Shows
The Hobcast Book Show152: Giving a voice to the voiceless - with Helen MatthewsAmong all the noise in the media and politics about the impact of mass migration, it's perhaps easy to lose sight of the human aspects of the situation. Our guest this week, Helen Matthews, writes psychological suspense novels which deal with the darker side of human nature. Her first novel, recently republished as Girl Out of Sight, explores the issues and themes of modern slavery and exploitation. As Helen explains, she supports the work of anti-slavery charity Unseen UK by giving talks about the issue based around the book. Her novel, The Girl in the Van, was the 2022 Pageturner...
2023-12-181h 27The Hobcast Book Show151: Fulfilling a dream - with Natalie ChandlerOn this week's show, we meet Natalie Chandler, the author of two bestselling psychological thrillers, Believe Me Not and What We Did for Headline Accent. Natalie shares with us her author journey, from re-writing Roald Dahl stories as a child through to using the opportunity of lockdown to finally finish and polish her first novel. Natalie credits the input of her tutors on a Curtis Brown creative writing course for helping her to hone her style and craft, and explains how much she's learned from her agent and editors and how they've helped her improve her work.
2023-12-111h 11The Hobcast Book Show150: The continuing adventures of an accidental hero - with A J AberfordLast week, Hobeck Books had the honour of publishing the fifth novel in the George Zammit series, The Last Bird of Paradise by A J Aberford. Set in Malta and the wider Mediterranean area, the books have built a strong following for the adventures of the humble Maltese police officer who finds himself at the centre of epic adventures and intrigue through little fault of his own. We felt it was a good opportunity to speak to author Tony Gartland about the development of the series, and the challenges of creating new installments in the series with its complex...
2023-12-041h 11The Hobcast Book Show149: How to write a novel in just 20 minutes a day - with Stephen RonsonIt's fair to say that the COVID crisis and the attendant lock downs had one unexpected silver lining for many people - the space and opportunity to finally fulfil a life-long dream to write a book. That's certainly the case for our guest this week, Stephen Ronson, whose debut novel The Last Line was recently published by Hodder and Stoughton. Set in 1940, Stephen's novel is set in his native Sussex, a county that witnessed the daily dog fights of the Battle of Britain, and the real expectation that at any moment, German troops would land on English shores. It's...
2023-11-271h 17The Hobcast Book Show147: Staging the perfect murder mystery - with Jamie WestWhat is it about The Hobcast Book Show and Brighton? Or more accurately, what is it about Brighton that lends itself as a setting for murder mysteries? Our guest this week, Jamie West, transports his readers back to the Palace Pier Theatre in 1933 and introduces them to his hero, playwright-come-amateur-sleuth Bertie Caroll. Jamie's debut novel, Death on the Pier is a love-letter to golden age crime fiction and for a long-lost theatre - only a few fragments of the original structure remain. As a sought-after automation expert in London's West End Theatreland, Jamie draws on his love of these...
2023-11-131h 16The Hobcast Book Show146: The state of British Crime - with Donna MorfattOn this week's episode we ask - how healthy is British crime fiction? Who better to ask than prolific reviewer and crime festival organiser, Donna Morfett, who returns to The Hobcast Book Show for a second time. A week after hosting her event, The Dark Side of Brighton, which featured some of the biggest names in UK crime fiction, Donna explains that whilst the genre remains hugely popular, new entrants to the industry are finding it harder than ever to find their way in.Also this week, Adrian bemoans KDP's announcement to begin beta-testing AI narrated...
2023-11-061h 14The Hobcast Book Show145: Sport, Fiction and Speech Writing - with Sanjeev ShettyThis week's show is a departure for The Hobcast Book Show, as we're joined by one of Adrian's old BBC colleagues, Sanjeev Shetty. Sanj was a BBC Sport producer and presenter for many years, before taking a job as a speech-writer for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. He's also the author of five books - two fiction and three non-fiction, with his latest novel, Who Is Jeff Walker, published in 2022. In this interview, Sanj explains how he's balanced the demands of his broadcast career with family life, whilst finding time to become an author of books on subjects...
2023-10-301h 19The Hobcast Book Show144: A spirit of adventure - with Geoff MajorThis week we have a first on The Hobcast Book Show. Our guest, Geoff Major, is our first to have trekked to the North Pole. Not only that, but he's walked in the Sahara too, and over the years has raised thousands of pounds for charity. But our focus in this interview is on a more recent challenge for Geoff - writing crime fiction. His first novel Deadline was published in 2020, and his second, Hell Hath No Fury, earlier this year. As Geoff explains, he has plans for several more books, but they all have to compete with further...
2023-10-231h 11The Hobcast Book Show141: Mudlarking and middle-grade fiction - with Kate WisemanOur guest this week, Kate Wiseman, had a late start to her author career. Attending university at 38 gave her the confidence to pursue writing, and she's now established herself as an accomplished author of Middle-Grade and Young Adult fiction. For her most recent series, Kate has drawn on her passion for mudlarking - exploring the foreshore of the River Thames to find forgotten objects in the mud and silt when the tide is out. Whether it be pieces of jewelry, lost toys or even Roman mosaic fragments, Kate feels a deep connection with the past with each discovery. But...
2023-10-021h 02The Hobcast Book Show140: Small publishers of the world, unite - with Elaine BousfieldThis week, Rebecca attended the Independent Publisher's Guild Autumn conference in London, where the impact of AI was the number one topic of debate among delegates. It's also where she bumped into our guest this week, Elaine Bousfield MBE, who runs Zuntold, a small independent publisher based in Manchester. Zuntold publish fiction to support mental health and well-being, working with established voices as well as debut authors. Elaine is also a pioneer in bibliotherapy, using reading and creative writing as a form of therapy to create positive outcomes for a range of mental health issues. As you'll hear, Zuntold...
2023-09-251h 33The Hobcast Book Show139: Exploring darker times - with Stacey ThomasWe admit, at The Hobcast Book Show, that we can be a little obsessed with the modern phenomenon of "cancel culture" - and how rumour, innuendo and group think has the potential to destroy lives. It has echoes of another period of English history, the Civil War, where witch-finding became an obsession for a society riven along political and religious lines. It's the era in which our guest this week, Stacey Thomas, has set her brilliant debut novel, The Revels. Set in 1645, Stacey brings us a dark tale of witchcraft and the paranormal set against the background of the...
2023-09-181h 29The Hobcast Book Show138: Chasing times past - with Mark WightmanWe're delighted to be publishing Chasing the Dragon by Mark Wightman this week at Hobeck Books. It's the second instalment of the Betancourt series set in Singapore in 1940. Mark's first novel, Waking the Tiger was hugely successful, securing shortlistings for four major prizes. It's been two years between the publication of the two books, and Mark explains how that's in part down to the level of research needed to recreate the historical setting accurately. One of the key themes of the novel is the prevalence and influence of opium throughout the British Empire, and it's impact on all strata...
