January 2024 Newsletter 💫

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Happy New Year, Reader Friends!

I hope you’ve had an enjoyable and healthy start to 2024.

On New Year’s Eve, I was lucky enough to celebrate in style on Sydney Harbour at a dear friend’s office in the historic Rocks area. The staff kitchen alone had a prime view of the iconic bridge and traditional fireworks display! But the best vantage point was up in the building’s clock tower. We had to climb several staircases and then a tall, steep, narrow ladder to reach the tower’s wraparound balcony. (Don’t worry — I stuck to non-alcoholic beverages before this ambitious ascent!) It was pure magic under the Milky Way. :) If you’re interested in seeing vids of the fireworks, head to my Instagram profile.

The Sydney Opera house

The view from the kitchen window! Sydney harbour bridge, the rocks

This year I’m pledging to listen to more audiobooks while walking from A to B. I’m obsessed with ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Admittedly, I’ve gone about it backwards, having read the TV series and streamed the soundtrack before starting on the novel. Now I’m super curious to hear how the full-cast audiobook sounds. Are you into audiobooks? I’d love to know!

Until next time, happy reading/listening!

x Vanessa

October 2022 Newsletter 👻🎃

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Happy Halloween, dear readers!

My trip to California did not go entirely to plan. However, there were some bright spots, including an unexpected family reunion!

And I was able to keep some important plans afloat. My fabulous friend, critique partner and NYT bestselling author Pintip Dunn flew cross-country to stay with me for a few days. We are total foodies and sampled dishes from no less than five restaurants in Sawtelle Japantown, near Santa Monica. In one day. My faves were tacos from Sonorita’s and mouthwatering matcha layer cake.

We topped off our stay with a trip to - where else? - a bookshop! We found our books on the shelves at the Barnes & Noble’s Manhattan Beach store and the staff kindly let us sign some copies. Let me tell you, it was a dream come true to see Under the Milky Way in a bookstore in the US. And to have Pintip by my side for that made it even more special!

Top left: Me and Pintip at Barnes & Noble, Manhattan Beach.

Bottom right: In August I dropped in at Harry Hartog Bookseller in Marrickville (Sydney) and signed a six copies of UTMW. All of them have since been sold…

I also kept my date with destiny - aka an outdoor Duran Duran gig at the Hollywood Bowl. It’s no secret Duran Duran is my favourite band. Their songs feature in Under the Milky Way, so I sent them a copy of the book last year. They played all but one of the songs in the book. When lead singer Simon Le Bon uttered the words “under the Milky Way,” I nearly fainted. Okay, he was talking about how lovely it was to be literally under the stars, but still… I want to believe the band did read my book. 😆

Larger than life. Duran Duran at the Hollywood Bowl, September 11, 2022.

Fireworks under the Milky Way during the finale song, ‘Rio’.

Time for me to head off and prepare for Halloween (ie. buy loads of snack-size lollies). If you or someone you know is looking for a Halloween read, why not try Under the Milky Way for your fix of aliens in disguise? Paperback and e-book buy links are on my site here. Or if friendly ghosts are more your thing, This Is Your Afterlife has you covered.

Until next time, take good care of yourselves!

x Vanessa

What I’m Reading Now:

One Woman’s War by Christine Wells. This WWII historical tells the story of Victoire Bennett, the woman who inspired the Miss Moneypenny character in Ian Fleming’s James Bond universe. Brilliant writing - do go out and grab it!

August 2022 Newsletter + Book-a-Versary!

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Hello, dear readers!

I hope you’ve all been keeping safe, happy and healthy.

Friends, it’s been exactly a year since Under the Milky Way was released! Time sure travels at warp speed! I want to take this chance to thank all of you for supporting me and my book. Over the past year I’ve received wonderful messages from readers of all ages saying how much they enjoyed meeting my book couple, Hayden and Cassidy. It’s a real thrill!

UTMW was released when we were under lockdowns and restrictions here in Australia. Hard to believe, but it was only a few weeks ago that I had my first close encounter with the book in an actual shop! Here’s me signing a copy at Better Read Than Dead:

I’ll be joining a number of fantastic romance authors for a mega book signing at the Australian Romance Readers Association’s Romantic Rendezvous next February. Julia Quinn (!!!) and Audrey Carlan are special guests. Click here for dates and details, and look out for the hashtag #ARR2023 in your social spaces.

