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Angela M Caldwell

~ Author

Angela M Caldwell

Tag Archives: #amazonpreorder

The Top Ten Things I learned my first month as an indie author

03 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by Maiden Ink in #TheLastOrder, writing

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

#amazonpreorder, #debutauthor, #indebooksbeseen, #indiepublishing, #toptenlist, #youngadult

top10

  1. The pre-orders option is great, but Amazon counts the sale right then in their rankings and not the day of the release. This is a bummer. My pre-order sales showing all on the same day would have boosted my book higher on their best sellers lists.

  1. People don’t write reviews. If every person who pre-ordered only reviewed The Last Order I would be well over my first month’s goal of twenty reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. So if you haven’t left a review. Please leave a brief sentence or two.
Credit: spring.org.uk

Credit: spring.org.uk

 

  1. Blog tours don’t sell books. Blog tours get your name out and help with exposure, but don’t expect to sell many books if any from a blog tour.

  1. Social Media is exhausting. Keeping up with groups I’m in, chatting with others, keeping people informed about The Last Order, retweeting others *passes out* Even I can’t be this energetic all the time.

  1. Don’t just sell e-books. To make your money back so you can publish more books you need to order paperback copies and sell them. Start with family and friends then move to other venues. (blog post coming soon)

 

  1. I still don’t know what works for marketing. I’m trying out a press release this week. I’m a little late, but I will tell you how it goes. A press release is one of many ways I am still attempting to get the word out about The Last Order.

 

  1. Giveaways don’t sell books. I still loved making the bracelets and bracers and I plan on doing more contests for fun and exposure.
Handcrafted Leather Bracers

Handcrafted Leather Bracers

  1. Pirates are real. Yesterday, The Last Order was discovered by a friend on a website for free. After talking to a few other authors it saddened my heart to learn these sites were so numerous is was daunting to some.

  1. It takes more than one month for people to even know you have a book out. Yesterday a follower asked me if I wrote books.

  1. Family and Friends will always be there. Books and other projects will come and go, but supportive family and friends are priceless.

 

 

So, if you like medieval things, female knights, fast-passed reads or know someone who does check out The Last Order!

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Cover reveal, and interview with author Isabella Redwood

23 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by Maiden Ink in Blog tour, Giveaway, writing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#amazonpreorder, #debutauthor, #goodreads, #indebooksbeseen, #indiepub, #writers, coverreveal, NA thiller

I’m pleased to welcome Isabella Redwood author of the NA romantic thriller In The End.

websiteimage3

Author Isabella Redwood

Maiden Ink: Why do you write?

Isabella: Writing sets you free. There are no restrictions, rules or conventions you have to abide by. Your imagination is limitless and the ability to harness that potential into the written word is the ultimate fantasy.

Maiden Ink: Do you remember the first story you ever wrote? If so, what was it about?

 

Isabella: I do, giggles I was around eleven years old and whilst in the bath, I imagined being shrunk to a tiny size. Imagining all the adventures I would get up to, sliding on the soap and climbing the plug chain. I wrote the story shortly after.

Maiden Ink: In what ways has social media changed your self perception as a writer?

 

Isabella: I realized I wasn’t alone. There were so many other people who had the same desire and determination to create something they could be proud of. Any writer knows, it is not about the money, you don’t decide to be a writer to get rich. It is the pure love of that one story that makes you tingle in anticipation and not be able to stop till you have written the ending. Social media has enabled me to connect with fellow writers and find the most talented and inspiring people. I couldn’t recommend it enough for writers.

Maiden Ink: What does it take to finish a novel?

Isabella: For me, a lot of chocolate, sleep and dancing. I say I dream write and it is the truth. I have always had vivid dreams, a crazy imagination since childhood and many stories come to me through sleep. I will also dance. If you watch Grey’s Anatomy, you know how Meredith and Christina would dance to psych themselves up, yes that is me. I’m a geek. 😉 Sleep, dancing and chocolate, coupled with a giant cup of determination makes the perfect recipe for ‘getting it done’

 Maiden Ink: How will you celebrate the first sale of your book?

Isabella: I think a lap around the garden with my daughter on my shoulders, squealing with joy, will likely happen.

intheEnd.YT.Banner

In The End banner for YouTube and Google Plus

Maiden Ink: What makes your book unique to its genre market?

Isabella: I love my characters. They are real and flawed, nothing has come easy to them and I think that makes them relatable.

Maiden Ink: Why did you choose to write a romantic thriller?

