A day in the life of a newly published author ...

I open my emails first thing to a message from my publisher to say that a review for BLOOD TEARS had just gone up on Undiscovered Scotland website. “An outstanding novel”, “Must-read” – were just two of the stand-outs. Modesty prevents me from detailing the rest, so HERE's the link and you can read it for yourself.

Oh and then there's the review on CRIMESQUAD and the five star ones on AMAZON that I check hourly to establish that this is not a fevered dream.

It’s a bank holiday –  I visit bookshops for a living – and what do I do on my day off? I visit my local bookshop. I’m standing chatting to the staff when I spot an old friend I haven’t seen for months. Before she can open her mouth and ask how I am, I take her by the elbow and guide her (frog-march, really) to the shelf where my new book was resting.

Of course, I’ll buy a copy, she said smiling. Her teeth were a little too tightly pressed together for my liking.

More chat and blethers before I walk out of the shop. I hadn’t taken more than 3 steps when I heard a voice behind me say, oh there’s Michael Malone’s book in the window!

I turned to see an old colleague.

So you’re book’s ... before she could finish the sentence I had taken her by the elbow and guided her (again with the frog-march) to the shelf with my book on it. She was going on holiday, people – she needed something to read. I was fulfilling a public service. Kinda.

Is it too violent, she asked as I guided her – my hand hadn’t left her elbow from the last frog-march – to the counter. No, says I. Apart from that bit at the beginning. Oh, and the bit in the middle. Then there’s that bit at the end. But you’ll be fine.

2 sales. Only 99,998 to go.