Summertime Blues

What a long time since I wrote a blog post! I shall give a brief update on the life and times of Lesley Cookman and Libby Sarjeant (bessie mates, actually) then it's back to work.

First, thank you to anybody who has bought one or more of my books over the past year. Much to my surprise, I am not only able to go to Turkey again this year, but I have also got a beautiful new conservatory. This change of career into novelist has certainly worked for me. Murder In The Monastery has been doing quite well, I've reached a lot more readers in the States and I'm currently doing last minute revisions on Murder In The Dark (above) which will be out in October. I've also started work on Murder In A Different Place, set mostly (so far, at least) on the Isle of Wight, which I'm hoping gives me an excuse to do a little research trip! Not that I don't know the Island pretty well anyway (holidays there since I was eight - when Adam was a lad) but I need to check on a few things. Ahem.

There will soon be a new look to this blog, as elder son's girlfriend is redesigning it for me, so I can actually update things myself and use it like a website. I also ought to start blogging more regularly - a fact that was battered into me last weekend at a writers' conference. Marketing - and self-publishing - were the buzz words there and I do neither. Mind you, some of the self-pub stories made me want to take it up immediately, but only because I already have a brand. My friend Freda Lightfoot got back the rights to all her early books and put them up as ebooks herself, very professionally, and is earning rather nicely from them. Very nicely indeed, in fact. Another friend, Linda Gillard, also traditionally published, had a book turned down by her publishers because it didn't fit into their view of her, so she did it herself. She has gone on, despite a rather nasty brush with cancer, to self publish more, and is doing very well. Yet another friend (we are all great mates, us writers) Alison Morton, had also been turned down by traditional publishers for various reasons, none of which were "bad writing", so she has chosen the "Empowered Publishing" route, where a company will do everything for you, editing, cover design, formatting and various other arcane stuff. Her book is now out in print and ebook and is doing very well, too.

I am currently performing in an Old Time Music Hall at our local theatre, (see picture) giving my Lily Morris impression and singing "Don't Have Any More, Mrs Moore". I appeared in Alan Bennett's "Enjoy" in April, and was nominated for a best actress in a supporting role award. I came in as runner up, but it was nice to be nominated, and the awards evening was splendiferous. Champagne and everything.

Bad Behaviour

Just a quick post to tell everyone about Bad Behaviour, the small collection of short stories coming out to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Accent Press. They've done well by me, and I'm really glad Hazel and I met at Uni!

Accent is expanding like mad, and have all sorts of new people with dedicated jobs. Lauren does social networking, so I've been surprised a couple of times by posts on my "work" Facebook page to have replies to comments I haven't made. She also sends out a weekly Top Tips newsletter, which I gape at for a bit and wonder how anyone has time to do it all - oh, and write books, too. However, she is going to be the one sending out review copies to all the US and Canada bloggers who are kindly hosting me on my blog tour. No, I didn't organise that, either. A kind Cosy Mystery website has organised it for me. So thank you, Lauren!

A Very British Blog

My friend Jane Wenham-Jones has just done A Very British Blog and suggested that some of her friends might like to do one, too. So, here goes:

Q. Where were you born and where do you live at the moment?

A. I was born in Guildford, Surrey, lived in London throughout my childhood and early adulthood, and I’ve lived in Whitstable on the Kent coast for the last thirty years.

Q. Have you always lived and worked in Britain or are you based elsewhere at present?

A. Always been here, although in my early twenties I was an air stewardess (as featured last year in the Daily Express, The One Show and the Alan Titchmarsh Show!) so I was lucky enough to travel the world.

Q. Which is your favourite part of Britain?

A. I love it all. There are so many areas I love and would like to live.

Q. Have you ‘highlighted’ or ‘showcased’ any particular part of Britain in your books? For example, a town or city; a county, a monument or some well-known place or event?

A. All my Libby Sarjeant books are set in Kent, although in fictional villages and towns.

Q. There is an illusion – or myth if you wish – about British people that I would like you to discuss. Many see the ‘Brits’ as ‘stiff upper lip’. Is that correct?

A. You wouldn’t think so if you saw the amount of people dissolving into tears on reality shows these days… no patience with it myself. Luckily there is an off button on my remote control.

Q. Do any of the characters in your books carry the ‘stiff upper lip’? Or are they all ‘British Bulldog’ and unique in their own way?

A. They are all unique. I don’t think the British Bulldog exists any longer – see my last answer – and I would hate anybody, fictional or real, to be characterised in that way.

Q. Tell us about one of your recent books

A. My most recent book is Murder In The Monastery, the eleventh book in the Libby Sarjeant mystery series, published by Accent Press.

Q. What are you currently working on?

A. The twelfth book in the Libby series, Murder In The Dark, to be published in October, and an anthology of previously published short stories called Bad Behaviour to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Accent Press.

Q. How do you spend your leisure time?

A. I read a lot and occasionally put on my Drama Hat and take to the stage.

Q. Do you write for a local audience or a global audience?

A. Anyone who’ll read me, thank you! As I receive letters from America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which surprises and delights me, it’s probably not just local! Love my readers.

Q. Can you provide links to your work?

A. They’re all on here already! Check my website for further details – and thank you Jane Wenham-Jones for extending the invitation.

The Next Big Thing number 2

I know I’ve already done The Next Big Thing, but my friend Amy Myers has asked if I will do another one, and always ready to oblige a mate, I agreed. A lot of my answers will probably be the same, but at least my Next Big Thing is a different book!

What is the working title for your book?

Murder In The Dark is the actual title, which appears in my publisher’s catalogue. It will be out next October.

Which genre does the book fall into?

What the Americans call “cosy” crime, which I prefer to call Murder Mystery.

What is a one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A body is discovered dumped in a remote garden and as usual, Libby Sarjeant and her friend Fran get involved in the investigation.

Will the book be self published or represented by an agency?

All my books are traditionally published in print and e-formats by Accent Press.

What else about this book might pique the reader’s interest?

The amount of tea and alcohol consumed!

There, done! I shan’t tag another author to follow on, as all the authors I know, in all genres, have already done it, so I think it’s probably come to a natural end.