Tuesday 11 January 2011

Writers and Readers

I received my PLR statement today. Around 3,000 people borrowed my books from libraries in the UK in the year to June 2010.
Who says libraries aren't popular nowadays?
As an author, it's hardly surprising that I spend a lot of time writing, but these days authors also spend a lot of time talking. As a relatively unknown 'name', my events vary and sometimes I chat to half a dozen readers in a library reading group, always an enjoyable experience. But here are a couple of photos, both taken at a recent talk I gave where more than 200 people turned out to hear me talk about my books. You can just about see me, a tiny dot on the stage.


Maybe one day I'll even see a queue of more than two people waiting in front of my table at a book signing...
Did I say people?

21 comments:

Pat said...

Great! Your fame is growing:)
WV readisc

Leigh Russell said...

I'm having a bit of fun, anyway, Pat. Not sure about the 'fame' !

Hearing Aids said...

Wow i love you blog its awesome nice colors you must have did hard work on your blog. Keep up the good work. Thanks

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Hearing Aids - nice to 'hear' from you! I'm glad you like my blog.

Leigh Russell said...

Hearing Aids - I see you're based in India. Watch out for an online review and interview with Gautami Tripathy on
http://readbookswritepoetry.blogspot.com/ coming soon!

Joanne said...

How exciting! It must be wonderful to speak about your passion to an audience like this ... Congrats :)

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, Joanne. It is certainly gratifying to have a large audience, but I enjoy the intimacy of small groups equally. Thank you for commenting here.

Margaret said...

It is wonderful too hard work pay off. I'm glad your fans span the galaxy. I'll look for your books in my neck of the woods, Los Angeles. Thanks for visiting my blog (I'm trying not to envy you.)

Margaret said...

PS: I'm finding it hard to add your blog to my RSS. Just so you know. You might want to check on that.

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Margaret, and thanks for commenting here. I'm not sure what RSS feeds is all about - I keep seeing it everywhere! If you can tell me what to do so you can add my blog to your RSS I'll try to sort it out.

Amanda said...

Wow, 200 people - how exciting!

Leigh Russell said...

Yes - it was my largest audience so far. Still easier than a class of teenagers!

Stella Jones said...

Well done Leigh. You are getting well known. It's a wonderful achievement. Congratulations.
What are you working on at the moment?

Charles Gramlich said...

Wow, suddenly about 20 posts from you showed up in my queue. I wonder why they all came at once. Sounds like you have been busy of course. I'm glad that the books are moving.

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Star, thanks for commenting. Not sure about well-known, but a little better-known certainly!
Dead End is out in May so that's now with my publisher and proof copies should be ready soon. I can't wait to see it.
I'm finishing off the final polishing of the following book and then... when that's done... I'll be planning the next one!!!

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Charles, I was so busy working on 3 books at once (checking proofs for ebook version of Road Closed, reading proofs for Dead End, and editing the WIP) that I didn't post there for a while. So I felt a little guilty about neglecting my blog and probably wrote a few posts in a short time - but 20 posts?!

HelenMWalters said...

That's an amazing PLR return. Well done.

Leigh Russell said...

Thanks, Helen. I have to say I was pleased that anyone at all borrowed my books. I was really amazed at the figures. It wouldn't seem like much to some, but seems pretty huge to me!

Guillaume said...

I didn't notice you blogged again! I love going to librairies. Oh, and I bought Cut Short on New Year's Eve!

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Guillaume, yes, I'm back. With lucky your local library will be safe! Thank you for buying Cut Short. I hope you enjoy reading it. Let me know, won't you? I hope you like it and go on to read Road Closed, by which time Dead End will be out!

Leigh Russell said...

Woops - should read with luck. (How many times have I said this? It's just as well my books are proofread!)