The Hobcast Book Show

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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