Guest Post & Giveaway - Writing Competition by Rachel Dove - Chances Fortnight

In 2015, I was a very stressed parent. My youngest son was struggling at home and at school, and I was convinced he had sensory issues. School were ringing on a near daily basis, my nights were filled with night terrors, juggling uni work and planning and marking for my teaching classes. I was working seven days a week, and although I was managing to juggle all the balls, I wasn't happy. Childcare costs were expensive, and my boys were struggling to stay in school for eight hours a day. Add in hospital appointments and helping my husband with his business, and it was all a bit too much at times.

I was writing, but it wasn't a regular thing, and I was frustrated by that too. I was due to complete my teaching qualification but still had my degree to finish and I loved my teaching job, but felt like I wasn't giving either job (teacher, mother) my best. 

2015 was the year of change for me. The first chance I took was entering the Prima magazine and Mills & Boon competition, which meant putting my submission out there into the world to go up against other hopefuls. I have entered lots of competitions over the years, but never placed anywhere before. When I won, I knew it was my chance. I always wanted to be a teacher and an author when I was a child, and I felt like I had ticked the teacher box, but now it was my turn to go for the author opportunity. 

I finished my teaching sessions and wrote The Chic Boutique on Baker Street over the summer. In December 2015, I handed my notice in to my teaching job and took the children out of childcare. 
Now, my weeks are a lot less stressful. I write full time, so I take the boys to school, run any errands I have and then write. I limit my social media a lot, because it is a huge time suck, but I do love to read blogs, and chat online with readers, blogger and authors. I have written two books since Jan 2016, and am now onto a new one. I also won the Writers Bureau Writer of the Year Award in 2016, and have had short stories published overseas. 

I work in school time, evenings and weekends, and when I am on deadline things get a bit hectic, but taking the chance to go self employed is the best thing I ever did. When the children are in high school, I will probably go back to teaching part time, as I miss it sometimes, but I love being my own boss. My house is a lot cleaner too! I am there to see my kids every day, and whilst they both have sensory issues, they are doing so much better. 

I firmly believe that we are here once in this life, so we have to go for what we want in life. Chase the dream, and make it happen. I have signed up to do my MA in Creative Writing in October too, so I need to get some more writing done to pay for it! 

This sounds all me me me, but the point I am making I guess is, that we read (and write) stories about men and women who run off to start new lives, have children, start new businesses, leave bad relationships, get over losses and find peace. We root for the character to dump the love cheat, to go for that course, or career, or dream life, but yet sometimes we are not happy in our own real lives. So perhaps our characters could inspire us to take that leap, chase that dream, and make those goals. I haven't looked back, and I can't wait to see what the future holds. 

Hopefully a lot more books! 

I know I am delighted that you took that chance Rachel, as I loved The Chic Boutique on Baker Street.

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of The Chic Boutique on Baker Street (UK Only)

In the spirit of taking Chances, Rachel Dove would love you all to take a chance and enter this giveaway to win a signed copy of her debut novel, The Chic Boutique on Baker Street, and hopes you will take a chance on a new author. 

Giveaway open to UK Only, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 20/06/2017. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

Win a signed copy of The Chic Boutique on Baker Street (UK Only)

About Rachel Dove

Rachel Dove is a former adult education teacher living in West Yorkshire with her husband and two lively boys. She is the winner of the Prima and Mills & Boon Flirty Fiction Competition 2015, which is the culmination of a lifetime of scribbling in notepads. Her debut traditionally published book, The Chic Boutique on Baker Street, reached #2 on the rural life humour chart and has been in the top #100 of the chart for a full year. Her story and work has been featured in magazines UK and abroad, newspapers and on the radio and she also won The Writers Bureau Writer of the Year Award 2017 and featured in their national ad campaign.

In between school runs and studying, Rachel writes romantic fiction novels and horror shorts with Inkslingers UK, with the proceeds going to cancer charities. Her next novel in the Westfield series is out this year and she is currently writing her fifth book. In her spare time she reads voraciously, binges on Netflix and feeds her zombie obsession.

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