ANGELA ARCHER

Horror & Sci-fi Author

fiction

Officially official!

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It’s official! Today I was asked to fill in a questionnaire that said ‘occupation,’ and for the first time ever, I wrote author! YAY! It feels more official because that’s what it says on my newly created Amazon Author Page. You can check it out here.

Ok, ok, so one teeny novella might not seem like much but it’s one step closer to becoming an established author. I’m at base camp of mount Bookimanjaro, it’s a steep climb, so I’m going to channel my inner mountain goat and get on with it!

The Ladderman is officially available via books2read.com, and for those of you who downloaded a free copy, I wondered if you’d take minute to leave a little review on the store of your choice? That would be total awesome of you!

I’ve also submitted my book to an online book reviewing site called Sci-Fi and Scary. Hopefully they’ll accept my review request (and be kind with their review!).

With regards the Ladderman cover, the cover I spent hours and hours toiling away at, the cover that expended and expanded my knowledge of photoshop – yeah that one. Well, I’ve caved in and and hired a cover designer because I just don’t feel it’s up to scratch. You can check out her portfolio here. I can’t wait to show you what she comes up with, she’s working on it as we speak!

Right, back to writing – I’ve only got an hour before my pre-schooler returns so I’d better make the most of it!

See ya later!

Oops!

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So I’ve had a little publishing whoopsy and a valuable lesson going forward! Today was the official launch for the Curse of the Ladderman, but it’s only available in a few stores as of yet.

Barns and Noble have it, as does Kobo, but the uploading process is taking longer than I thought! Amazon so far have taken a couple of days and some stores I submitted to well over a week ago.

Hopefully it’ll all come good but I have made a big note to allow two weeks to upload to ebook stores in the future!

For anyone that does use Nook or Kobo here’s a universal store link to help you find it!

Fingers crossed it’ll be available in other stores soon, it’s sooo exciting to see my story available to buy.

The paperback version is still undergoing the proofing process. My originals would have been ready but the print quality was rubbish and I’ve had a massive faff with sorting out the resolution of my images. My main takeaway from that experience…hire a cover designer!

Hey-ho, onwards and upwards! I’ll keep you post about my publishing woes! If you’d like to share yours so I don’t feel such a monkey that would ace!

From me to YOU…

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Ok, so I’ve sort of faded into the background on the blogging scene but I’m still here, lurking around all your lovely posts, admiring art work, and getting inspiration from you flashy fictioneers.

Since I started blogging I’ve met some wonderful people and that interaction has kept me going through the crazy process of writing. Shy of popping round to your house and giving you a box of chocolates and a hug to say thanks very muchly (which is a tad stalkery and expensive tbh!), I’m a bit limited.

So, by way of offering a thank you I’m giving you the opportunity to download my first ebook for free. It’s a horror novella (sorry if you’re not a horror fan – although I’m not sure it’s that horrific – hopefully the writing isn’t that horrific either!).

It will go sale on the 1st June for £1.99. The link below will expire on the 31st May, there is a limited number of downloads before I have to sell a kidney to pay for an upgrade fee so grab it while you can.

GRAB YOUR COPY HERE!

It would be super-dooper if, on the 1st June, you would be kind enough to leave a review on whichever online store you choose. It’ll help other readers find my book and decide if it’s something they want to read.

I’m working on a paperback and possibly a large print version, hopefully they will be ready on time too!!

I’m busy plotting my next horror project, THE SLUGS, I’ll bet you can’t guess what it’s going to be about, and I’m still chipping away at my sci-fi novel CYBER CELL. I’m starting to look at a potential release date and getting booked in with my editor!

You can sign up here, if you fancy getting my newsletter where I’ll let you in on my secret fictioneering world (that should totally be a word!).

That’s all for now, thanks very much. I hope you enjoy your free book!

Angie

The Curse of the Ladderman

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Hurray! My first foray into horror writing is finally finished!! This little bad-boy of a novelette was supposed to be a short story and be finished in time to enter it into a competition. The submission deadline was the 30th November and the word count limit was 10K. Well, I kinda busted both of those and now here we are in February! Already!

Anyhoo, the first chapter is available now on Channillo, and I hope to make it available to buy (or give away) as an ebook by the end of this month. This is the blurb:

After surviving a knife attack in London, Rik Halliday moved with his pregnant wife, Becky, to what he hoped was the safety of Little Winchcombe.

