A year ago today my first novel Silent Scream was published by the fabulous publisher Bookouture, and WOW, what a year it has been.
Two days after Silent Scream was published on 20th February it hit the #1 spot on Amazon.co.uk and stayed there for a month. I have been asked many times what my expectations were and I can honestly say that wasn’t one of them.
March was no less eventful and I signed with Bookouture for a further 4 Kim Stone books making that 8 in total. It was around this time that I gave up my job to work full time at writing.
In May the second Kim Stone book, Evil Games, was released and sat alongside its sister Silent Scream in the Amazon top ten for weeks.
November saw the release of the third Kim Stone book, Lost Girls, which hit the top five on Amazon.co.uk. In this same month the sales of the Kim Stone novels reached the 1,000,000 milestone.
December rolled around and I found out that Silent Scream had been the FIFTH highest selling item (overall) on Amazon.co.uk. Of 52 million products available I was completely bowled over by this news.
As if all that wasn’t enough Silent Scream has now been sold to 14 countries and has been released in both Italy and Hungary so far this year.
And there’s even more. Through Bookouture, I have also signed a 3 book print deal with Bonnier Publishing Fiction for the three titles published so far which means that the first of the Kim Stone books, Silent Scream, should be coming to a bookshop near you in July.
Throughout the last year I have been blown away by the generosity of the blogging/reviewing community. There are so many fantastic people who give up their time to share their thoughts about the books they’ve read for nothing more than to help readers find the books they want to read. Many bloggers/reviewers have taken Kim Stone to their heart this past year and have lived her adventures right along with me.
Every day I get messages on twitter, Facebook and to my website from readers and every single one is valued. There is nothing quite as heartening as waking up to a message from a reader shouting at me due to lack of sleep because they couldn’t put the book down!!
The fine people at Bookouture, including the best editor on the planet, Keshini Naidoo and my fellow authors, have made the last year a truly memorable one that has completely changed my life and turned my dream of writing full time into a reality that is even more magical than I could ever have imagined.
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Hi, Angela.
And it was a well deserved year. I have really enjoyed all three of the DI Kim Stone novels and in many ways, I too, have found a level of deep inspiration. It’s been an absolute joy seeing so many rising authors and the recent thrillers I have read have been brilliant.
Keep the flow coming, Angela. You’re an amazing talent that will continue to grow.
Best wishes as always,
Jaime.
Thank you so much, Jaime and for your support and encouragement. Truly appreciated 🙂 xx
Wow! Those are very impressive numbers! I’m not surprised, though – I read all three in five days on holiday in January. I tweeted you a few times as I finished each book, and you always replied, which was cool!
I’m so looking forward to more!
Good luck
Your method of describing all in this article is actually nice, all be able to easily be aware of it, Thanks a lot.
You have done so brilliantly well and I am so pleased for you!
What a year Angie, and very deserved, you know how big a fan I am, just love your writing and getting involved with the latest trials facing Kim, can’t wait to get my grubby mits on book four. Keep them coming, and hopefully more people will discover these amazing reads.
[…] The lovely Angela has written this week about her one year mark of being an author and the incredible journey that she has taken. You can read the post here. […]
Libro fantastico, da leggere tutto d’un fiato!
Well deserved success. Rarely do I find a book anymore, that I just can’t put down but these three all fit in that category. I love the character, love the feel of the area that you give to your books and the storylines are gripping. All my friends have been told that your books are a must. I wish you every success in the future, keep up the great work. You have an amazing talent. Thank you for sharing xx
Crackin’ books. Top publisher. And you’re an inspiration, Angie. Congrats! 🙂
I won’t try to match the superlative comments given above, but I want you to know that I thoroughly enjoyed all three Kim Stone
novels and am eagerly awaiting her next anxiety producing, nail biting, chair gripping adventure! Well done, and well appreciated on this side of the “pond” here in Victoria, BC CANADA! Go Angela go!!
Hi Angela,
I have just finished all three of the D.I Stone series and I loved them. Please tell me there are more to come. I could not put them down. I loved Stone. She is tough yet so likeable. You would really want her in your corner for sure. I loved the friendship between her and Bryant and the glimpse of the Mikey back story in each book too. Thank you for drawing me in each night. I really loved them. More please!!
Hi Angela
I got given the first two DI Stone books as a birthday present in December but only got round to reading them in early January. By the end of January, I was so enthrawled, I had finished all three and have been chomping at the bit for more ever since! I read them so fast, I’ve left my friend behind 🙂
They’re awesome! Please keep them coming!
Buonasera Angela,
Ho letto “urla nel silenzio”, un libro che sei obbligato a finire velocemente per poter continuare con il prossimo e dopo con il seguente…. ma purtroppo in Italia ancora non sono stati tradotti. Complimenti sei bravissima, con un scrittura fresca, scorrevole ed incisiva che ti appassiona già dalle prime pagine….e fino alla fine.
Buon lavoro, un sorriso ed un abbraccio da Renzo
Hi I emailed you a few months ago telling how much I enjoyed Silent Scream,well you have surpassed yourself with Evil Games.Kim Stone is now a fixture among the other great fictional detectives,to me she is a cross between Alan Banks and Saga Noren,what a superb creation.I loved the book my only disappointment was that the battle of minds between Kim and Alex came to a sudden end,not at the Reichenbach falls but a canal lock in Dudley,oh well never mind looking forward to next instalment.
Many thanks N Heath
I think we may not have seen the end of her Norman. Am expecting her to get up to more tricks from prison.
I have read all three of your books and thoroughly enjoyed every one. I have found the characters and plots enthralling and the pace breathtaking. I usually read Deaver and Gerittson books and yours are up there with them. I hope you have great success iñ the future. Thanks
Afternoon, I have just placed a pre-order for book number 4. It’s a long time to wait until May but I’ll live.
One of the things I love about the books is that Kim’s beat is right where I live so as you are describing the scene I can see exactly where she is.
Every story rattles along at a great pace and like other contributors sleep is lost.
Keep gooin owr kid!
I must read Girls.Gone. it held my interest form page 1. The writing was
So great I could imagine I was there. The ending was a surprise was great. It truly is suspenseful book.
Couldn’t put the 3 books down. Love Kim and her entire team. I hope to hear about her and Matt’s date. Can’t wait for more!
Ordered Silent Sceam and read it so quickly. I loved it ….one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
Ordered the two others on Amazon and they did not disappoint , such good reading and what a great character Kim Stone is . Can’t wait for the next one. I’ve been telling all my friends about the books .
As an avid reader of James Patterson , Lee Child and Peter James , you deserve to be amongst them with your writing . Compelling, excellent story lines and unputdownable ( is that a word! )
I came across Lost Girls on Amazon on Sunday, I purchased it and read it in one go! Staying awake until the early hours of Monday to finish it.
It is now Wednesday evening and I have read Silent Scream and Lost Girls!
I am an immigrant to Stourbridge (from Scotland) and find the locations fascinating, the Pizza shop in Lye is of course the old Olympia.
I did detect a bit of homoeroticism as I read your books (good gaydar).
Looking forward to your new book in 9 days time.
Best of luck.