About the author

Leigh Russell has sold over a million crime fiction novels.

Her Geraldine Steel titles published by No Exit Press have appeared on many bestseller lists, and reached #1 on kindle.

Leigh's work has been nominated for several major awards, including the CWA New Blood Dagger and CWA Dagger in the Library, and her books have been optioned by major television production company Avalon Television.

She chairs the CWA Debut Dagger Award judges and is a Consultant Royal Literary Fellow.

Leigh has also written stand alone thrillers, a dystopian novel, and a historical novel for Bloodhound Books (which Morgen edited!), and the Lucy Hall international mystery series published by Thomas and Mercer.

Find out more about Leigh on her website http://www.leighrussell.co.uk where news, reviews and interviews are posted, with a schedule of Leigh's appearances.

You can contact Leigh via her website, where you can subscribe to her newsletter and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Lesson Summary

Morgen and Leigh discusses multiple writing projects, spanning various genres such as psychological thrillers, dystopian and historical novels, and an international mystery series. Here are the key points:

• Leigh emphasizes the significance of research for her books, including a trip to Seychelles for in-depth research.
• Her preference for writing fiction as an escapism from reality is highlighted.

Leigh's journey into writing, beginning in her fifties while working as a school teacher, is also covered. The key takeaways are:

• Her successful book series initiated from her first idea, with her 23rd book currently in progress.
• The challenge lies in keeping the stories fresh and engaging for a wide range of readers.
• Insights into her writing process, including a mix of projects based on deadlines and variety across different series.

Leigh also compares the writing approaches of authors Jeffrey Deaver and Lee Child, focusing on motivation driving the narrative in Leigh's own works. Further details include:

• Recurring character consistency like Geraldine Steel contrasted with changing killers in each book.
• Discussions on the editing process, supporting fellow writers, and the impact of publishers on decisions like cover designs.
• Challenges in maintaining creativity and reader engagement across numerous books in a series.
• Uncertainties surrounding future projects based on sales numbers.

The conversation wraps up with mentions of the speaker's various book series across different genres.