A YOUNG writer - who has long dreamed of being a published author - is celebrating the release of her debut book.

Victoria Hope, 24, from Weymouth, has taken a step towards her long-time ambition of being an author with the publication of her first book - a collection of short stories called Unfolding.

She has spent the past four years studying for a degree in creative writing at the Open University, from which she is set to graduate in July.

Victoria said: “I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. Since I was about nine years old I would always tell people I wanted to be an author, I’ve been writing stories my whole life. I’m inspired by life, by experiences, by nature, music and classic literature. I believe that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. It doesn’t matter how long it takes us to reach our destination, we don’t even have to know exactly where that is, we need only to go boldly in the direction of our dreams and trust the journey.

“That is the beauty of life’s unfolding.”

Unfolding is a collection of short stories, most of which

Victoria wrote as part of her university course.

She explained: “I wrote most of them for university. I wanted to do something with them.

“They are arranged in the order in which I wrote them. It is about how I progressed as a writer. That’s why I called it Unfolding. As you get to the second half of the book, we get towards a more uplifting part.”

Victoria described the synopsis of the book: “Enter the mind of a psychotic duo, a scorned wife, a cursed angel. Relive memories of a ten-year-old girl, experience life on the other side, spend a night at the Chateau Marmont. A collection of ten short stories, each with their own surprise. While some aim to thrill, others will leave you with a smile on your face, and perhaps even a tear in your eye.”

Victoria is working on her first full length novel - a project she says is very personal to her.

“That is something I have been working on for quite a while. It is kind of like my baby. It is my life and soul.”