Australian release date for DMD

News just in...

It looks like readers in Australia may get the first inhalation of Dead Men's Dust. The rumour is that Hachette Australia are planning on an April 23rd release date.

More news to follow as this is confirmed.

UK to be hit by Dust Storm

Hodder has announced that they are about to launch its "biggest fiction launch of 2009" with none other than Dead Men's Dust by Matt Hilton.

Most of you that have been following this blog know the basic premise, but Hodder editor Sue Fletcher said: "He's (Joe Hunter) a great action hero, he fights all the bad guys and is physically very fit. It (Dead Men's Dust) is a total page turner."

Hodder will focus its marketing on national lines, encompassing advertising on the London Underground posters, integrated ads in men's magazines and a major on-line campaign. The official website www.joehuntervigilante.com has already been launched, including a 'shoot 'em up' game and book trailer.

I will be a guest on Radio 4 "Open Book" and will appear at festivals including Harrogate Crime Writing festival, Crimefest in Bristol and Thrillerfest in New York.

Dead Men's Dust - the first of a five part series - is released in hardback in the UK on 14th May 2009 with the paperback edition published in October 2009 to coincide with the second hardback Judgement and Wrath.

Sue Fletcher said my books would appeal to readers of thriller writer Lee Child, who has had 13 novels published in his Jack Reacher series by Bantam.

To have my name mentioned in the same line as Lee's is a great honour.

The book you have to read

This is an article I did for The Rap Sheet about forgotten book WAR AGAINST THE MAFIA the first in Don Pendleton's Executioner: Mack Bolan series. Anyone who knows Mack might recognise his influence on me as a writer.

http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2009/03/book-you-have-to-read-war-against-mafia.html

Thanks to J. Kingston Pierce for allowing me to submit my piece.

Joe Hunter is Big Down Under - Ooh-er, missus!

Just thought that I'd share this review with you all, written by Todd Griffiths, an influential publisher from Hachette Australia.


I'm about twenty pages shy of finishing Dead Men’s Dust and I’m loving it. It’s about a thousand times better than I expected from past dabbles in the genre. Joe is a complex three dimensional character and the way Hilton explores the subtle but crucial differences between a sociopathic killer who has killed many with pleasure and a conscience ridden soldier who has killed even more but with a troubled moral self is nuanced and insightful in a way that belies the brief brutal bursts of “Bourne...” movie violence that punctuate the book. I can’t imagine someone could read a book in this genre after reading this and not find “Dead Men’s Dust” a superior book in every important way.
Regards,
Todd Griffiths
Hachette Australia


My whole-hearted thanks go to Todd for his inspiring words.

Update on Book Three

For those of you who have been following my on-going trials and tribulations, my highs and lows, my joy at being a soon to be published author, you'll be pleased to hear that I have finally delivered the completed manuscript of book three to my UK publisher, Hodder and Stoughton. We're at the stage of producing page proofs on the book - Slash and Burn - as we speak. Those of you that are already aware that I have had to undergo revisions of the book may be bored with this line, but my purpose is to remind budding authors how much hard work is really involved. But hey, the pay off is definitely worth the trouble. I'm indebted to all those who have helped me turn out a book worthy to follow Dead Men's Dust and Judgement and Wrath. Luigi, Alison, Sue, Swati and Alice, thank you all.

For those of you following this blog from an American perspective, rest assured that the work has been equally influenced by my US publishers, and I will be doing further re-writes in line with my editor, David, to get the books just right for the market at your end.

Hope you all enjoy the books as much as I enjoy creating them for you.

In the meantime: onwards and upwards with book 4. I'm forging ahead with the rough draft as we speak. It promises to be a thriller.

Col Bury at A Twist Of Noir

Budding crime novelist - and regular commentator here at this blog - Col Bury has had a short story 'Domestic Hated' featured over at crime/noir site A TWIST OF NOIR, where you will find other writers and some truly great short stories. Col is also a regular contributor (and now co-editor) to Thrillers, Killers 'N' Chillers, the blog site I set up where budding crime/thriller/suspense/horror writers can showcase their short work and flash fiction.

http://a-twist-of-noir.blogspot.com
http://thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com

New Look US Cover with Chris Reich Endorsement