Thursday 7 May 2009

PUBLICATION 10th JUNE

VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH UK Publication date is 10th June. I'll put my email address here. When you receive a copy of Cut Short, please send me an email. Tell me who you'd like me to sign the book for, just as you would at any other book signing. I'll reply with a personal signed message which you can print out. As you stick the message in the front of your copy of Cut Short, please feel free to drink a glass of wine. I promise to have a drink at the same time, so we'll be sharing a virtual drink. (I realise this means I may have to drink solidly for some time, but a writer has to make some sacrifices for her reading public...)
.
CUT SHORT is available to preorder from http://www.noexit.co.uk/ for dispatch in JUNE.
You can preorder from amazon.co.uk for dispatch in July.
Whenever and wherever you find your copy, please email me directly for a signature, and don't forget to let me know who you'd like me to sign the book for, if you're buying it for a friend.
.
Please check the schedule of my Author Appearances on the post dated 9th April. If you can come along to one of these events, I'd love to see you there.

Thanks to all of you who are sharing this experience with me through my blog. I'll be needing your help again soon with ideas for what I should include in my Author Talks.
.
VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH USA It looks as though Cut Short may be available in the USA in July. More about this when the date is confirmed. Readers across the pond are of course welcome to order from www.noexit.co.uk

Virtual Signings will continue until Book 2 is published in 2010.

Why does time slow down when you're waiting? And how am I feeling right now? a) excited b) proud c) confident d) petrified ? Answers on (not in) a bottle (Champagne would be fine)


54 comments:

Beth said...

Easy question - you're feeling all four!

Leigh Russell said...

Yes, Beth. You're absolutely right. My mind's in a jumble.

I just heard from the production manager that the invitations to my in-a-bookshop Launch will soon be ready. This is the fun part!

I can't wait to set my Virtual Launch in motion over the blog. I feel like a child who's going to have a birthday party.

Eryl said...

Let's talk about the important things here: what are you going to wear, with your purple shoes, to the Launch party?

Wizbit said...

All four with maybe a side of queezy? But just think, you'll have done something so many people well never get to do. You're getting your name and your novel in print :D YAY :D

Leigh Russell said...

This is a real problem, Eryl. (The answer depends partly on my constantly exanding waistline...) Have I written a post about my purple shoes? Don't get me started - you might discover my closet frivolity...

Leigh Russell said...

I love comments like yours, Elizabeth. You remind me that I'm an author which is very exciting. Then I spiral back into doubts... will anyone actually read the book? and (horrors) what if no one likes it... and what on earth am I going to say at all these author talks I've so recklessly arranged... I'm back to read your comment again, Elizabeth. My name and my novel in print. Hurrah!

Charles Gramlich said...

Do what I do and have a nap. It helps time pass!

Leigh Russell said...

A nap, a tap at the old blog - (shhh - my class are busy writing a story...)Thanks for dropping by, Charles. Your name crops up, like a familiar face, on a few blogs I visit in my travels. I'm so glad you have time to stop here and comment.

Stella Jones said...

So please tell us again, where is your bookshop launch going to be? I've hopped into this half way through I think. Is the book selling on Amazon.com?
Blessings, Star

Middle Ditch said...

Keep yourself very busy Leigh. Time will fly.

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Star I'll put the details of my Virtual Launch on today's post. Hope you join in and thanks for visiting.

Leigh Russell said...

You're right, Monique. I'm doing my best. Work's piling up while I'm blogging - I've got a pile of ghost stories to mark... just 5 minutes more on my blog...

Anonymous said...

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I'm soooooooooooo excited for you. I'm slugging the champagne this weekend in celebration for you. Cheers.

Leigh Russell said...

Thank you, Aggie. There's so much going on, I can't quite take it all in. It's great to read comments like yours, reminding me to feel HAPPY!

Rod Duncan said...

Enjoy the time and soak up the congratulations.

