Georgina Hannan, a self-published author, IT consultant, and life-long Surrey, England resident, didn’t always enjoy reading and writing. Read on to learn how she turned that around and wrote an entire trilogy!
Although I am a writer, I didn’t always enjoy reading or writing. Whilst I was at Primary school, I struggled with English. I disliked reading to the point where my reading level was below what it should have been.
My writing and spelling suffered; at 11 years old, I had to take compulsory extra classes in order to boost my skills and achieve good SAT scores. Still, I passed my SATs with a slightly below average score for my age, level 3.
When I left to join Secondary school, my teacher met with me and my parents. The teacher was genuinely concerned about my future. If I didn’t improve my reading and writing then I would get nowhere.
As a result, my mum took my sister and I to the local library. She let us peruse the shelves and each select a book. I wandered around the library for ages trying to find something that interested me. Because I didn’t like reading, I didn’t really want to select a book.
Eventually I found a book whose blurb intrigued me. When I took it home, I read that book from front to back and loved it. There were other book suggestions in the back. When I told my mum about them, we took another trip to the library.
I had discovered the ‘Point Horror’ books! In horror, I found a genre I enjoyed so much that I turned from hating reading to loving it. After that, I always had a book with me.
I also began to discover the reading zone, that place when you are so focused and into each book that you feel how the characters feel, experience what they experience–sometimes to the point where, like me, you don’t hear your family calling for your attention! I had found my escape.
Three years later, it was time to take SATs again. I knew that the average for my age was around level 5 or 6. To my amazement, I completed my SATs that year with a level 7 in English! It was one of the highest grades in the year. My family and I were so pleased; just a few years and I had jumped up 4 grades. All because I finally found a type of book I enjoyed.
After that, through an English assignment to write a short story, I began to discover my love for writing. Another idea formed in my head, so I began to write that down for my personal enjoyment.
I wrote that story in various notebooks and pieces of paper. My friends asked to read what I had, they enjoyed it. One friend asked to join in and together we started to plan the rest of the story. While the story was eventually lost, I do plan on rewriting and publishing it one day.
After letting that talent rest for a few years to focus on exams and college, I eventually returned to it. During a day trip to Dartmoor, I heard some of the myths of the area… along with captivating and eerie surroundings. I began planning a new story, which later became my Cursed Trilogy.
On returning home, I investigated more and researched the area. As I did, the idea blossomed as a single novel. I began to write a YA paranormal horror about a group of four friends on a two week holiday to Dartmoor, where they encounter some of the myths. Once I’d finished writing the story, I knew it had more to give. I sat on it for a while until one very early morning, as I was discussing the book with my partner, the rest of the Trilogy came to us!
After book one was edited, I looked at traditional publishing and self-publishing. Because I wanted to be in charge of what happened to my book, I decided to self-publish. I researched the different companies and decided on one that let all come down to me. I published my books in paperback through FastPrint. They handle the distribution to online retailers and send the necessary books to the legal libraries, while I handle ebooks completely on my own. This meant that CURSED and OBSESSION were able to publish in both paperback and ebook.
Because everything was down to me, I needed to approach a friend about painting my cover. My friend Michael Garvey, who loves painting, came up with a concept that matched my story exactly. He later painted the covers for the other two books in the trilogy.
Ever since I had first started writing, it had always been a dream to see my book in my hands. The moment that it actually happened, holding that paperback, was the best of my life. I had succeeded, proving my old Primary Teacher and myself wrong. I could make something of my life and become better at reading and writing.
I am now never short of ideas for stories in many genres. There will be many more from me to come. I will always be grateful to the ‘Point Horror’ books for capturing my imagination. There are some books in that collection that I will never forget and will always love and enjoy.
So if you don’t love reading, you might be like I was and just haven’t found the genre you like yet. Keeping trying! You’ll find it and, when you do, you’ll notice an improvement not just in your reading but even your imagination.
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Readers, be sure to check out Georgina Hannan at her website www.AuthorWorld.wordpress.com. Or follow her on Twitter @AuthorGeorgina!
ABSOLUTION, the final installment in the Cursed Trilogy, is available for pre-order!
A young adult story about a group of four friends who emark on a holiday together to the georgeous countryside of Dartmoor, Devon. Each of them hoping for an adventure, something they will always remember. However, it isn’t long before they get what they want.
The group are plagued by noises after hearing the myths and legends of the area. Is it just overactive imaginations or is there a visitor in the spare room who is trying to get their attention?
Join the group on a spectacular journey as they discover what Dartmoor has to offer.