2023-09-1158 minThe Hobcast Book Show137: Creating a new author voice - with Antonia Lassa and Dr Jacky CollinsWe're all familiar with the concept of pen names. There are dozens of reasons why an author might adopt one, and some of our own Hobeck authors write under aliases. But what if you want to take that concept a stage further, and create a complete alter-ego to go with that name, and write from a completely different perspective to your own? That's the challenge celebrated Basque author Luisa Etxenike gave herself in writing as Antonia Lassa for her first crime novel, Skin Deep. Translated into English by our second guest this week, Dr Jacky Collins, aka Dr Noir...
2023-09-041h 18The Hobcast Book Show136: Time to get cosy - with Greg MosseWe don't make a habit of inviting guests back so soon on The Hobcast Book Show, but we've made an exception for Greg Mosse, who joined us on Episode 94. This week we discuss Greg's foray into cosy crime with recent release, Murder At Church Lodge. Drawing on his own experiences growing up in rural Sussex, Greg takes us into the world of his protagonist, Maisie Cooper, and the challenges she faces as she returns home to the village of Framlington in 1972. As ever, this is a fascinating interview that delves deep into Greg's huge knowledge of the creative process.
2023-08-281h 16The Hobcast Book Show134: Bringing it home - domestic noir with Caroline EnglandIf there's ever a career that could prepare you to become an author of domestic noir and psychological thrillers, then being a divorce lawyer must be pretty high on the list. You'll witness all aspects of human behaviour, and watch as dark domestic secrets emerge. So perhaps it was natural for our guest, Caroline England, to specialise in these genres. Writing also as C E Rose, Caroline explains to us how she's fascinated by how secrets and hidden rules develop in relationships between people.Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca examine the potential impact of the takeover...
2023-08-141h 12The Hobcast Book Show133: From real life P.I to crime author - with Linda Mather"Write what you know." It's probably the most over-used piece of advice to aspiring authors. That said, if what you know is being a private investigator, that's not a bad piece of advice for a potential crime fiction author. Our guest this week, Linda Mather, drew on her experience to create her main character, Jo Hughes, a PI who uses astrology to help solve her cases. With the sixth book in her Jo and Macy series due out this month, Linda has established herself as one of one the UK's leading crime authors. It's a fascinating interview.
2023-08-071h 02The Hobcast Book Show132: Inside Icelandic Noir - with Quentin BatesWhat does it take to translate fiction? That's the question for our guest this week on The Hobcast Book Show, Quentin Bates, who in recent years has built a career as a translator of Icelandic fiction into English, working with some of the best authors from the island. Quentin tells us it's not as straightforward as translating each book word for word; he has to get inside the story and the author's voice. Quentin is also an author himself, and has an extraordinary life story too - not least that his gap year visit to Iceland became a 'gap...
2023-07-311h 06The Hobcast Book Show131: "And we've got Gareth Gates..." - with Liz MistryIt's that time of the year - Harrogate! This week the show comes from the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the UK's premier event celebrating the genre. Joining us at The Old Swan Hotel is Liz Mistry, the prolific Bradford-based author and creator of two hugely popular crime series.We discuss the influence Bradford has had on her writing, and the impact of her mixed-race marriage on the themes of her work. Liz also shares with Rebecca and Adrian plans for a third series, set in her native West Lothian in Scotland. Also...
2023-07-241h 05The Hobcast Book Show130: Asking your way to a great story - with Alison StockhamWhat if? Two simple words that can unlock a world of stories. Throw in a few more questions, examine your ideas from different angles, and you can really come up with a compelling story. That's certainly the approach taken by our guest this week, Alison Stockham, a Cambridge-based author of psychological fiction. Her debut novel, The Cuckoo Sister, was a break out success. The premise is simple and compelling. You want the best for your sister, but what if that sister wants what you have - especially your children? With her second novel, The Silent Friend due out later...
2023-07-161h 07The Hobcast Book Show129: Books and the Blues - with Guy HaleWe've often said on The Hobcast Book Show that are more than a few similarities between the book trade and the music business. True, it's not often that an author fills a stadium with screaming fans, but there's no doubt that the two industries share common challenges and risks. No matter how hard you work creatively, you never know if your next novel or album will find a big audience. So imagine having a foot in both worlds? Our guest this week, Guy Hale has done just that, setting up his own record company specialising in the Blues, and...
2023-07-101h 09The Hobcast Book Show128: Teacher to thriller writer - with Louise MumfordIt's one thing to teach English for a living, it's another to practice what you preach. Our guest this week, Louise Mumford, after years at the front of the classroom, has now established herself as one of the rising stars of the UK thriller scene, but her big break came by chance at an arts festival in Suffolk. Being the organised person she is, Louise was carrying a sample of her first novel when she bumped into a commissioning editor for a major publishing imprint. Four years on, she has published three bestselling novels with Harper Collins offshoot, HQ...
2023-07-031h 08The Hobcast Book Show127: Vitalising Purpose - with Jonathan Bland and Jamie VeitchThis week's Hobcast Book Show is a departure from our usual subject areas. We're joined by the co-authors of Vitalising Purpose, Jonathan Bland and Jamie Veitch. Drawing on their years of experience working in the UK's social enterprise sector, the book offers insights and suggestions for improving vital public services we all rely on, by introducing lessons learned from organisations and pioneers who've partnered with local authorities, government and public bodies to improve outcomes for the people who use those services. As Jonathan tells us, both he and Jamie hope the book will inspire new thinking and approaches to...
2023-06-261h 03The Hobcast Book Show126: Modernising locked room mysteries - with Heather FittWhat's behind the enduring popularity of the 'locked room' mystery? Agatha Christie was without question the queen of the genre, but they remain a mainstay of crime publishing. Our guest this week, Heather Fitt has published two modern takes on the locked room mystery, setting her novels on an airliner and a transatlantic yacht respectively. So what's the secret to writing a successful one? In this great interview, Heather shares her journey from managing car mechanics to literary editor and crime author.Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the trend for big name authors to skip...
2023-06-191h 11The Hobcast Book Show125: Born with a book in your stomach - with Jónína LeósdóttirYou might imagine we've lost our minds here at The Hobcast Book Show with an episode title like this, but, believe it or not, it's a common Icelandic phrase, such is the power and popularity of literature there. Our guest this week is one of the most influential figures in Icelandic fiction, Jónína Leósdóttir. Jónína is a playwright, journalist, and author of twenty-one books. Her most recent book, Deceit, is her sixth crime novel. She was also the founder of the Women's Prize for Fiction in Iceland. As we discuss in this wide-ranging interv...
2023-06-121h 16The Hobcast Book ShowThe Bad Neighbour - a Hobcast Special - with Jennie EnsorIn a departure for The Hobcast Book Show we're bringing you a special episode celebrating the launch of one of our latest Hobeck titles, The Bad Neighbour by Jennie Ensor which has raced to number one in two Amazon categories already. Set in an English village at the height of the COVID-19 crisis, it's a sparkling pschological suspense mystery laced with dark humour. Adrian and Rebecca are joined by Jennie to discuss the challenges of writing a novel set during such an unusual and challenging period in recent history, and we have two exclusive readings from The Bad Neighbour...
