It's September and the evenings are drawing in, here in the UK. A few weeks ago it was light until after ten, now the sun has set by seven thirty. The evenings have vanished almost overnight. The weather hasn't yet made up its mind. One day it almost seems to be winter, reminding me that I'll soon be scraping the ice off my windscreen in the mornings. The next day is sunny, reminiscent of Summer. In the UK you don't know from one day to the next what the weather is going to be like: hot or cold? wet or dry?
My publisher has produced a new poster : LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFT? What could be better than a book personally inscribed and signed by bestselling popular author Leigh Russell In bookshops, several people have already bought copies of Cut Short for Christmas presents. Christmas? I'm still clinging on to memories of Summer.
It feels like a few weeks since Cut Short was published, and now the MS for Road Closed is with the publisher. I've seen design ideas for the jacket. I'll know when a decision has been made because I'll see the book cover on my publisher's website. You might see it before I do, if you happen to look at my publisher's website first. When it's finalised, I'll post a copy here and see what you think of it.
The time has flown by so fast. I still can't believe I'm a published author. It has been a life changing experience, changing not only my lifestyle, but who I am, how others perceive me, and how I see myself.
Some authors say they want to feel their books have changed other people's lives. I don't believe for one second that my crime thrillers are going to have that effect on anyone. I hope my books engage and entertain; that's the most I would aspire to. But I would like to think that my experience might change other people's feelings about their own lives. Because if I can reinvent my identity in my fifties, anyone can do so at any age.
My advice for success in becoming who you would like to be? Work hard, be lucky and be brave. The last is perhaps the most important, and the most difficult. More difficult even than being lucky? Well, perhaps.
I hope that made sense. I'm not very good at giving advice.
What's your advice?
