My name in print once more.

I've just had my first live interview as an author... (dramatic pause) ...
Three 12 year old pupils at my school interviewed me for their class news sheet. They asked searching questions about why I write, and where I find my inspiration. Then they set off armed with questions for one of the cleaners. ("Are you happy with what you earn here?" - oh, the innocence of youth!) "We tried to interview her yesterday, Miss, but she was too busy to see us. "


Cut Short was featured on the Bookroast on 30th April. Thank you to everyone who visited and commented.

VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH

YOU ARE INVITED TO A VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH

Publication approaches and preparations to launch Cut Short on an unsuspecting world are gathering pace. Only you, my friends on the blog, are privy to these delusions of grandeur - Cut Short, best seller; Cut Short, cult book of the month - the year - the decade! ( loud crash as Leigh struggles to get her big head through the door) For a brief heady period I became an amazon watcher, studying the brief rise and fall of Cut Short in the Sales Ratings on amazon.com. At one point, my friends around the world, someone somewhere was ordering my book on amazon.com, enough orders, in fact, to push the sales rating a significant way up the list. This was seriously good news. Then it began to fall and the whole exercise lost its appeal.

The date of the VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH approaches
I've succeeded in scanning my signature - (don't panic, friends - Leigh Russell is not my real name and no documents or bank accounts exist in that name.) Here's how it works -

On 10th June, publication date, I'll publish my email address on this blog. When you receive your copy of Cut Short, please send me an email telling me who you'd like me to sign the book for (just as you would at any other book signing.) I will reply asap, with a personal signed message from Leigh Russell which you can print and stick in the front of your copy of Cut Short.
As you do this, please feel free to drink a glass of wine. I promise to drink one at the same time, so we can share 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...)

Please send any questions about the virtual launch to this blog before 10th June. (I may not be in a fit state to repy after that.) And if you haven't already put in your order for Cut Short - what are you waiting for?
Remember to check 10th June post when you receive your copy.

PUBLICATION APPROACHES - hope to see you in a local bookshop (see 9th April post)

Details of Virtual Book Launch will be here by 10th June. Try to order Cut Short before then.
Please check list on 9th April post for changes
I can hardly type for excitement. I've seen the pdf of the cover of Cut Short. Is that really my book? (naked corpses... a twisted killer... murderous obsessions... ) and then, just to finish it off... Leigh Russell is a secondary school teacher!
And as if all that's not scary enough - I see the url of my blog is on the cover! (What have I been writing here? how do I delete my posts? is my honesty about to come back and bite me on the - wherever it is honesty comes back to bite.) OK, I admit it. I'm not doing much of a job persuading anyone I can write anything worth reading. (Note to self - must try harder!) (But ... have I said anything uncomplimentary about my wonderful publisher over the course of this long rambling blog? And surely, surely I haven't been rude - not positively rude about Amazon?) Oh heck! There aren't that many people around who talk to me - I can see the number dwindling... I don't care. I'll lock myself in the garden shed.

Please see the list of my schedule of author events on 9th April post.

Links to sites where Cut Short's available for despatch in JUNE

W H SMITHS
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-Cut+Short+-9781842432716.html
BORDERS
http://www.borders.co.uk/book/cut-short/778086
WATERSTONES
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/simpleSearch.do?simpleSearchString=CUT+SHORT+LEIGH+RUSSELL+&searchType=0&Image1.x=18&Image1.y=12 AMAZON.COM
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=cut+short+leigh+russell&x=13&y=14
THE BOOK DESPOSITORY http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/book/isbn/9781842432716
PUBLISHER
http://www.noexit.co.uk/titles.php/itemcode/488

Cut Short, available from bookshops & online from Waterstones, WH Smiths, Borders, & all other online UK book suppliers bar one. Due to a fault, amazon.co.uk can’t display this title at present. If you’d like to help my efforts to rectify their fault: uk-marketing@amazon.co.uk