2023-06-0732 minThe Hobcast Book Show124: Getting the details right - with Kim BoothWe all know how a crime is investigated don't we? After all, we've read enough books, watched enough TV cop shows and read the papers. Interviewing a suspect? We'd all give it a fair go wouldn't we? But would we? How quickly would we commit an elementary mistake of procedure or due process? How soon would a soon would a savvy lawyer unpick our case or cast enough suspicion on our evidence to have their defendant freed? Former Detective Inspector Kim Booth is here to help authors get the key details right. An author himself, he knows how hard...
2023-06-051h 17The Hobcast Book Show123: From social worker to copy editor extraordinaire - with Abbie RutherfordThere's no doubt that editing can make a huge difference to any finished work of fiction or non-fiction. Our guest this week, Abbie Rutherford, describes her move from social worker to copy editor and proofreader as a mixture of necessity and fulfilling her passion too. Abbie now one of the UK's most established editors, and specialises in crime fiction from her home base in Sunderland. In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss the impact on AI on the publishing world, and how authors need to do more work on their manuscripts before they send them off to their editors.
2023-05-291h 20The Hobcast Book Show122: Sci-fi and sword play - with Jude AustinWe've linked up with Japan this week to speak to our guest, sci-fi author Jude Austin. As Jude tells us, her dreams of becoming an actress ended when a bad knee injury forced her to abandon her training at a Japanese film school, where physical challenges and combat classes were a key part of the curriculum. Jude has since turned her creative passions towards sci-fi and fan fiction, and she has a passion for map-making as part of that creative world-building process.Also this week, we reflect on the shock waves reverberating around the UK crime fiction...
2023-05-221h 23The Hobcast Book Show117: Glasgow grit and a dentist’s dilemma - with Heleen KistOur guest this week is no stranger to awards recognition. Heleen Kist is the author of three published psychological thrillers, the first two of which were shortlisted for a host of major international awards. Drawing on her surroundings in her adopted home of Glasgow, and inspired by the experiences of friends, her latest novel, What I Hid From You, features Radha, a dentist whose addiction to valium drags her into the orbit of one of the city's drug gangs. As Heleen explains, the scenario is all too real.Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca draw inspiration from...
2023-04-1752 minThe Hobcast Book Show113: Exploring Transmedia Storytelling - with Colin HarveyThere are so many potential avenues to pursue for the gifted writer. In recent episodes we've touched on poetry and writing plays, but have you ever considered the key role writers play in creating video games? Our guest this week, Colin Harvey, is a published fiction, non-fiction, and comic author in his own right, but it's his expertise in transmedia storytelling that we focus on in this interview. Colin was first drawn to the potential of writing in the digital space as a boy when he won an Atari home computer in the 80s. He's now Principal Writer with...
2023-03-201h 13The Hobcast Book Show112: Making words work - with Sam and Barry HallOur guests on The Hobcast Bookshow this week have inspired thousands of people to become writers. Sam and Barry Hall combine their day jobs with running Wordsmithery, an independent literary arts organisation and publisher in the Medway area of Kent. Wordsmithery was founded with the aim of encouraging more people to get into writing and reading, and to work on interesting literary projects with individuals and community groups. As you'll hear - Sam and Barry are incredibly inventive and creative in their approach to their mission. It's an inspiring interview for anyone who loves writing and the pleasures of lit...
2023-03-131h 27The Hobcast Book Show111: What book coaching can bring to your writing - with Nicole JohnstonJust ten minutes a day could make a huge difference to your writing productivity. That's the message from our guest this week, author, ghost-writer and book coach Nicole Johnston. Using that time to write, without self-editing, can help authors through writer's block she says, with the added benefit of increasing your overall creativity. Nicole has coached dozens of authors to overcome their writing roadblocks, drawing on her experience as an author, and her career in politics as an advisor to some of the biggest names in Australian and UK politics, including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. It's a fascinating...
2023-03-061h 32The Hobcast Book Show110: Poetic inspiration - with Susan DarlingtonThis week is a departure for The Hobcast Book Show, as we focus on poetry with our guest Susan Darlington. Speaking to us from her home in Leeds, we learn how nature inspires her poetry, and Susan shares her love of the challenge verse demands, especially choosing the optimum words to express the themes she wants to explore. Susan has published three collections of her work to date, and is a regular contributor and reviewer for a range of publications and websites.Also this week, as Adrian and Rebecca enjoy a week away in Rye in East Su...
2023-02-271h 13The Hobcast Book Show109: Taking ’pantsing’ to the next level - with Abigail OsborneAre you a plotter or a pantser? It's arguably the question we ask most often on The Hobcast Book Show of our guests. This week we speak to an author who takes pantsing, or if you're being more politically correct, discovery writing to new levels. Abigail Osborne says the only way she can approach her craft is to write as her mood dictates, and jumps around the timeline of her stories as a result. She relies on the editing process to make sense of the raw material she create, and while unconventional, her method has brought success with three su...
2023-02-201h 18The Hobcast Book Show108: Celebrating Clapham - London’s literary powerhouse - with Julie AndersonThere are few cities, if any, that rival London for their literary impact, and whilst the grime of Dicken's London, or the elegant squares of Bloomsbury are celebrated as literary locations, there's one borough that can justifiably claim to match all others - Clapham. As our guest this week, author Julie Anderson explains, Clapham has been home to some of the most celebrated British authors, such as Samuel Pepys, Graham Greene, Roald Dahl, Noel Coward and Angela Carter. There's a healthy community of writers in Clapham now too, and for the past few years, Clapham Writers have organised the...
2023-02-131h 17The Hobcast Book Show107: Creating a ’cult’ book - with Cailean SteedWe're delighted to focus on another debut author this week on The Hobcast Book Show. Caileen Steed's first novel, Home, a dark tale of a woman escaping the pernicious grip of a cult, has been showered with critical praise. Heat magazine calls it "highly engrossing," and The Scots Magazine says Home is "masterfully written, both enthralling and disturbing in equal terms." Praise indeed. So how does Cailean find the time to write between teaching in a secondary school and busy family life? We speak to them from their home on the banks of the Clyde, in Helensburgh, Scotland.Also...
2023-02-061h 02The Hobcast Book Show104: Drawing on life to inspire your writing - with Anne CoatesOne of the joys of writing is using every experience you have to feed your creativity. That's certainly the belief of our guest this week, journalist and crime-author Anne Coates. She has vast experience to draw on too from her career as a journalist in some of the UK's most popular magazine titles, and as an editor for Reader's Digest. As she tells us, that's armed her with some valuable knowledge of how to structure a story, and perhaps most importantly, what to leave out as much as what to leave in. Anne is the author of the Hannah...
