The Hobcast Book Show

Episode 42: Mastering historical crime fiction - with Abir Mukherjee

5000 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 impacting the independent publishing scene, and we reveal details of Hobeck Books upcoming charity anthology, The Dark Side of Christmas.

Episode 41 - Feeling the chills with Judi Daykin

Hallowe'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 pseudonym, and how digital publishing became the leading source of revenue for the industry as a whole.

Episode 40 - The Big Questions - with Olly Jarvis

Is 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 justice system creaking through over-work and under-funding. Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca debate if it's ever acceptable to ask Waterstones to display your book, and ask the biggest question of all - is Sir Michael Caine really retiring?

Episode 39: The power of publicity - with Angela McMahon

The 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 latest release, The Genesis Inquiry by Olly Jarvis, who joins us to introduce his brilliant novel, described by Stephen Fry as 'a real winner.' Also this week, Rebecca's voice is struggling, but we discuss big changes at Amazon, and Adrian pays tribute to an old friend, the late UK government minister, James Brokenshire.

Episode 38: Sunshine from Leith - with Harry Fisher

Every 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 ahead at all.

Episode 37: The real CSI - from SOCO to crime author with Kate Bendelow

Crime 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 interview that you won't want to miss. Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss how the cult of celebrity continues to dominate the UK book charts, and with a week left to submit your novel to Hobeck Books, Rebecca reveals how many authors have applied so far...

Episode 36: Bloody Scotland and Killer Bees - with guest, Tina Baker

Murder. 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 number one on the Amazon Kindle charts. Now out in paperback, Tina told Rebecca and Adrian how the three main characters are all extensions of parts of her own personality, and Tina also shared some of the secrets of a career reviewing soap operas for the likes of GMTV and BBC Five Live. **Warning - there is some adult language in this episode.

Episode 35: The science of crime fiction - with Brian Price

How often do you suspect that not everything you read in a crime novel is as accurate as possible? Alongside experts in policing, the legal system and forensics, Brian Price has established himself as one of the UK's leading consultants for authors who want to ensure the science of crime is correct. Brian's expertise is much sought after by some of the UK's leading authors, but now he's switching sides with the publication of his first novel, Fatal Trade, published by us at Hobeck Books. Released on Sept 14th, Fatal Trade starts with a first line so strong it won Brian an online competition, an achievement that inspired him persevere and write the rest of the novel! Also this week, we discuss supply problems in the UK publishing chain, and how a book signing could have cost one sport £40 million in lost income.

Episode 34: Mastering ads for authors - with Matthew J Holmes

Like 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. Also this week, we discuss how a review of copyright laws by the UK government could cost the industry millions, and Adrian shares his delight that a certain Swedish pop combo are back...

Episode 33: From Rom Com writer to suspense author with Sue Shepherd

Sue 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 Adrian tries to explain why he's so excited about developments at his beloved Manchester United.