A heartbroken bride who was dumped a month before her wedding turned her tragedy into triumph – and landed herself a three-book deal with one of the world’s biggest publishers.
The day after she was to to be married in 2012, a devastated Katy Colins sold her car and house, quit her job in PR and embarked on a three-year long solo backpacking journey around the globe – starting with a one-way ticket to Thailand.
Katy, 30, told the Manchester Evening News, “At the time I felt heartbroken, confused and a little disillusioned about what I was going to do with my life.”
She blogged about her life-affirming trip, which saw reach her goal of visiting 30 countries before turning 30 – and ended up securing a three-book deal with Carina UK, an imprint of Harper Collins.
For three years Katy travelled the globe visiting countries such as Thailand, India, Brazil, Argentina, and France, and all the while kept her blog, Not Wed or Dead, updated so that friends and family could remain in contact with her and be informed of her travel experiences.
It wasn’t long before Not Wed or Dead gained attention from strangers with many of them contacting her to praise her for her decision to seek out positive experiences following her break-up.
The English and Journalism graduate told the Manchester Evening News, “People who weren’t related to me started reading my blog and sending me emails, telling me how brave I was to quit it all and go.
“I received messages from other newly single men and women who said they read my blog as an inspiration that just because you’ve been dumped it doesn’t mean you have to listen to bad power anthems and devour ice-cream. You can use this as a catalyst for something much bigger and better.”
The response from readers on her blog spurred her to begin writing a book, one which was loosely based on her own experiences. Ironically, the day which Katy and her ex would have celebrated their third wedding anniversary, she received a phone call from Harper Collins offering her a three-book deal.
Katy’s first installment of her three part series The Lonely Hearts Travel Club, is Destination: Thailand and the novel is based on her own adventures.
Four years on Katy has still not returned home to Edgeley, Stockport, and her unworn wedding dress remains untouched and hanging in a wardrobe.
Katy says, “I am so happy now. Being jilted at the altar was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”
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