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We've done it! 200 episodes of The Hobcast Book Show! To celebrate this landmark, we're joined by bestselling crime author Michael Wood, creator of the DCI Matilda Darke series. His twelfth novel in the series, Last One Left Alive, was published by Harper Collins imprint One More Chapter last month. In this fascinating interview, Michael explains how he moved from being an avowed crime fiction fan to successful author, and his secrets for keeping the novels fresh and inventive, as well as taking his principal character into unexplored challenges and difficulties. He also shares with us the challenges he's faced creating a new psychological thriller series, starring Dr Olivia Winter.
Also this week. we discuss the implications of a major takeover in the UK crime fiction publishing scene, and we're delighted to hear that 50 year old book tokens can still be used to buy books!
Amazon.co.uk: Michael Wood: books, biography, latest update
DCI Matilda Darke (13 book series) Kindle edition
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CV4YPDST
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Never has "truth" been under greater scrutiny than in the past months leading up to Donald Trump's re-election to the Presidency last week. It seems that every side of every debate claims to be speaking the truth, and accuses their opponents of spreading disinformation or downright lying. No matter what the issue, not everyone can be right, can they? So how do you discern what you can believe and what you can't. Our guest this week, Lindley Gooden, has written The Future of Truth: And How to Get There. Drawing on his many years as a journalist, Lindley offers some tips and techniques anyone can apply to check the veracity of what they read, are told and what they see. As Lindley tells us, these techniques have never been more needed.
Also this week, we discuss why Jamie Oliver has been forced to withdraw his latest children's book from sale worldwide, and we run through the shortlist for the world's weirdest book titles this year.
Lindley Gooden
The Future of Truth (and How to Get There)
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Fehlende Folgen?
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Every so often an interview will take a truly unexpected direction. That's the case this week as we speak to prolific author Gillian Jackson in her first ever podcast appearance. Gillian principally writes psychological fiction, which to some extent draws on her professional experiences as a therapeutic counsellor working with Victim Support. But as she reveals in this startling interview, she also draws on some difficult experiences of her own. He most recent novel, Ask Laura, marks a departure for Gillian into women's fiction, but all her work is imbued with humanity and empathy.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the results of the Written Word Media Survey of independent authors which reveals a growing antipathy towards paid advertising platforms like Facebook and Amazon Ads. So what's the alternative?
Gillian Jackson – Fiction, Non-fiction and Short Stories
https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/2024-indie-author-survey-results-insights-into-self-publishing-for-authors/
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We're delighted to be speaking to Hobeck Books author Tony Gartland, writing as AJ Aberford, in this episode, to mark the release of The Car Horn Revolution - the sixth and potentially final novel in the George Zammit series. It's perhaps the most personal adventure for our accidental Maltese police hero, as the book is set firmly in Malta, and his whole family face danger as geopolitical intrigue and outside forces threaten the island. It's been a remarkable journey for author and character alike - originally Tony wrote Bodies in the Water as a standalone thriller, but three years and five books further, George has risen through the ranks of the Maltese police. We discuss the cultural impact that George has made on Malta, and Tony also shares plans for a change of direction in his writing career.
Also this week, will a letter signed by over ten thousand famous creators really make the AI companies pause for thought? And we hear how Bob Dylan lost sleep thanks to the night time antics of hordes of publishers.
Home | AJ Aberford
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Horn-Revolution-action-packed-Inspector-ebook/dp/B0DDHSWZKL
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Regular listeners to The Hobcast Book Show might be forgiven for thinking that we're obsessed with AI. There's barely a week when we don't discuss the latest encroachment of AI into the publishing world, whether it be machine generated text and covers, or AI mimicking the work of audiobook narrators. Above all, we're concerned about how the big tech companies have ingested copyrighted works into their systems without any recompense for their creators. Our guest this week, Tom Albrighton, has just released a book examining these issues and assessing the scale and impact of AI systems on human creativity, particularly writing. How much of a threat do AI systems pose? In AI Can't Write, But You Can: Why human writing matters in the age of ChatGPT, Tom argues that AI systems are essentially highly-developed predictive text machines. They're good at synthesising what's expected in a certain type of writing, but they remain soulless and prone to mistakes. Tom says that humans should lean in to what makes them unique as authors, and make the most of what AI's lack - emotion. This is a provocative and timely interview.