At the end of this month, I’m heading to California. It’ll be my first overseas trip since 2019. As well as bookspotting and working on my latest novels, I’ll be seeing Duran Duran on their 40th anniversary tour. (!!!) Some of you may be aware their songs play a special role in Under the Milky Way. Check out all the songs that inspired UTMW on my Apple Music playlist.

Until next time, take good care of yourselves, and happy reading and/or writing!

x Vanessa

November 2021 Newsletter & Giveaway

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Happy…er, November?

Wow, how did we get here so quickly? I hope you’ve all been keeping well.

November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. Or NaNo. Writers all around the world have committed themselves to writing 50,000 words over the next 30 days. I almost said nah to NaNo this year, but there’s a particular paranormal project I need to finish, so I’m joining in with the aim of writing at least 20,000 words. I’ll have to cut down my daily rowing sessions, but it’ll be worth it. Are you participating? Good luck to you! You can do it!

Thank you to everyone who entered last month’s Ghost Giveaway! L.C. of Canada won an e-copy of THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE 👻 and an UNDER THE MILKY WAY 👽 paperback. Congrats, L.C!

Who’s ready for another giveaway? Make sure you’re following me on Instagram, because I’ll be running a flash giveaway there between November 2 and November 5 (EST). Up for grabs is a print copy of Eric Smith’s new YA release, YOU CAN GO YOUR OWN WAY. International entrants are very welcome. There’s huge buzz for this book. I can’t stop humming the song. Here’s the blurb:

It’s been incredible to hear from readers about how much they enjoyed UNDER THE MILKY WAY. And the 5-star reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, including the one below, keep me motivated to write every day. They really mean a lot. Thanks so much!

Until next time, take good care of yourselves, and happy reading and/or writing!

x Vanessa

October 2021 Newsletter & Giveaway 👻

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Hello, dear readers!

Here in Sydney we’ve just emerged from a hundred-day-plus lockdown. What a difficult time it’s been for so many. One thing that has helped me stay on an even keel is my trusty rowing machine. I’ve rowed almost 100 kilometres (63 miles) in the past week alone—mostly while watching the ‘Battlestar Galactica’ 2004 reboot. (Love!)

I have a book-a-versary coming up! Yep, October 21 marks six years since my debut novel, THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE, was released in e-book and audiobook by Bloomsbury Spark. This little book about a lost ghost went on to win Best Young Adult Novel in the National Readers Choice Award. Check out the official trailer here.

One lovely newsletter subscriber could win a Kindle download this month—I’ll throw in a paperback copy of UNDER THE MILKY WAY! Ghosts and aliens—what could be spookier, hey? For a chance to win, drop me a quick email using the button below and write ‘Ghost Giveaway’ in the subject line. I’ll announce the winner in my next newsletter. ‘Ghoul’ luck!

Sixteen-year-old Keira Nolan has finally got what she wanted—the captain of the football team in her bedroom. Problem is he’s not in the flesh. He’s a ghost and she’s the only one who can see him.

Keira's determined to do anything to find Jimmy's killer. Even it if means teaming up with his prickly-yet-dangerously-attractive brother, Dan, also Keira's ex-best-friend. Keira finds that her childish crush is fading, but her feelings for Dan are just starting to heat up, and as the story of Jimmy’s murder unfolds, anyone could be a suspect.

Thanks so much for reading. Until next time, stay safe and have a happy Halloween!

Vanessa xxx

P.S. Do you have favourite social space? Mine’s Instagram. You’ll find me there when I’m not reading, writing, and rowing. Here are the links to all of my social haunts:

September 2021 Newsletter

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Happy September, dear readers!

A very special hello and welcome to all my new subscribers. Great to see you here!

Although I was (and still am) in lockdown during August along with most of Australia, it was an action-packed month. ICYMI, Under the Milky Way was released by Entangled Teen in North America! It’s such a thrill to know readers are picking up my book. Aussie readers, the book will hit bookstores here on September 28.

To my delight, Kirkus Reviews said, “Barneveld offers a cleverly constructed plot, letting readers in on much that [heroine] Cassidy doesn’t know while still springing an unexpected development late in the tale that adds an intriguing complication.”

Last month, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by writing coaches Karlie & Brooke. So much fun! Catch up on our chats about writing and marketing on their YouTube channel.

