Over the weekend, I attended the Dublin Writers Conference 2018. This three day event was filled with talks from amazing writers and getting to hear their stories was inspiring, motivating, and one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had so far on my writing journey. From self-published authors to traditionally published authors, I got to hear about their journeys firsthand.

One of the big things I took away from the weekend is that we all experience the same highs and lows. We all worry about reviews, about whether readers will enjoy our stories, and the fear of failure is very real even for the most successful writers.

I realised that even those writers I admire, the ones I aspire to be like, are normal people just like me.

It’s an experience I’ll never forget and getting to spend a full weekend with a hotel full of writers was heaven. A weekend talking about our passion, our experiences, our love of the written word, and the stories we want to share. I’ve met wonderful writers who I’m happy to now call friends.

From this weekend I’ll take so many memories, so many tips, and the joy of knowing I fit in this world.

For those who were unable to attend the conference, you can still purchase access to the event online. The speakers were recorded and you can get access to the Dublin Writers Conference 2018 online here.

Hear Me Cry Wins Book of the Year

Saturday night was mind blowing and still feels surreal as I write this. My latest Novella, Hear Me Cry, was awarded Book of the Year. I wasn’t expecting it. I had absolutely no idea it was going to happen and when it was announced I nearly died. Self-confidence is something I struggle with and to have my book and my writing acknowledged feels bizarre. I’ve asked myself over and over again in the past couple of hours how it happened?

Who am I to win this?

And I’m slowly letting the thought creep in that maybe I am good enough, maybe I can achieve my dream.

I’ve avoided following my dream for so long, afraid of failure, afraid of rejection, and now that it’s within my grasp I keep expecting someone to say it was all a joke.

Hear Me Cry is a story that deals with a subject very close to my heart. It deals with death and grief. It’s an emotional story with a very important lesson. Time is a gift we are all given and it’s a gift we should make the most of. No one knows what tomorrow will bring or if we’ll even have a tomorrow. Hear Me Cry reminds readers that life is not guaranteed. It reminds you to spend time with those you love and let them know how you feel and how important they are to you.

Tomorrow is never promised and if this weekend has thought me anything, it’s to follow your dreams, do the things you want to do, and enjoy every moment. Make memories because when the time comes to leave this world, you want to leave knowing you did your best and you lived.

Hear Me Cry is available in ebook and paperback on all platforms and has received some wonderful reviews so far. It’s still priced at 99cents to celebrate winning Book of the Year.

Hear Me Cry Buy Links

Amazon: https://mybook.to/hear-me-cry
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hear-me-cry/id1369095032
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ie/en/ebook/hear-me-cry
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1128428975

Until next time,

Keep reading & writing,

Amanda