Book Launch 17th Feb 2011

Joe Hunter 5 Live!

There has been a little confusion over the publication date of Joe Hunter 5 - Blood and Ashes - and with it a little to-ing and fro-ing as I've attempted to re-juggle the date and the events surrounding it.

As you might recall it was originally slated for release today, but marketing decisions put back publication until the 17th February. Well, it appears that other marketing decisions have been made and the publication shoved forward again until TODAY.

Yes. Blood and Ashes is now available on general sale throughout the UK!!

So, all you good people who have been waiting for Joe's next high-octane thriller, it's out there now just waiting for you to go grab a copy.

Sorry about the confusion, but it was a situation totally out of my hands. Because I was under the impression it was still a full fortnight away, I have booked a venue for the book launch, and it will still go ahead on Thursday 17th February as planned. For anyone coming along it starts 7 pm at The Merienda, Treasury Court, Carlisle.

OUT NOW IN THE UK
Hardback edition from Hodder and Stoughton

CUT AND RUN - THE LAUNCH PARTY

I would like to thank everyone who turned up at last night's launch of the fourth high octane Joe Hunter book - CUT AND RUN - and for making it such an enjoyable event for me. I'd also like to thank Catherine and Steve of the New Bookshop in Cockermouth for hosting the event, and also Leni and Jack for the behind the scenes work to ensure everything went smoothly.

Here is a short gallery of pics from the event. Thanks to Mike Faulkner for his sterling efforts.

The latest news...

For those of you who don't know where I've been the past couple of weeks, I was in Gran Canaria on a badly timed annual holiday. This came about having booked a family vacation but then having the publication date of CUT AND RUN moved forward to mid-August. I've been on pins while also trying to enjoy my hols, hoping that CUT AND RUN will go OK due to the staggered dates that the book has been/will be launched on. The official publication date was 19th August and the book is now on general sale in the UK (sorry but it will be 1st October for my friends out in OZ and NZ) although I'm not officially 'launching' the book until 7.30 pm this Friday (27th) at the newly restored New Bookshop, in Cockermouth. I chose the New Bookshop, as it has recently risen anew from the devastating floods that raged through the town last November and also took the life of an ex-colleague of mine when a bridge he was directing members of the public off collapsed. I have blogged about the floods in the past and there are also some horrific photographs of when the waters raged through the bookshop. I'm happy to say that the new shop is beautiful. I hope some of my friends will come along.

In my 'hometown' of Carlisle I'll be doing a signing session at 12.30 on Saturday 4th September at my usual location of Waterstones on Scotch Street. Hopefully some of my readers will hold off purchasing copies of the book until then (so it isn't a complete washout), but if you feel you really must and can't wait (fingers crossed) the book is already on sale in the neighbouring Bookends, and at the supermarkets.

I look forward to seeing you along the way.

For my USA launch of JUDGMENT AND WRATH, alas I can't make it across until Bouchercon in October, however, if you're an early riser, you can hear me talk live this coming Friday 27th at 6.45 AM EST on Dr. Alvin Augustus Jones' show from the Paradise Radio Network.

Cut and Run launch - Update and extra date for your diary

I will be holding an official launch for the fourth Joe Hunter thriller - CUT and RUN - 7.30 pm on Friday 27th August 2010  at:

The New Bookshop
42-44 Main Street,
Cockermouth,
Cumbria
UK

It will be a more intimate affair than the launches I've held previously, but will include a short talk, Q and A and 'crime quiz' where you can win a signed edition of a Joe Hunter book of your choice - including the brand new hardback.

I look forward to seeing you all there.

As an adendum, The new Bookshop was severely damaged in last November's floods and only recently reopened, fully refurbished and looking beautiful (see a previous entry at this blog for phototas of the devastation). Even if you can't make it on the night and you are a book lover, it's worth having a trip out there.

And don't forget I'll be at Guisborough bookshop, 7pm Wednesday 1st Sept and at Whitby bookshop at 7pm Thursday 2nd Sept and then will be doing a signing session between 12.30 and 2 pm at Waterstones, Scotch Street, carlisle on Saturday 4th September.

SLASH AND BURN BOOK LAUNCH 31/03/2010

Hi all,
I can now confirm that the official launch of Joe Hunter 3 - SLASH AND BURN - is scheduled for Wednesday 31st March 2010, at Waterstone's book shop, Scotch Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, and I extend an open invitation to all who want to attend.

This is your opportunity to get your first edition copies personally signed by yours truly, a day before the books go on general sale.

The more the merrier folks, tell all your friends

Matt

Judgement and Wrath - The launch

Last night saw me officially launch Judgement and Wrath in hardback in the UK.

