Sales of Cut Short go intergalactic

My last post was rather sad so I thought I'd be more cheerful today and share some exciting news with you - sales of CUT SHORT have gone intergalactic! If you don't believe me, here's the photographic proof:
A dalek buying Cut Short from Leigh Russell and paying cash!
And here comes a jedi. He also bought Cut Short . . .

Spiderman wanted to buy a copy but he has no pockets so didn't have any money.

This pirate, on the other hand, had plenty of loot - and a parrot!

It was lovely to meet fellow members of the authors' group Mystery Women. I'm looking forward to signing with you all again.

Back on planet earth . . . I'm signing at

Waterstones HARROW Saturday,

Waterstones ST ALBANS Sunday.

Please come along and say hello if you're in the area!

Publisher's website: http://www.noexit.co.uk/titles.php/itemcode/488

Amazon.co.uk (also on amazon.com)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cut-Short-DI-Geraldine-Steel/dp/1842432710

youtube - Leigh Russell reading from Cut Short

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW3Ixmq3OyA

CUT SHORT on US BEST BOOK 2009 list

I'm very excited that CUT SHORT has been reviewed in Publishers Weekly in the US BEST BOOKS 2009 as the only starred title in the Mass Market category.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6707975.html?q=leigh+russell+cut+short




On a very sad note, all my events at Borders have been cancelled. I will be doing more signings at Waterstones and WH Smith's but will really miss the friendly and helpful staff I've met at so many branches of Borders. I hope the future holds some better news for them.


Here are some photos of book signings at Borders.




You can see how hard the staff worked to help make

these events a success and I am very grateful for
their support.



I wish them all well in what must be a worrying time
for them all.

ENDANGERED SPECIES

BORDERS UK ARE UNDER THREAT FROM SUPERMARKETS & ONLINE SUPPLIERS. THERE IS ROOM FOR REAL BOOKSHOPS TOO. IF YOU ARE IN THE UK & YOU VALUE BOOKS GO TO BORDERS AND BUY A BOOK TODAY. HELP SAVE REAL BOOKSHOPS!
On a more cheerful note, my after school activities have been lively this week. I met a lovely group of readers at Ruislip Manor Library, I've been invited to speak to an audience at the King's Fund in Oxford Circus, and I'm visiting a local school for an evening event. After my busy week, I'm signing at Collectormania Olympia on Saturday & Borders in Cambridge on Sunday.
(I just discovered that PETER FIRTH from SPOOKS will be at Collectormania. I'm so excited! Peter Firth and I - and a mere few thousand other people - at the same event!)

Success (for today)

Good day on Saturday - I signed nearly 70 copies of CUT SHORT at BORDERS in WATFORD. I can't give an exact number. You'd think it would be easy - it's just a matter of counting - but I always get in a muddle.
I signed over 40 copies on Sunday at WH SMITH'S in BRENT CROSS.
Altogether that's about 110 books signed this weekend.
Tomorrow I'm giving another talk at RUISLIP MANOR LIBRARY. I and have been invited to give two more talks this week but may have to decline at least one of those as life is becoming a tad hectic... I like to keep busy, but this is becoming a bit too much, even for me!
CUT SHORT is on two listmania lists on amazon.co.uk - thank you OEJ (Debut Novels 2009) and Damaskcat (More Crime Less Violence).

Pistols at Dawn

I'm back!
After cramming an impossible amount of work into a few days I've finished, and sent the MS for ROAD CLOSED back to my editor. I daresay there will be a little more tweaking, but I'm relieved to have reached this breathing space. I have a really busy weekend ahead, signing at Borders in WATFORD tomorrow, and WH Smith's in BRENT CROSS on Sunday and am booked to give two talks after school next week. Things are getting busy in the run up to Christmas. Once ROAD CLOSED is done but not yet dusted, I'll post the cover and see what you think.

I was quoted by Hugh Muir in the Guardian diary yesterday. Fame at last! I've been caught up in a spat between crime writers. It's not quite pistols at dawn but not far off (oh, these authors!) It's only a very short quotation from me, in the third paragraph, but still, I'll be getting hold of the paper for my scrapbook...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/nov/19/hugh-muir-diary-climate-deniers

(I can't work out how to include a link - although I've done it before - so you will have to copy and paste the link onto your browser if you want to read it. Sorry!)

The Joys of being an Author

I've been going through The Editor's suggestions for ROAD CLOSED, the second in the Geraldine Steel series.
Was it hard work? No, not at all.
Has the experience changed me? Of course not. Look at my picture. Do I look any different?
That's about as coherent as I'm able to be at the moment. I have lots of exciting news - I'll be at CRIMEFEST 2010 - but will post about it another day. I'm too tired right now.
Last word - this weekend I'm signing in WATFORD (Borders) on Saturday and BRENT CROSS (WH Smith's) on Sunday. Please come along if you're in the area and would like a signed copy for yourself or for a Christmas present. I'd love to see you there. And hopefully I'll be looking more like myself again!
For some reason my blog is refusing to upload any more images so I'll show you the cover for ROAD CLOSED next time. I'd be interested to know what you all think of it.

Radio Interview, Lunch and Tea

I've had a wonderful day (after I finished cleaning the kitchen this morning...)
I met Joyanna at my talk at Gayton Library in Harrow in September. She invited me to an interview which will be broadcast on Radio Northwick Park and a women's radio channel. Joyanna seemed pleased with the interview and she has invited me back for a LIVE INTERVIEW on January 30th. er. . . I hope I don't slip up . . . um . . . Seriously, as those of you who have attended my talks can testify, once I start talking about my writing, I seem to have plenty to say!
After the interview, I met my daughter for lunch, popped into my local bookshop for a chat, and met my husband for tea.
All in all, it was a lovely day (apart from the housework . . . )

Next weekend I'll be at Waterstones in UXBRIDGE on Saturday, and at WH Smith's in OXFORD on Sunday, and hope to see lots of you in the bookshops!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cut-Short-DI-Geraldine-Steel/dp/1842432710

fifty years on... Book 2

Just randomly I thought I'd include this photo on my blog. The two girls at a book signing at WH Smith's in Oxford are old school friends I've known for . . . half a century . . . (I know we're not exactly girls any more)
I'm back in WH Smith's in Oxford on Sunday 15th November so please come along if you're in the area and say hello.
As for news - ROAD CLOSED is now with my editor . . . I finished it while on holiday in Italy (how's that for dedication?) Job done (I hope!) Now I just have to wait and see what comments come back.
For those of you who haven't been through the process, here's how it works. As an author you submit your manuscript to the editor who sends back content edits - any general comments on the balance, the plotline, characters etc. After making these finishing touches to the manuscript, it goes back to the editor who goes through in detail: the line edit. I'm keeping my fingers crossed the editor is happy with it.