Episodes
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We're delighted to be joined again by our guest, Julie Anderson this week, as we celebrate the launch of her new novel for Hobeck Books, The Midnight Man. Set in post-war Clapham, the book introduces us to two very different women, Elly and Fay, who become an unlikely sleuthing duo following a chance meeting in the cafeteria of the South London Hospital for Women and Children. It was a remarkable institution - created by two pioneering women surgeons who themselves fought the male-dominated Establishment to found the hospital in 1912. It's the perfect setting for this atmospheric thriller, and as Julie tells us, recreating the world of this long-closed hospital where for most of its history all the staff, from surgeons to porters, were women, has been an epic labour of love. It's a remarkable novel.
Also this week, we examine this year's long list for the coveted Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024 and ask, are we right in imagining the same authors are nominated every year? And just how open are independent bookshops to stocking independently published fiction?
Julie Anderson – Writer and author (julieandersonwriter.com)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Midnight-Man-FLEMING-ASSOCIATION-LONGLISTED-ebook/dp/B0CY2M5BMQ
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We had the pleasure back in February 2024 to appear on The Secret Circle podcast discussing the challenges of running a small publishing house in the current marketplace. This week, we have the pleasure of returning the invitation to the show's host, Dr Luke Deckard. Luke is an author with a deep passion for noir, both written and film, and is a creative writing mentor at the University of Westminster. He holds a Masters and now a PhD in Creative Writing from Kingston University, achievements all the more remarkable as Luke has dyslexia. So how has he navigated the issues that being dyslexic has posed in his journey into the world of writing and literature? It's a fascinating interview.
Also this week, the UK publishing industry is gearing up for its award season, with long lists announced for both the National Book Awards and the Crime Writer's Association Daggers. Are Adrian and Rebecca impressed with the choices? Not entirely...
DR Luke Deckard
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There are so many challenges that publishers face as it is, so is it possible to also tackle the environmental impact of creating books too? Our guest this week, Stuart Debar of UK independent press, SRL Publishing, believes it is. In fact, he argues that publishers have a duty to publish in as sustainably as they can, from choice of paper stock for their print copies, planting trees to offset those felled to create that paper, or paying close attention to the chemicals used in the printing process. As Stuart tells us, this focus on sustainable publishing developed gradually as SRL grew in recent years, and now the company is recognised as the world's first Climate Positive publisher. There's so much to learn from this fascinating interview.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca again discuss the march of A.I in publishing, with a recent survey revealing that one third of translators say that they've lost work to A.I systems in the past year.
SRL Publishing
(27) 🌳 Stuart Debar | LinkedIn
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Why become an independent publisher? It can't be the hours? Or the pay. So what motivates people to enter the industry? That's a question we put to our guest this week, Joe Chadwick, author and creator of Essex-based micro-publisher Crescent Swan Publishing. Joe set up the company in order to publish his first novel, The Briarmen in 2021, and with that experience behind him, he signed his first author, Tim Franks, who appeared on this podcast recently. Joe says he, like many other small publishers, is still learning as he goes, but he's determined to build his imprint steadily in the coming years. This is an interview where Joe's passion for books shines through.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca question whether it's right for celebrities to write new books in the Roald Dahl world, and we debate the reaction to the cancellation of a major Scottish literary when a grant application was turned down by Creative Scotland.
Independent Publishing | Crescent Swan Publishing
The Briarmen: A fairy-tale for adults: Amazon.co.uk: Chadwick, Joseph A.: 9781838308407: Books
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We're heading Stateside again this week on The Hobcast Book Show to meet our guest, C McGee. By day, he's Professor Caleb Husmann, teaching political science at William Peace University in North Carolina, and by night he's C McGee, author of satirical mystery, Owen O'Shea - Stay-At-Home Dad, Wannabe Detective. As Caleb explains to us, once his dreams of becoming a professional soccer player ended, he needed a new challenge, one that took him way outside his comfort zone. That was writing. He also explains how challenging it can be to hold the attention of his students in a world of electronic distractions. It's a great interview.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the disturbing findings of a UK publishing industry survey that suggests that 97% of respondents had suffered from burnout, and they explain how April 1st 2024 will go down in publishing history with the launch of their new AI service - CAT GPT!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Owen-OShea-Stay-At-Home-Wannabe-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CPBKPN2B
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Would you ever consider writing a chapter from the perspective of an octopus? Our guest this week, New York-based author Tim Maleeny certainly has, but as he explains in this episode of The Hobcast Book Show, he'll consider anything if it entertains his readers. Tim is the author of the Cape Weathers Mysteries series; the latest novel Hanging the Devil was published in 2023, and deals with the murky world of international art dealing. Described by NY Times bestselling-author Gregg Hurwitz as: "A caper stuffed with comedy and crime...equal parts adrenaline and heart," - it's perhaps no surprise that our interview with Tim is also an entertaining thrill ride.
