Gary Moffat, a partner at Burness solicitors, has had a double success in publishing. His debut novel "Daisychain" has been published by Hachette, and has been picked up by book chain Waterstones, who will feature the novel as its book of the month in March.

The book will therefore be sold at a promoted price and displayed prominently in the store's 26 branches across Scotland, and published under his authorial name, GJ Moffat.

Moffat, who contributed to the Firm's Fiction prize series during 2008 said the move was quite unusual for a debut novel.

"It's fantastic news and testament to the enthusiasm and hard work that the team at my publisher, Hachette, have put in to marketing the book to the actual booksellers - who remain the cornerstone of the whole process," Moffat said.

"Waterstones is such a well known and visible brand that this should provide a boost when the book is released on 5 March. It's a long road from signing a deal to publication - a year in the case of "Daisychain" - and this is a fine cap to it all. I hope people will pick the book up and enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now I just have to meet my deadline to write the next book!"

Moffat's publisher Bob McDevitt of Hachette Books Scotland was equally enthusiastic.

"Waterstone's have 26 branches all over Scotland from Dumfries to Oban and Aberdeen to Livingston and so it's a great promotion and quite unusual for them to go for a debut author. It means they will double their order for the book and display it at the till with a specially produced header card."

"Hachette Scotland are very much looking forward to the publication of Daisychain by GJ Moffat in March. This debut thriller is starting to generate considerable buzz both here at home by being selected as the Waterstone's Scottish Book of the Month (a promotion usually reserved for more established authors) and abroad where we have secured both translation rights and substantial orders from our international customers"