I’ve even gotten back into my exercise regime which had gone out the window. Nothing like sitting at the pool and feeling overweight in your bikini to motivate you to exercise again.

Asylum Short Story for PPA Anthologies Coming Later This Year

I returned to work on Monday and on Tuesday I spent a couple of hours researching Victorian asylums in the 1890s for the new story I am about to begin working on. This is for an anthology that will release later this year. The research was fascinating and the reasons for having women committed are mind-blowing. Imagine getting put in an asylum for reading. 🙂

I also came up with my main plot and storyline and I’m really happy with it. I had a few different ideas floating around and I had initially thought my main character would be male, but I couldn’t really find enough reasons for him to be committed. For males, masturbation was a reason to be sent to an asylum 🙂 The theme for the anthology focuses on a specific asylum for the wealthy and I’ve come up with a kind of twist on the prince and the pauper tale and after my relaxing holiday, I’m excited about getting started. This time I’m actually going to try and do some planning and character profiles done before I start writing and I’m hoping it will work out. The last time I tried planning it failed miserably. I spent two weeks plotting out a story only for my main character to change gender when I started writing. I gave up after that and allowed the character to take over and that is how I’ve written ever since.

The past two days have been spent on client work but my story has continued to roll around in my mind with little scenes playing out while I’m having tea. So far, I’ve written the opening lines about ten or more times in my mind so I know when I start writing it should flow.

Nightmare Realities 2 – More Spooky Short Stories For Children

In other writing news, my publisher Handersen Publishing is getting ready for the release of Nightmare Realities 2 and I’ve completed a final read through on the digital proof. The paperback proof has been ordered and I should be getting it in the post any day now. I can’t wait to see how it turned out and especially Emma’s drawings. My publisher always does an amazing job of formatting and incorporating Emma’s drawings.

I will be looking for advanced readers as publication draws nearer too, so if you have children aged between 8 and 12 in your life be sure to get in touch.

That’s all my news for now.

Until next time,

Keep reading and writing,

Amanda

Amanda J Evans

Amanda J Evans is an award-winning Irish author and writing coach. Amanda writes adult romance that often crosses into paranormal and fantasy. Growing up with heroes like Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones, her stories centre on good versus evil with a splice of love and magic thrown in too. Her books have all won awards and her novella, Hear Me Cry, won the Book of the Year Award at the Dublin Writers Conference 2018. Amanda is also the author of Surviving Suicide: A Memoir from Those Death Left Behind, published in 2012.

www.amandajevans.com