Also this week, where do publishers turn when their distributor pulls the plug? And we hear about the latest moves to ensure A.I systems are kept honest.
Author Tim Maleeny
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0C7F6TN6N
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It's been something of a mad week for us at The Hobcast Book Show. We've been on the road with our annual visit to the London Book Fair at Olympia, and spent two days in Dorset discussing books with bestselling author Rachel Maclean. Somehow we've also found time to speak to Hobeck Books author Stacey Murray ahead of the release of her first novel for us, the brilliant psychological thriller The Thief of Joy. Stacey sets her story in Buxton and the surrounding hills and valleys of the Peak District, where our protagonist Roz veers from one bad decision to another in her desire to have the life that everyone else around her seems to enjoy. We learn how Stacey's storytelling has been influenced by her experiences in commercial law and film-making, and she reveals what it was like to share a conversation with the late, great Sir Sean Connery.
Also this week, we digest the big news that emerged during LBF24, including big royalty changes promised by Audible to authors and narrators, and will new legislation in the United States to ban TikTok halt the BookTok juggernaut? Plus, we finally bring you a message from the now legendary, Mr Pineapple!
The Thief of Joy: A dark and twisty suspense novel about the dangers of comparing yourself to others eBook : Murray, Stacey: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
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We're thrilled to be joined again by one of the true stars of the UK independent crime fiction scene - JD Kirk. In the past few years he's developed a huge following for his work, especially the best-selling DCI Logan crime thriller series - with 19 books to date. His year to come looks busy, to say the least, with 5 novels scheduled and three screenplay adaptations of his romance series for a leading Hollywood studio. How does he do it? JD ascribes some of his writing speed to his inability to see images in his mind, instead he sees words. JD has also just released an online course for authors taking them through the steps that have made him a bestseller. This is an inspiring and insightful interview with one of the true stars of the UK crime writing scene.
Also this week, Rebecca explains how the wider publishing industry is going through a revolution called "The Freeze", and we celebrate the opening of a specialist crime fiction bookshop in York this week.
Home - JD Kirk - Scottish Crime Fiction Author
DCI Logan series: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RF9TYS8
JD's Bookstrapping course: Learn how to self-publish a book without blowing the bank (pagetopublished.com)
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It's perhaps not a thought widely shared, but we think that William Shakespeare is one of the English language's original crime authors. You don't have to look far into his canon for murder mysteries, whodunnits, revenge thrillers or even the odd domestic noir. The Bard has certainly proved an inspiration for our guest this week, author Guy Hale who releases the first novel in his latest series, this week. The Croaking Raven is set in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1972, where an embittered actor returns after fifteen years in the wilderness to begin a series of revenge killings against the people he holds responsible for the collapse of his on stage career. In this first book of The Shakespeare Murders trilogy, Hamlet provides the template for our murderous thespian Oliver Lawrence, and it's up to new Detective Constable Toby Marlowe and his grizzled senior partner DS Fred Williams to stop him. It's a rollicking ride. Guy also shares his secrets for building support within the independent bookshop community for his work, and how he's at the forefront of selling books direct to readers rather than relying on Amazon et al.
Also this week, Spotify are again in the news with another development in their controversial audiobook strategy, and we hear how a new publisher, Inkitt, is using AI to create new books tailored to meet market demand.
Guy Hale Author - Comeback Trail Series - Buy Direct Online
The Croaking Raven - Hardback Edition | Guy Hale
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Our guest this week on The Hobcast Book Show rarely takes no for an answer. Author, journalist and podcaster Paul Waters sees a 'no entry' sign as a challenge to be overcome rather than a deterrent. Take, for instance, how he produced the first live foreign radio show in communist Cuba by somehow smuggling in a satellite dish through the airport. And how many Hobcast guests can claim to have cooked a meal for Pele? Paul draws on his rich and widely-traveled life and career in his fiction. His first book, Blackwatertown, a historical crime novel set in 1950's Armagh has attracted praise from greats such as Peter May and Frederick Forsyth. With a new series out on submission, Paul reveals himself to be a natural storyteller, and someone determined to make the most from all life has to offer.
