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The Hobcast Book Show
184: Renaissance Florence meets Judge Dredd - with D.V. Bishop
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"?
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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190: Writing that tricky second series - with J. M. Simpson
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01:23:13|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/B0CHMNHBRLhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Best-Friends-Husband-nail-biting-ebook/dp/B0D6RMNLP6186: Pursuing your passions - with James Ellson
01:21:33|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, SpeakerDCI Castle Series - available hereFundraiser by Alex McCormick : Books for Spellow Lane (gofundme.com)185: From Chariots & Cold Feet to the DS Cross crime series - with Tim Sullivan
01:24:28|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 SullivanThe 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 Store183: The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook - with Alysoun Owen
01:25:07|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/1399411780Alysoun Owen Consulting182: Writing a modern thriller - with David Jarvis
01:22:24|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