Thank you to Jo at Book Lover Book Reviews

Here is an extract from a blog post about launching my latest thriller during a global pandemic:

Smile! You’re having a book launch in a global pandemic

Having a book launch during a global pandemic doesn’t have to be doom and gloom. Yes, it means that public events are cancelled and media interviews are fewer and done remotely, but, and here’s the big but, book lovers, authors, bloggers and book sellers are doing everything they can to support authors like me who have a book launch during this global pandemic. It’s truly heartening. Maybe this wider community of book lovers will do more to encourage people to buy copies of Prey than the traditional talks and festivals have done in the past. Only time will tell.

Now that authors are unable to meet their readers face to face, we’re having to be inventive about how we reach people who would enjoy reading our books. Social media is the obvious was to spread the word. I’ve been on Facebook and Twitter for a while, then a friend suggested I should join Instagram too. Book bloggers are a Godsend. Their reviews are priceless. But so are the reviews readers place on the book seller’s sites, like Booktopia or Amazon.com.au, or on GoodReads.

This is a very stressful time for everyone. Going to the supermarket is like dicing with death. We’re having to adapt to new technology. We can’t get the hugs from friends we used to. We worry about loved ones. So, let’s be kind to each other and supportive. In NSW, we’re not in total lock-down yet. I can take the dogs for a walk which I find really therapeutic. It helps me clear away the cobwebs in my head. The only real potential issue for me writing my books during this pandemic is the inability to travel. I like to set my books in different countries and I often spend time in those countries to do research. I can’t do that now. Luckily, I have already done the research for my next two books and there’s always YouTube and Professor Google. So all up, I’m still smiling.