The Hobcast Book Show

102: Voodoo dolls and Victorian Asylums - with Sally-Anne Martyn

We often take a trip to the dark side on The Hobcast Book Show. It comes with the territory of being crime publishers after all. But this week's episode is darker than most, as we meet Sally-Anne Martyn who admits to developing a love and fascination of horror and the paranormal from childhood. It's that background that fueled her debut novel for Joffe Books, The Clinic which was published in October, as well as the experience of working in one of the UK's fabled and feared Victorian-built asylums shortly before they were all closed and sold off. 
Also this week, we discuss changes at Penguin Random House, and how the UK postal strike is creating issues for publishers. 
Sally-Anne Martyn | Author of Dark Thriller Book 'The Clinic' (sallyannemartyn.com)

101: Last Tango In Halifax - with Matthew Smith

The 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 in author incomes, Adrian and Rebecca ask if there's anything that can be done to help writers make a living from their work?
Home - Exprimez

100: The 100th episode special - with Elly Griffiths

Well, 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 Griffiths
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bleeding-Heart-Yard-Breathtaking-Galloways-ebook/dp/B09KMYJ4YY

99: The power of editing - with Rebecca Millar

When 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 both established authors and first-time writers to deliver their best work.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca breathe a sigh of relief that Amazon have finally published The Un Family by Linda Huber after two weeks of stress, and they reveal the identity of the special guest of the 100th episode of the podcast next week.
Rebecca Millar Editorial – Fiction developmental and line editor and proofreader specialising in crime, thriller and suspense

98: Thrillers, Travel and Giant Kelp - with Lucy Hooft

Our 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 many exciting and challenging countries, but together with Daniel is now involved in Kelp Blue, a company focusing on harnessing the benefits of Giant Kelp forests - which could play a major role in solving many of the world's environmental issues. Writing is all part of the mix for Lucy, who describes herself as a "juggler". She has to be with three young children to look after whilst launching a new school in the local area. 
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca reflect on a tough week both in the Hobeck office and outside, and yet more issues with the Amazon beast ... 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kings-Pawn-Sarah-Black/dp/1912946300
Spy Fiction | Lucy Hooft

97: A launch pad to literary success - with Maureen Myant

The Hobcast Book Show had the delightful opportunity to attend the book launch for The Confession by Hobeck Books author, Maureen Myant in Glasgow this week. Believe it or not, it's the first time we've attended a physical book launch since we launched the company. The novel is a fantastically twisty noirish thriller with a great premise: Julie Campbell's decaying body is discovered with a note - confessing to five murders. The issue is, none of the victims is dead - yet ...  It's a great novel, full of human frailty and vanity, and demonstrating Maureen's depth of understanding of people drawn from a career as a clinical psychologist. So, join us as we take you to the book launch itself, and a special tour of one of the key locations for The Confession.
Also this week, we discuss how a computer glitch at Amazon has created issues for us at Hobeck Books, and how Harper Collins is the latest publisher to report a significant drop in sales.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Confession-Maureen-Myant-ebook/dp/B0BKGV6N88

96: Fighting back - with Cat Yaffe

We've met many remarkable people over the past three years since we decided to set up Hobeck Books, but few are as inspiring as our guest this week, Cat Yaffe. We discovered each other online, and then met in person at Crimefest '22 in Bristol last May. It was Cat's first public foray during her battle with breast cancer, and as she explains to us, the period since that first meeting has been a process of regaining her confidence - both mental and physical. Cat is the author of the DI Ziggy Thorne series, with her latest novel When We Deceive, due out in March next year. As Cat tells us, she's dealt with multiple setbacks while she's pursued her writing dream, but has approached it all with the same fierce determination that drove her to build a successful digital marketing business. This is an inspiring interview.
Also this week, we discuss the latest changes at Twitter since Elon Musk's takeover, and we look at the six titles up for the infamous award for weirdest book title of the year.
Home - Catherine Yaffe

95: Untold history - the power of forgotten stories - with Kate Mosse

Kate 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 the most influential authors of our time.
Also, this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss how economic factors are hitting the big tech players like Amazon and Facebook, and how that could impact on the publishing industry.
https://www.katemosse.co.uk/
Labyrinth (katemosse.co.uk)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Warrior-Queens-Quiet-Revolutionaries-Women-ebook/dp/B0B252P4TJ

94: From the stage to the page - with Greg Mosse

There'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 novel, The Coming Darkness released by Moonflower Publishing next month. He also describes himself as am "encourager of writers," and runs a brilliant project with the Criterion Theatre in London to discover new writing talent. 
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss how 'Super Thursday' was not quite the bonanza that independent bookshops hoped, and Rebecca reflects on how starting a new diet can have unexpected consequences.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Darkness-Greg-Mosse/dp/1919618759
Greg Mosse
Moonflower Publishing - A commercial publisher with an indie heart (moonflowerbooks.co.uk)

93: The serious business of comics - with Charles Martin and Jerry Bennett

It'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 fascinating insight into the art of comic book creation - how do you marry so few words with images to convey the story?
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca report back from the wonderful Fatal Shore crime day in Shoreham near Brighton, and discuss further worrying news from the U.S that book sales are falling.
Literati Press Comics & Novels (literatipressok.com)