Also this week, have Penguin Random House found a way to beat the AI companies? And why are hardback sales down year-on-year?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cant-Write-But-You-Can-ebook/dp/B0DFJ3RXRB
(25) Tom Albrighton | LinkedIn
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It's been an odd week here at The Hobcast Book Show. Rebecca and I have been watching the BBC's new smash-hit cosy crime series, Ludwig, starring David Mitchell. Nothing unusual in that you might say, but each episode has multiple aerial shots of the centre of Cambridge, where the stories are set. Each time they pop up, I exclaim, "there's my church!". I'm referring to Great St Mary's, where I was head chorister back in the early 80s. It reminds me of one of the happiest periods of my life. So why am I mentioning it now? Well, our guest this week, Nigel Stewart was also a chorister in the rather grander setting of Hereford Cathedral. Unlike me, he carried on with his passion for making and writing music. He's also a novelist, with five books released to date, including Colouring In, The Road Home, and Justinian's Daughters. How much do music and writing overlap? Listen to this fascinating interview to find out.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca react to the claim by Sir Ian Rankin that crime novels are becoming too long, and should be capped at 300 pages. Is that realistic?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Colouring-Nigel-Stewart/dp/1912677067
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Road-Home-Nigel-Stewart/dp/1739501217
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Justinians-Daughters-Nigel-Stewart/dp/173916525X
https://www.thetimes.com/article/2a5a03a7-af9d-4b2f-ba4a-b6c29bc8eb84?shareToken=1c45daea137b5399b42bd662d66c1fe4
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We'd be the first to admit that when we hear the word "trope", we give it negative connotations. It might be a British thing, but a trope is often equated to a cliche - something to be shunned and avoided. But our guest this week, bestselling author Jennifer Hilt, believes that authors should embrace tropes and lean into them as much as possible. She argues that all celebrated literature is full of tropes, and that they are the foundation stones of great storytelling. Jennifer, known colloquially as "The Trope Lady", explains her philosophy in her book, The Trope Thesaurus. Jennifer says she was initially slow to recognise the importance and power of tropes, but once she'd made that realisation, she couldn't enjoy a favourite book or film without spotting them. She hopes that authors will also see their importance, and lean into and twist tropes to strengthen their work.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca reflect on their trip to London for the inaugural gathering of the new Indie Press Network, and ask if publishing is ready to cope with some new EU legislation that will significantly complicate printing books in future.
Jennifer Hilt, USA Today Bestselling Author of Non-fiction and Urban Fantasy
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trope-Thesaurus-Jennifer-Hilt/dp/B09PHG395P
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We're linking up with the U.S again this week to meet YA author Jon McBrine. Joining us from his home near Dallas, Texas, Jon shares his journey from graphic designer, illustrator and comic book aficionado to author. His first YA superhero adventure, Unsecret Identity was published last year, and introduces Eric Icarus, a 14-year-old with the ability to fly. You'd think that would be a gift, but for Eric it's the last thing he needs, drawing unwanted attention to him at a time of acute teenage sensitivity. As Jon explains, he wanted to use the superhero genre to explore the themes teenagers face as they prepare for the wider world.
Also this week, we discuss Pan Macmillan's withdrawal from X (formerly Twitter), and Adrian reveals details of a big writing project he's just been commissioned to deliver in 2025.
https://jonmcbrine.com/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unsecret-Identity-Eric-Icarus-Book-ebook/dp/B0CJTK86Z5
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You've written the book, and found a publisher. But how do you find your readers? Our guest this week, Roger Corke, has taken a meticulous approach to building the promotion around his debut thriller, Deadly Protocol. With a successful career as a documentary maker and investigative journalist, Roger used his research skills to discover how best to promote his novel. Drawing on the advice and experience of a range of established authors, he has explored all avenues in creating a buzz around the book - building an extensive blog and podcast tour, tracking down elusive book reviewers from the print media, and creating a wide range of video content for various social media platforms. As Roger tells us in this wide-ranging interview, the onus is on authors to build their own audience, even if they have a supportive publisher. Roger also explains how a chance conversation with a British scientist led to the plot of the novel - who would benefit from the death of a scientist on the verge of curing cancer?
