Stephen Leather: Difference between revisions
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Leather became successful in the Kindle market in 2010. In late 2010, Amazon opened an eBook store on Amazon UK just prior to Christmas. Leather anticipated people purchasing eBooks that Christmas but that they would be looking for "bargain books." He sold his books at the minimum price for independent writers (approximately $.99 USD) in order to get his books in the top ten. He then went to popular social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter to market his books.<ref name="GaurdKindle"/> |
Leather became successful in the Kindle market in 2010. In late 2010, Amazon opened an eBook store on Amazon UK just prior to Christmas. Leather anticipated people purchasing eBooks that Christmas but that they would be looking for "bargain books." He sold his books at the minimum price for independent writers (approximately $.99 USD) in order to get his books in the top ten. He then went to popular social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter to market his books.<ref name="GaurdKindle"/> |
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[[File:Photo_of_Steven_Leather.jpg|thumb|right|Image of Stephen Leather from his website http://www.stephenleather.com/]] |
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In 2011 Leather was the second bestselling UK author on the [[Amazon Kindle]] worldwide, beaten only by [[Lee Child]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/lee-child-most-successful-uk-kindle-author.html|title=Lee Child most successful UK Kindle author|publisher=The Bookseller|accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> In all Leather sold 500,000 eBooks in 2011 and was voted by The Bookseller magazine as one of the Top 100 most influential people in the UK publishing world.<ref name="BS100">{{cite web|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/feature/bookseller-100.html-0|title= Bookseller 100|publisher=The Bookseller|accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> In early 2012, Leather's book ''The Basement'' topped the Kindle chart for sales in both the U.S. and the U.K.<ref>{{cite web | last=Pulp Pusher | title=Pushed For Answers – Stephen Leather | url=http://pulppusher.blogspot.com/2012/06/pushed-for-answers-stephen-leather.html | accessdate = 14 August 2012}}</ref> |
In 2011 Leather was the second bestselling UK author on the [[Amazon Kindle]] worldwide, beaten only by [[Lee Child]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/lee-child-most-successful-uk-kindle-author.html|title=Lee Child most successful UK Kindle author|publisher=The Bookseller|accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> In all Leather sold 500,000 eBooks in 2011 and was voted by The Bookseller magazine as one of the Top 100 most influential people in the UK publishing world.<ref name="BS100">{{cite web|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/feature/bookseller-100.html-0|title= Bookseller 100|publisher=The Bookseller|accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> In early 2012, Leather's book ''The Basement'' topped the Kindle chart for sales in both the U.S. and the U.K.<ref>{{cite web | last=Pulp Pusher | title=Pushed For Answers – Stephen Leather | url=http://pulppusher.blogspot.com/2012/06/pushed-for-answers-stephen-leather.html | accessdate = 14 August 2012}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 18:44, 14 August 2012
Stephen Leather | |
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Born | September 25, 1956 |
Nationality | British |
Education | BSc in Biochemistry[1][2] |
Alma mater | Bath University[1] |
Occupation | Author |
Years active | 1992 - Present |
Known for | Thriller Books -Dan Shepherd Mystery and Nightingale Series. |
Website | Stephen Leather Official Website |
Stephen Leather (b. 1956) is a British thriller author currently published by Hodder & Stoughton. He has sold more than two million books in more than ten languages[3] and has written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series.[4][5][6] His books have made him one of the top selling Amazon Kindle authors and in 2011 he was the second bestselling UK author worldwide on Kindle.[7]
Early life and education
Leather was born in Manchester on September 25, 1956. He grew up in Sale and Chorlton-cum-Hardy, and attended Manchester Grammar School.[8] He attended Bath University where he obtained a BSc in Biochemistry in 1978.[1]
Prior to being a published author, Leather worked as a journalist for approximately ten years. He worked on newspapers such a Glasgow Herald, the Daily Mirror, The Times, The Daily Mail, and The South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Before that, he was employed as a biochemist for Imperial Chemical Industries, shoveled limestone in a quarry, worked as a baker, a petrol pump attendant, a barman, and worked for the Inland Revenue.