2023-01-161h 10The Hobcast Book Show103: Creating a sense of place - with J M SimpsonHappy New Year! We start 2023 with our guest, UK drama and suspense author J M Simpson, whose Castleby series of suspense novels has built a loyal following recently. Castleby is loosely based on the Pembrokeshire resort of Tenby, but Jo draws widely on her upbringing in Devon and Cornwall to embellish the seaside setting. As she admits, the fictional town has taken on a life of its own. Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca reflect on the most popular UK books of 2022, and they critique Apple's latest venture into audiobook narration using AI technology.J.M...
2023-01-091h 10The Hobcast Book Show101: Last Tango In Halifax - with Matthew SmithThe Hobcast Book Show has been on its travels again, braving snow and fog to attend Halifax Noir at the invitation of our former guests and great friends, R C Bridgestock. It was a chance to talk all things crime and books, and take a realistic look at the state of the UK publishing market as we approach Christmas. We also caught up with Matthew Smith, who recently made the switch from publisher to literary agent. As he tells us, it's a tough world out there.Also this week, as a major survey reveals a huge drop...
2022-12-1249 minThe Hobcast Book Show100: The 100th episode special - with Elly GriffithsWell, we made it! Welcome to the 100th episode of The Hobcast Book Show! This week is a celebratory show, complete with a fabulous interview with one of the UK's most celebrated crime authors, Elly Griffiths. Elly has written almost 30 novels, including 15 in the brilliant Ruth Galloway series set in Norfolk. Her most recent novel, Bleeding Heart Yard is the third in her Harbinder Kaur series, and was released in September this year.So, settle in as Adrian and Rebecca celebrate 100 episodes of The Hobcast Book Show...Welcome - Elly Griffithshttps://www.amazo...
2022-12-051h 23The Hobcast Book Show99: The power of editing - with Rebecca MillarWhen four of our previous guests all paid tribute to the same person, we knew we had to speak to them on The Hobcast Book Show. Rebecca Millar has edited the work of a huge range of authors including Simon McLeave, Lucy Hooft, Morgan Greene and Cat Yaffe. Starting her career within both indie and traditional companies, a move to Australia forced Rebecca to become freelance. It was a challenging switch but allowed her to focus on her first love - crime fiction. In this revealing interview, Rebecca shares the range of skills and judgement she's developed to help bo...
2022-11-281h 18The Hobcast Book Show98: Thrillers, Travel and Giant Kelp - with Lucy HooftOur guest this week, Lucy Hooft, wins our unofficial award for being our most remote guest yet. She joined us from the tiny coastal town of Luderitz in Namibia, where it rains just 17 days a year on average, and a shopping trip can involve a 260-mile round trip for the basics. But adventure and challenges are no stranger to Lucy and her husband Daniel. They met in the Georgia, and the Caucasus provide the inspiration for Lucy's first thriller The King's Pawn which was published by Burning Chair Publishing last week. Lucy has worked for the British Government in ma...
2022-11-221h 15The Hobcast Book Show95: Untold history - the power of forgotten stories - with Kate MosseKate Mosse is one of the UK's most celebrated authors. Her Languedoc Trilogy of novels which began with the multi-million selling Labyrinth brought her worldwide recognition, but she was a hugely influential figure in publishing before that, co-founding The Women's Prize for Fiction, now entering its 28th year and recognised as one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world. Kate is no stranger to non-fiction either, joining us on The Hobcast Book Show during a break in promoting her latest book, Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built The World. This is a fascinating interview with one of...
2022-10-311h 24The Hobcast Book Show94: From the stage to the page - with Greg MosseThere's nothing more satisfying than attending a literary event and making connections with fellow travelers in the publishing industry. We met Greg Mosse at the recent Fatal Shore event in Shoreham near Brighton and immediately established a great rapport. Greg's contributions to two panels that day were full of insight and wisdom about what makes a great story, and Rebecca and I made copious notes as he spoke. We're delighted Greg could join us on The Hobcast Book Show, and we're sure you'll learn a great deal too. Greg is a playwright, theatre director, and novelist, with his first nov...
2022-10-241h 26The Hobcast Book Show93: The serious business of comics - with Charles Martin and Jerry BennettIt's a bit of a departure for us on The Hobcast Bookshow as we delve into the world of comics and graphic storytelling. Charles Martin set up Literati Press in 2010 with aim of creating a home for Oklohoma's burgeoning comic book artists and writers. He admits it took several years and many mistakes before he and his team found their true path as a business, but this is a story of creative perseverance and determination. Charles is joined by artist Jerry Bennett, who has developed a huge following and has been with Literati Press since the beginning. It's a...
2022-10-171h 27The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 92: The why’s and wherefores of audiobooks - with Greg PatmoreRegular listeners to The Hobcast Bookshow will know that the art of audiobook narration is something close to Adrian's heart. He's not shy in sharing his views on what a narrator needs from an author to make the process easier, but is he speaking for others? Our guest this week is Greg Patmore, a British actor and hugely experienced and successful audiobook narrator. What are the challenges he faces in the booth? How does he deal with authors who want their characters to appear exactly as they hear them in their heads? How does he find the stamina and en...
2022-10-101h 36The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 85: Historical crime fiction - it’s all in the details - with Mark EllisThe sales figures bear this out: historical crime fiction is on the rise. This week we speak to one of the modern masters of the art, Mark Ellis, author of the superb Frank Merlin series set in World War Two. Originally from Swansea, Mark studied at Cambridge, became a barrister, then moved into banking before becoming a computing entrepreneur. The sale of his company has allowed him to follow his passion for writing, with his first Frank Merlin novel Princes Gate published in 2011. His latest Merlin novel, Dead in the Water was released in May this year. As Mark exp...
2022-08-151h 29The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 84: Writing Noir with a welsh twist - with Malcolm PryceThe Hobcast Book Show team have been on their travels over the past week, first to Wales and then to Devon for a family holiday. Inspired by their experiences, they were determined to feature an author connected with one of those areas, so this week's guest is the brilliant Malcolm Pryce, author Louie Knight Mystery series of novels set in the coastal town of Aberystwyth in Mid-Wales. As Malcolm explains to Adrian and Rebecca, his childhood experiences of growing up in the town provided ample inspiration for his satirical take on American hard-boiled detective fiction. We also discuss how a c...
2022-08-091h 26The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 83: Celebrating the craft - with April Doyle'It's more than speculation, it's a prediction.' That, famously, was the tagline for The Swarm - the 1978 disaster movie starring Michael Caine that depicted the impact that a swarm of 'African Killer Bees' would have on the United States. It's a sad reflection that the opposite is now true, and bees and other pollinators are under threat. That's the starting point for Hive - the award-nominated novel by our guest this week, April Doyle. In a fascinating interview, we discuss how she was drawn to the subject, and we also explore her work as a creative writing teacher in h...