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca support a new initiative to connect BookTok stars with authors and publishers, and they reflect on how they coped when they lost WiFi for four days.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deadly-Protocol-Roger-Corke-ebook/dp/B0DFYBLBQ3
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We welcome back author and theatre-automation expert Jamie West to The Hobcast Book Show again this week. Jamie has just published his second novel, Murder at the Matinee, which reacquaints us with playwright and amateur sleuth Bertie Carroll, and glories in the setting of London's West End Theatreland in the 1930s. Bertie is intrigued when a newspaper advert predicts a death in Act 3 of a play in which there are no deaths expected. When a body is duly discovered, Bertie himself is not above suspicion. In this wide-ranging interview, Jamie explains how he's taken inspiration from promoting theatre shows to his book marketing, and how he now believes that authors would help themselves by taking time to build interest in their work long before publication date.
Also this week, with distribution outlets for independent publishers becoming more challenging to find in the UK, how are they coping? And Adrian and Rebecca discuss the importance of fact-checking everything before a book goes to print.
Jamie West Author
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Matinee-golden-age-theatrical-Thorogood-ebook/dp/B0CYT7WQC5
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It's always lovely to catch up with our guests on The Hobcast Book Show. We first spoke to author J.M. Simpson on episode #103, and eighty-seven episodes later she's back to discuss how Jo has developed her existing Castleby series, but how she's also poised to launch a new crime series based in the Highlands of Scotland and a mountain rescue team that operates there. We discuss how Jo's established audience has influenced the direction of her work, and we look at the challenges of balancing a busy day-to-day life with the demands of being an indie author.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca run through the newly published Top 10 list of Kindle authors in the UK. Six on the list are crime authors, and three have been guests on this podcast!
J.M. Simpson | Author of drama and suspense novels (jmsimpsonauthor.co.uk)
Buy the Castleby series by J.M. Simpson here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-State-Castleby-Book-1-ebook/dp/B09L6W5XJL
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We're heading back to Belfast for the second time in three episodes of The Hobcast Book Show to meet author James Murphy. James is the author of the Terror Trilogy crime series which follow the adventures of Mark Shaw, who inherits Farset Investigations based in the Falls Road. As James tells us, he draws heavily on his memories of growing up in the West Belfast area. His new series will be published by Spellbound next year. James is also a creative writing tutor, both in Belfast and at Liverpool's Edge Hill University. Remarkably, he became a head teacher at the age of just 28, and as he tells us, that challenging role has given him plenty of insights that feed his fiction. James has also presented his own crime podcast, as well as a weekly radio show, Crime Scene. This is a fascinating conversation.
Also this week, we answer a question posed by listener Hannah Bainbridge - should authors aid AI narration systems by offering clearer emotional prompts in their fiction? You perhaps won't be surprised by Adrian and Rebecca's reaction...
https://www.jamesmurphywriter.org/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/James-Murphy/author/B07W5JBWGK
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One half of The Hobcast Book Show team is a submarine obsessive. So imagine Adrian's delight when he learned that our guest this week, Russian author Valeriya Salt, shares that passion. Her debut novel, Dive Beyond Eternity, is a sci-fi adventure partly set on a German wartime Type 23 U-Boat which is discovered undamaged on the floor of the North Sea fifty years after the war ends. It's an intriguing premise, as the sub contains secret Nazi technology that threatens the future of the world. As Valeriya explains, her interest in submarines runs in the family - her mother served in Russia's Black Sea fleet. But how has Valeriya dealt with the challenges of writing a novel in English, her second language?
