Tell us about the Matt Drake series.

It is, initially, a 4 part Action/Adventure series set against a background of unraveling archaeological mysteries.

What genre is it?

It falls firmly in the Action/Adventure/Thriller genre.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?

It’s aimed towards those of us who enjoy a good bit of escapism and fun in their books. A perfect wind down read.

Complete this sentence for us: If you like ______________, you’ll love the Matt Drake series.

…­­­­­­­­­­a fun, fast-paced thriller rollercoaster ride with plenty of twists and turns.

Who in present or past Hollywood would you want to play Matt Drake if the books were turned into movies?

Luckily I was asked this question about a month ago and decided on Richard Armitage or Philip Winchester from the series Strike Back. I’m sure either of them would do a great job.

Do you write according to a strict schedule or as inspiration comes to you?

My inspiration comes in the early planning, which I take my time with. After that it’s pretty strict, unless a new avenue is opened up by one of the characters themselves… (always fun!)

How do you think up your plots?

I start with the germ of an idea and, if it feels like it has legs, build scenarios up around it. Sometimes things just fizzle out, which can be a bit frustrating, but for the most part one idea just leads nicely into another.

Writing a book is never easy, but other than that, what has been the toughest part – editing or marketing?

Definitely the marketing. Not only is it time-consuming it’s also extremely daunting. Most independent authors have it very hard – we have to do everything ourselves at the same time as holding down a day job. I think we should all give ourselves a huge amount of credit whilst we pursue our real dream!

How important are customer reviews on sites such as Amazon and GoodReads to sales?

I’m answerng this first as ‘how important to Amazon’: Honestly, I don’t know. I have read many people’s opinions explaining how Amazon base their recommendations on 4* or above reviews. I’ve read about the ‘algorithms’ and how to get your book into them. At the end of the day only Amazon know the intricacies of their systems and I haven’t seen anything definitive that explains them. Maybe if someone else has then they’d kindly let me know!

To prospective customers themselves reviews are a bit of a minefield. I’ve had great reviews and bad reviews. I’ve had genuine reviews and reviews clearly left by trolls. I’ve had reviews from people who, for some reason, expected the book to be something other than it states in the blurb. All I can say is – I am also a reader and if I’m considering a book by an unknown author I will always sample it first. It’s just the same as standing in your favourite bookshop and flicking through the pages.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am first a husband, and a father of two beautiful girls, aged 1 and 4. I work a full-time job and, at night, find a little time to pursue my endless dream – that of writing.

Have you got a website where readers can keep up with your work? Do you use social media?

Yes I do. My website is here –   http://www.davidleadbeaternovels.co.uk/   and I am very active on the Twitter social media side. My ID is @dleadbeater2011 . Feel free to join me!

Where can we buy your books?

Through Amazon Kindle. My Author Central page contains links to all my novels. And also at Smashwords.

What’s next?

I am currently writing the fourth and final part of the initial Matt Drake series – due for release January 2013 and entitled The Tomb of the Gods. With it being the conclusion to a series I’m trying to make sure all the loose ends are tied up and that it goes out with a huge bang- a challenge to be sure!

After that it’s either a stand-alone Matt Drake 5 or the much-requested parts 2 and 3 of my Chosen Few trilogy- depending on reader input.