David Roy's Blog, page 12
November 18, 2021
Morning has not broken
I am writing this at 0142 hours am in the morning bells in the hope that it will be read by a different section of fans - those who live in the US and Canada and those who can't sleep.
Christmas will be an important time for Hobart Books. We have the books and the infrastructure. We need to get the message out there - Hobart has arrived.
Christmas will be an important time for Hobart Books. We have the books and the infrastructure. We need to get the message out there - Hobart has arrived.
Christmas
I have always loathed the manner in which 'the Christmas season has become earlier and earlier each year, with new TV ads trying to get us to part with increasingly large sums of money for replacements for the things we bought last year. I mean who doesn't want a new sofa for Christmas?
This year it's different for me. As co-owner of Hobart Books, I would urge every one of my legion of fans to buy a book for a loved one.
There, I've done it. November be damned.
This year it's different for me. As co-owner of Hobart Books, I would urge every one of my legion of fans to buy a book for a loved one.
There, I've done it. November be damned.
November 17, 2021
Shelves
In a previous blog, I compared Hobart Books' situation to that of David and Goliath in that we were a tiny publisher taking on the big boys etc.
That wasn't strictly accurate. Really we are minnows taking on the other minnows, of which there are many, as well as the big boys.
It's a crowded market. It's all about getting noticed and that is hard.
If you're reading this, it is worth mentioning that a book from Hobart makes and excellent Christmas gift...
That wasn't strictly accurate. Really we are minnows taking on the other minnows, of which there are many, as well as the big boys.
It's a crowded market. It's all about getting noticed and that is hard.
If you're reading this, it is worth mentioning that a book from Hobart makes and excellent Christmas gift...
November 16, 2021
Rosary Road
When I read this I knew that Hobart Books had a winner. Rosary Road stands alone as a police procedural but with an added supernatural twist it is lifted above the humdrum. Throw in a bit of humour and...
https://www.hobartbooks.com/product-p...
Would this make the perfect stocking filler for the reader in your family or someone you quite like?
https://www.hobartbooks.com/product-p...
Would this make the perfect stocking filler for the reader in your family or someone you quite like?
November 15, 2021
Marketing
I studied marketing as part of my degree. I don't want to say anything disparaging but 'Scottish' salmon is worth more than just plain salmon, 'Ulster' beef is worth more than beef and so on. You get the idea. Nowadays you need a USP - unique selling point - but so often this is just a meaningless word added to the name of a product. for instance 'vegan' toilet cleaner. Vegan it may well be - just like all toilet cleaner, I would guess, - but since it is not for human consumption it is a pointless distinction to make.
So, what is the USP of Hobart Books? Well, I don't know if this makes us unique but we aim to publish high quality fiction and pay royalties which reflect the time and effort put into writing a book. Surely all publishers do that? I couldn't really say one way or the other. I do know that each of our books acts as a CO2 sink, so unless you burn it, it is storing that gas and not releasing it into the atmosphere.
So, what is the USP of Hobart Books? Well, I don't know if this makes us unique but we aim to publish high quality fiction and pay royalties which reflect the time and effort put into writing a book. Surely all publishers do that? I couldn't really say one way or the other. I do know that each of our books acts as a CO2 sink, so unless you burn it, it is storing that gas and not releasing it into the atmosphere.
November 14, 2021
Review
Out of The Frying Pan Judy Upton
Publisher: Hobart Books
A crime novel with a difference! Wonderful, it makes a refreshing change.
The action takes place in Brighton, a lovely seaside resort and a favourite place of mine. Vonnie Sharpe is a laidback artist specialising in sculpture. Her usual daily routine is challenged when her flatmate, Gina is carjacked during a bank robbery. More disturbing is that the car is found abandoned on the South Downs but there’s no sign of Gina, the quiet young girl who worked in the local chip shop.
Vonnie calls on the help of her artist friends; a singer, an actor and a busker and with their support she tracks down the bank robber who insists he left Gina unharmed in her car.
Through art classes, language schools and escape rooms, Vonnie narrows down her list of suspects taking readers on a journey with plenty of twists and turns on the way. When a ransom note arrives Vonnie discovers that the kidnappers want her to make the cash drop and deliver the money. Vonnie soon realises she doesn’t know who she can trust and time is running out for her to find her friend, Gina.
I enjoyed reading this mystery novel; it is a cosy read but at the same time fast-paced and it kept me guessing until the final pages, in fact it was really hard to put down.
It is well-written, easy to read and charming in its delivery and content. There is plenty of observational humour to enjoy which definitely enhances the plot and I found the characters believable and well-rounded. Readers will be eager to find out what happens next in this contemporary, mystery plot.