Also this week, we report on more efforts by the Society of Authors to hold the mega-tech companies to account over the use of copyrighted material in AI systems, and we celebrate the success of fellow UK indie publishers, Blue Moose Books.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dive-Beyond-Eternity-Sci-fi-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0CB78M7NM
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Just long would you be prepared to endure a difficult marriage? How many years of mind games could you take? That's the dilemma facing Laura in Alison Irving's debut novel, Casual Cruelties, which was published by Bloodhound Books last year. As Alison is keen to stress to us from her home near Belfast, she is not writing from personal experience, but she did conduct extensive research in creating the world of her characters. Her second novel, Her Best Friend's Husband has just been published, and again it delves into the hidden darkness that can be masked by the outward trappings of a happy marriage and family life. As Alison tells us, she's so fulfilled by her writing experiences that she's chosen to change direction in her life - from a physiotherapist working in palliative care in a hospice - to writing full time.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the revelations within a chart celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Sunday Times bestseller list. Which books spent most time in the top 10? The answers are quite surprising, and for fiction fans, not that encouraging!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casual-Cruelties-nail-biting-domestic-suspense-breathtaking-ebook/dp/B0CHMNHBRL
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Best-Friends-Husband-nail-biting-ebook/dp/B0D6RMNLP6
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There was a time, not so long ago, when the name Moss Side conjured up images of dystopian Manchester streets riddled with drug-related gang gun crime. The epicentre of 'Gunchester' in the 90s, the district was one of the toughest areas in the UK to police. Our guest this week, James Ellson did just that, and was responsible for serious crimes in the division, from shootings, robberies to suspicious deaths. Seeking a change of direction after his police career, James is now a smallholder in the Peak District, as well as a crime author. Drawing on his passion for Nepal where he has trekked extensively, James devised the DCI Castle series, which plunges Manchester-based DCI Rick Castle into a series of investigations in the Himalayan nation. As James tells us, it's a passion project, combining his front-line police experience with his love of Nepal and its people.
Also this week, we discuss how a Liverpool library was caught up in recent social unrest across the UK and the campaign to raise funds to replace the books destroyed in the subsequent fire, and we hear about the latest efforts to protect creative professionals and their incomes against the march of AI.
James Ellson – Writer, Smallholder, Speaker
DCI Castle Series - available here
Fundraiser by Alex McCormick : Books for Spellow Lane (gofundme.com)
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When it comes down to it, The Hobcast Book Show is above all else a celebration of storytelling. Our guest this week, Tim Sullivan, has been a storyteller his whole career - beginning with theatre productions at Cambridge University, making short films, working throughout the Granada TV empire in all departments including news and drama, and becoming a director of shows such as Coronation Street, Cold Feet and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. Tim has directed and written films too, working with legendary figures such as Judi Dench, Alec Guinness and Eileen Atkins. He's written big-budget Hollywood animation movies, and most recently he's turned to crime fiction and the DS Cross Crime series, set in Bristol. As Tim tells us, he's proud of how George Cross has been received by readers, particularly those in the autism community. Tim spent many months research into autism before creating his lead detective, who he describes as being rude, awkward and difficult with people, but also a champion of the voiceless and dispossessed, with the best conviction record on the force. The most recent novel in the series, The Teacher, was released earlier this year. This interview is a celebration of storytelling in all its forms.
Also this week, we learn which genres dominate sales on Amazon in the UK, and Adrian reveals the impact that a new audiobook project on the Titanic disaster is having on him.
Home - Tim Sullivan
The Teacher: A brand new case full of twists for the unforgettable must-read detective in 2024 (A DS Cross Thriller) eBook : Sullivan, Tim: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
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There seems to be a theme emerging on The Hobcast Book Show. Iet's amazing how many guests begin their literary careers in comics and graphic novels. That's certainly the case for our guest this week, D.V. Bishop. David was the youngest editor ever of the celebrated 2000 AD comic. As he explains, many of the lessons he learned from that experience have given him advantages as a novelist and creative writing course leader. Author of the Historical Dagger-winning Cesare Aldo series of historical crime novels set in Renaissance Florence, David's evocative recreation of the city at its height in the 16th century has gained him many admirers. As he explains in this illuminating interview, his passion for literature was forged in his New Zealand upbringing - where finding books to read involved a lengthy bike ride to access the mobile library service once a week.
