Impact of Guernsey Sales

As Guernsey downloads in the USA topped 11,000 in February, over 6,000 in one day, Rachel's Shoe and The Causeway continue to attract their own customers.

Hundreds of copies have been selling every month for around a year and the sales have increased steadily, especially in recent weeks. The titles attract different customers, some of whom want to try Rachel's Shoe first and then go on to purchase The Causeway, others jump straight in with the slightly higher priced Guernsey.

Although paperbacks are still selling, Kindle sales now dwarf all other formats.

http://www.amazon.com/Guernsey-Rachels-Story-ebook/dp/B0074B5X32

Guernsey released in USA

A new volume has just been released in the USA that brings together Rachel's Shoe and The Causeway !

Guernsey - Rachel's Story is 434 pages and will also be available on Kindle very soon. The UK edition of the paperback will be published in 2012 but UK customers can still order it via Amazon for delivery here if they can't wait until next year! I hope you enjoy the complete story in one novel. 

Kindle Sales Outstrip Paperbacks!

In common with many other titles, sales of Rachel's Shoe and The Causeway on Kindle are now more than double those of traditional book versions.  Even the Harry Potter books are due to be released on Kindle, with J K Rowling set to benefit from the upsurge in Kindle sales - justifiably so, in my opinion.

A potential movie of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society should boost sales of Rachel's Shoe and The Causeway further, as interest is re-kindled (if you'll forgive the pun!) in the occupation of the Channel Islands.

The industry is going through some seismic shifts but it's still great to be writing and enjoying the fact that everyday people somewhere are buying or borrowing my books and hopefully enjoying them!

The collaborative novel Passage to Redemption is also now available and I'm working on a very different story that should be published by the end of this year or early next.

Thank you again for your support in buying and recommending my books!
Pete

Latest news on the sequel and progress on TV series

Guernsey is once again the main setting for the sequel to Rachel's Shoe although the other Channel Islands also get a look in! Without giving too much away, I can also reveal that my namesake 'Lihou Island' will feature in the story which takes it's name, The Causeway from the 'sometimes' island.


I'm currently working on Chapter 7 and making good progress now that I've given up the day job to focus on writing. The cover picture is still being worked on but should turn out quite similar to the image on the shown above. I had hoped to complete the sequel this summer and that may still be possible but I have a house move to deal with in the meantime so please bear with me, I will do my best!

This week script writer Ron Blicq is in Guernsey and we hope to finalise the first part of the TV screenplay for Rachel's Shoe before he returns to Canada. He has done a splendid job in bringing the characters to life in his interpretation of the novel.

Last week I was very pleased to meet two of my customers from Hungary, two from the USA and one from Scotland along with her husband. It is always a great pleasure to meet, share a coffee and converse with people who have enjoyed my novel and I would like to pass on my best wishes to them and say a big 'thank you' for looking me up.

Acclaimed Books Publishing has now taken over all the printing and distribution of Rachel's Shoe from Libros International (the former publisher) and will also publish The Causeway which will ensure the minimum delay once the manuscript is completed, in making it available through the usual outlets. Initially, this will be Amazon and by direct order from any book shop.

That's all for now, I'll keep you posted with the progress.
Pete

Rachel's Shoe - USA!

It's now almost ten months since the release date of Rachel's Shoe. Amazing how the days go by!

The interest in Rachel's Shoe has been immense especially in the US and (of course) the local Channel Islands. Enquiries come in every day from all around the world and I've had the pleasure of posting hundreds of copies to many far away places - which is very satisfying.

Why so much interest ?

I guess an unknown author like me living on a small island in the English Channel would struggle to get noticed even if he possessed the literary skills of William Shakespeare! But fortunately the big guns of publishing were already telling the world about 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' and that has sparked international interest in the period and location of my 'little old' local story.

Appetite duly whetted and perhaps seeking a non-epistolary drama in the same period, Rachel's Shoe seems to have provided the perfect 'next read' for those many people who enjoyed the setting described by so eloquently by Mary Ann. But alas, despite the interest, it hasn't been easy to obtain a copy on Amazon since the release date.

Not until now, however! This weekend, my publishers are putting in place the arrangement to print and supply direct from Amazon.com. With 'in stock' availability the delivery lead time will be slashed along with postal charges for US customers.

Last week, the supply side through Amazon.co.uk was addressed so that UK, Channel Islands and worldwide customers could also buy for immediate delivery.

This blog is now also being posted directly onto my author's page on Amazon.com, but for those who have seen the earlier posts, the movie discussions about Rachel's Shoe have not yet been concluded but I will let you know if or as soon as there is news.

Stocks Arrive!

The first stocks were dispatched today and should be with Amazon almost immediately. My own stocks will rely upon the logistics of getting a large parcel to Guernsey just before Christmas, but this is likely to be trouble free - our delivery services are very good.

I will turn around any orders for signed books as soon as these arrive.

Having said this, please don't rely upon receiving your copy in time to give it as a Christmas present, it is unlikely to get to you in time.

As you will want to read it yourself on these cold dark nights - no problem!

To order from Amazon please click here -> Amazon

Amazon listing

Rachel's Shoe was officially published today (December 10th) and the full distribution and stocking arrangements are now under way.

The listing appeared on Amazon.co.uk yesterday without the cover image or their initial stocks but they are now taking advance orders and the full details are currently being loaded. It took less than a week for their listing which I think is pretty good considering the volumes they must deal with.

Full credit to my publishers 'Libros International' for their part in this.

Initial print runs are under way so all advance orders will be dispatched in the coming days. Thank you for your patience.

Whilst we wait for 'bricks and mortar' book stores to stock up, copies can be obtained from Rachel's Shoe at Amazon or if you would your copy personally signed, go to the 'Contact' page on the Rachel's Shoe website.

I hope you enjoy reading Rachel's Shoe and tell all your friends about it!

Pete

Rachel's Shoe Blog

On the left is the cover for Rachel's Shoe - now complete thanks to the design skills of Kelly Walsh at Libros International!

We are finally in the last stage of production as Rachel's Shoe has been 'uploaded' to the printers. They will now produce a full proof of the whole book and Libros senior editor Carol Cole will check this when she returns from vacation on the 16th of October. Hopefully all will be OK, in which case a few days later the first print run can be done and it will appear for sale on Amazon.

If you have placed an advanced order, your copy will be in the first print run and posted to me shortly after. So around the end of this month I will be signing and posting your copies out to you. Many thanks for your patience with the publishing process.

In the worst case, if the proof is not correct we may need to wait a little longer whilst it is corrected and a proof printed again. Let's hope that doesn't happen and copies are available in a few weeks (I seem to have been saying that for ages!).

If you haven't placed an advance order but would like to, you can do this on the www.rachelsshoe.com website on the 'Contact' page.

Looking for another book around the same era? Why not buy 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' from Amazon at the same time as 'Rachel's Shoe'? It is quite different in style but an excellent book if you are interested in the German Occupation of the Channel Islands, in particular Guernsey.

I will post the latest news here, thanks for your interest!

Pete

Peter Lihou
Author, Rachel's Shoe
peter@rachelsshoe.com