Welcome to my Second Acts Series!
Today, we have Soul Mate author Annalisa Carr sharing her leap into a second act and her latest release: Children of Poseidon: Rann.
Here’s Annalisa!
Like most people I’ve constantly made small involuntary changes to what I do and who I am, so that the person I am today is very different from the person I was thirty, ten or, even, five years ago. The biggest change has been deliberate though; eighteen months ago I leapt sideways from my first career into what I hope will be my second one.
I never had a life plan, or a career plan, but I was lucky enough to drift into work I enjoyed and found challenging. I moved on from studying environmental chemistry in Edinburgh into doing a PhD in structural biology in London, and spent the next thirty years working as a structural biologist. After spending fifteen years in Cambridge (UK) as a scientist and a manager I decided I needed a complete change.
I’ve written in various genres throughout my life, and studied several online courses in creative writing. I’d had several short stories published, my first novel accepted by Soulmate Publishing and I found that writing was dominating my free time and intruding into my working day. In 2014 I took a deep breath, applied to study for an MA in Creative Writing at Lancaster University, handed in my resignation, sold my house and moved north to the English Lake District.
I finished the MA last year, and it was one of the best years I’ve ever spent. I met other writers of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds, was give lots of useful feedback, and experimented in genres I’d never written in before.
My income has dwindled to almost nothing at the moment, but I’m not letting that worry me. I live in a beautiful national park and, although the area was almost washed away by floods this winter, I’m sure the summer will be glorious. I’ve never regretted my decision, and I’m determined to make the most of the time and opportunity to write and, hopefully, to publish. My friends and relatives have been very supportive (if a little jealous) and the CEO of my old company has offered me some contract work I can do from home.
I’ve given up financial security, but I’ve followed my dream and who knows where it may eventually lead me.
If you want a second act, or even a third, don’t wait. Work on getting it. As Albert Einstein said, ‘A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new’.
Blurb
Annalisa Carr’s most recent release is the second book in her ‘Sons of the Sea God’ trilogy: Children of Poseidon: Rann.
Poseidon’s son Rann has been content to rule his island paradise for centuries, but now something dangerous is stirring in his seas. A dark web of evil spreads from the horn of Africa to the covens of London.
A call for help from her old coven gives young witch Jewel a reason to leave her island home and her crush on Rann, and hurry back to London where old crimes are rising to disturb the city’s magic community.
The past is about to collide with Jewel’s present and threaten her future with something far more lethal than unrequited love.
Bio
An addiction to science fiction meant that Annalisa Carr chose to pursue a career in science, spending most of her life working as a scientist in Cambridge, UK. Unfortunately, given the reason for her career choice, she never made it into space and has never been to Alpha Centauri IV.
Two years ago she moved to the English Lake District where she shares a house with her three cats, and indulges her need to explore alien cultures by writing about them.
She writes (and reads voraciously) in several genres, her favourites being urban fantasy, paranormal romance and science fiction. She is working on her third book in her ‘Children of Poseidon’ trilogy.
Where to find Annalisa Carr…
Joanne here!
Wow!! You give new meaning to the following quote from Neale Donald Walsh: “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.” Thanks for an inspiring post and best of luck with all your future endeavors.
Joanne Guidoccio 