I also got a huge buzz when a whole crew of extraspecialterrestrials invaded my internet spaces for the alien chic challenge. You have got to check out contemporary author and TikTok queen Mariah Ankenman’s stunning Space Girl transformation here.

 
 

Now, I feel like I’ve really made it, because the amazing illustrator Lulu Lucky has been posting Under the Milky Way fan art! Here’s a few of her adorable pieces:

 
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Reading, Watching, Writing This Month

My teetering reading pile includes YAs Mark of the Wicked by Georgia Bowers and Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith; Sapphire Promise, based on a true story, by Sally Brandle; the very hot Two Secret Sins by Anna Campbell; A Consequence Made In Greece, Annie West’s 45th book for Harlequin Mills & Boon.

I’m watching and loving Hacks. Jean Smart plays a legendary comic who’s forced to work with a 20-something writer-in-exile.

And I’m feverishly working on a follow-up to Under the Milky Way.

Next month I’ll have a special Halloween giveaway for subscribers only. Until then, take good care of yourself, and happy reading!

Vanessa x

'Under the Milky Way' Release Day!

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Greetings, Extraspecialterrestrials!

 

Please welcome to the world my brand-new YA paranormal novel, UNDER THE MILKY WAY! It’s my first traditionally published print release, so you might say I’m over the moon!

This dream came true thanks to my fab agent Beth Miller and everyone at Entangled Teen — you’re all superstars!

A special shout-out to my writer friends for supporting, encouraging and teaching me. Love you all.

I’m especially thankful for the lovely reviews so far, including these two:

“Pay attention and hang on. This book is just like a mystery, giving you blips and “hidden in plain sight” clues that just kept compiling until it all comes to light and you’re like, THANK YOU! Not a typical story and I just have to say I’m impressed.” ~ Julie, One Book More

“It’s not your typical alien romance. This story includes disappearances, aliens, conspiracies, and decades-old mysteries full of intrigue and danger. The plot is pretty unique, and I like how the author wove several seemingly unrelated stories together.” ~ Coffee.And.The.Bibliophile

Follow my social profiles for more release day — and release month! — fun. You’ll most often find me on Instagram. There are plenty of guest blogs and giveaways happening through August. And don’t forget, the Under the Milky Way Alien Chic selfie challenge is on now. Details on how to get alienated are on my blog. Here are just a few of the brave extraterrestrials who’ve posted so far:

 
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If you see UNDER THE MILKY WAY on the shelves “in the wild”, be sure to let me know! In the meantime, happy reading, and keep your eyes on the skies!

Vanessa xxx

August 2021 Newsletter

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Greetings, Extraspecialterrestrials!

It’s August, and that means it’s my book’s birthday month! UNDER THE MILKY WAY will hit the bookstores across North America on the 10th. I’m so thankful for the reviews that have started rolling in. Reviewer Daisy on Goodreads said, "I consumed this book in one sitting (finished within two hours).” So great to hear that, Daisy — thank you!

I have so much to tell you. In fact, I might have to send out two newsletters this month! Forgive me…

The winner of my exclusive subscriber giveaway is Robyn E.H. Congratulations! Robyn will receive a signed paperback, a UFO Spotter’s Notebook, Milky Way chockies and a one-of-a-kind UTMW tote bag.

In case you missed my first-ever live author chat, you can find it on YouTube. I had the best time chatting and laughing with my fellow Entangled Teen authors Molly E. Lee and Shakir Rashaan. Thank you, Brittany Zimmerman, for keeping us in line!

Keep your eyes peeled for my upcoming YouTube interview about writing tips with Karlie and Brooke.

Roll Up for the Magical Blog Tour!

Here are some of the upcoming events going on this month:

  • August 10 - release day! - I’m taking over/invading Entangled Teen’s Instagram account from 6pm EDT. (Aussie friends, this is August 11, 8am AEST.)

  • Chapter By Chapter Book Tours has planned a 30-stop blog tour. Keep an eye on their site for the itinerary. You’ll find deleted scenes, excerpts, and much more on the tour! If you’re a blogger and want to be a host, please sign up here asap!

  • August 11 - Visit me at WriterSpace.com, where I’ll be talking about how music influenced my story. There’s a $10 Prezzee digital gift card up for grabs too.