Also this week, we follow up on last week's furore about changes made by Findaway Voices by Spotify to their audiobook distribution contracts, with the UK's Society of Authors demanding further clarification. Plus we discuss the news that Richard Osman is launching a new crime series. Will this have the same impact on UK crime fiction that his Thursday Murder Club bestsellers did?
Paul Waters - Author (paulwatersauthor.com)
Blackwatertown: Amazon.co.uk: Paul Waters: 9781783529254: Books
We'd Like a Word – with Paul Waters and Stevyn Colgan (wedlikeaword.com)
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The world seems ever more divided and fractured at present, with discordant voices drowning out appeals for reason and peace. Our guest this week, author Miriam Halahmy, is an ardent campaigner for peace, particularly in the Middle East. Miriam is a prolific author of middle-grade and young adult fiction tackling difficult subjects such as the Holocaust, enforced migration and drug abuse. Her most recent book, A Boy From Bagdhad for instance tells the story of Salman, a 12 year old Iraqi Jew forced to flee Iraq for Israel in 1951. But the 'promised land' is anything but for Salman and his family, as the majority Ashkenazi jewish population treat his family as outsiders. It's a resonant and timely story of how perseverance, friendship and family can overcome hardship and prejudice.
Also this week, we discuss at length the latest controversial changes to contracts proposed by Findaway Voices and Spotify that have caused a storm of protest from publishers, authors and narrators, leading to a boycott of the platform and a subsequent repeal of some of the changes. We ask, can any creators trust Big Tech companies any more?
HOME - www.miriamhalahmy.com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boy-Baghdad-Miriam-Halahmy/dp/1784389900
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As authors, it's sometimes easy to lose track of how accessible our writing actually is. We often assume that whatever we write, as long as it makes sense and is grammatically correct, it will be easy to follow and enjoy. Our guest this week, author Tim Franks, begs to differ. As a former teacher working with the phonics system of teaching children to read, he recognised that many books written for that audience weren't as accessible and user-friendly as they should be. He contacted the Oxford University Press and urged them to look again at the way their school text books were written and structured. The result? Tim became a consultant and author for them, specialising in phonics for the Oxford Reading Tree programme. Now Tim has retired from education, he applies the same rigour to his fiction, and revises his books to make them as readable as possible. His first novel, Day of Long Shadows was published this month - a thriller set in the underworld of Sheffield.
Also this week, why are Gen Z readers being drawn back to physical books? And we hear how one publishing house is trying to create products to allow people with dementia to experience the joy of books once more.
Days of Long Shadows: A unique and unputdownable gritty Northern crime thriller eBook : Franks, Tim: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
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Since we began The Hobcast Book Show just over three years ago, we've spoken to a number of former police officers turned authors. All of them have fascinating stories to share, and valuable insights into how to mix the reality of policing with the need to tell a good story. Our interview with thriller author Roger A. Price follows that tradition. A former Detective Inspector, with a thirty-one police career and extensive experience running under cover operations, Roger has been a published author for a decade. His most recent novels,The D.S Martin Draker series are published by Sharpe Books. In this fascinating interview, we discuss what authors get right and get wrong about policing, and Roger shares his thoughts on how he judges if his books have the right balance of action, dialogue and exposition.
Also this week, does the EU's decision to regulate the way AI companies operate offer the publishing industry hope of being protected? And have Spotify really made a difference to author incomes since they offered 15 hours of free audiobooks a month to subscribers?
Unputdownable Books | Roger A. Price - Author | Preston (rogerapriceauthor.co.uk)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CKFK8Y9Q
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We first met our guest on this week's Hobcast Book Show at the London Book Fair in 2022, and we're delighted to have the chance to speak at length to Daniella Blechner, author and founder of Conscious Dreams Publishing. Daniella has dedicated the past few years to enabling a huge range of authors to bring their stories and ideas to print. For instance, there's 7 year-old Tiana-Rose-Akoy-Arrey, whose debut children's book, My Afro, Twin Best Friends, became an international media sensation. Or another Hobcast guest, Jasmine Beverley, author of The Unseen Veil, a powerful account of her abusive marriage. Daniella believes everyone has a story to tell - they just need the right guidance to help them tell it.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca lift the lid on the seedier side of BookTok, and share insights from the newly-formed Indie Press Network.