2022-08-011h 01The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 82: Harrogate Crime Festival ’22 Special - with Mick Herron, Will Dean and Denise MinaIt's the big one! This week The Hobcast Book Show comes from the world's biggest crime writing festival, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Festival set in the grounds of the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate. Back to full capacity for 2022, the event was a huge success, attracting some of the biggest names in global crime fiction. As you'll hear in this special show, Adrian and Rebecca caught up with some star guests, including this year's winner of the Crime Novel of the Year award, Mick Herron. We also speak to Will Dean, who draws inspiration for his Tuva Moodyson...
2022-07-251h 17The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 79: Does fiction do journalists an injustice? - with Sarah Sultoon and Holly WattOne half of the Hobcast presentation team has spent half his life in journalism, and Adrian has lost count of the number of times he's sworn at the TV over the depiction of his former trade. But do journalists get a bad rap in fiction? Isn't it fair enough that writers use their creative licence to depict journalists in a way that suits their own stories? Or should writers work harder to get the details right and better reflect the reality of what it's like to chase down stories, often in harsh environments? In this episode of The Hobcast...
2022-07-111h 16The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 78: CWA Daggers Awards specialOne half of Hobeck, (Adrian), put on their glad rags this week to head to the prestigious CWA Daggers Gala Dinner in London. Our very own Mark Wightman was nominated for the John Creasey New Blood Dagger for Waking the Tiger. Sadly, Mark wasn't successful, the award going to Janice Hallett's The Appeal. As you'll hear in this special show, the night was a celebration of the UK's most popular fiction genre, crime, capping off a successful Crime Reading Month across the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2022-07-0433 minThe Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 76: Slaughter in Southwold - with Cara Hunter and William ShawThe Hobcast Book Show has been on its travels again, this time to the charming Suffolk coastal town of Southwold for its annual crime-writing festival, Slaughter in Southwold. It brought together a host of crime fiction fans and heard from eight leading writers, including our own Hobeck author Lin Le Versha, whose Steph Grant mystery series is largely set in the town. As we hear in this special episode, Lin was joined on stage by Adrian to share insights about writing her novels Blood Notes and Blood Lines. We also hear from two of the most successful UK crime author...
2022-06-201h 25The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 75: Passing the torch - taking over Jack Reacher - with Andrew Child100 million copies sold. Two Tom Cruise movies and a wildly successful Amazon Prime TV series. Jack Reacher is one of those fictional characters that everyone has heard about. So what's it like to take responsibility for the future of the character? Our guest this week Andrew Child has done just that, taking over from his brother Lee to write Reacher's 26th adventure, Better Off Dead. The brothers collaborated on the direction of the novel, but as Andrew explains to us, he's now responsible for the words on the page. It's a far-ranging and fascinating interview.Also this we...
2022-06-131h 28The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 74: Crime in a city of culture - with Nick QuantrillWhen it comes to cultural significance, the city of Kingston upon Hull is often overlooked in favour of the likes of London, Edinburgh, Liverpool or Manchester. But that's unfair for a city that was the home of poet Phillip Larkin, David Bowie's most famous backing band The Spiders from Mars, and the setting for Ted Lewis's seminal crime novel Jack's Return Home which was adapted to become Get Carter starring Michael Caine. That reputation changed when Hull became the UK's City of Culture in 2017, attracting an estimated five million visitors. Our guest this week, Nick Quantrill, harnessed the buzz to...
2022-06-061h 39The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 72: Writing from the heart - with Caron McKinlayWhat do readers want? That's the question we ask ourselves every day at Hobeck Books. The truth is, that changes all the time, but there's no doubt that if a writer can connect emotionally with a reader, you're going to find plenty of readers. Our guest this week, Caron McKinlay published her first novel The Storytellers this week, and already the feedback has been overwhelming, with many readers saying they've been moved to tears by her tale of three women recalling their lives and debating if any of them have experienced real love. Caron draws heavily from her own ex...
2022-05-231h 30The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 70: Bring out your inner entrepreneur - with Nicola CookSome members of the indie publishing community might treat it as a dirty word, but "selling" is all part of the job. Nicola Cook, writing fiction as Isabella Wiles, is one of the most sought after motivational speakers in the UK on the subject of selling and developing great sales teams. She's also the author of two worldwide non-fiction bestsellers, so she felt her next challenge was writing fiction. Following a trip to London Book Fair in 2019 where she met some of the leading lights in the UK indie fiction community, she decided to pursue that dream, and has...
2022-05-091h 34The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 69: Let the festivals begin - on stage with Robert DawsThe 2022 UK literary festival season is upon us, and The Hobcast Book Show will be bringing you highlights from all the key crime focused events like Harrogate, Crime Fest and Bloody Scotland. But this week we hit the road to take the stage with actor and Hobeck author Robert Daws at the inaugural Royal Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival in Kent. This week we bring you the Q + A with Bob, chaired by Adrian.Also this week, we digest the impact of Amazon's first quarterly loss since 2015 and ask, is the party over for the world's biggest online...
2022-05-0254 minThe Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 68: The life and times of an agent - with Euan ThorneycroftIs there anything more mysterious in publishing than the world of the literary agent? There can't be many aspiring authors who haven't asked themselves - 'how do I get an agent?' There are copious 'how to' guides out there offering advice on how to secure representation, but how relevant is that advice? Euan Thorneycroft is a senior agent with A M Heath, a London-based agency established for more than 100 years. In this revealing and fascinating interview, Euan tells The Hobcast Book Show how he began in the business, how it's changed over the years, and how he deals wi...
2022-04-251h 12The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 67: Blog Tours - are they worth it? - with Zoe-Lee O’FarrellThere's a healthy debate within publishing about the impact of blog tours. They're designed of course to support book releases and raise awareness of the authors. But just how effective are they? Our guest this week on The Hobcast Book Show is Zoe-Lee O'Farrell who is both a book blogger and a blog tour organiser. What does she see as their key value? We also discuss her first novel Ouija and her work with fellow indie press, Spellbound Books.Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca reflect on a post London Book Fair bout of COVID, and discuss the...
2022-04-181h 39The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 66: London Book Fair 2022 Special Part 3 - with Mark DawsonWe made it! It's been an epic few days at the London Book Fair at Olympia, and in our concluding special Hobcast Book Show we speak to two of the key figures in the growth of indie publishing, Mark Dawson and Mark Stay.Mark Dawson is the multi-million selling author of three series including the John Milton series, but he's also the creator of the Self Publishing Formula courses which have helped thousands of writers fulfill their dream of becoming full-time authors. Mark Stay has also been highly influential in this area through his podcast The...
2022-04-081h 04The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 63: Words and music - with Guy GardnerThe relationship between music and literature is long established. For Dorset based author Guy Gardner, his love of one inspires the other. A gifted jazz musician, Guy published his first novel, The Mirror Game earlier this year. It's a historical thriller set in the 1920s. So how much work does it take to recreate such a complex decade accurately?Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss their plans for this week's London Book Fair where they'll be recording a series of special shows from Olympia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
2022-04-041h 04The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 62: Tackling multiple genres - with Dave McCluskeyIt's a debate that has raged among authors for decades. Write in one genre or literary area, or try as many as possible? Our guest on The Hobcast Book Show, Liverpudlian author Dave McCluskey has tackled quite a number over the past 11 years. Horror may be his mainstay, but he's also written romance, graphic novels, historical crime fiction and children's books too. As he tells Rebecca and Adrian, if he has a story idea, regardless of the genre, he HAS to write it come what may. Also this week, we discuss Phillip Pullman's resignation from the Presidency of...