  • August 12 - I take on the famous title challenge at Fresh Fiction.

  • August 13 - I’m under the spotlight at the Harlequin Junkie blog. Enter my Rafflecopter giveaway on the day for a chance to win my book.

  • August 15 - I’ll be guest blogging at the Australian Romance Readers Association. Swing by to find out what inspired me to write UNDER THE MILKY WAY.

Selfie Challenge

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The Under the Milky Way Alien Chic selfie challenge is underway! You’ll start seeing aliens everywhere on my social accounts. Don’t worry — I swear they’re friendly! More details are on my blog if you want to join us.

Thanks so much for reading! I’ll be in touch again soon. :)

In the meantime, stay safe and take good care of yourselves.

Vanessa xxx

Pre-order the paperback or e-book of UNDER THE MILKY WAY from these fine places:

Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon Canada | Barnes and Noble | Apple iBooks™ | Kobo | Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Bol.com | Boomerang Books | Better Read Than Dead

July 2021 Newsletter

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Greetings, Extraspecialterrestrials!

I hope you are all safe and well. As I write this, a good portion of Australia is in lockdown. I’m happy to do whatever it takes to keep people safe. While we patiently wait this thing out, how about we focus on book giveaways? There are four you need to know about!

Goodreads Giveaway

My publisher is running a giveaway for US-based readers from July 6 to August 5, 2021. Five print copies of UNDER THE MILKY WAY are up for grabs! Enter here.

Cover Selfie Challenge

To help spread the word about my book, several extraspecialterrestrials have signed up to take part in my selfie cover challenge. This was set to take flight in July. But after going into lockdown, I've decided to change the timeline of the challenge in order give people more time to get their alien on. I would lovepeople to post anytime from August 1 onwards. Are you up for the challenge? You could win a signed copy of my book for your troubles. Click here for full deets:

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Reader Appreciation Month

July is all about you — readers! This month, Entangled Teen authors will line up in droves to show how we much we appreciate your support. We wouldn’t be here without you! Be sure to follow @entangledteen on Instagram so you don’t miss out on fun vids and, yes, giveaways!

Subscriber Giveaway

There’s one more giveaway and it requires zero effort. As a subscriber, you’re automatically in the draw to win an exclusive prize pack which includes an UNDER THE MILKY WAY book bag, signed paperback, Milky Way chocolate bars, and a one-of-a-kind UFO Spotter’s Notebook. A winner will be randomly chosen and contacted by email on August 1. 

Till next time, stay safe…and keep your eyes on the skies!

~ Vanessa

vanessabarneveld.com

Preorder the Entangled Teen paperback or e-book from these fine places now:

Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon Canada | Barnes and Noble | Apple iBooks™ | Kobo | Book Depository

Add to Goodreads

June 2021 Newsletter

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Greetings, Extraspecialterrestrials!

A warm welcome to all my new subscribers! Thank you for signing up. Every subscriber will automatically go in the draw to win the super-exclusive prize pack shown in the graphic below. The UFO Spotter’s Notebook was designed by yours truly, and I fully expect the prize winner to fill this little journal with details of UFO sightings. One subscriber will be drawn at random and contacted (by me, not by aliens) on August 1, 2021, EDT.

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Massive thanks to everyone who shared the excitement of the cover reveal and the book trailer for UNDER THE MILKY WAY! The new release date is August 10! I can’t wait.

From July 1, I’m daring extraspecialterrestrials to dress up in alien chic and post a selfie on their social spaces. Are you ready to get your alien on? Click here for full details:

I’m excited to share a new release by the mega talented Darcy Woods. Her second YA novel, SMOKE, is out on June 15 from Crown Books for Young Readers. I was lucky enough to get an advance gander and I absolutely loved it! Here’s a snippet of my review on BookBub:

Seems to me that the subject of UFOs is reaching fever pitch! Have you noticed? Check out these fascinating articles:

And Walkley Award-winning journalist Ross Coulthart is set to release IN PLAIN SIGHT: An investigation into UFOs and impossible science (HarperCollins Australia). Preorder the book from Amazon. His compelling documentary, The UFO Phenomenon, aired in Australia last month. Aussie readers can watch it on 7plus.com.au.

