Crime leads to romance

Breaking news - Scott proposes to Jo at Harrogate Crime Festival where they first met

The busy life of an author

I've got a busy time coming up for the rest of July. Monday 9th I'm  meeting a BBC researcher to discuss how crime is depicted on the BBC. Wednesday 11th I'll be signing at Waterstones in St Albans. Thursday 12th I'm giving a talk at Yiewsley Library at 12.30, then at 7.30 I'll be appearing as a 'special guest' at Harrow Literary Eveninng. On Friday I'm travelling North for a tour of Waterstones stores in Manchester Arndale (14th) Warrington (15th) Liverpool One (16th) Preston (17th) Harrogate (19th) Wakefield (20th) York (21st) and Leeds (22nd).  Look out for a feature about my books in the Life and Style magazine of the Manchester Evening News. Then it's back down South for an interview with the Harrow Times on the 23rd and signing again at Finchley Road O2 Centre in London on the 28th. So that's the rest of July for me booked up and looking busy!

 I'm also working on co-ordinating a new initiative for the CWA (more about that later on - you'll be the first to know!) and writing of course.

With Death Bed on the shelves in paperback, I've finished the 5th book in the series which has gone off to The Editor. The one after that, Geraldine Steel number 6, is half written at about 42,000 words. So it's all go!

I hope that explains why I've been too busy to post here much lately. If you haven't had time to read Death Bed yet, I hope you check it out soon. It's been getting some good reviews! http://leighrussell.co.uk/

What a year I've had!

It's January 2011 and time to review 2010. And what a year it's been!

Looking back, I can't believe how much has happened. No wonder I'm feeling tired!

Cut Short sold out for the fourth time (or was it the fifth?) and was shortlisted for the CWA Dagger, which was a real thrill. I went to Harrogate to hear the announcement and met two charmers, Ian Rankin and Mark Billingham.

Cut Short is being reprinted again, this time in B format, with a new cover which was decided on in 2010, to match the cover chosen for Dead End. When Road Closed is reprinted again, it will have a matching cover, so 2010 was the year my books were "branded" (!)

I was lucky enough to have lots of online interviews and the reviews for both books continued to be amazingly positive!

I finished Dead End in 2010 and the MS for my next book, now with my agent.

2010 saw two bestsellers, two more books written, two new covers and an award nomination. In addition, I was very happy to receive lots of invitations to appear at literary festivals, talk to writers groups and judge competitions, visit bookshops and libraries, and talk to colleges and book clubs.

2011 will doubtless be as busy but I don't see how it can be as exciting!

CUT SHORT short listed for CWA DAGGER

I'm thrilled to share the news that CUT SHORT has been shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Daggger Award!
I am, for once, at a loss for words! Well, almost...
I'll tell you more about my whirlwind visit to Harrogate, and post some photos of me (yes, me!) rubbing shoulders with some of the greats, very soon. I've even thought of a caption for one of the photos - 'Leigh between two Giants of Crime Fiction' (Ian Rankin and Mark Billingham are both much taller than me... still looking hobbit-like even in my heels, alas) - and there you have a clue as to two of the people I met on my amazing visit to Harrogate. If I wasn't myself, I'd be quite jealous of me... (note to aforementioned self - must rewrite this tomorrow when sober)

Here's what the judges said about CUT SHORT
Judges’ comments: A book that combines psychological writing with police procedural. A police detective in search of sanctuary finds herself involved in a vicious case of murder. Strong story-telling draws the reader in to this disturbing debut novel that uses settings from Christie with a much darker plot line.
http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2010/newblood.html

I'm off book signing at WH Smith's in Harrow tomorrow (Saturday is book signing day - you know me!) but I will post more over the weekend.

I'm also dreadfully excited (!!) because I now have the outline for my 4th book... I know ROAD CLOSED has just been published and that was only my 2nd, but I've delivered the draft of DEAD END to my publisher (publication 2011)... and whatever else is going on, I can't stop writing...