THE KILL CALL COUNTDOWN - DAY 8

The story of THE KILL CALL brings together several ideas I was interested in. In fact, that's the way it often works with a book. Ideas, places, and themes will float around in your head for years before a link between them emerges and a story comes together.

In this case, one of the subjects was fox hunting - a real hot potato in the UK, with extreme views on both sides. Some see it as a class issue, others as a conflict between town and country. Or maybe it's just a question of cruelty to animals? 

Anti-hunting legislation was introduced four years ago - but has it stopped fox hunting? Not at all. Active support for hunting has increased dramatically since the new law came in, and exemptions to the act have made policing it impossible. Hunt saboteurs who have spent decades trying to disrupt hunts now call themselves monitors, and carry video cameras. But violent confrontations still take place. The 'antis' will always be able to point to two young people who died for the cause.

To see a particularly shocking photo from the height of the protests against the Hunting Act, click here.

Given the area that I write about, the Derbyshire Peak District, it was inevitable that I'd tackle fox hunting some day. It makes great hunting country. But of course the Eden Valley Hunt, its master, the huntsman, and menacing hunt stewards are all fictional.

Oh, and some horse lovers might find parts of THE KILL CALL a bit disturbing. In some countries, you know, they eat horses...

* THE KILL CALL is currently the number 1 crime pre-order on The Book Depository, so I guess some readers have found the site. :)

The Book Depository

THE KILL CALL COUNTDOWN - DAY 9

Okay, you're right. The countdown was supposed to start on Day 10. It would have looked so much more professional and well-planned. But somehow Real Life got in the way, and before we knew it...

Anyway, the long awaited publication in the UK of the 9th Cooper & Fry novel THE KILL CALL is exactly nine days away, on 2nd April. Lucky that we managed to avoid the 1st and all those old jokes about April Fools Day.

Long awaited? Well, it's now 18 months since the publication of book 8, DYING TO SIN, which came out in September 2007. Up to then, I'd been dutifully producing a book a year regular as clockwork, just the way publishers like it. But 2008 was the first year without a new Cooper & Fry novel. You've no idea how many quizzical messages I got from readers wondering whether they'd missed a book, because they usually had one to take their on their summer holidays, and or to give to their Mum on her birthday. I started to feel really guilty.

So here it is, then. THE KILL CALL arrives in plenty of time for your summer hols. It's also in time for Father's Day. It's even in time to catch Easter, for goodness sake - and it's much better for you than all those chocolate eggs!

So what about the rest of the world, I here you cry. Well, according to HarperCollins Australia, THE KILL CALL is released Down Under on 1st April (I guess you don't have April Fools Day down there?). If I'm not wrong that means Australia actually gets this book first. So it seems we've come a long way since way since those wooden sailing ships took six months to get round the Cape of Good Hope. You'll be getting the internet next. *

HarperCollins Canada are a bit more cautious. They have THE KILL CALL scheduled for 15th May. You can't hurry a Canuck, eh? Got to wait until all the snow has gone, I suppose. **

With one exception, other parts of the English speaking world who get the HarperCollins titles will find THE KILL CALL drifting into their bookshops some time over the next couple of months, many of you apparently preferring the 'export' trade paperback editions to the lovely hardbacks that we get here in the UK.

The exception is, of course, the USA... Well, what can I say? There is no prospect of THE KILL CALL being published in the US. You Cooper & Fry fans across the pond might want to review your options. If you ask me, your best bet could be to move to the UK. Or to Canada, of course, if you have a good pair of snow boots. ***

Failing that, there are some good independent mystery bookstores in the States who will import a few copies, such as The Poisoned Pen in Arizona. And the internet is a great thing for book buyers. Many readers in the USA tell me they buy UK editions online from The Book Depository, which has the advantage of free worldwide shipping. As it happens, I'm currently a featured author on The Book Depository's website. and THE KILL CALL is one of their most popular pre-orders:

The Book Depository

Translations? Well, as usual, the reliable Swedes are quick off the mark, with the Swedish translation of THE KILL CALL due for publication this autumn from Minotaur. Most other countries are still catching up on the series.