2022-03-281h 17The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 61: The awards only indies can win - with Pauline BarclayIt's one of the aspects that frustrates us most at Hobeck Books. When it comes to awards, most of the odds are stacked in the favour of the big publishing houses and traditionally published authors. There are exceptions of course, but it was this situation that motivated our guest this week Pauline Barclay to launch the Chill Awards five and a half years ago. Only open to independent authors or small independent presses, the awards celebrate the wealth of great books produced by the indie community. Pauline has readers across the world who select the books on offer, and...
2022-03-211h 17The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 60: The long winding road from Lahore to the bookshelves - with Awais KhanEvery writer dreams of being a published author. It's tough enough when you're based in a country like the UK with hundreds of agents and dozens of publishers to target, but when your own country has almost no fiction publishing scene - it's far harder. That was the challenge Awais Khan faced. At 25, with two degrees to his name, he followed his heart and signed up for the renowned Faber Writing Academy, studying online from his home in Pakistan. But finding a way to publication wasn't easy. Dozens of rejections followed before a London literary agent expressed an interest...
2022-03-141h 02The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 59: The Queen of Crime - an Agatha Christie SpecialTwo billion books sold and 102 years after the publication of her first novel, we bring you this Agatha Christie special edition of The Hobcast Book Show. Adrian and Rebecca return to the place they first met, Exeter University to meet Annie Price, who curates the Agatha Christie archive within the university's special collections department. As we discover, the collection charts the relationship between Agatha and her literary agent Edmund Cork, and reveals fascinating details about how she worked, how she thought, and how determined she was to ensure her characters were reflected accurately on stage and screen. With...
2022-03-071h 18The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 58: Know your genre if you want to sell books - with Rachel McLeanIf you ever search for a crime novel on the UK Amazon store, the chances are you'll soon see an ad for Rachel McLean's books. In the space of three years, the Birmingham based author's two crime series have established an army of fans, and her titles regularly hit the number one spot. Rachel was also awarded the coveted Kindle Storyteller Award for 2021. So what does she put her success down to? Writing with your reader in mind. As Rachel tells us, if you truly meet reader expectations, they will reward you in return. Also this week, A...
2022-02-281h 17The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 57: Creating true evil - with Lewis HastingsLewis Hastings was our second signing for Hobeck Books back in 2020, and together we're about to publish his fifth Jack Cade thriller - The Chemist. The novel features the return of an old foe for Cade and those he cares for most, as they face their greatest danger yet. So how does Lewis create such wonderfully twisted and memorable villains? And how much of his career in law-enforcement play a part in his writing? Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the ethics of author services offering a quicker route to agents and publishers, and how a co...
2022-02-211h 21The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 56: Making connections with listeners - with Dian PerryWe've mentioned it many times on the show, but audiobooks are becoming an ever more important arm of publishing. Double-digit growth year-on-year, a trend accelerated by the pandemic. But how does a narrator connect with their audience most effectively? This week's guest on The Hobcast Book Show is Dian Perry. An American in London, Dian dreamed of becoming a character voice artist. Now with over twenty years of experience and success, she's the author of Voiceover Narration: Creating Performances from the Inside Out. As Dian explains in this fascinating interview, creating a real connection with listeners requires a different app...
2022-02-141h 43The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 54: Indie Publishing facing tough times - with Dan Morgan (Part 2)We had a shock this week at Hobeck Books. The rumours of rising production costs are very true as we were quoted a 20% higher price for the same print run we last ordered less than three months ago. So can you make indie publishing work? Yes, but as Dan Morgan, (writing as Morgan Greene), says in the second part of his revealing interview with us, it's tough and takes a lot of nerve.Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca reveal their plans for the business in the months to come, and talk frankly about how health issues c...
2022-01-311h 15The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 53: Publishing Noir - the reality of indie publishing with Dan MorganWe're proud to be indie publishers at www.hobeck.net It's an exciting movement to be part of, but as we explore every week here on The Hobcast Book Show the reality of running a start-up publishing house is far tougher than some would have you believe. That's also been the experience of our guest, Dan Morgan, a Welsh author of Scandi-noir novels under the pen name Morgan Greene. Dan has built a strong following for his novels featuring DI Jamie Johannson, but as he tells Adrian and Rebecca, the path to success has been challenging. In the first of a...
2022-01-241h 16The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 52: Doctor in the house - writing as a second career - with Mairi ChongYou've trained for years to achieve your ambition to become a doctor, but what happens when a mental health crisis forces you to leave the profession? That's exactly what happened to our guest Mairi Chong, who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in the weeks after giving birth to her son. The effects were so severe she had to leave the job she loved as a GP, and rebuild her life again, coming to terms with the impact of the condition. That's when she turned to writing, and this week Mairi is celebrating the release of her first novel for...
2022-01-171h 39The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 51: How to become a bestselling author in two years - with Daniel HurstWe've been lucky enough to speak to some spectacularly successful indie authors in the past year, like Simon McCleave and Jason Dalgleish, we can now add Daniel Hurst to that list. In just two years since he specialised in writing psychological thrillers and suspense novels, he's sold enough books to both give up his day job and employ his wife full-time to support him. As Daniel explains to Adrian and Rebecca, some of the keys to his success is hard work, writing and releasing books quickly, and writing to market. His new novel The Rivals is released on 15th Ja...
2022-01-101h 24The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 50: Dreaming among the spiresIt's Episode 50! Adrian and Rebecca have taken The Hobeck Book Show on the road again to see in the new year with a visit to Oxford. The city of dreaming spires was the perfect place to look back on a momentous 2021, and set new goals and dreams for 2022. In this episode we hear again from some of the wonderful guests we've hosted in the past year, and we look ahead to what's in store for Hobeck Books in the year to come. Plus, there's some rather special personal news too... Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
2022-01-0346 minThe Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 49: Bookbugs and Dragon Tales with Dan and Leanne FriddThis week we compare notes with husband-and-wife book selling team, Dan and Leanne Fridd about the pleasures and pressures of working together in the world of books. They run the superb independent bookshop, Bookbugs and Dragon Tales in Norwich, UK, and as they tell The Hobcast Bookshow, they're determined to create a unique experience where customers of all ages can relax and discover the joy of reading and books. For ex-teacher Leanne, she wonders why she waited so long to pursue the dream, and they reveal the heart-warming impact their bookshop has had on the lives of countless children...
