Thank goodness bookshops are back! After months of the pandemic, when there were zero bookshop sales, now bookshops are open though not entirely back to normal. My paperback sales are rising again with the sniff of future royalties in the wind. Although people were ordering online, both paperbacks and ebooks, and some authors made a big bonanza, my sales for the last four months reflect the downturn. My third title, Oblivion’s Ghost, launched online on 29 May, suffered because I had to cancel my proposed book tour and as my sales have always broadly been two or three paperbacks to each ebook sold, overall sales are down. Some good news on the bookshop front however is that a brand new bookshop has opened in my small town of Broughty Ferry! I wish The Bookhouse and all involved well and thanks for stocking my books too!
During the crisis, newspaper book reviewers have been working from home and this has caused me difficulties. Copies sent to feature editors have disappeared and in one case, repeat copies sent after phone calls never made it to a reviewer, although Oblivion’s Ghost has now been reviewed in the excellent Courier’s feature ‘Scottish Book of the Week’ and reviewed in brief in the Scots Magazine, Independence Magazine and the Scots Independent. I’m pleased to say, the review are very positive. Author interviews have also appeared in the Courier with another scheduled to appear in the Press & Journal soon. No response from Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, Herald, Sunday Herald or the National. I had high hopes of the Irish Times but their reviewer seem to have decided not to review it after his initial willingness to look at it. I’ve been pleased to get some high ratings on Amazon and strong reviews by readers. If you’ve read and enjoyed the books, a review on Amazon or Goodreads really helps!