Also this week, we look ahead to the release of two new Hobeck audiobooks, and we debate some of the 3200 new words added to the Cambridge Dictionary. Just what is a "face journey"?
D. V. BISHOP (dvbishop.com)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CKXN9W6S
Bodies in the Water Audiobook: https://open.spotify.com/show/2zPQ27dQcCWbRAKOJaxloG?si=zkWTF7icTlOB_2RtHQ8bgA
Blood Notes Audiobook: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QREmjP90mjN7A4sQ47dJc?si=chp1InqCSk-JUinSwjNIig
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There can't be many authors who haven't dipped into the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook at least once in their career. First published in 1906, the 2025 edition came out last week. It's the go to reference guide for the UK publishing industry, with comprehensive listings of all the agents, publishers, periodicals, newspapers, awards and festivals that make up the British publishing scene. But as yearbook editor, Alysoun Owen, tells us - the book is far more than that. Each year she commissions articles and essays from leading authors and industry figures shining a light on the key developments within the industry - whether it be the growth of independent publishing or the influence of new technology and AI. It's a huge challenge for Alysoun and her team to reflect all the changes within publishing and illustration each year, but the yearbook has retained it's reputation as the most trusted chronicle of the evolution of the industry over the 118 years since it was first published. It's a fascinating insight into what it takes to keep this great institution fresh and relevant.
Also this week, we discuss the shock felt by some academics that their work has been licensed to Microsoft AI by their publisher without consulting them, and we reflect on our feelings at missing this year's Harrogate festival.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Writers-Artists-Yearbook-2025/dp/1399411780
Alysoun Owen Consulting
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On this week's Hobcast Book Show, we talk to our latest Hobeck Books author, David Jarvis about his new thriller - The Violin and Candlestick, and about how a career as an internationally-renowned strategic planner has fueled this latest novel in the Mike Kingdom series. Michaela 'Mike' Kingdom is a former desk-bound CIA analyst who becomes a reluctant freelance field agent thanks to the machinations of her former boss, Leonard De Vries. In this third adventure, Mike finds herself investigating the death of a leading Canadian billionaire who's made his fortune supplying the building boom across the Gulf states, but who's been living a secretive double life. As David explains, he draws heavily on his personal experience of the hidden parts of the Gulf that tourists never see, as well as his understanding of the power-dynamics at play in this fascinating region.
Also this week, Adrian reveals the personal impact that a major UK crime story had on him this week, and Rebecca prepares herself to chair her first meeting as a 'boss'...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Violin-Candlestick-Mike-Kingdom-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B0D54FBVK8
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Who knew that the innocent looking Foxglove at the bottom of the garden could kill you? Or could your Peace Lily be trying to poison you? Our guest this week, author Jill Johnson, has drawn on her knowledge from her degree in Ornamental Horticulture and wider passion for plants to create her Eustacia Rose mystery series. Eustacia is the putative professor of Botanical Toxicology at University College London, and her expertise in the poisonous qualities of various plants draws her into becoming an amateur sleuth. Jill's first novel, Devil's Breath was featured on BBC2's Between the Covers review show, and her second book in the series, Hell's Bells is published on 11th July 2024. But Jill's literary roots, (awful pun, we know) are deep - she opened London's leading comic-book store Gosh! comics shortly after arriving in the UK. This is a fascinating interview in which Jill reveals although she writes crime novels, she's not read many other books in the genre. Does that hold her back?
Also this week, what will the UK general election result mean for publishing? And how are UK book festivals doing to bridge the funding gap caused by the withdrawal of support by controversial investment management firm, Baillie Gifford?
Jill Johnson – Author of Devil's Breath & The Time Before The Time To Come (jilljohnsonwrites.com)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CJ2YHCXQ
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CC4YW9M9
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