The Hobcast Book Show Adrian Hobart

One of the joys of interviewing authors for The Hobcast Book Show is delving into the myriad ways they conduct research for their novels. Our guest this week, Liz Webb, is a great believer in immersing herself in a setting and finding inspiration from those experiences. So it was quite natural for Liz to take the plunge into the freezing waters on a remote 'slate' island off the west coast of Scotland to gain insights for her most recent novel, The Saved, which begins with a husband being resuscitated despite being clinically dead after drifting in the water following a boat accident. We also explore Liz's varied career - she spent ten years on the UK stand up comedy circuit, before becoming a radio drama producer with the BBC. This interview is a celebration of storytelling and making connections with the people and the world around us.
Also this week, we discuss the continuing impact of the campaign by pressure group Fossil Free Books as investment firm Baillie Gifford pull their support for a number of UK book festivals, and hear how some authors are alarmed that their Facebook ads have suddenly begun to spend far more than they budgeted for.
Liz Webb, Author. Order The Saved now!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Saved-Secrets-bodies-remote-Scottish-ebook/dp/B0C6FS7NMT

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Crime fiction is the most enduring genre in UK publishing, as well as the most popular. For over two hundred years, readers have had a love affair with whodunnits and murder mysteries, police procedurals and amateur sleuths. So what lies behind crime fictions eternal appeal? Who better to ask than our guest this week, Martin Edwards, who is recognised as the foremost authority on the history of British crime fiction. Martin is the president of the Detection Club, succeeding such legendary figues as G.K Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie. He's also a former chair of the Crime Writer's Association, a Diamond Dagger recipient and the author of dozens of novels and non-fiction works. His most recent books are Sepulchre Street, the fourth novel in the Rachel Savernake Golden Age mystery series, and award-winning non-fiction work, The Life of Crime - Detecting the History of Mysteries and their Creators. In this fascinating and wide-ranging interview, we ask what lies behind crime fiction's popularity and how has the genre changed to meet changing public taste?
Also this week, we ask how the once powerful Romance Writers of America organisation has collapsed into bankruptcy, and we discuss the challenge that arts festivals face as campaigners force the Edinburgh Literary Festival to become the latest event to sever links with a major sponsor over their links to fossil fuel companies.
Martin Edwards - Martin Edwards Books
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sepulchre-Street-Rachel-Savernake-Book-ebook/dp/B0B2FFJR12
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Crime-Detecting-Mysteries-Creators-ebook/dp/B09JB4GV7Q

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"Relax. The inspiration will come." That's the message for writers from our guest this week, novelist Orla Owen. The author of the critically acclaimed Christ on a Bike, Orla has learnt to trust in the writing process to solve problems she faces, whether it be a plot point or character development, or any other of the myriad puzzles that need solving during the creation of a novel. Orla is also a great believer in putting a manuscript aside and returning to it several months later. She finds that will help her to recognise any issues or flaws that need solving, and she also finds reading the work aloud a great help in improving the flow of the prose. This is an interview full of insight into the creative process and a deep dive into the writing craft.
Also this week, as a UK general election is called, Adrian and Rebecca reflect on the potential impact that an important piece of legislation that was passed last week may have on the way that publishing is impacted by the big digital companies such as Amazon and Facebook.
Orla Owen
Christ on a Bike | Bluemoose Books

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So much of publishing of the publishing process has been sped up by waves of digital technology over the past three or four decades, so it's rare to meet an author who believes in the creative power of putting pen to paper rather than slaving in front of the computer screen. For our guest, Jennifer Lee Thomson, the magic of writing longhand unlocks her creativity in a way that a word processor or typewriter never could. It may be a slower process, but it's one that's allowed Jennifer to write crime and zombie fiction as well as several self-help titles. Her most recent novel is Vigilante City, the third in her 'Detective in a Coma' crime series. Detective Inspector Duncan Waddell is assisted by his colleague DC Stevie Campbell, even though the latter is in a coma due to an injury in the line of duty. During this fascinating interview, Jennifer shares details of how her agoraphobia has impacted and even fueled her creative process.
Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the latest shockwaves being felt in digital marketing and ask - is advertising on Facebook worth it or just too much of a gamble?
https://diamondbooks.co.uk/authors/jennifer-lee-thomson
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vigilante-City-3-Detective-Coma/dp/1915649382

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It's only in the past few years that neurodiversity has entered the wider consciousness. For instance here at The Hobcast Book Show, we are both touched by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but we've only become aware of it recently. It helps explain our lifelong experience of feeling on the outside of society - never quite fitting in or being comfortable behaving as others would expect. It's simply not how our brains are wired or function. For authors, neurodiversity can present a range of challenges, not least trying to implement structure to their work or applying strategies for productivity drawn up for neurotypical writers. Our guest this week, author Amanda Marples, knows these challenges well: she is neurodiverse herself, and as a mental health professional she works as a mentor for students with a range of backgrounds and conditions. Drawing on her expertise and personal experience, Amanda has created a mentoring service for neurodivergent writers called Reconcile Creative, helping authors to overcome the hurdles they face and explore unconventional strategies to reach their goals. This is a fascinating, valuable and insightful interview.
Also this week, we discuss the shortlists for the UK crime writing 'Oscars' - the CWA Daggers, and look ahead to the release of our latest Hobeck Books title, Her Charming Man by Rachel Sargeant.
innercritic | Reconcile Creative M
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Charming-Gloucestershire-Crime-Book-ebook/dp/B0CY5ZFRR4

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We're always keen to explore where an author's inspiration comes from. What inspires that kernel of an idea that leads to a novel? In this week's episode we speak to Alison Stockham, who explains how the seeds for her recently published third novel, The New Girl, were sown some years ago after a conversation with a friend. As Alison explains, she's always had a gift for taking inspiration from overheard conversations, and that's one of the reasons she'll often be found in a Cambridge cafe both writing and picking up ideas for her writing. It's a strategy that clearly works, as Alison shares the news that she's now a full-time author.
Also this week, we reflect on the impact that this week's extraordinary general meeting of the Society of Authors has had, and we reveal the latest changes that Amazon have made to the way they run advertising for authors and publishers.
Alison Stockham-Author | Facebook
https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Girl-addictive-psychological-BESTSELLER-ebook/dp/B0CPBJRDLB

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