2021-12-201h 33The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 48: A literary blind date - with Sarah ManvelWe have a confession to make at The Hobcast Book Show. Our plans unravelled following a medical drama, so we had to launch an appeal for a guest this week at the last minute. Kindly, the brilliant Sarah Manvel stepped in, creating a literary podcast blind date for this week's show. Sarah is a writer and critic, and author of the hilarious semi-fictional account of dates that have gone horribly wrong. As you'll hear, You Ruin It When You Talk is Sarah's first book, but she's determined that it won't be her last. It's a fascinating conversation.Al...
2021-12-131h 45The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 47: The power of research - gangs, knife-crime, and murder - with Jennie EnsorOur latest Hobeck Books release, Silenced by Jennie Ensor, is potentially one of our most controversial. How controversial depends on your position on the debate about who is entitled to write about characters from a range of backgrounds and cultures. The novel tackles the impact of gang culture in North London, the horror of knife crime and the way communities live in fear of helping the police. Jennie tells us how she spent months building links with the people and communities affected by these issues, and how that research allowed her to write the book with understanding and authenticity.
2021-12-061h 23The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 46: Independent Bookshops Special with Jules Button and Krissy LloydIt's been a brutal 18 months for independent bookshops. Feeling the ever tightening squeeze of a certain large online retailer, the Covid pandemic forced many to shut their doors for months, if not for ever. But is the outlook for the UK's independent bookshops so bleak? Not according to our guests on the Hobcast Bookshow this week: Jules Button owns the Woodbridge Emporium in Suffolk, whilst Krissy Lloyd manages the Medina Bookshop in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. As they tell Rebecca and Adrian, they've used all their creativity, local knowledge, and reputation to adapt and thrive in recent...
2021-11-291h 14The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 45: An A-level in murder - with Lin Le VershaWe all remember the jealousies and rivalries of our school years. The gossip swirls, rumours grow and take a life of their own - no one is immune. Add a musical genius from a sheltered background, suffocated by a protective mother's love, and you have the ingredients for Lin Le Versha's superb debut novel, Blood Notes, set in a fictional sixth form college in Suffolk. Lin tells Rebecca and Adrian how her experience of working in education helped her to create this world, into which comes Steph Grant, a former detective trying to rebuild her life following bereavement and a...
2021-11-221h 20The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 44: The secrets we bury - with Linda HuberWe all have things we'd rather forget from our childhoods, but what if a whole community chooses to bury a dark secret? That's the theme of Linda Huber's brilliant and dark psychological thriller for Hobeck Books. Pact of Silence is a departure from her first bestseller for us, Daria's Daughter, and as Linda reveals in this wide-ranging interview, the scenes and themes of her new novel have haunted her. Also this week Adrian and Rebecca mark the passing of the legendary Wilbur Smith, and ask if some big money takeovers mark a serious shake-up to the audiobook indus...
2021-11-151h 23The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 43: To edit is divine - with Helen GrayAs we promise in the opening of every Hobcast Book Show - we speak to the people who make Hobeck Books possible, including editors. Helen Gray has worked with two of our authors, Malcolm Hollingdrake and Harry Fisher on their crime series, and in this interview, we learn how she uses her experience and judgement to build strong working relationships with the authors she works with. Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss how audiobook technology is changing, and we discover who's in the running for the most bizarre book title of the year. Hosted...
2021-11-081h 30The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 42: Mastering historical crime fiction - with Abir Mukherjee5000 words, a competition, and a measure of luck launched Abir Mukherjee's glittering literary career five years ago. With The Shadows of Men, the fifth novel in his Wyndham and Bannerjee historical crime fiction series due out on November 12th, Abir has cemented himself as one of the genre's best authors. His books have sold over 250 thousand copies and been translated into 15 languages. As he tells Rebecca and Adrian in this week's Hobcast Book Show, he takes nothing for granted and always strives to improve as an author. Also this week, the team discuss further evidence that rising costs are i...
2021-11-011h 25The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 41 - Feeling the chills with Judi DaykinHallowe'en approaches. No better time then to release some spine-tingling spooky fiction as we did at Hobeck Books this week. Judi Daykin's Wayland Babes is a wonderful collection of five inter-related ghost tales based on the legend of the Babes in the Wood, set in Norfolk's Wayland Woods. Adrian and Rebecca joined Judi on location to discover more about the inspiration behind the book. Also this week, we discuss the remarkable story from Spain about how a 1 million euro literary prize was won by an author called Carmen Mola turned out to be three men working behind a female...
2021-10-251h 27The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 40 - The Big Questions - with Olly JarvisIs there one thread that binds us all? A link through history that explains the human experience? These are some of the themes tackled by Hobeck author Olly Jarvis in his brilliant new thriller, The Genesis Inquiry. Described by Stephen Fry as a 'compulsively readable legal thriller', the novel introduces care-worn barrister Ella Blake, who's hired to investigate the disappearance of a brilliant Cambridge academic, and unearths a conspiracy to keep world-changing revelations a secret. Olly draws on his own background as a leading UK criminal barrister in his writing, and we discuss the challenges he faces day-to-day in a...
2021-10-181h 41The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 39: The power of publicity - with Angela McMahonThe line between marketing and publicity is often a blurred one. Everyone in publishing, whether traditional or independent will have experience of marketing, but publicity is a different game altogether. Securing coverage in newspapers, interviews with broadcasters, and reviews from influencers is an art in itself, and one that our guest Angela McMahon excels in. Angela runs Flow Communications, using her vast experience working with leading publishers to become an independent consultant - securing invaluable media coverage for her clients. What are the secrets of a successful campaign? Angela has been working with us at Hobeck books on our...
2021-10-111h 31The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 38: Sunshine from Leith - with Harry FisherEvery so often we receive a submission at Hobeck Books that blow our minds. Harry Fisher's Be Sure Your Sins was one of those. Set in Leith, home of Ian Rankin's Rebus novels, Harry introduces us to no-nonsense copper, DS Mel Cooper in the first of a new series. Harry reveals how a close-knit team of family and friends has helped him shape his work and launch his writing career. Also this week, Rebecca and Adrian reveal how illness has struck Hobeck Towers this week, and as you'll hear, it's something of a miracle that this week's show went a...
2021-10-041h 11The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 37: The real CSI - from SOCO to crime author with Kate BendelowCrime fiction has come a long way from simply discovering a body in the library, a handful of clues and the revelation of the killer over dinner. Developments in forensics have advanced at a ferocious rate in recent years, and our guest on the Hobcast Book Show this week has witnessed them all for real. Kate Bendelow has been a scene of crime officer for Greater Manchester Police for the past 19 years. As a SOCO, she brings her specialist knowledge to her crime fiction writing, with her debut novel Definitely Dead published in May this year. It's a fascinating in...
2021-09-271h 09The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 36: Bloody Scotland and Killer Bees - with guest, Tina BakerMurder. The word on everyone's lips in Stirling this past weekend as some of the world's greatest crime authors gathered for the Bloody Scotland Crime writing festival. Held in person and online, it showed once again that the crime writing community knows how to put on a show, and we at Hobeck Books enjoyed every moment of this special event. It was our first Bloody Scotland, as it was for our guest Tina Baker, whose first novel Call Me Mummy, a darkly funny and disturbing tale of a childless woman stealing a young girl from her dysfunctional family raced to...
