Today’s date – May 26th - will always be burned into my consciousness. On this date last year I received a phone call that changed everything. I’m not even being over the top dramatic about this. The date was ironically already a poignant one, as this should have been my third wedding anniversary, but instead that date will now be remembered as the day my dreams actually did come true.
The call was from a lady called Victoria, an editor at Carina (a digital imprint of Harper Collins) telling me that she’d read the manuscript I’d sent her a few weeks before and that she wanted to offer me a three book deal. I remember trying my hardest to act totally cool (as if this sort of thing happens all the time to someone like me) but as soon as I got off the phone I screamed, danced and swore A LOT!
Then began the process of polishing, editing and preparing my debut novel Destination Thailand for its release into the world at the end of January.
I thought that was it.
I thought that I couldn’t be any happier as I’d realised a lifelong ambition of becoming a published author. Nothing could top this moment … how wrong I could be…
I could never in a million years have expected my story to go as viral as it did. I never expected that I’d see myself on page three of the Daily Mail as I was minutes away from boarding a flight from Paris to the Philippines. I never expected that I would spend possibly the craziest four days of my life trying to cope with television, radio and print interviews on the other side of the world all on my own. This intense spotlight took everyone (my family, friends, publishers and myself) by complete surprise and I never expected the emotional rollercoaster I went on that came with this.
What was one of the most amazing aspects of this crazy time was all the messages of support I received (back in January and still ongoing) from all over the world. Heartbreak is universal but so is the desire to change your life and make yourself happy – both of these things I have achieved and so can you.
Twelve months have passed since that important phone call and since that day I’ve got myself a fantastic agent, had my three book deal extended to a six book deal, and even managed to travel to five other countries as well as sharing all of this on www.notwedordead.com.
The awesomeness doesn’t stop there!
Next Thursday I’ll be celebrating the publication day of my second novel in the Lonely Hearts Travel Club series, Destination India! There will be week-long activities on this blog to share my advice, stories and tales from India so please don’t miss it. Then in September comes the third book in the series… Destination Chile! Woo Hoo!
Sometimes we all just need to stop, take a deep breath and take stock of what we have achieved. I still pinch myself at how much things can change if you’re willing to take that first step. People fear change but actually you never know how good things can get if you’re open to the possibilities that life can present (even if they are from your wildest dreams!).
I look back and think how glad I am that I made that first terrifying leap into the unknown when I quit my job and went travelling, how grateful I am that I decided to blog about these adventures and share my story with the world in the hope that I may help others, and how bloody proud I am that I sat down and bashed out 100,000 words on my keyboard that would become Destination Thailand. If I hadn’t have done any of these things then who knows what my life would be like now.
I remember when it all happened, I said to my mum that I felt like I didn’t want to go to sleep as reality was better than my dreams, well months later and that is still the case. I know how lucky I have been but also how much hard work, determination and sacrifice it has taken for me to be writing this post now. I am honestly so so grateful to each and every one of you who reads this blog and my books, sends me messages, and supports me even if we have never met IRL. By you being so utterly lovely it always puts a huge smile on my face.
If you want to make some changes to your world then make them today. Right NOW (well, maybe after breakfast…).
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