My Imaginary Bookshop

And here's my imaginary bookshop http://writerslittlehelper.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/guest-post-leigh-russells-imaginary.html

Another interview

Thanks to Neil Walker for this interview http://neil-walker.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/leigh-russell-q-book-blog-tour.html?spref=fb

Paris

"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind" (John Donne 1572-1631)

Another interview

Thank you to Lloyd Paige for the next interview on the Blood Axe blog tour http://www.lloydpaige.com/?p=4803

Interview

Thank you to Lainy for this interview. http://www.alwaysreading.net/2015/11/q-with-leigh-russell.html

Evolutionary Concept in Book Selling - Open a Bookshop...

James Daunt hopes a new physical bookshop opening in Seattle "falls flat on its face" because it is owned by a competitor. Some people might see this as karma, with Waterstones having put so many independent bookshops out of business, but I find it rather sad. With so many bookstores closing, surely every genuine book lover would welcome the opening of a new one. 

But this new physical bookstore is owned by Amazon. 

Waterstones seem to think Amazon should remain an online store - although Waterstones were happy to profit from selling kindles, and have their own online store. 

Do you agree with James Daunt, that Amazon has no business opening a bricks-and-mortar bookshop, or with the blogger, warriorwriters.wordpress.com, who writes: "Amazon is smart. Amazon looks at where its competitors went wrong and it improves. That is the beating heart of true capitalism. Evolution." 

What do you think? 

How did I get here?

After the usual email discussion between my publisher, publicist, designer, agent, and key booksellers, we have finally agreed on the cover for Murder Ring, the eighth Geraldine Steel title. Here it is.

I can hardly believe this is my eleventh published book since Cut Short came out in 2009. By the end of 2016, the number of my published books will go up to thirteen... and these numbers don't include the different editions, large print books, all the titles published in translation... Adding them all together, there are over fifty different covers so far... I have a copy of each of them, together with proof copies of the U.K. editions. I used to look at my collection sometimes, when I was having an insecure writing day, trying to reassure myself that I really can write.

To be honest, these days I am usually so busy writing, editing, and running around on research trips and book tours, that I don't have time to step back and look at how far I have travelled as a writer. I'm not talking about my physical travels, although that has been quite unbelievable too, when I stop to think about it. My research has taken me all over the world, from Margate in the South of England, to Scarborough in the North, and further afield to Paris, Greece, Rome and the Seychelles. 

What I find difficult to believe is that from scribbling down a story that randomly occurred to me, I have become what used to be called a 'mid list author' - half way between the top bestselling authors and those who only scrape a living from writing. I am now a full-time author, living (quite comfortably) off the proceeds. Not that I am complacent. So far so good is all I can say. Sales seem to be going well, but every day is a different story. Which, I suppose, is appropriate for a fiction writer... but I'm not sure how I ended up in this thrilling precarious career. 

Murder Ring is available for preorder on Amazon. The Ebook is published in November. The paperback is published in 2016.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Ring-Geraldine-Steel-Mystery-ebook/dp/B016IEWZIG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1446110131&sr=1-1