2021-09-201h 08The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 34: Mastering ads for authors - with Matthew J HolmesLike it or not, to sell books you need to advertise. And if our experience at Hobeck Books is anything to go by, this is a time consuming process that requires nerve, knowledge, skill and no little investment too. Our guest this week on The Hobcast Book Show, Matthew J Holmes, has achieved sometimes spectacular results using Facebook, Amazon and Bookbub ads. As he tells Rebecca and Adrian, there are no shortcuts, but through trial and error and sheer persistence he has got to grips with the platforms, and now manages the advertising campaigns of a range of authors. Al...
2021-09-061h 25The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 33: From Rom Com writer to suspense author with Sue ShepherdSue Shepherd's first novel for Hobeck Books, Swindled, is published on 7th September, but as we discover on this week's Hobcast Book Show, this is not her first rodeo. Sue is a successful author of romantic comedy novels, but has decided that now's the right time to plunge into the world of crime and suspense. As she tells Adrian Hobart and Rebecca Collins, her fiction is based on creating credible characters, and she allows them to tell their own stories. Also this week, we discuss further evidence that the publishing environment is becoming tougher for small independent presses, and Adr...
2021-08-301h 26The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 32: The road to full-time indie author - with J M DalgleishOur guest this week on The Hobcast Book Show will cheerfully admit that he's had a varied career, before finally settling on the life of a hugely successful crime author. Writing under his pen name J.M Dalgleish, Jason Dalgleish has successfully launched not one but two crime series: The Dark Yorkshire novels and The Hidden Norfolk series. Three years after his first book was published, Jason has now sold over a million copies of his novels. So what's the secret of his success? Adrian and Rebecca were keen to find out. Also this week, to mark the 50th...
2021-08-231h 10The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 31: Supporting authors through Facebook - with Donna MorfettThe UK Crime writing scene is the envy of the world. No other country can boast the range of talented crime authors that the UK does, and that's not least down to the incredible support the reading community offers them. Donna Morfett is at the vanguard of this support. Her Facebook group, Donna's Interviews, Reviews and Giveaways has grown in recent months to become one of the most influential pages on the UK crime scene. Featuring almost daily in-depth interviews with authors, from the big names to first-time indie writers, Donna's group is recognised as one of the best...
2021-08-161h 14The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 30: Living the author dream - with Lesley McEvoyOnce a writer, always a writer - someone wise once said. Becoming a published author though is a different matter altogether. That's been the 40-year-long dream of this week's Hobcast Book Show guest, Lesley McEvoy. Like so many writers, life, family and work combined to prevent her from pursuing a literary career. Instead, she built a successful freelance career as a psychologist and profiler, working in the corporate world, as well as some of the UK's most notorious prisons. But as she approached a 'significant' birthday, she decided the writing itch could not be ignored, and following a year...
2021-08-091h 36The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 29: Climbing the indie publishing mountain - with Simon McCleaveSnowdonia is one of Britain's most popular National Parks, beloved for it's ruggedly beautiful mountains and forests, and provides the inspired location for Simon McCleave's crime novels. His DI Ruth Hunter series only launched in January 2020, but Simon has already sold 800,000 books. Drawing on the skills he sharpened as a script editor on some of the UK's most popular TV shows, Simon writes quickly and cleanly, publishing a staggering 13 novels in the past 18 months alone. It's an astonishing achievement - and he shares some of the secrets of success with The Hobcast Book Show. Adrian and Rebecca also discuss...
2021-08-021h 15The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 28: Harrogate Festival special - featuring Ian Rankin, Mark Billingham and S J ParrisIt's back! The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival survived months of uncertainty to return to Harrogate in spectacular fashion, and the Hobcast was there to join in the fun. In this week's bumper episode, we speak to the godfather of British crime fiction Ian Rankin about the challenge of finishing another writer's work. S J Parris reflects on how the pandemic has affected her creative process, and Mark Billingham reveals some of the secrets of what happens when the UK's leading crime authors meet at the bar. Plus Adrian and Rebecca speak to the inspirational Martyn Waites about...
2021-07-261h 21The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 27: The secrets of a series - with Leigh RussellTwelve years since her first novel was published, Leigh Russell has established herself as one of the UK's leading crime authors, selling almost two million books. She's published fourteen novels in her Geraldine Steel series, and successfully launched two spin-off series too. As Leigh admits in her inspirational interview with Adrian and Rebecca, she's probably made every mistake there is to make, but her passion for writing is undimmed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-07-191h 41The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 26: Bloody Scotland - ten years of criminally fine fiction - with Bob McDevittIn the past few years Tartan Noir has become one of the dominant forces in UK crime fiction, with Ian Rankin and Val McDiarmid leading the charge up the charts. At the core of this movement is the Bloody Scotland festival, now entering its tenth year. With its two major awards, the McIlvaney Prize and the Debut award, Bloody Scotland has helped launch the careers of some of the most innovative and successful authors in the world. Bob McDevitt is the festival director, and he joins Rebecca and Adrian to explain the challenges of keeping the festival alive during...
2021-07-1258 minThe Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 25: From family sagas to crime. Switching genres with Terri NixonHow difficult is it to master a new genre when you've built your writing career around another? That's the challenge that faced our guest on The Hobcast Book Show this week, Terri Nixon. She publishes Crossfire with Hobeck Books this week, after establishing herself as one of the leading authors in the UK of family sagas. She's also a leading fantasy writer. So what made her add crime to her portfolio of genres? Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca reflect on some key issues making waves in publishing, including an apology from the Old Peculier Crime Writing f...
2021-07-051h 31The Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 24: The future of publishing - with Jenny Parrott (part 2)In this week's episode, we hear again from Jenny Parrott in the second part of an interview first featured in episode 17 of The Hobcast Book Show from Hobeck Books, and discuss the impact of technology on the publishing industry, and what it means for authors. Adrian and Rebecca reflect on the growing campaign from literary agents for a fairer deal for their clients from audiobook royalties, and they discuss how losing the internet for 24 hours had some unexpected benefits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-06-2857 minThe Hobcast Book ShowEpisode 23: Second time around - with Alison MorganThis week, The Hobcast Book Show speaks to Alison Morgan on the eve of the publication of the second of her Quirk Files Series novel, Throttled. What are the challenges to overcome second time around? How has she avoided the pitfalls of sequel syndrome? And what obstacles has Alison faced narrating the first novel in the series, Over Her Dead Body? Adrian and Rebecca also discuss the exciting news that Mark Wightman's debut Hobeck novel Waking The Tiger has been long-listed for the prestigious McIlvaney prize for best Scottish Crime novel, and reveal the challenges and opportunities that accolade has brou...
2021-06-211h 18