Writing career
Leather began writing when he was in college; however, he stated that he "never managed to get beyond a few pages,"[9] and did not begin writing full time until 1992. He began writing fiction, and his first novel was published from the "slush pile" at HarperCollins.[5] His first novel, The Payoff, was written while he was still employed at the Daily Mirror. His second novel, The Fireman, was written while he was working as the business editor of the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong.[9][10]
Leather frequently travels to do research for his novels and has lived in England, the Far East, the United States, and Ireland. Many of his novels are set in the countries where he has traveled.[11] In 2004, he spent time in Durham prison and Belmarsh prison in England to conduct research for his book Hard Landing. His books are also the second most read by prisoners in the U.K. next to author John Grisham.[12][13]
Leather became successful in the Kindle market in 2010. In late 2010, Amazon opened an eBook store on Amazon UK just prior to Christmas. Leather anticipated people purchasing eBooks that Christmas but that they would be looking for "bargain books." He sold his books at the minimum price for independent writers (approximately $.99 USD) in order to get his books in the top ten. He then went to popular social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter to market his books.[7]
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Photo_of_Steven_Leather.jpg/220px-Photo_of_Steven_Leather.jpg)
In 2011 Leather was the second bestselling UK author on the Amazon Kindle worldwide, beaten only by Lee Child.[14] In all Leather sold 500,000 eBooks in 2011 and was voted by The Bookseller magazine as one of the Top 100 most influential people in the UK publishing world.[15] In early 2012, Leather's book The Basement topped the Kindle chart for sales in both the U.S. and the U.K.[16]
Leather has come under criticism for his online marketing techniques. In August 2012, journalist Nick Cohen said that Leather had created phony Twitter accounts in the name of another writer and then used those accounts to praise Leather's own books. Cohen also said that in July Leather had boasted to other mystery writers that he generally promoted his books in a similar manner: "As soon as my book is out I'm on Facebook and Twitter several times a day talking about it. I'll go on to several forums, the well-known forums, and post there under my name and under various other names and various other characters. You build up this whole network of characters who talk about your books and sometimes have conversations with yourself."[17][18]
Published works
Leather's novels frequently include themes of crime, imprisonment and military service, and terrorism as well as the War on Terror. Settings are typically London and the Far East. Leather writes different series that are slightly different genres. One is titled "Dan 'Spider' Shepherd" who is a former SAS soldier who becomes an undercover cop. Another is title "Jack Nightingale" and is about a former police negotiator who becomes a private investigator.[19] Hodder also publishes his supernatural detective series Nightfall, Midnight and Nightmare.
Leather has written screenplays for London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series.[20][4][21] Two of his novels, The Stretch and The Bombmaker, were screened for made for TV movies and filmed for Sky Television. The Stretch starred Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson, two popular soap opera stars from the U.K.[22]
Bibliography
Publication Year | Title | Original Publisher | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | False Friends (A Dan Shepherd Mystery) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | |
2012 | Nightmare (Nightingale Series) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2012), Paperback (2012), Audio Book (2012), and eBook (2012).ASIN B005J61FAO |
2012 | Short Fuses (Four free short stories) | Three Elephants | ASIN B008BTUD8Q | Available for eBook only. |
2011 | Fair Game | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2012), Paperback (2012), Audio Book (2011), and eBook (2012).ASIN B008O0U1J8 |
2011 | Midnight (Nightingale Series) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2011), Paperback (2012), Audio Book(2012), and eBoook (2012).ASIN B005J61F22 |
2011 | Crime Scene Singapore: The best of Singapore crime fiction | Monsoon Books Pte. Ltd. | Template:ISBN-10 | Paperback (2011) and eBook (2012).ASIN B0083JK8R0 |
2011 | The Basement | Amazon Encore | Template:ISBN-10 | Paperback (2011), Audio Book (2012), and eBook (2011).ASIN B0053TIB2W |
