Thrillerfest New York City

This year, I'm attending Thrillerfest in New York City.

There I hope to meet many friends I've made throughout the year and to catch up with some others I met at Bouchercon last year.

Thrillerfest looks like it's going to be a great event. By then my US edition of DMD (as well as the UK edition) will hopefully have been read by attendees and I'm really looking forward to any feedback. I believe I'm going to be on some panels there, but haven't had this confirmed yet. Update's as and when will be added to this blog.

Crimefest Bristol 14-17 May 2009

This year I'm attending Crimefest in Bristol where I will be appearing on panels. It would be lovely to speak to anyone there who are attending.

Day 1 coincides with the publication of the UK edition of my first book DEAD MEN'S DUST, so I guess it will be an exciting time for me.

USA release date confirmed

Howdy, the USA release date for Dead Men's Dust is confirmed as 19th May 2009. For any of my US readers you can follow this link to pre-oreder a copy from Harper Collins:
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061717147/Dead_Mens_Dust/index.aspx

DMD on Beattiesbookblog

http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/

My book also gets a mention here on the respected book review blog Beattiesbookblog. Why not take a look at the full article.

In the meantime, Mr Beattie said :

Crime/thriller writers tend to be especially prolific for some reason. Michael Connelly has two new titles on offer this year as do Janet Evanovich, Jonathan Kellerman and Ian Rankin who will be introducing readers to a brand new series to replace the retired Rebus. There will also be offerings from all the usual suspects; John Grisham, Jeffrey Deaver etc. and a book called Dead Men’s Dust about a vigilante hero from newcomer Matt Hilton who’s being heralded as the next big thing in thriller writing – think Lee Child crossed with Richard Patterson but better apparently.

Actually, on second viewing, I now realise that this story was taken from a piece by Nicky Pellegrino from The Herals On Sunday 4th january 2009, but it was still very nice of Mr. Beattie to include it in his blog.

The Times Online 31st December 2008

Entitled The Hottest Reads of 2009, Times correspondent Nicholas Clee picks some of the likely highlights in books for 2009.

This is what he said:

Among the debut novelists for whom publishers have high hopes are .... Matt Hilton, a policeman and martial arts expert who introduces his hero, Joe Hunter, in Dead Men's Dust.

To read the full story, follow the link below:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article5424893.ece

New Joe Hunter Shoot 'em Up game online

On the Free Stuff page at my website at www.matthiltonbooks.com you can now try your hand at the online shoot 'em up game developed by Hodder and Stoughton to coincide with the launch of my first book. Go to the link and click - but beware, simple it may be, but it's darn addictive!!
See if you can beat my personal top score of 14.

Welcome to the future

Is it me? When I was a lad (not really that long ago when compared to the age of the universe) I envisioned the year 2000 as the year when we'd be all wearing silver jump suits, flying around in hover cars and eating dehydrated food cubes that required only zapping in a machine (OKAY, so we do have them, they're called micro-noodles), and yet here we are all the way into 2009. I can't believe that we're in the future all ready. It's still very surreal. But I'm very, very happy. 2009 is the year that I will finally see publication of my first book. It seems like an age since I got the big YES from a publisher, and now I'm only four and a bit months away. The book comes out from Hodder on the 14th May. I don't have to add the year each time I write that now - fan-flipping-tastic! Only 19 weeks.

Something wicked this way comes.

Matt