Now, my upcoming book is a work of fiction. (Or is it? Hmm...) I was SO thrilled to receive lavish praise for it from award-winning romance author Anna Campbell:

Preorder the Entangled Teen paperback or e-book from these fine places now:

Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon Canada | Barnes and Noble | Apple iBooks™ | Kobo | Book Depository

Add to Goodreads

Till next time, take good care of yourselves…and keep your eyes on the skies!

~ Vanessa

vanessabarneveld.com

May 2021 Newsletter

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Get Set for a Cover Reveal…and a Cover Challenge!

Hi!

It’s autumn here in Sydney and the skies have been clear and blue — for the most part! I jog/walk around my local park almost every day, checking on the wild swans and ducks as they prep for winter. I even spotted a turtle and an eel gliding side-by-side in the lake. The proof is on my Instagram feed. ;)

Now, I’ve got some big news: I have a brand-new cover and title for my next paranormal YA release! 

UNDER THE MILKY WAY will be released by Entangled Teen on August 3. 

I’m so excited about these changes! And I hope you’re excited enough to be part of an upcoming selfie challenge. I’m asking all you extra-special terrestrials to dress up alien-inspired outfits, take a selfie while displaying the book cover, and share it on your social spaces from July 1. You could win a signed paperback, and you’ll definitely have a lot of fun.

"Ms. Barneveld has done it again! This story is gorgeous. It has everything: romance, mystery, suspense. The speculative backdrop adds a delicious ambiance to this atmospheric tale. This is everything I want in a book!" Darynda Jones, New York Times Bestselling author of the Charley Davidson series

"Ms. Barneveld has done it again! This story is gorgeous. It has everything: romance, mystery, suspense. The speculative backdrop adds a delicious ambiance to this atmospheric tale. This is everything I want in a book!" 

Darynda Jones, New York Times Bestselling author of the Charley Davidson series

Here’s the publisher’s summary…

Cassidy Roekiem is just an average teen girl from Colorado. Her parents are divorced, she has a cliché crush on the hot new boy, and her social life exists solely through the efforts of a well-meaning best friend. Until suddenly her life turns upside down. 

First, that “hot new boy,” Hayden, asks her out. And one night when they’re driving through the isolated, winding roads of Saddleback Ridge after dark, something happens that neither one of them can explain...

Bright lights in the middle of the forest. Whole blocks of time they can’t remember. They’re nauseous and disoriented. We’re talking full-on episode of The X-Files. But when her fuzzy mind clears, she’s back home, and so is Hayden. Um, what?

Hayden has always been sweet and caring and fun. But now it’s like he’s hiding something. He knows something, and she can’t be sure who he really is anymore or how everything is connected to her. When it happens again…and again, Cassidy needs answers—and fast—because one of these times, she might not wake up at all.

Preorder the paperback or e-book from these fine places now:

Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon Canada | Barnes and Noble | Apple iBooks™ | Kobo | Book Depository

Exclusive Sneak Peek!

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Hello, Dear Readers, and welcome to new subscribers! 

Over the past month, I’ve been trying to refill the ol’ creative well, and the best way for me to do that is by watching a LOT of TV and climbing my towering to-be-read pile. And to give my eyeballs a break, I’ve been cooking enormous meals, too. Click here to check out my vegetarian shepherd’s pie recipe, which (two) people practically demanded on Instagram! ;)

Watching

Project Blue Book - This series about a UFO investigation unit is set during the Cold War and stars Aiden Gillen (Game of Thrones). I absolutely loved this. Sadly, there’s only two seasons, but keep an eye on the #saveprojectbluebook campaign to help get this show back on air.

Reading

Becoming Kirrali Lewis by Indigenous YA author Jane Harrison. Effervescent and poignant, this coming-of-age story explores identity and belonging against a backdrop of cultural upheaval in Australia.

Listening

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson. I’ve been listening to this super-cute audiobook during my long walks to the park. The Audible narrator is spot on. I loved the smart, determined heroine, Liz Lighty. This story is for anyone who’s ever had that “weird feeling of otherness.”

Video Excerpt!

Head on over to Entangled Teen’s Instagram and Facebook right now, because as part of Reader Appreciation Month I’m reading an excerpt from my upcoming paranormal YA, THE ABDUCTION! I’d never recorded an author read aloud vid before. Between us, newsletter readers, I was kinda terrified about that. But not as terrified as my characters are of aliens… This video has been captioned for the deaf and hearing impaired.