A simple game of rock, paper, scissors changes Rik’s life forever when he and two friends unwittingly unleash the curse of the Ladderman.

Haunted by his past, terrified by his future, becoming the next victim means fighting for his life. Rik has to decide whether to put his faith in the police, who failed to protect him in the past, or to flee with his wife, putting them both in danger.

The game has begun. The question is: Will life prevail or will death succeed?

Many thanks to Magda O for her choice of three words (Rock, Paper, Scissors) in my three word challenge. Also muchos thankings to everyone else who has helped me along the way!

First date blurbs

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In a recent endeavour to write a couple of blurbs for my latest works I got a little stuck. My sales and marketing knowledge wouldn’t fill a pin head. In an effort to get my head around it my wonky brain came up with an analogy that I thought I’d share…

Try to think of your blurb like you’re on a first date (stick with me!). You’ve done your research, dated a few frogs, selected your type (genre).

You’ve met someone, they seem like a nice sort, like they’d fit the bill so you say, “Hey this is me, I think you and me might have a good time together, what do you reckon?”

You ask them out on a date (this is your title and book cover). They say yeah, why not and before you know it your pregnant, oh, no, hang on that’s a bit fast. You want them to get to know you a bit first.

You go on a date, you’ve had a wash, put on clean clothes, done your hair, maybe a little perfume (you’ve edited the shit out of your book and it’s the best it can be). They’re little nervous, maybe apprehensive, could this be the one? They pick you up and turn you over (No, not like that, I mean your book!)

Now, you’re sat opposite them, your eyes meet, you smile sweetly, an eye-brow flash here, a laugh there, your gaze lingers a little too long. Maybe you lean in to each other, maybe you touch their hair. You show them the best version of yourself, you flirt, you entice, you enthrall, you gloss over the bits you’re not ready to divulge with a cheeky smile and a timely demure glance (this is your awesome blurb)

What you don’t do, or probably shouldn’t if you do, is fart loudly, belch like a rugby player at belching contest, talk about your ex, or talk about how you’re imagining your wedding day and what you’ll name your kids. That is sure to put them off! (this does not make for a good blurb).

So depending on how well your first date goes will determine if you see each other again or not. You need to give enough of yourself away to entice them on a second date (to buy your book), but not enough so they know how the story ends.

It’s a tricky balance to get right, you could either end up left on the shelf (see what I did there! 😁) or you’ll end up blissfully happy (and stinking rich from all the books you’ve flogged!).

So what are you waiting for, get practising your first date moves! Or, if all hope is lost, turn to the blurb exchange, where helpful advice awaits!

 

 

The Blurb Exchange

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Anyone who has written a book or is currently writing one will know of the importance of a good blurb. Heck, even if you’ve picked up a book and bought it, it’ll be because the blurb on the back enticed you to buy it.

I have joined a number of writing community groups on Facebook, each have slightly different core aims but overall it’s to help out indie authors. Share ideas and offer advice. There isn’t a week goes by where there isn’t someone asking for help with their blurb. 

What the general populous don’t know is how hard it can be to write the kind of blurb that gets people reading. How come writing a hundred and fifty words is so much harder than writing a ninety thousand word manuscript?

Well, in part, it’s because you, the writer, are so close and so invested in all the action, all the detail, and all the desire to get it right. You know every nook and cranny of that book, every twist and every turn. Every character and their life story. 

Deciding which bits to leave in and which bits to leave out is like trying to cram an elephant into a Mini. Like origami, it’s an art form, a skill that takes time and practice. Traditional publishers have the inside track with all their marketing know how. So what can indie authors do?

The answer: Get someone else to write it for you.

This is where The Blurb Exchange comes in. It’s a brand, new members only, facebook group dedicated to authors supporting authors to write their blurb. You can either post your current blurb and request feedback or you can upload your short (or long) synopsis and ask someone else to have a go at writing it for you.

The only price is that you offer your feedback and advice to others, but not only will you help a fellow writer you’ll also get to practice writing blurbs, get tips and hone those silky sales skills!

So, if you’re struggling with yours head on over to The Blurb Exchange today. 

Please help spread the word through the social media platform of your choice. The more members that sign up, the more successful the group will be. 


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