We're on our way

Hats off to me - I've just made a sale! My local library service has ordered 15 copies of Cut Short. I'm intoxicated with success... on my way to beating the average sale of a first book (93 copies I read somewhere.) 93? huh! I'm going to sell at least 100... 1,000... 10,000... The sky's the limit. (What's that? Keep my feet on the ground? What ground? I don't see any ground...)

Countdown

CUT SHORT is available -
JUNE www.noexit.co.uk

Virtual Book Launch starts June (see post of 7th May for details)
JULY amazon.co.uk
AUGUST amazon.com

The books (my book) will be with the distributor on 5th June - just over two weeks from today!

On 20th June - one month from today - I'll be signing copies of my book in WH Smith's in Harrow.

I understand more and more why people compare producing a book to giving birth. There's no going back now! I can't call a halt to all this, even if I wanted to (which of course I don't.)

I'm loving every minute of this experience. Nervous? Me? Why would I be?

(What if nobody buys Cut Short? What if nobody likes it? What if I turn up to sign copies and the books haven't arrived? What if I give a talk and can't think of anything to say? What if people ask questions I can't answer?)

Ideas needed urgently

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who's commented here so far with suggestions about what I can include in my Author Talks. As I've said before, Cut Short is a real team effort. Thank you again - and please don't stop.


Fellow bloggers, I need your help. Anyone planning to come along to any of the Author Talks I'm giving (schedule on post of 9th April) PLEASE LOOK AWAY NOW.


With my characteristic dash (dashing ahead without thinking, that is) I've agreed to give a number of Author Talks. I can happily ramble on in writing (as you well know if you follow my blog) but I'm not sure how I'll perform talking to an audience. To be honest, I find the idea rather daunting. (I have to talk for - how long? I've no idea! - about - what? . . .)


This is where you come in, my support network of brilliant blogbuddies.


If you have any ideas or suggestions about what you might want to hear an author talk about, were you to attend an Author Talk, please share your thoughts with me. I have quite a few ideas, but I also have a vague fear hovering in the dark recesses of my mind that I might run out of things to say and stand in front of my audience opening and closing my mouth like a gigantic fish . . .

CUT SHORT is available -

JUNE www.noexit.co.uk Virtual Book Launch starts here in June

JULY amazon.co.uk

AUGUST amazon.com

PUBLICATION 10th JUNE

VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH UK Publication date is 10th June. I'll put my email address here. When you receive a copy of Cut Short, please send me an email. Tell me who you'd like me to sign the book for, just as you would at any other book signing. I'll reply with a personal signed message which you can print out. As you stick the message in the front of your copy of Cut Short, please feel free to drink a glass of wine. I promise to have a drink at the same time, so we'll be sharing a virtual drink. (I realise this means I may have to drink solidly for some time, but a writer has to make some sacrifices for her reading public...)

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CUT SHORT is available to preorder from http://www.noexit.co.uk/ for dispatch in JUNE.

You can preorder from amazon.co.uk for dispatch in July.

Whenever and wherever you find your copy, please email me directly for a signature, and don't forget to let me know who you'd like me to sign the book for, if you're buying it for a friend.

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Please check the schedule of my Author Appearances on the post dated 9th April. If you can come along to one of these events, I'd love to see you there.

Thanks to all of you who are sharing this experience with me through my blog. I'll be needing your help again soon with ideas for what I should include in my Author Talks.

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VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH USA It looks as though Cut Short may be available in the USA in July. More about this when the date is confirmed. Readers across the pond are of course welcome to order from www.noexit.co.uk

Virtual Signings will continue until Book 2 is published in 2010.

Why does time slow down when you're waiting? And how am I feeling right now? a) excited b) proud c) confident d) petrified ? Answers on (not in) a bottle (Champagne would be fine)

FICTION BECOMES REALITY

Virtual Book Launch - see post of 22nd April
Schedule of Events - see post of 9th April

The girls in my local bookshop showed me a proof copy of my book! A proof copy is sent by the publisher to bookshops, reviewers, etc. It says 'not for resale' on the back so is not the finished article, but it's A REAL BOOK. I held it in my hand!

The London Bookshop will dispatch Cut Short around 10th June, publication date. Link on No Exit Press website.

My name in print once more.

I've just had my first live interview as an author... (dramatic pause) ...
Three 12 year old pupils at my school interviewed me for their class news sheet. They asked searching questions about why I write, and where I find my inspiration. Then they set off armed with questions for one of the cleaners. ("Are you happy with what you earn here?" - oh, the innocence of youth!) "We tried to interview her yesterday, Miss, but she was too busy to see us. "


Cut Short was featured on the Bookroast on 30th April. Thank you to everyone who visited and commented.

VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH

YOU ARE INVITED TO A VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH

Publication approaches and preparations to launch Cut Short on an unsuspecting world are gathering pace. Only you, my friends on the blog, are privy to these delusions of grandeur - Cut Short, best seller; Cut Short, cult book of the month - the year - the decade! ( loud crash as Leigh struggles to get her big head through the door) For a brief heady period I became an amazon watcher, studying the brief rise and fall of Cut Short in the Sales Ratings on amazon.com. At one point, my friends around the world, someone somewhere was ordering my book on amazon.com, enough orders, in fact, to push the sales rating a significant way up the list. This was seriously good news. Then it began to fall and the whole exercise lost its appeal.

The date of the VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH approaches
I've succeeded in scanning my signature - (don't panic, friends - Leigh Russell is not my real name and no documents or bank accounts exist in that name.) Here's how it works -

On 10th June, publication date, I'll publish my email address on this blog. When you receive your copy of Cut Short, please send me an email telling me who you'd like me to sign the book for (just as you would at any other book signing.) I will reply asap, with a personal signed message from Leigh Russell which you can print and stick in the front of your copy of Cut Short.
As you do this, please feel free to drink a glass of wine. I promise to drink one at the same time, so we can share a virtual drink. (I realise this means I may have to drink solidly for some time, but a writer has to make some sacrifices for her reading public...)

Please send any questions about the virtual launch to this blog before 10th June. (I may not be in a fit state to repy after that.) And if you haven't already put in your order for Cut Short - what are you waiting for?
Remember to check 10th June post when you receive your copy.