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Saturday 2 April 2011

Crime writing author

How do I begin? I'd better tell you a little bit about myself before I get down to blogging.

This is my first blog as a - hopefully - reasonably successful crime writer. I started out writing a bit over 20 years ago and soon became published as a short story and article writer. I went on to write novels. My first attempt was a saga. I wrote it just as sagas went out of fashion. Sod's law they call it. Anyway I moved on to crime writing and I suppose I should have started there to begin with because my reading of choice is crime, the darker the better. Up until the time I got published I had written four novels - determination is my middle name - or is it simply pig-headedness.

My big break came when I won the Dundee International Book Prize with my novel 'The Screaming Woods'. One of the conditions of the prize award was that the book's title should be changed - I would have stood on my head if they'd asked me - so it was a no-brainer to agree. The book, a crime thriller, retitled as 'Dead Wood', was published in 2009, and what a fabulous feeling that was. There is nothing quite so thrilling as holding your own book in your hands. I positively drooled over the bookshop shelves for months.

My most recent crime thriller, Night Watcher, has now been published as an eBook, in all ereader formats, and is available from the Amazon Kindle Store, or Smashwords.com. This is a new experience for me and I'm wondering how to get my book noticed among all those thousands of eBooks out there. I can only hope quality will count.

Well, that's me in a nutshell.

Until we meet again.

10 comments:

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Hurrah! Well done on getting your blog going Chris. I'm about to become a follower. Leaving comments and following blogs you like is one way to start making contacts and networking with all the lovely writers and readers out there!

Janice said...

Congratulations on getting your blog up and running, Chris. Good luck with your books.
Janice x

Bill Kirton said...

Not before time, young lady. Good to see you blogging, Chris, and in your own relaxed, recognisable voice too. I shall follow wherever you lead - well, up to a point.

Melanie said...

Good to see you blogging again Chris! I'll be popping over from time to time to see what tidbits from your creative imagination you're willing to share with us.

Chris Longmuir said...

Thanks everybody for your good wishes. I just hope I can live up to your expectations.
Chris

Sara Bain said...

Welcome to the world of the blogger, Chris. Hope you keep your going more often than I do! Think my last post was over a year ago.

Sara Bain said...

See, I can't even write any more! I meant to say "yours" but the r and s ran away.

Unknown said...

Happy Blogging, Chris!

Robert Clear said...

Dark writing is right up my street too. I've signed up as a follower and look forward to reading more posts!

Chris Longmuir said...

Nice to have you on board Robert.