SCHEDULE OF AUTHOR APPEARANCES

SCHEDULE OF AUTHOR APPEARANCES
check for new dates - come along if you can

30th April featured on the Bookroast
MAY
28th May Workshop at Harrow Writers Circle
JUNE
20th June Book Signing at WH Smiths Harrow
21st June Book Signing at Borders London Colney
24th June London Book Launch
JULY
3rd July Talk at Pinner Library
4th July Book Signing at Borders Watford
5th July Book Signing at Waterstones Hatfield Galleria
9th July Harrow Book Launch
11th July Book Signing at Borders Cambridge
14th July Talk at Finding the Plot Uxbridge
15th July Talk at Finding the Plot Harrow
18th July Book Signing at Waterstones Bath
21st July Bodies in the Bookshop at Heffers Cambridge
22nd July Talk for NWR
23rd July Talk at Harrow Writers Circle
27th July Talk at North Harrow Library
30th July Talk at Big Green Bookshop Wood Green
AUGUST
1st August Book Signing at WH Smiths Henley
8th August Book Signing Borders Bournemouth
10th August Talk at Kenton Library
10th August Talk at Watford Writers’ Circle
18th August Talk at Ealing Library
20th August Talk at Borders Brighton
22nd August Book Signing at Borders York
28th August Book Signing at WH Smiths Heathrow T5
SEPTEMBER
2nd September Signing and Talk at Ruislip Manor Library
5th September Book Signing at WH Smiths Oxford
12th September Talk at Gayton Library Harrow
Throckmorton Literary Festival tbc
21st September Talk at Hatch End Library
23rd September Talk at Pitshanger Bookshop Ealing
Throckmorton Festival date tbc
Havant Literary Festival date tbc
Haberdashers' School Talk date tbc
OCTOBER
17th October Signing at Waterstones Gower Street Central London
20th October Talk at Oak Farm Library Hillingdon


Please contact me on leighrussell@live.co.uk for details of these events.


Some direct links for preordering Cut Short:

W H SMITHS
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-Cut+Short+-9781842432716.html
BORDERS
http://www.borders.co.uk/book/cut-short/778086/
WATERSTONES
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/simpleSearch.do?simpleSearchString=CUT+SHORT+LEIGH+RUSSELL+&searchType=0&Image1.x=18&Image1.y=12 AMAZON.COM
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=cut+short+leigh+russell&x=13&y=14
THE BOOK DESPOSITORY
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/book/isbn/9781842432716
Publisher’s website
http://www.noexit.co.uk/titles.php/itemcode/488

totally overwhelmed - chaos as usual

I spent hours trying to include links on my posts. I've just done exactly that and it took a second to achieve... The timing is quite amazing. Talk about doors opening when the time's right! http://www.noexit.co.uk/titles.php/itemcode/488
Taking a moment from manic activity... After a long wait (my faithful followers know how long) my publishers have brought the publication of CUT SHORT forward to June. I've been studying proofs - which merits a post in itself - what an experience - and running around setting up promotional events - more later.
http://www.crimetime.co.uk/mag/index.php/showarticle/1215
The annoying thing is, now that I actually have some interesting news to blog about, I've no time to blog.
http://www.crimetime.co.uk/publishing/ct54.pdf
Will be back in a day or two, I promise, and you can READ ALL ABOUT IT, as they say.

Relief

I'm glad the blog people show the uploaded image before it's posted. I had a horrible feeling I'd clicked on a photo of myself, instead of my book cover. I don't want my post to look that scary!

I feel terribly guilty. Through the dark months when I was struggling with edits, and (far worse) panicking that my book was never going to be published (after I'd told everyone I know that I'd written a book) my blog buddies were always there with kind words of encouragement. There were times when I appreciated the support more than I can possibly say without sounding cheesy.

And now that it's definitely happening I've abandoned my blog in a flurry of final edits, blurbs, media articles, bookshop meetings, launch invitations - my world has gone completely mad. (I've made it all sound very glamorous. Believe me, it ain't.)

My publisher has decided to bring the publication date forward to June. June! I have so many things to do! One of which is to set up a virtual launch for all my supporters on the blog. Come on, guys, you helped me through my moaning - you have to join in the celebration!

I'll post my Grand Plan here next month (silly? who cares? I can be as eccentric as I like now, because I'm an author - moody? not a whit - it's my artistic temperament!) Everyone's invited! It doesn't matter if we're on opposite sides of the planet, I have a master plan for a virtual launch to include all of you, my faithful followers. Producing a book is a team effort - writer, publisher, editor, bookseller, reader - and blog buddies have been an important part of my team, keeping me going, encouraging and advising throughout the process. OK, I'm going on a bit, now. "Thank you" sums it up.