It’s six months since the release of Destination Thailand and I’ve got A LOT to fill you in on. Like, grab a cup of tea, pick out a cake and put your feet up – as we might be here a while!

I just wanted a moment to take stock of what has been the best year of my life. Not only can I now call myself a published author but I’ve had the support, encouragement and incredible confidence boosts from cheerleaders from all over the world, including complete strangers who I now call friends.

One of the best days of this crazy year so far was the awesome surprise book launch that was planned for me. Since being a little girl all I’d dreamt about was being a writer. I imagined myself going to the library to take out a book that I’d written, walking my dog past a bookshop window and seeing my novel, and having a party where everyone I loved wanted me to sign my name in the story that went from my head onto the paper in their hands.

Until this year I never truly realised that dreams do come true.

I’ve been able to do all the above that my younger self-daydreamed about (minus the dog – I’m still working on that) and I even got to hold a book signing in France! The fear that no-one would turn up soon faded fast as both nights went by in a blur of tears, sore wrists from signing my name so many times and aching cheeks from smiling like a fool . I’d choose having events like this over a wedding any day!

Both Destination Thailand and Destination India have been recorded as audio books. Getting to hear someone (who did a mighty fine job on the many accents I threw her way) read my words – which I wrote not knowing if anyone would ever get to read them was – well, it was emotional.

My super-exciting news is that I’ve signed another three-book contract with HQ, an imprint of Harper Collins. So there are more tales from Georgia and the rest of the Lonely Hearts Travel Club coming your way! As soon as I have more information on the covers, exact dates of release and even titles then you’ll be the first to know.

In just over two months (22nd September to be precise) my third novel Destination Chile will be hitting e-readers and book shelves and you can pre-order it here. To have gone from not having a book deal to then having three novels released in one year has been insane, emotional, and totally beyond my wildest dreams.

It’s not been a smooth ride; my personal life being under scrutiny when this happened, trying to juggle writing novels, promoting them and making sure this blog is up to date, all while trying to travel hasn’t been the easiest of tasks. But would I have it any other way? Are you mad?! I’m living my dream!

2016 has been the most random and incredible year of my life and I just hope that with your support this adventure continues. If you have read either of my novels and can spare a few minutes to review it on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Audible or any other retailer sites it would really mean the world to me. Publishers take note of this and it can impact on future books, so if you do enjoy my writing then please let me know.

To top off all this good news (I still feel like I’m typing this in a dream. This can’t be happening to me. To me?!) I can reveal that the foreign rights have been bought for Destination Thailand. So, soon you can have a dose of escapism in 10 different languages! I cried like an absolute fool when I found out.

And one more thing, fancy seeing the Polish edition front cover of Destination Thailand before anyone else? Do you? Well, okay then…

*Whistles* Swoonsome or what? I don’t know about you but that front cover would get me dreaming about lying on the pure, white shores of Thailand any day.

I’m sorry if this blog post has been a bit of a ramble. I feel like I’ve just brain vomited all this stuff at you. If you could see me now you’d cringe at how much I’m struggling to sit still. You guys have made me the happiest girl in the world, a girl who never thought she’d get her happy ending. So, from the bottom of my heart – THANK YOU!!!  xxxx

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Books by Katy Colins