2011 | Once Bitten | Amazon Encore | Template:ISBN-10 | Paperback (2011), Audio Book (2012), and eBook (2011).ASIN B005CKBEYY |
2011 | Bangkok Bob and The Missing Mormon | Monsoon Books Pte. Ltd. | Template:ISBN-10 | Paperback (2011) and eBook (2010).ASIN B004AM5MV6 |
2010 | Rough Justice (A Dan Shepherd Mystery) | Hodder Library | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2010), Paperback (2010), Audio Book (2010), and eBook (2010).ASIN B003VTZSI6 |
2010 | El terrorista (Books4pocket Narrativa) (Spanish Edition) | Urano | Template:ISBN-10 | Available in paperback only. |
2010 | Nightfall | Isis Large Print | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book, and eBook (2012).ASIN B005J61DV0 |
2010 | Dreamer's Cat: a sci-fi murder mystery with a killer twist | Three Elephants | ASIN B00486U6VU | eBook |
2010 | Furia en la sangre (Spanish Edition) | Urano | Template:ISBN-10 | eBook |
2010 | Infiltrado (Books4pocket Narrativa) (Spanish Edition) | Urano | Template:ISBN-10 | eBook - Spanish version of Soft Target. |
2009 | Live Fire (A Dan Shepherd Mystery) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2009), Paperback (2010), Audio Book (2009), and eBook (2009).ASIN B002V092C4 |
2008 | Dead Men | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2008), Paperback (2008), Audio Book (2008), and eBook (2008).ASIN B002V0924W |
2007 | Hot Blood (Dan Shepherd Mystery) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Available in paperback and eBook.ASIN B002V092SS |
2006 | Cold Kill (Dan Shepherd Mysteries) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book, and eBook.ASIN B002V092QK |
2005 | Private Dancer | Three Elephants | Template:ISBN-10 | Paperback and eBook edition ASIN B003GXEJV4. Available in English and German. |
2005 | Soft Target | Hodder Library | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2005), Paperback (2005), Audio Book (2005), and eBook (2008).ASIN B002V091F2 |
2004 | The Tunnel Rats | Ulverscroft | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2004), Paperback (2006, Audio Book (2009), and eBook (2009).ASIN B002VD6NL4 |
2004 | Hard Landing: The First Spider Shepherd Thriller (Dan Shepherd Mysteries) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book, and eBook. ASIN B002V09292 |
1992 | Chinaman / the Hungry Ghost (Omnibus) | Pocket Books | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (1992), Paperback (1192), Audio Book (2007), and eBook (2008).ASIN B002V091MK |
2003 | The Eyewitness | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2003), Paperback (2003), Audio Book (2004), and eBook (2008).ASIN B002V092CO |
2002 | Tango One (Stephen Leather Thrillers) | Hodder | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2002), Paperback (2006), Audio Book (2004), and eBook (2009).ASIN B002V092L0 |
2000 | The Stretch (Stephen Leather Thrillers)XXXXXXXXX | Hodder | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2000), Paperback (2006), Audio Book (2001), and eBook (2009).ASIN B002V092UG |
1999 | The Bombmaker | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 } | Hardcover (1999), Paperback (2005), Audio Book (2003), and eBook (2009).ASIN B002V091DO |
1997 | The Solitary Man | Ulverscroft | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (2004), Paperback (1997), and Audio Book (2010). |
1996 | The Double Tap | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (1996), Paperback (1997), and Audio Book (2006). |
1995 | The Birthday Girl | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (1995), Paperback (2006), Audio Book (2007), and eBook (XXXX).ASIN B002V091KC |
1995 | The Long Shot (Stephen Leather Thrillers) | Hodder & Stoughton | Template:ISBN-10 | Published in eBook format in 2009 ASIN B002V0929M |
1993 | The Vets | Pocket Books | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (1993), Paperback (1994), and eBook (2004).ASIN B002VD6NQ4 |
1992 | The Chinaman (Stephen Leather Thrillers) | Pocket Books | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (1992), Paperback (1992), Audio Book (2007), and eBook (2008).ASIN B002V091MK |
1991 | Hungry Ghost | HarperCollins Publishers Ltd | Template:ISBN-10 | Available in Hardcover (1991), Paperback (2008), Audio Book (2008), and eBook (2008).ASIN B002V0917K |
1990 | The Fireman | St. Martin's Press | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (1990), Paperback (1996), Audio Book (2011), and eBook (2008).ASIN B002V091ZC |
1988 | Pay Off | St Martins Press | Template:ISBN-10 | Hardcover (1988), Paperback (2002), Audio Book (2011), and eBook (2009).ASIN B004N057J2 |
Screenplays
Date | Show Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2001 - 2003 | Murder in Mind | Wrote two of the first series episodes screed in 2001 and two episodes of the second series screened in 2002. Also wrote an additional episode for 2003 series.[20] |