The event took place at Waterstone's bookshop, Scotch Street, Carlisle where i was again joined by a large group of well-wishers and new fans alike.

On my first launch more than 200 people turned up, but on that occasion many of them were extended family members, friends, old work colleagues etc, and it differed slightly this time in that those attending were 'readers' of my Joe Hunter thrillers.

It was a superb night and it ran very smoothly. I did a short talk, expalining the background of Joe Hunter and briefly introduced the new book. That was then followed by a reading from the prologue of Judgement and Wrath, choosing to cut off at a dramatic moment to keep the crowd waiting for more. It worked; my closing of the book was greeted by many aawks! and aarghs! and open mouths. Cool.

There then followed a Q&A, which soon got the crowd involved and asking questions about my books and the writing process I took from childhood to published author. Sometimes these questions can force you to recall facts from the old days that you'd forgotten about and I learned a thing or two about myself, and I'm sure that the crowd did too.

The night was then offered over to the crowd to have their copies of JAW personalised and signed. Again I had a steady stream of fans waiting patiently for their turn. It was a really nice event where I had more time to spend with each person, and can remember most of the people I spoke to this time. This was despite still suffering heavily from jet-lag and the lingering effects of flu.

Attending the event as a friend and special guest was fellow author Sheila Quigley. Sheila travelled over from the North-East to support me, and it's only apt that I reciprocate. Sheila is holding a launch party for her next book - ROAD TO HELL - 7 pm on November 5th at the Masonic hall, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. I'll be there.

It was another succesful event, and the enthusiasm of Joe Hunter's new fans was a real buzz to experience.

Thanks to everyone that came, thanks also to those who wanted to come but couldn't, thanks also to those who couldn't come but bought the book, thanks to those who are going to buy the book...I think you get the idea, huh?

The Book Launch - how it went.

Things have been a little crazy in the past week and I thought it was probably about time I got round to writing a short piece on the book launch that took place last Wednesday evening at Waterstone's in Carlisle.

Basically it exceeded all expectations with - at one point - more than three hundred attendees. I was a little awestruck by the volume of friends, family, well-wishers and readers who turned out to help celebrate the launch of Dead Men's Dust. Looking out from my little enclave, surrounded by books, there was a sea of faces looking back at me. The emotion in my voice wasn't feigned - very genuine and heartfelt, it was. Demand for the book was amazing, and the 120 copies I had to hand sold out in no time, with another 50 ordered. That was stunning. And I want to thank all those who kindly elected to wait to pick up their copies to allow those who'd travelled to get theirs first. What an amazing group of people. Thanks to you all.

I went back in to Waterstone's on Tuesday to sign and dedicate all the books that were ordered, so if you haven't picked yours up yet, they're there waiting for you. While I was in store, another six copies went to readers approaching me while I laboured away at a table in Costa. What a great feeling that was - being approached by people who had no vested interest in me, only a joy of reading.

Unfortunately, and even though I took along my camera, I was so carried along with the event that I forgot to snap any pics. Others did, so when these become available to me I'll post them here.

Thanks to everyone for attending - without you it would have been a pretty quiet affair.


Keep on keeping on folks!
Matt

Eight days to UK book launch

It's only eight days to the UK launch of my debut novel, Dead Men's Dust, and the nerves are starting to kick in big style. Less than a week later the book will also be on the stands in the USA.

The UK launch is taking place in front of friends and family at Waterstone's bookshop in Carlisle, the city where I grew up. I think that's about the most nerve racking thing of all. Friends and family aren't afraid to heckle!

The official UK launch takes place the next day in London, then I'm off to Crimefest. If anyone's going I look forward to seeing you there. I hope also that some of you have had the opportunity to read my book before then.

OK, request time: if you've read the book and enjoyed it, please put a review on Amazon.com for me. There are some wonderful reviewers out there (Pat, Gina, Harriet, JV etc) who have kindly spread the word by way of blogs and sites, but a few more good un's wouldn't do any harm.

Anyway, now that that is off my chest, I want to once again thank all those people who have joined me on my journey towards publication, and I really hope you like the adventures of Joe Hunter.

Keep on keeping on folks
Matt

Would you believe it? Less than four weeks!

This is just a less than subtle reminder that it is now less than four weeks until the publication of Dead Men's Dust. The official launch date for the UK is Thursday 14th May 2009, but I am holding an 'unofficial pre-launch' at Waterstone's in Carlisle, Cumbria the evening before.

The book can now be pre-ordered from most booksellers.

Anyone purchasing a copy of the hardback on the night of the launch can have it personally signed for them.

Suddenly reality hits!

This is a window display at Waterstone's in Carlisle advertising my pending book launch on 13th may 2009.
Suddenly the reality of the book being published has set in.