:-)

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Rod and thanks. I am enjoying it all, and the warm support I've had from bloggers is a large part of that.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I shall check my order right now.

Roll on 10 June

Leigh Russell said...

Now you're getting me excited again, Debs. Someone's actually going to read my book! Kind reviews only please...

Pat said...

Many congrats. I'm here via Eryl, am just going away for a week and will be back later to read about your journey.

Pat said...

And away with those doubts. You must know how difficult it is to get anyone to read your MS - let alone like it enough to publish it. Believe it!

Leigh Russell said...

Thank you, PI, for visiting here and for your kind comment. I appreciate your support. Have a great week. I hope you come back and join in my Virtual Book Launch next month.

The Dutchess said...

Geraldine Steel...great name..do tell me how is she taking all this..:))

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, Dutchess. I've had second thoughts about my DI's name, but it's too late to change it now! How is Geraldine coping? She's blissfully unaware of all this activity - invitations, posters, book signings - she's busy chasing the villain in Book 3...

dabrah said...

Hi Leigh
I've just come across a website that you may or may not be aware of, but I thought I'd mention it to you in case you dont' know of it. It's called LibraryThing, and people list the books on their bookshelves, rate them and review them. I noticed on the Home page that they feature authors who are members, and I've clicked on one of them - here's the link for an Author called Eric Barnes who wrote a book called Shimmer: http://www.librarything.com/work/7811398
If you click on Home, it'll take you to the home page where it explains what goes on. I searched for Leigh Russell and found your book listed, having been entered as owned by two members, but without any rating or review. I guess they've pre-ordered it but not yet received it.
Only 33 days till publication, I bet it seems like an eternity.

Chris Stovell said...

Hi and thanks for visiting my blog, but my, look at you! Many congratulations on your writing success, how exciting!

fizzycat said...

Firstly thanks for your good wishes mum is doing really well. Gosh the book will arrive soon how exiting.Bet it is like Christmas and birthdays all at once.

Leigh Russell said...

Hi dabrah and thanks for that info. I hadn't come across librarything before but as my book's listed somewhere on the site, I think I'll make my way over there soon and sign up.

Is it really only 33 days? (pause while Leigh counts the days... further pause while she tries to remember if May has 30 or 31 days...) yes! 33 days to go.

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, ChrisH. I get more and more excited as people visit my blog and tell me how exciting this all is. Thank you for your support. I hope you'll be back next month to join in the Virtual Book Launch.

Leigh Russell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Leigh Russell said...

Woops - I just entered a comment twice. (My husband complains I repeat myself...)

Leigh Russell said...

fizzycat - it is reminiscent of being five and deciding who I'm going to invite to my party. There are one or two people I really should invite to my launch but I'm not going to because they've pissed me off. Ha! (I said I was acting like a five-year-old, didn't I?)

susan said...

Has anyone told you yet your name and the title of your book are already up on Amazon US? Cut Short will be released in paperback by them on Oct. 1st but I won't be able to wait that long. I don't order many books from overseas anymore because of the shipping costs. The last time was when I decided to reread all the Reginald Hill Dalziel and Pascoe novels from Amazon UK and ended up paying double the cost of the books for shipping. In your case I'll be happy to make an exception but if you know of anyone with less expensive S&H it might be good if you can let your American readers know. I'm excited and very happy for you.

Leigh Russell said...

I'll have a look around and let you know if I find anything, Susan. I agree, October is a disappointing dispatch date. I wonder if they'll bring that forward when the book's published?

Has anyone found an online publisher dispatching in the USA before October? Please let us know.

You might also email amazon.com and point out that the book is published in JUNE...

Kim Ayres said...

If you'd like to do a short reading for the Storyteller's Blog, do let me know. Alternatively, check the pages which tell you how to embed audio files on your own blog and stick one up here - it all helps with the publicity :)

Guillaume said...

Hey there, I might be able to see you in Henley.

Leigh Russell said...

