Amazing Review! May 4, 2012

As I pulled a tissue from the millionth box in an effort to quell the constant flow from my nasal passages, I happened to find a wonderful email in my inbox. It turns out one of the reviewers over at Two Lips Reviews (www.twolipsreviews.com) took the time to not only read and review The Firestorm Conspiracy, but to send me an email letting me know she’d done so.

I have to admit, I don’t think of Firestorm very often any more. It’s been almost a year since it came out, and I’ve been so focused on other projects in the mean time, I kind of forgot it was out in the public and people might, you know, read it.

Anyway, the reviewer contacted me through my website and left me a message and a link to her review. The review is amazing, and was a huge boost on this rainy Friday afternoon. But what really floors me is the site is a romance book review site. Not only do they focus on romance, but the reviewer herself comes right out and says she pretty much never reads anything other than romance.

Yet despite this, she loved my book enough to give it FIVE STARS (well, they’re kisses – but it’s a romance site, so what would you expect?) and award it their top honour: the RECOMMENDED READ. Seriously, my sci-fi space opera that doesn’t even have so much as a peck on the cheek is a freakin’ recommended read on a romance review site!

(FYI, for those romance lovers out there, if I ever pen a sequel there will be a strong romantic element in it because certain characters are just meant to be together…)

Here’s what Merrylee had to say about The Firestorm Conspiracy:

• The Firestorm Conspiracy is a powerful debut to what promises to be an electrifying series for Cheryl Angst.
• [T]he plot and lead characters of The Firestorm Conspiracy so caught my interest I couldn’t walk away from it.
• I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I loved watching John and Rebeccah…
• I can’t wait for the next installment to this series…

Many thanks to Merrylee for stepping outside her usual genre to take a risk on my book, and many thanks to the folks at Two Lips Reviews for posting a review for a book where you have to wait for the last line of the last chapter to get any romantic elements!

C.

Book Launch May 23, 2011

Wow, can you believe it? My book has been for sale for one whole week!

I added a link to Goodreads on the side of my blog in case any of you would like to add it to your bookshelves.

Last Monday we held a launch party to celebrate the publication of my first book.

We had cake:

And look what my creative students did with the drink boxes!

(Yes, it spells Firestorm…)

We had draws for free copies, signed book covers, and the whole thing began with a showing of my book trailer!

More than fifty people came out to wish me well, and that was the most touching part of all. Friends, family, students, and even a few I didn’t expect to see…

One colleague brought her eight-year-old son and we had a lovely chat, published author to published author (his teacher is printing out his class’s stories, and he came with a sticker on his shirt that read, “Ask me about my book!”).

I have no idea what will happen with the book, or with the manuscript out with my agent, and you know what? I think that’s absolutely awesome. I look back at where I was when I decided I wanted to write a novel (complete with prologues and dream sequence openers *shudders*), and I compare it to where I am now, and I get so excited because I am nowhere near the end of this journey. I can hardly wait to see what’s around the next bend.

C.

I Made the Paper! May 14, 2011

What more is there to say?

http://www.thenownews.com/entertainment/book+launch+Monday/4777695/story.html

Sure, it’s not the New York Times, but it’s the paper where people know me! And it’s a featured article – right there in big, bold colour!

I think back to October 2009 when I decided to write a novel then I think forward to Monday. I believed I could do it, but wow, sometimes when I look at how far I’ve come it’s steals my breath. And, then I grin like an idiot, anticipating how much further I get to go on this neverending journey.

C.

Goodreads and Pre-Orders May 11, 2011

I’m giving away two free copies of The Firestorm Conspiracy over on Goodreads. I believe in making contests easy, if you’d like to enter, all you need to do is leave a comment in the topic below:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/551919-the-firestorm-conspiracy-giveaway

If you’re one of those people who just *has* to spend your hard-earned cash on a book, and you cannot stomach the thought of acquiring a copy for free, a wonderful friend spotted these two options:

http://www.booku.com/The-Firestorm-Conspiracy/Cheryl-Angst/ebook_573386.htm

http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=1043290&v=widget

I can’t believe you can pre-order my book. I’m still struggling to accept the reality of publication, and seeing it available for pre-order (like it’s in hot demand or something) is way too surreal. The advantage of the pre-order is you get it at 12:00 am on May 16th, whereas there might be a few hours’ delay on the larger sales channels.

And look! It’s on sale at Books on Board! All the more reason to snag a copy.

Don’t worry, if you want to buy it through Amazon or one of the other BIG stores, I’ll post links on the 16th.

