I decided to write a list of my writing accomplishments since The Ghost House was released on October 2nd last year. My friends will tell you that I’m not one to bleat on and on about my writing. In fact I don’t think I mention it unless they bring it up or at least I try not to, well maybe the occasional ‘Oosh’ from behind my computer when I’ve checked my rankings on Amazon but I’ve always been one to play it down and blush whenever someone asks ‘How’s it going?’
So I thought I’d write it all down just to see how far I’d come in my first year and if you’re not bored already then I’ll tell you. If you are don’t bother reading any further. It’s been an amazing year so far and I’m very grateful to every single person for making it happen. I’m truly blessed to have such amazing readers who take the time to tell me just how much they’ve enjoyed both books. That is something that money could never buy, to know that thousands of people around the world have spent their precious time reading a story that I wrote and then to take the time to contact me to tell me this, is for me the best thing about being a writer.
The Ghost House overall reached #9 on Amazon.Com top paid 100 charts which exceeded my expectations a million times over. It got on to the USA Today’s Best Seller’s List – never in my wildest dreams did I think that would happen. In the UK it reached #22 in the Top paid 100 chart. It has been #1 in Germany, Canada and America’s Amazon horror charts and in the top #5 in France and Italy. It reached the top #5 on Kobo and I’m very honoured to say that it knocked Stephen King’s Dr Sleep off the UK Contemporary Horror chart for a couple of months and it’s still in the top #5. As my publishers Carina tweeted ‘We’re so pleased for our author Helen Phifer, she’s in a Stephen King sandwich.’ Up to now that has been my favourite ever tweet. It still makes me giggle when I think of it.
The Ghost House was short-listed for the RNA’s Joan Hessayon Award which meant I was able to attend a posh party in London – see post a couple below if you want to know more about that amazing night.
I have made some amazing writer friends who have supported me all the way and making this a much less scary journey.
My second book The Secrets Of The Shadows reached #1 on the Amazon.Uk Contemporary Horror chart which I was thrilled about although I did think that Helen Phifer had a cheek knocking The Ghost House off the #1 spot but it was the most surreal feeling ever seeing my books, at #1 & #2 with Mr King behind me at #3 it’s early days yet for book 2 and it hasn’t been promoted yet in America but I’m looking forward to seeing the results when it does.
The moral of this story is, if you are an unpublished writer don’t give up. It’s normally at the point of giving up that the most amazing things begin to happen. In fact this pretty much applies to every single person who has a dream. If you can dream it you can do it
Helen xx
Tag: The Ghost House
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/books/518184/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_4_last
On Thursday night I had the amazing feeling of discovering that The Ghost House had reached number #1 on Amazon Uk’s Contemporary Horror and Ghost Charts. I can honestly say that it left me speechless, for a whole five minutes. I pointed at my husband Steve and the laptop and then laughed when he gave me a high five, (Steve is a man of very few words).
At my last hourly look it was still there and has been for 36 hours and what a feeling of extreme surprise and pride. I’ve dreamt about becoming an author for so long it still takes a while to sink in that I actually am.
This post is a massive, from the heart thank you to everyone who has bought The Ghost House and loved it so much that they have recomended it to their friends. To everyone who has Tweeted, Facebooked, Emailed and left reviews for the book on Amazon.
I can’t believe how lucky I am to have so many amazing readers and friends.
Thank you all
Helen Xx
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