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By Matt de Simone
Contributing writer
The Blue Ridge Public Library welcomed back a former employee, Vanessa Burton, on December 7. Burton goes by the penname V. Romas Burton. Her recent visit wasn’t to help the community find their next source of reading entertainment. In this case, Burton was providing library members their next potential fantasy adventure, her recently published debut novel, “Heartmender.”
“I used to be an employee [at the Blue Ridge Public Library] a couple years ago,” Burton recalled. “It was really fun to go back and see everyone there.”
Burton is a graduate of Lord Botetourt High School. In 2014, she received a graduate degree in Theological Studies from Liberty University. She draws a lot of inspiration from biblical stories and from her personal life experiences to better shape the characters she develops in her books. She currently lives with her husband in Ohio while their families still live in the Roanoke area.
Burton grew up reading classic literature but developed a love for the fantasy genre as an adult. “I love that fantasy books are about the impossible,” the author explained. “It’s fun to dive into a story where things can’t technically happen in our real world. You can, use magic—all these different things are why I love the fantasy genre. I love that there are no rules.”
After she finished at Liberty, Burton found a way to cope with post-graduation limbo. “I started writing after college. Once I got my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, I didn’t know what to do. At first, writing was an outlet to get through the uncertainty of what to do with my life. I never would’ve thought I would end up where I am now with a published book and the second in the series (‘Heartbreaker’) on the way next fall.”
“Heartmender” takes places on a planet similar to the earth where the impossible is very possible—mysterious realms, evil beings, and a hero, Addie, who holds the most powerful weapon known to the world: her heart. The book is a fantasy adventure that tests every fiber of Addie’s physical and spiritual being as she grows into the person she was born to be.
“I’m a strong Christian,” Burton stated. “I was listening to a sermon and the pastor asked if God gave us ‘ideas’ that we let fly in and out of our heads because we aren’t equipped to deal with the idea. So, we let them go. A couple of weeks later, I had the idea which turned out to be ‘Heartmender.’ It was simply about a girl receiving a brand-new heart. That was it. There was something about it and I decided to write it down. I was in the middle of writing something else but the idea of ‘Heartmender’ just kept pulling at me. I just needed to play with it more.”
Burton recalled the idea of her book starting as five quotes. Then, following a healthy bit of research, she had the idea of incorporating the seven deadly sins and other elements that pulled her story together.
With one book in her series published and the second part on the way, Burton is yet another member of the Botetourt County community making waves in the entertainment world. She revealed there are three parts in the “Heartmender” series—all written before her publisher agreed to push forward on “Heartmender.” Following the upcoming release of her second book, the culmination of the series arrives with the yet-to-be-named book number three.
For more information on Vanessa Burton and her stories on the horizon, visit her website: vromasburton.com