Until then I’m going to pretend I am not checking my inbox every five minutes as I wait for my agent’s response to my revisions on Nikko. Nope. Not me. I am one cool cucumber. *moves mouse over inbox tab*

C.

Get Rich Writing? HAHAHA May 8, 2011

 

Author/agent Mandy Hubbard posted an amazing article on her blog about the honest truth behind advances and how much writers get paid. She gives concrete numbers from typical $2,000.00 advances through to what people think of as massive $500,000.00 three book deals.

Her openess and honesty is fabulous, and her breakdown of the numbers provided a new insight for me. I had no idea that if you sign a multi-book deal, you get an advance for all of the books on signing. I assumed you got the advance for the first book, then got the second later, etc. While a large sum to start may sound good, take a look at how quickly that income drops off – unless you can write even more books than the three (or however many) books you’re under contract for during those three to four years, you’re not looking at a steady stream of income.

This is definitely an article worth bookmarking.

http://mandyhubbard.livejournal.com/249542.html

As an aside, The Firestorm Conspiracy is at the top of the list for To Be Reads over at Galaxy Express:

http://www.thegalaxyexpress.net/2011/05/sfr-news-and-links-for-may-2011.html

One week to until launch, folks! Can you believe it?

C.

FIVE STAR GhostWriter Literary Review May 6, 2011

Another glowing review of The Firestorm Conspiracy!

“Excellent!”

“What could be better?”

“…the characters, both human and alien, [are] skillfully crafted.”

“Very well done indeed.”

Click on the link below for the full review!

http://ghostwriterreviews.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_1008_1057_1062&products_id=1039

Firestorm FOUR STAR Review! May 3, 2011

My book made the front page!

The Firestorm Conspiracy was reviewed by the large UK site, www.sfbook.com, and they posted the review today. Here are some of the highlights:

“The plot is very well laid out, with snippets of information given out at just the right intervals and plenty of twists, turns, intrigue and conspiracy to keep your eyes really glued to the pages.”

“The narrative is very well written and the action sequences brief but descriptive, keeping the pace moving at a very fast speed and allowing the prose to flow by.”

“The Firestorm Conspiracy is a very strong opening episode into what I hope will be a long and rewarding series, creatively written with plenty of drama and a breakneck pace, recommended.”

For the full review, please go to: http://sfbook.com/the-firestorm-conspiracy.htm

I am still reacting to the review on an emotional level, so I will save commenting on how I am handling the review experience for another post. For now I will offer huge thanks to Ant over at sfbook.com for taking the time to review my novel and help spread the word.

C.

Bad Austen April 14, 2011

The judges announced their pick for the winning entry in the Bad Austen contest.

http://badausten.com/announcement-the-top-votedjudges-picked-entry-winner

I didn’t expect my sci-fi snippet starring characters no one other than my blog readers have heard of to win the cash, and I still have hope the writing is strong enough for it to be chosen for publication in the anthology. Everyone who has their work chosen is supposed to be informed over the next few days. *crosses fingers*

In other news, The Firestorm Conspiracy has been picked up by several book review sites around the globe (USA, UK, and Australia)! I’m totally excited by this – more to see how I’ll handle my first set of “official” reviews than by the reviews themselves. I have no idea how I’m going to react to the comments, and I’m curious to see how it feels.

I promise to post links to the reviews as soon as I have them.

C.

Book Trailer March 9, 2011

Look what I made!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYVk9m4OEDo

The Firestorm Conspiracy is coming out in just over two months. Pass it around!

I have a few more neat things to share over the next week or so, and I should be able to find the time now that NaNoWriMo novels are marked and report cards are mostly done.

C.

Book Contract ZOMG!!! June 5, 2010

I am stunned. Floored. Flabbergasted.

I’ve spent the day wandering around thinking, “This has to be a figment of my imagination. It can’t be real.” Then I look over the 8-page contract that arrived via email today and I smile, squeal in delight, hyperventilate, and flap my arms like pre-schooler on an all-sugar diet.

I’m not in any suitable frame of mind to comment on the nitty-gritty of the deal or how it came to be. Give me a few days to allow the fact that I. Have. A. Publishing. Contract. to settle in. I will tell you all about my strategies for making the most of this opportunity, I promise.

For now though, let me have this moment to run around screaming, jumping, yammering, and generally babbling like someone incapable of stringing two sentences together, let alone an entire book.

Gisdn ofhoifno owsfihogsbn soghoihws hoiehgswfb!

[Random, excited keyboard pounding as my brain attempts to process the reality of my situation.]

Thank you to everyone who encouraged me along the way – you are totally awesome!

C.