2000 | The Bombmaker | Made for TV movie based on the book written by Leather.[23] |
2000 | The Knock (Series 5) | Episode 2. 90 minute special. |
2000 | The Stretch | Made for TV movie based on the book written by Leather. Movie created, written, and produced by Leather.[24] |
1999 | London's Burning | Episode 9 & 10. Screened March 2000.[25][26] |
1998 | The Knock (Series 4) | Episode 4, 5, and 6. Screened in 1999. |
Awards and recognition
In 2002, Leather's book Tango One was nominated for the inaugural Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award awarded by the Crime Writer's Association.[27][28] His book Hard Landing was also nominated for the 2004 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award in 2004.[29]
His book Cold Kill was nominated for Best Novel in 2007 by Thriller Writers.[30] In 2011, Leather sold over 500,000 eBooks and was voted by the Bookseller Magazine as one of the Top 100 most influential people in the UK publishing world.[15]
Personal life
Leather has lived in England, the Far East, France, the United States, and Ireland.He has written novels while residing in each of these countries. He currently lives in Thailand and in his spare time, he scuba dives and likes to fly (he holds a U.S. pilot license).[31][1]
References
- ^ a b c d Thailand Tattler. "Stephen Leather". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ a b University of Bath. [Stephen Leather features on Thailand Tatler "Alumni News - Stephen Leather"]. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help) - ^ "Our Authors". Hodder. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ a b DigiGuide. "Murder In Mind - Drama". Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ a b Blog Talk Radio. "ISIS Paranormal Radio with Stephen Leather". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ The Bookseller. "Stephen Leather". Retrieved 13 August 2012 (subscription required).
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b The Guardian. "Kindle gives thriller writer a plot for success – at 71p a shot". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Unsworth, Emma (January 25, 2007). "Hot on the trail of terror". CityLife. Manchester Evening News. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
- ^ a b Stephen Leather. "The Author". Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ Spelman, Judith (August 2008). "Judith Spelman Talks To A Best Selling Author Who Produces A Thriller A Year". pp. 8–9.
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(help) - ^ Leather, Stephen. "The Author". Stephen Leather. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ The BBC. "Writer going to jail". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Metro.co.uk. "Stephen Leather". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ "Lee Child most successful UK Kindle author". The Bookseller. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ a b "Bookseller 100". The Bookseller. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ Pulp Pusher. "Pushed For Answers – Stephen Leather". Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ Cohen, Nick (5 August 2012). "Welcome to Britain, a home fit for shysters". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "A crime author, at the festival, with a kindle". Daily Telegraph. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Writing Services. "Success Story 11 - Stephen Leather". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ a b Star Trader. "Joe Andoe". Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ TV.com. "Stephen Leather". Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ DigiGuide. "The Stretch - Drama". Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ IMDb. "The Bombmaker". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ IMDb. "The Stretch". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ IMDb. "London's Burning - Episode #12.9". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ IMDb. [Episode #12.10 "London's Burning"]. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help) - ^ Isis Publishing. "Tango One". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Crime Writer's Association. "The CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2002". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Crime Writer's Association. "THE CWA's 2004 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Thriller Writers. "ITW Thriller Award nominees and winners". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Morgan Bailey's Writing Blog. "Blog interview no.250 with novelist & short story author Stephen Leather". Retrieved 14 August 2012.