Apologies, alarums and excursions

In the last post I was talking about whether or not to carry on with the blog/newsletter and hoping for some feedback. Well, I got it. Except - I didn't see it!

This morning, I posted to the joint blog of which I'm a member, Novel Points Of View, and ticked the "notify me" box, so that I could answer any responses. "Notifications will go to..." it said, and they would go to an address I NEVER use. I unclicked, blinked and decided I'd better see if I could get into this mailbox. Who knew? There might be all sorts of stuff in there.

There was. Horrified, I set to the task of going through them and, ignoring the offers to get me millions of Facebook fans for a small consideration, replying where appropriate. A more humiliating exercise there never was. Practically every one was "You wrote to me three years ago and I'm sorry." Three hours later, I think I've captured them all, and I even managed to change the email address that it all goes to, so rest assured, if you use the "Contact" button on here to comment, I will now get it!

The upside to all this was that I received some of the nicest letters of appreciation I've ever read. I have replied to them all, (hoping they aren't dead!) and I hope they all forgive me for appearing so rude. I have already received one reply, an appreciative one, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Apart from that, Murder On The Run is on the home straight, I have the idea for the second instalment of The Alexandrians and my lost cat came back. Oh - and the play I was in has been nominated for seven - that's 7 - awards in the Kent Drama Festival. Very proud of us, I am.

Keep in touch - hopefully!

Getting to grips...

Gosh, this is all so time consuming! I finally managed to get a new newsletter out, but now find I am contravening some kind of regulation. I do apologise, everyone. So let's have some opinions. Is it worth continuing with the newsletter? Is it worth continuing with the blog?

The newsletter was started before social media took us all over. So was the blog. The newsletter, which I havered about for a long time, was in response to requests from readers who didn't use computers much, except for email, and certainly didn't read e-books. Some of them have eventually graduated to social media, but it was interesting to receive replies to the newsletter that indicated that they didn't use it much, because there was information in there that they'd missed. So I feel it's worth keeping it up, if only occasionally. The blog I'm not so sure about. If there was a particular subject in which I was an acknowledged expert, I could rant on about aspects of that, but really - how many blog posts on pantomime could you bear to read?

To get this particular post up to date: on March 24th Murder Dancing came out, the sixteenth in the series. It also came out in the US where the books are now published by Start Publishing in association with Accent Press. The next Libby, Murder on the Run, will be out later in the year, probably early September, and the second in The Alexandrians just before Christmas, as far as I know. If I get them written, of course!

I have been doing all sorts of guest posts on other people's blogs, and next week sees the start of a US/Canada blog "tour". I've done them before, although I don't know whether they do any good, but we are supposed to do all we can to publicise our books and increase our "discoverability". (Buzz word in publishing.)

It's all a far cry from writers just writing books. I'm not sure I would have embarked on my later life career as a novelist if I'd known how hard I'd have to work! Retirement? What's that?

In other news, I recently appeared on stage again, in the cameo part of the Judge in Whose Life Is It Anyway. I was absolutely terrified, mainly, I think, because I've got out of the habit of it. However, once we were running I enjoyed it, so - anyone got any small parts they need doing? I've also been taken on by a Murder Mystery events company, and have been, so far, a widowed pub owner and a widowed "best friend of victim". It's great fun, and best of all there are no lines to learn!

Until next time - à bientôt.

Novel Points of View

Recently I was delighted to be asked to join a joint blog, Novel Points of View, with six other writers, some of whom I've known for several years.

Oddly, the way these things sometimes happen, at the same time I received a request to join a group of US writers of "cosy" mysteries all named Leslie. There are two of us using the correct (!) UK spelling for the female version, and I'm still a little ambivalent about it. Their approach is so different from ours, and I fear I will soon come to blows over correct (English) spellings and terminology. Because of course, even though I hate the term, I recognise that I write "cosy" mysteries, but I will NEVER spell them "Cozy." Oh, whoops, I just did.  Anyway, we shall see. I'll let you know what happens. Meanwhile, do have a look at Novel Points of View and all the other writers.

New Year, New Books

Happy New Year to all my readers!

First, of course, is the news that the first in the new series, The Alexandrians, Death Plays A Part, was released on Boxing Day and has collected some lovely 5 Star reviews on Amazon.

Next, the sixteenth in the Libby Sarjeant series, Murder Dancing, is now up for pre-order, and both print and ebook will be released on March 24th. I've just worked out that this is actually my twentieth book, not counting the short Libby, Murder at Mallowan Manor, which came out for Christmas last year. Sixteen Libbys, two romances, How To Write a Pantomime and Death Plays a Part. Blimey! I think that deserves a celebration, don't you? Oh - and not to mention the pantomimes and the musical. My dad would have been so proud.

I hope you all have a healthy and successful 2016, and thank you for buying the books.