And that's it for now. More news as the countdown continues!


Stephen


* a joke
** another joke
*** the same as the last joke

SEEN READING (2)

Now, I didn't actually see this one for myself, but here's a great example of a Cooper & Fry reader "seen reading". This photo was sent to me by Chuck, of New Jersey. Great choice of beach reading, by the way...

SEEN READING

It's one of those activities peculiar to authors, like googling your own name, or obsessively checking your Amazon sales ranking. I'm talking about spending your time riding the train or tube, while desperately hoping to see someone to reading your book. The same urge overtakes an author who finds himself in an airport lounge or on a long-haul flight, surrounded by people holding up copies of the latest John Grisham or 'The Da Vinci Code'. Surely someone, somewhere, must be reading one of my books?

Personally, I have never yet had the satisfaction of seeing one of my readers in action. But then, I shy away from travelling on the Tube like a man invited to enjoy the delights of Hell.

Now along comes Canadian blogger Julie Wilson with a fascinating project called 'Seen Reading'. This apparently involves Julie herself travelling on the public transport system of Toronto, and randomly seizing on a reading passenger to feature on her blog. She describes it as a "literary voyeurism blog".

I assume this is all done anonymously, or some of the readers might object to their description. I stumbled across Julie's blog purely because today's victim, er... chosen reader is "Caucasian woman, late 50s, with short blonde hair, wearing tan overcoat, large glasses, and purple hat with wide brim", who was seen reading SCARED TO LIVE on the westbound train between Bloor and Castle Frank.

Thanks to Julie's sighting, I now know that Cooper & Fry readers actually do exist, somewhere out there in the wild, and are not some mythical species like the yeti.

http://www.seenreading.com/scared-to-live-stephen-booth-harpercollins/

TAKING THE SALUTE

Crime writers often find themselves in unusual situations. But my favourite story this week comes from Peter James, creator of Detective Superintendent Roy Grace,whose resourcefulness was tested during a recent visit to a book festival in the Gulf:

http://www.peterjames.com/2009/03/dubai-police-academy.html

LURKING IN LEEDS

Next week, I'll be back on my old stamping grounds of West Yorkshire for an event organised by the good folk of Leeds Library Services.

Wednesday 4th March is the date for your diary, and the time is 7pm. I'll be talking to readers in the lecture theatre of the wonderful Leeds Art Gallery, off The Headrow. If you're in the Leeds area, make sure you're there! I'm told that tickets are a mere £3, available from the City Centre Box Office in the Carriageworks Theatre, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds (phone 0113 224 3801) or from Borders Books, 94-96 Briggate, Leeds (phone 0113 242 4400).

The Leeds event is the day before World Book Day here in the UK. For some reason, we have our World Book Day on a different day to the rest of the world, which rather spoils the global nature of the event, I always think. It's a bit like the USA's 'World Series', which always happens to feature two American teams in the final, as if the rest of the world has somehow been knocked out in the earlier rounds.

Well, on Thursday 5th itself, I'll be in Leicester for an event at the new Oadby Library (re-arranged from February 5th, when it was cancelled because of snow). I'll be 'in conversation' with John Martin at the library on The Parade, Oadby. This event also starts at 7pm. For details, phone 0116 305 8763.

By the way, if you're an event organiser, and you'd like me to appear at your library, festival, bookshop, hair salon, or public convenience, why not send an email with a few details to: events@stephen-booth.com

You never know where I might be lurking next!

PIGSADOG

No, I'm not sure what it means either... But one of the highlights of the literary supper for Epworth Mechanics Institute Library the other night was the presentation by the organisers of a wonderful hand-crafted copy of DYING TO SIN, bound in red goatskin leather by committee member Mandy Keating, who runs Pigsadogbooks. The cover even has an illustration of a Screaming Skull, as featured in the book.

Another hand-bound copy, but this time in black leather, was auctioned as a fund-raiser for the library. These are two totally unique items. Definitely for the 'keeper' shelf. Many thanks to Mandy and her Mechanics Institute colleagues for the great idea.