Thank you very much for the suggestion, Kim. It sounds a bit hi-tech for me, but I'll certainly look at it and try to work out how to do it. Like you say, any publicity is useful.

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Guillaume, it would be great to see you in Henley. I hope you can make it.

laughingwolf said...

what about amazon.ca?

Leigh Russell said...

um... amazon.ca say the book's available on May 1st... even more confusing.

Presumably they'll dispatch in June when the book's published.

If you order a copy from amazon.ca, Laughing Wolf, you'll have to give it to a friend as I'll be sending you one (unless you want a really signed and a virtually signed copy - ) Let me know which one reaches you first, the one I send out or the one from amazon.ca. I suspect anything Canadian will be more efficient - I'm so impressed with Canada. (come on USA, get with it!)

Leigh Russell said...

I hope lots of people will be emailing amazon.com to ask them to review their ridiculous October dispatch date. (What is it with me and amazon?!)

In the meantime, Mystery Lovers Bookshop (www.mysterylovers.com) in the USA have a dispatch date in June. That's more like it!

Lauren said...

That is so weird that they aren't going to have it available until October! I will email them!

It is so exciting that your big day is drawing near. :):):) I'd imagine that you feel a jumble of all four. As soon as you feel that one of them is a stronger feeling the jumble wiggles and it is another one. I'd imagine that this happens several times a second. Or at least I imagine that is how I would feel. :)

Leigh Russell said...

Forget petrified (for a moment) and picture the scene - Leigh is sitting at her keyboard, a pile of books by her elbow waiting to be marked as she blogs. Time passes. The books wait. Leigh blogs. Suddenly the door opens and a man enters carrying... a parcel! Is he father Christmas? No. Is it Leigh's birthday? No. It's far more exciting than either of those annual events. Trembling, Leigh opens the large, flat A3 parcel. Slowly she peels back the brown paper to reveal... (mere words cannot convey the thrilling sight) POSTERS, A3 posters of Cut Short - (a voice calls from the wings) Bother, got to go out. More later.

Leigh Russell said...

Almost forgot - that's how excited I am - thank you for your comment, Lauren, and for your support. Blog soon.

Mary Witzl said...

Ooh -- good luck with this, and congratulations! I'll look out for your book and pass the word around!

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, Mary. You have contacts in so many different countries, you are forthwith appointed International Sales Supremo Extraordinaire. This is a highly sought after position. Although it's unpaid, you can have hours of fun pleading with and threatening potential buyers. You may resort to a little gentle blackmail, but no wrist slapping please. We have to maintain standards... I'll take your stunned silence as grateful acceptance. Your initial target is to sell 1,000 copies of Cut Short by tomorrow. You will then be given a higher even less realistic target. Every time you reach your target, you will be given a higher one until your target becomes completely unattainable at which point you may retire with a pension of millions. (Millions of droplets of water, that is, condensed from the hot air I've been spouting).

Seriously, Mary (if you're still reading this) thank you for your good wishes and support.

susan said...

Hi Leigh,
Here's a copy of the email sent to Amazon.com this evening. Let's hope it brings good results.

I'm an American friend and fan of a new British author, Leigh Russell. Her book Cut Short is scheduled for publication in the UK on June 1st but when I checked here on Amazon.com I see it won't be available to American readers until Oct. 1st. Is there a particular reason for the long delay? I'm looking forward to reading the novel along with a number of other people and would prefer to order it from you rather than having it shipped from overseas.

Many thanks for all the good service I've received and your help in this regard.

Leigh Russell said...

susan - that's fantastic. Thank you so much. Let us know the response... we can compare how they reply with amazon.co.uk's rather unimpressive track record. I could write a book about amazon's public relations... subtitled The Individual Versus the Faceless Corporation.

