How Not To Commit Murder novel -written by Robin Storey

The digital publishing platform means that anyone can be an author - theoretically. Although there's a great deal of sub-standard work out there - and by that, I mean basic mistakes such as bad spelling, punctuation and editing - it also means that writers who have formerly been turned down by traditional publishers now have an opportunity to put their work before a prospective audience. Amazon is a very user-friendly website and the process of publishing a novel to Kindle, or even a print copy with Createspace, is fairly easy. And for those like myself who are technologically challenged, there are specialists who can format your book and design your cover at a very reasonable cost.

But now there's a different challenge - marketing. How do you make your book noticed amongst the millions floating around in literary cyberspace? There are many various techniques of on-line promotion, and as many gurus to inform you the best ways to do it. And it's a fact you can reach a much bigger audience with on-line marketing.

But I believe that good, old-fashioned word of mouth can be just as efficient, and it's often how many of the best sellers have taken off. Telling your friends, work coworkers and family is a piece of cake, but what about your butcher, the owner of your neighborhood shop, your family doctor? Get some business cards printed out, purely for your book, and give them out indiscriminately. Set up a stall at your neighborhood markets, give author talks at your library, join a business networking group, wangle an invite to speak at your neighborhood service clubs. Not only about your book, but your experiences in writing in general. Even if you're fairly brand-new to the writing business, non-writers still love to find out about how and why you write.

Then all the brand-new fans you've made with your personal contacts will pass on the news about your book to all their friends on Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In etc. And from there, the sky is the limit - or at least, a lot even more sales.



PROFESSIONAL conman Reuben Littlejohn is desperate to go straight this time after his release from jail, with the aid of his brand-new wife and her wealthy family.
But he hadn't counted on stumbling across a plot to dispose of his parole officer Lucy, with whom he is hopelessly in lust.

The instigator, nefarious criminal Frank Cornell, blackmails Reuben into becoming his accomplice. The only way he can save Lucy is to pretend to go along with Frank's Operation Luce End, while ensuring it doesn't succeed. Never have his skills in lying and cheating been so essential!

But if Reuben's strategy falls short, it's his life at stake as well as Lucy's. Add to the mix a wife who's attempting to mould him into a pillar of respectability and in-laws who think he's a lost cause, and Reuben quickly discovers that going straight can be murder.

This Australian story set in Brisbane will appeal to fans of comedy and crime.

Continue reading about this comedy crime book