Vanessa Gant remembers the first story she ever wrote.
“I was in second grade,” the now 20-year-old recalls. “My teacher was moving, and I wanted to get her a present, so I came up with this story.”
The story was simple – there was a princess trapped in a tower, waiting for her prince to come and rescue her. Gant remembers her teacher loving it, framing the story to place it on the wall at her home.
Much has changed for Gant since that first story. She graduated from Truman High School in 2007 and after three semesters at MCC-Blue River, she now works at an early education center in Lee’s Summit.
But that love for writing never left. In fact, it has only grown over the years and now, one of Gant’s dreams have come true – she is a published author.
“I think I cried for like five hours when I saw the book in my hands,” she said. “I was home all by myself, and I couldn’t believe that I had published a book.”
“My Mother’s Spirit” is a teen romance, murder mystery and ghost story all wrapped up into one book. It follows Abby, a teenage girl who is on a family vacation in England. She befriends a girl who has a big secret. By the end of the book, Abby solves the mystery, falls in love and grows much closer to her family.
“Choosing the location was easy because England is like one of those No. 1 places I would like to go, so I researched England and found an actual village to put in the story,” she said. “I think it was really just blending the ideas together. I love ghost stories and mysteries, but I also like reading teen romance stories. I just wrote about what I liked.”
The biggest challenge was getting her book published. Written in only two months, it took another four to find an online publishing company that was not “too expensive,” Gant said. She chose AuthorHouse and within weeks, she had a published book in her hands.
“I have always liked to write,” she said. “I think it is just a good way for me to express this crazy imagination that I have.”
Gant hopes to one day compare herself with the likes of Stephen King or “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer, both authors whom she looks up to.
“I have always wanted to be published, so it is really indescribable that I now am,” she said. “I want to be that somebody that is known for writing one day. I want people to be interested in my stories and talk about them. Even when I am dead, people will know who I am because of what I have written.”
Arliss Gant, Vanessa’s mother, said she is not surprised at Vanessa’s recent literary success. She said she is amazed and proud of what her daughter has accomplished.
“I have never seen such a dedicated lady before,” she said. “She did this all on her own because it is what she truly wanted. I definitely think she will be successful one day because she has the heart and certainly has the imagination.”
Vanessa is already working on her second book, which is about another love, vampires. And although she would not go into detail about the book’s plot, she was quick to point out that it will be nothing like “Twilight.”
“That is the first question everyone asks me, ‘will it be like Twilight?’ My answer is always no,” she said. “I just love vampire stories. One of my favorite books is ‘Dracula,’ so it just seemed like the natural choice.”
“My Mother’s Spirit” can be purchased for $12.99 in addition to shipping and handling from www.authorhouse.com. It is also available for $14.49, shipping and handling not included, at www.barnesandnoble.com and at www.amazon.com.
Book signings
Vanessa Gant, 2007 Truman High School graduate, and author of “My Mother’s Spirit” will be at several upcoming book signings in Eastern Jackson County.
- noon to 3 p.m. July 25 at Blockbuster in Independence, 1528 E. 23rd St
- noon to 3 p.m. Aug. 22 at Blockbuster in Blue Springs, 1601 N.W. Missouri 7
- noon to 3 p.m. Aug. 29 at Blockbuster in Blue Springs, 624 W. U.S. 40
- 3 to 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Independence Wal-Mart, 4000 S. Bolger Drive.