Isabella: With the butterfly series and In The End I have completely changed my writing process. I used to write in no particular order and therefore had a clear idea what genre the book would fit into from the start, as I often wrote the ending or the action chapters first. With In The End, I wrote in order from beginning to end. I let the story tell me where it wanted to go initially and through lots of dream writing, planned out the rest in chronological order. In answer, I didn’t choose, it found its home as I wrote.

Maiden Ink: How would you describe your main character?

Isabella: She is a fighter and a survivor. Her spirit and determination to keep going forward, despite the many challenges she faced, draws me to her. She is funny and quirky and I would love to have her as a friend.

Maiden Ink: What has been your biggest publishing challenge thus far?

The financial aspects have been the most challenging. I wanted the book to be the best it could be and therefore paying for services such as editing and cover design were paramount. Having lots of outgoings and nothing coming in is difficult to explain to your partner, but to me, it was the desire to share my work with others that kept me going, as scary and exciting as that is.

Maiden Ink: What else are you currently working on?

Isabella: The butterfly series is confirmed as three books, with a possible bonus fourth. I have been writing the second book in the series, The Beginning and planning for the third. I have also been working on my science fiction novel, Touch, polishing it and a new wip.

Maiden Ink: Isabella, thank you for stopping by today. Now it’s time to reveal the cover that I was honored to designed for In The End!

 

ebook.InTheEnd.HR

Release Date: April 7th 2015

You can pre-order In the End on Amazon now.

In The End on Goodreads

Follow Isabella: isabellaredwood.com

 Maiden Ink: Thank you for sharing about yourself and your writing! I wish you all the best.

Isabella: Thanks so much having me and please do check out my giveaway for the book launch. Three winners will receive a Butterfly Series goody bag containing a signed paperback copy of my book, and three pieces of butterfly themed jewellery, a bracelet, earrings and necklace. For pictures and entry instructions please visit my blog at isabellaredwood.com.

The giveaway is open internationally and no purchase is required.

 

 

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How I designed the book cover for The Last Order

04 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by Maiden Ink in #TheLastOrder

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

#amazonpreorder, #angelacaldwell, #angelamcaldwell, #author, #book, #bookcover, #books, #debutauthor, #dyslexia, #dyslexicwriter, #fantasy, #goodreads, #indebooksbeseen, #indieauthor, #indiebooks, #indiepub, #indiepublishing, #nevergiveup, #photography, #thelastorder

By Angela M. Caldwell

When I first started thinking about a book cover I knew I wanted it simple, elegant, and it had to have the symbol of The Last Order Silas designs for Lana in the book.

As a photographer, I knew I could shoot my own cover if I needed to, but in my heart I really wanted to leave Lana to the imagination of readers.

So I went to my dad and asked him to draw the symbol. After a week or so he finally came up with two options.

We went to lunch and you would have thought he was meeting a stranger not his daughter. He was so nervous, it was cute. I love my dad.

crownontopLastOrdersmall

 

LastorderSymbolSmall

 

 

 

 

Both photos are original drawings and they are protected by copyright laws. ©rocketcircuspress

I decided on the crown above the triquetra. The triquetra knot is a Celtic symbol that can represent a few different things, but I chose it because of its connection to women and unity.

I loved the drawings and from there I moved forward and scoured the internet for stock photos. I searched for hours to find the right pictures.

I wanted the cover to have a leather look and feel, so I chose this background from www.dollarphotoclub.com.

Old brown leather background

Next, I found a wall with Ivy and removed the wall and kept the ivy, which was very tedious work. I used the ivy in several places by rotating it and flipping it. This also came from www.dollarphotoclub.com.

                                         Before                                               The Green Creeper Plant on the Wall.

After

The Green Creeper Plant on the Wall.

 

After that, I needed a way to emphasize the Last Order symbol, so I found this grey  splotch and placed it on the front and back, and used a blending layer.

greyblot

 

Lastly, I placed the symbol where I wanted it and also used a blending layer. Then I added an inner glow, and bevel & emboss effects. You can still see the guides I used for the layout in this photo.

coverprocesswithguides

 

Next the title, and author name were added. I used 2 different fonts that gave it a Celtic feel. Then, to make the words pop off the page effects were added. Below is exactly what I had.

The Last Order by Angela Caldwell I knew it was missing something so I found the flowers and added them for the finishing touch. I was honestly surprised I pulled it off, but I was able to use my photography background to create a beautiful cover that I hope you love.

 FINAL FRONT COVER

The Last Order CoverAdd this beautiful book to #goodreads

Amazon e-book pre-order

 The Last Order

by Angela M Caldwell

Release date:  February 3rd, 2015

THE LAST ORDER - cover reveal

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