I'm very chuffed to have an American 'friend and fan' before my book's even published. That's amazing and has given me a real lift. Thank you!

ps isn't chuffed a good word? The opposite of miffed. Perhaps I could call my book 'The Amazon Experience - Miffed or Chuffed?' Then again, perhaps I should just go away quietly now, before I bore all my friends and fans (!) beyond endurance.

Leigh Russell said...

Update on the USA crisis!!! Apparently the Mystery Lovers Bookshop dispatch date in June is a red herring. The villain seems to be the US distributor IPG who aren't making the book available until October.

Nothing deterred, your intrepid author emailed IPG requesting the October date be brought forward. (I promise you Cut Short isn't written in this tongue-in-cheek style!) I then checked the IPG website and found the book listed as available in August... I'm getting so confused! Is this another red herring? Should we bring them in for questionning?

I hope all my 'friends and fans' in the US will email amazon - surely amazon have some sway with IPG? It's time for the little people to unite against the power of faceless corporations once more. To arms, comrades! (sorry - I seem to have switched genre here).

Mystery Lovers Bookshop are far more pleasant to deal with than amazon, by the way. A friendly person - with a name! replied to my email and was extremely helpful. No automated response from them.

Chuffed with Mystery Lovers, miffed with amazon. But still not available in the US until October - or will it be August?
???????????????????????????????????

susan said...

Good morning Leigh,
It's still pretty early here on the west coast of the US but I did get a reply from Amazon.com to my inquiry. I'd say that was pretty quick for a Sunday morning. Anyway, the essence of the message was this:

Greetings from Amazon.com.

I've checked the availability for "Cut Short" and see that it's listed on our website as "not yet released." According to the latest information we've received, this item is scheduled for release on October 1, 2009.

Many manufacturers, publishers, and record labels restrict retailers from selling or shipping their products until the official release date.

Hence, I kindly suggest you to contact publisher for more information regarding this item.

**

My experiences with Amazon.com have always been very positive insofar as receiving goods ordered and pre-ordered. With the latter I get immediate updates as to current availability. For example I really wanted to read the last novel by RD Wingfield, A Killing Frost, paperback published by Corgi in 2008. I could have bought it from WH Smith but the S&H would have been nearly double the book price so ordered it in May of last year and waited. It arrived here from Amazon.com in March when they got it and had had regular updates about delays.

Apologies for the long explication but I wasn't surprised at their response considering my previous experience. Don't worry about your international sales at least until it's been released. Relax and do what you do best - write. Your readers will respond.

Please email me directly at milasu7@fastmail.fm if you want to talk further or here is fine. I'll be back to check. All is well and I'm very chuffed to be a friend and fan.

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, Susan. You're right, I'll be busy enough when the book comes out and will be busy again reminding all my US blog friends about Cut Short when October comes around. Thank you for your support and I agree, amazon.com do seem efficient and polite in their dealings with customers.

I think you're about 8 hours behind us. It's 5.30pm here so it's around 9.30am with you, I think. Strange that our day's beginning to wind down for the evening and yours is just beginning.

susan said...

Yes, I always have to keep the time difference in mind when I call my Auntie Nancy who lives in Stanhope. I don't have too many aunts and uncles left now but I am still English (moved to Canada when I was 6) and a stranger in a strange land here :-)

Chris Eldin said...

I LOVE your idea for a virtual book signing!!!
I'm making my Amazon list as we speak, and can't wait to get your book!!!!
:-)
You're such a sweetie---savor all these moments!!
:-)

Leigh Russell said...

susan, stranger in a strange land - I hope you feel at home on my blog. If I was clever enough to insert pictures on my comments I'd send you a virtual cup of tea, as you're really English.

Leigh Russell said...

Thank you Chris. Lovely to hear from you. I'm hoping to persuade some mega huge book distributor in the US to alter their schedules and stock my book in June... back in the real world, the US virtual book launch may be held in October... Either way, it will happen, if I have to paddle across the Atlantic in a coracle. It's only a pond, after all, and I know I'll have a warm welcome.