At the BBC

Visiting Bristol

I've just come back from a fabulous weekend in Bristol, packed with friends and events. Before catching the train from London to Bristol I found Dead End at number 70 on the WH Smith's chart at Paddington station. On the left I'm signing a copy of Dead End in one of the stores at Paddington, and on the right is a photo with a customer for whom I signed a copy in the other branch of WH Smith's at the station.

Meeting Ruth Dudley Edwards, Ailene Templeton and Linda Regan before our panel (left). Pauline Rowson hadn't arrived yet but we're all there at the event (right and below).

After the panel I went for a live interview on BBC Radio Bristol with Graham Torrington.

After my interview, we took a short detour to take a look at the amazing Clifton suspension bridge before returning to CrimeFest to catch a panel with Chris Carter, Tim Weaver, Howard Linskey and NJ Cooper talking about the thrills of crime writing.
By then it was time for the CWA reception where some of the 2011 Dagger shortlists were announced, we met up up with writing friends old and new, and shared a glass or two, courtesy of the CWA.

I spent Saturday at Waterstones Bristol Galleries where the staff were friendly and helpful, as always in Waterstones. I met lots of local readers who bought 65 copies of my books. Dead End sold really well, as expected, with its great cover.
Then it was back to CrimeFest to get changed for the Mulholland Reception (and more wine).
On the left you can see a few happy faces (photo courtesy of the unflagging Ali Karim) Matt Hilton, Ali's beautiful daughter Sophia, and a little person who forgot to pack any heels at the Mulholland Reception. Then it was on to the Gala Dinner where we heard Christopher Brookmyre, Lindsey Davies, Deon Meyer and Peter James. At least I'd remembered to pack my best frock to announce the winners of the Mystery Woman short story competition for 2011.
Returning home after such an exciting weekend, the programme for Harrogate Festival had arrived in the post. It was a thrill to see my name in it!

My Visit to Tunbridge Wells

I just had an email from JEFFERY DEAVER who "loved" CUT SHORT!
He even kindly sent a quote:
"Cut Short is a stylish, top-of-the-line crime tale, a seamless blending of psychological sophistication and gritty police procedure. And you're just plain going to love DI Geraldine Steel - JEFFERY DEAVER"

This was taken in the studio of BBC Radio Kent.

Once I started chatting to Pat Marsh and Linsey on the Saturday Breakfast Show, their enthusiasm soon livened me up. It was a lot of fun meeting them. You can see how much wider awake I look after meeting them. Before (below) after (right).

You can listen to my live interview on BBC iplayer for about a week before it disappears on the following link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0072y6s/Pat_Marsh_Saturday_03_04_2010/ 1.16.35 - 1.22.22

After the interview, I went round the corner to Waterstones in Tunbridge Wells where CUT SHORT sold out by 3 o'clock - just time to buy another pair of purple shoes before setting off home...

A big THANK YOU to all the readers in Tunbridge Wells who stopped for a chat, and thank you to all of you who bought CUT SHORT. Look out for ROAD CLOSED which will be published in June.

Following in Cut Short's footsteps...

This will be me tomorrow . . . on a train to Manchester Airport! Off on my holidays? Not exactly . . .

Tomorrow sees the start of the Curzon Group Airport Tour. Authors Matt Lynn, Richard Jay Parker, and I (yes, me!) will be signing copies of our thrillers from midday. When we finish, we're driving to East Midlands Airport for an overnight stay ready to start signing again at 5 am!!!

I'm feeling really guilty as I haven't posted here for such a long time, but I've been a whisker short of insanely busy. Bath, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Harrow, Hatch End, Hatfield, Henley, Central London, North London, London Colney, Pinner, Shepherds Bush, Uxbridge, Watford and after Manchester and East Midlands it's Brighton, York, Kenton, Heathrow T5, Richmond, Ruislip, Oxford, Ealing, St Albans - plus lots of local talks and signings. And then there are the festivals, and the radio interviews (yes, me on BBC Radio Bristol, BBC Radio Sussex, BBC Radio Solent - I have to go to BBC Studios!) Did I mention my interviews on the BBC ?

Other news - hot off the press - Cut Short has been selling so well that a reprint is in hand as I type this! New stock will be ready at the end of next week . . . but I won't be here to see the new books, I'll be in York, or is it Richmond . . . ?