ABOUT – Conscious Dreams Publishing
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The appeal of the works of Jane Austen never diminishes. As each new TV or film adaptation comes out, so a new generation discovers the enduring magic of Austen's world, even two centuries after her death. Austen wrote six novels, with Pride and Prejudice her most celebrated. Our guest this week, Linda O'Byrne, has written six novels that take Austen's world twenty years into the future, each focusing on the lives of the young women from the next generation of the D'Arcy, Bennett and Wickham families - The Cousins of Pemberley series. Linda began writing them during the lockdown, inspired by a family member who wanted more Austen stories to enjoy. The sixth book in the series, Beth, is published on 26th January 2024. Linda's publishing and writing career is long and varied, and as she tells us her career as the fiction editor of several national magazines is proving more of a hindrance than a help, now she's writing novels full-time.
Also this week, we romance is on our minds as we discuss a new direction for Mills and Boon, and Adrian asks the question - are the major bookshop chains actually interested in selling books anymore?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beth-Cousins-Pemberley-Book-ebook/dp/B0CQFZXPPQ
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In a departure this week, Rebecca and Adrian discuss a recent article from Written Word Media predicting the 10 trends for publishing in 2024. It's set to be the year that generative AI takes a firm grip on the industry, creating fresh opportunities and challenges for everyone involved in the creative industries. Will reader tastes change as a result? Will the market become further saturated as AI speeds up the creative process? We take a look at how these trends might translate to running a small independent publishing house, and all the people we work with. Plus, we have some exciting domestic news to share...
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It's tempting to approach every new year with refreshed focus and aspirations, and we're no different here at The Hobcast Book Show. But let's be realistic. 2023 was a year of major upheaval in the creative industries with the growing impact of generative AI, combined with a cost of living crisis, and rising production costs. So can we look forward to a year of positive changes in 2024? Our guest this week is Derek Thompson, prolific author of the Thomas Bladen thriller series and the DS Wild Crime Mysteries for Joffe Books. He's also written comedy material for radio. As he tells us, it's challenging to predict where publishing is heading, and how authors will survive as changes sweep the industry.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss their plans for the year ahead for the show, and for their plans for their publishing company, Hobeck Books.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/COMPLETE-THOMAS-THRILLERS-gripping-thrillers-ebook/dp/B089KSMTF8
https://www.amazon.co.uk/COMPLETE-DETECTIVE-MYSTERIES-heart-pounding-mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CBKYV3WV
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Happy New Year from The Hobcast Book Show team. This week we pool the collective talents of three Hobeck Books authors to look in depth at police procedurals. Why do they remain enduringly popular? What are the challenges of remaining on top of the latest investigatory techniques and science? How do you ensure your writing remains credible but also engaging for the reader? To answer those questions we're joined by three brilliant Hobeck authors, Rachel Sargeant, Brian Price and Harry Fisher, who share their experience and insight into creating compelling police procedural fiction.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca ask what 2024 holds for independent publishing, and how new developments and technology will impact on their business at Hobeck Books.
Home - Harry Fisher Writer
Home | Brian Price Author
Welcome to the official website of author Rachel Sargeant
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To mark Christmas, we've brought together three wonderful Hobeck authors for a special festive edition of The Hobcast Book Show to discuss how humour and crime fiction can work together. Joining us are A B Morgan, Sue Shepherd, and Jennie Ensor, who've all wrestled with the conundrum of how to marry humour and murder together. What line do you have to dance as an author? Are there subjects that are taboo? How do you avoid upsetting your readers? Sit back and enjoy a mince pie, a tot of mulled wine and three great authors discussing their craft in this Christmas special.
Jennie Ensor's Author Website – Daring fiction – from crime to satire and everything in between
https://www.facebook.com/SueShepherdWrites
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/AB-Morgan/author/B075LJ66WM
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Among 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 Book Award winner for the suspense and thriller genre. It's a fascinating and thought-provoking interview.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the continuing march of AI generated narration for audiobooks, and note Queen Camilla's plans to enter the world of literary podcasting.
Home (helenmatthewswriter.com)
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