Cover reveal for Trojan

It has been a long time coming, but I am finally able to reveal the cover and release date for my latest novel, Trojan.  Tom Gray has been through some rough times, so I decided to give him some time off and let Andrew Harvey and the team from MI5 step up and have their own adventure.  There are lots of familiar characters for those who have read the Gray series, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

When MI5 learns that a horrifying new weapon is in enemy hands, agent Andrew Harvey is called in to track it down before it reaches British soil.

But then a woman is found murdered by the roadside and it soon becomes clear that London is in the crosshairs. The clock is ticking. Andrew and his girlfriend, Sarah, also a secret service operative, have only one lead: a beautiful refugee, desperate not to lose her son. But is she desperate enough to betray everything she believes in? And will she do it in time to help them prevent a terrifying attack?

As Andrew and Sarah race to unravel a convoluted web of subterfuge and exploitation, they discover there is more at stake than even they knew. And somewhere, at the heart of it, lurks a faceless enemy, who is prepared to use everything—and everyone—at his disposal.

My publisher didn't want the book to get lost in the holiday noise, so it will hit the shelves on January 12th 2017.  It is now available for pre-order exclusively from Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2dAw4uy

Reviews

A couple of people were given advanced review copies by my publisher, and here's what they had to say about Trojan:
‘Trojan is an edge of your seat, fast-paced thriller which kept me gripped throughout. A tense and action-packed story which was frighteningly plausible and topical. With a strong MI5 team trying to foil an horrific terrorist attack in London, Trojan kept me reading until the early hours desperate to find out what happens.’ —Tracy Fenton, THE Book Club

I thought this was a fast-paced, action thriller to start with but then Alan McDermott kicked it up to full throttle and left me gasping for air! I seriously could not put this book down and now find myself, true crimebookjunkie-style, gagging for my next fix!  Noelle Holten - www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk

Interview With David Leadbeater

David Leadbeater is the author of nineteen Kindle International Bestsellers - the Matt Drake and Alicia Myles series', the Disavowed series and Chosen. He has sold over half a million e-books on the Amazon Kindle. 

When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer? 

I've written books since I was 15 years old. It's always been my highest aspiration. 

How much time do you send on research? 

I try to get all my initial research written down within a week. If some parts look quite daunting I leave links in the plot at relevant points to be addressed later.  

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book? 

Learning a new process of writing and editing! I used a new editor for Stand Your Ground and he worked very differently. He taught me a lot. 

Do you have an agent, and if not, are you looking for one? 

No agent and not looking for one at the moment. Independent publishing is where it's all at. 

You recently worked with Ed Stackler as your editor.  How did you find the process? 

Ed is a great developmental editor, able to push your further and harder and make you really think about plotlines, characters and pace. He is very experienced, working for Amazon, and very professional. I'd certainly enjoy the chance to do it all again some time. 

How do you handle negative reviews? 

I take note only if they hold serious content, and something I or my readers tend to agree with. If a recurring theme comes up I look at rewriting certain passages or researching further, two things I have done several times in the past. Amazon's self-publishing platform allows you to revise your book at any time – another great boon for Independent publishing. 

Which marketing strategy has worked best for you? 

If I'm being honest none of them seem to work all that well. My best decision was to create a mailing list of readers and use that to inform everyone of new releases. Whichever way you do it, I believe a large mailing list is essential. 

Where can we find your books? My Amazon Author Central page shows a list of the avaialble titles: 

https://t.co/Zzr0gHzdDJ 

And my personal website is: 

www.davidleadbeater.com 

Interview with Seumas Gallacher

Former businessman Seumas Gallacher left the finance world seven years ago to launch his writing career, and I’m here to find out how that journey went.  Seumas was voted Blogger of the Year in 2013, and his network boasts over 25,000 direct contacts.

 Tell us about your latest book

Current work-in-progress is DEADLY IMPASSE, the fifth in the Jack Calder crime thriller series. The characters are familiar to my readers--- the team at International Security Partners (ISP), ex-SAS officers, Jack Calder and his mate Malky McGuire; Jack’s Asian wife, former Anti-Triad fighter, May-Ling; and former London Serious Crimes Squad commander, Donnie Mullen, take on international drug barons and people-traffickers. The action ranges from the usually calm backwater of a private bank in Luxembourg to the shores of Libya and the perils of migrants in the Mediterranean, all the way to drug-running cartels in Central America. 


You’re based in Abu Dhabi.  What took you there?

Twelve years ago, I went to Abu Dhabi for a month on a corporate trouble-shooting role for a major local bank. I’m still in the Middle East. 

Tell us how you first got into writing.

I’ve been scribbling and writing since my mid teens, graduating from the usual angst–ridden poetry to short stories. There was a gap of several decades until I decided about eight years ago, it was just ‘time’ to write ‘that book’ we all have in us. Wish I’d gotten the bug again a bit sooner. LUVVIN IT!

Who has been the biggest influence on your writing career?

For writing style, my eternal favourite authors are Dickens, Steinbeck, O’Hara and Ruark. The other principal influence has been an international career that has revealed characters, events, places, humour, tragedy and the whole nine yards of life in the raw.

How important are book reviews to you?

They are important inasmuch as people take time and trouble to share their opinion (but, always to remember it is only their opinion). It tends to guide other folks toward the work, good or otherwise, and as the former actress, Mae West, used to say, “I don’t care what they’re sayin’ about me, just so long as they’re sayin’. ” However, reviews should always be taken with a pinch of salt, as most people usually give four- or five-star reviews for publication... the negatives are seldom ever posted, or are, in large part, written by trolls.

If you could go back to the start of your writing career, what if, anything, would you do differently?

Start the ‘building the platform’ of a following on the Internet, including an author’s blog, constantly, before, during and after the book(s) is (are) in process. Modern writers have to be heard above the ‘noise’ and all of the social networks provide channels for readers to get to know them as well as their wee masterpieces.

Who does your book covers?

A friend in Manila is a superb commercial artist, and ‘gets’ what my books’ contents need. I’m delighted with the many positive comments the covers have attracted.

Where can we find out more about your books?

All of my books are on Amazon. Here are the quick links:
THE VIOLIN MANS LEGACY
myBook.to/theviolinmanslegacy
VENGEANCE WEARS BLACK
myBook.to/vengeancewearsblack
SAVAGE PAYBACK
myBook.to/savagepayback
KILLER CITY
myBook.to/calderkillercity