Anne Pritchard
7/11/2021
Publisher: Hobart Books
A crime novel with a difference! Wonderful, it makes a refreshing change.
The action takes place in Brighton, a lovely seaside resort and a favourite place of mine. Vonnie Sharpe is a laidback artist specialising in sculpture. Her usual daily routine is challenged when her flatmate, Gina is carjacked during a bank robbery. More disturbing is that the car is found abandoned on the South Downs but there’s no sign of Gina, the quiet young girl who worked in the local chip shop.
Vonnie calls on the help of her artist friends; a singer, an actor and a busker and with their support she tracks down the bank robber who insists he left Gina unharmed in her car.
Through art classes, language schools and escape rooms, Vonnie narrows down her list of suspects taking readers on a journey with plenty of twists and turns on the way. When a ransom note arrives Vonnie discovers that the kidnappers want her to make the cash drop and deliver the money. Vonnie soon realises she doesn’t know who she can trust and time is running out for her to find her friend, Gina.
I enjoyed reading this mystery novel; it is a cosy read but at the same time fast-paced and it kept me guessing until the final pages, in fact it was really hard to put down.
It is well-written, easy to read and charming in its delivery and content. There is plenty of observational humour to enjoy which definitely enhances the plot and I found the characters believable and well-rounded. Readers will be eager to find out what happens next in this contemporary, mystery plot.
Anne Pritchard
7/11/2021
November 13, 2021
Joyride review
Joyride Olivia Reynolds
Publisher: Hobart Books
Sophie is trapped in a loveless marriage with a man she despises; he is an alcoholic, cruel and verbally abusive and she has to work hard to keep on the right side of him otherwise it leads to physical punishment. The only redeeming feature in her life is her job which she loves, teaching crafts to elderly ladies at the local college; she is very fond of the ladies as they are of her.
She dreams of escape, of sailing off into the sunset with a handsome man to a new life, any life than the one she has. She’s desperate to find a way out but none springs to mind, she is trapped in her miserable life but then hope comes in the form of a letter from a solicitor; an unexpected inheritance from a long-forgotten uncle.
Hope is on the horizon and Sophie can’t believe her luck when her life changes for the better, and there is even more good fortune to come.
This easy-to-read novel is a charming story of good overcoming bad. It has a touch of Mills and Boone about it, the publishers who swept women off their feet with daily doses of uplifting romantic fiction that guaranteed an instant escape from day-to-day routines. It is a story easy to emerge into and easy to pick up from where it was left off.
Anne Pritchard
7/11/2021
Publisher: Hobart Books
Sophie is trapped in a loveless marriage with a man she despises; he is an alcoholic, cruel and verbally abusive and she has to work hard to keep on the right side of him otherwise it leads to physical punishment. The only redeeming feature in her life is her job which she loves, teaching crafts to elderly ladies at the local college; she is very fond of the ladies as they are of her.
She dreams of escape, of sailing off into the sunset with a handsome man to a new life, any life than the one she has. She’s desperate to find a way out but none springs to mind, she is trapped in her miserable life but then hope comes in the form of a letter from a solicitor; an unexpected inheritance from a long-forgotten uncle.
Hope is on the horizon and Sophie can’t believe her luck when her life changes for the better, and there is even more good fortune to come.
This easy-to-read novel is a charming story of good overcoming bad. It has a touch of Mills and Boone about it, the publishers who swept women off their feet with daily doses of uplifting romantic fiction that guaranteed an instant escape from day-to-day routines. It is a story easy to emerge into and easy to pick up from where it was left off.
Anne Pritchard
7/11/2021
November 12, 2021
Bloggo supplementado
This is a nice review for Absent Victim
Absent Victim David Roy Publisher: Hobart Books
A mystery thriller with a difference, what’s not to like? An intriguing tale; there’s no body, no motive, no name and readers will be wondering, who did Stephanie Kuler kill and why? After she asks a private detective to investigate a murder, he tells her to go to the police instead, but when she recounts the rest of the story, intrigued, he takes on the case.
The main character, the private detective (readers never know his name), recounts the tale and explains how he has been given this perplexing scenario by wealthy client Stephanie Kuler. After initial reservations about taking on the case he reconsiders as he decides the money will be useful.
Strangely, there isn’t a body, no reason for the murder and no name for the supposed victim; but surprisingly Kuler knows she is the murderer. She can’t remember who she’s murdered; she doesn’t know whether the person she’s killed is male, female, an adult, or a child; she doesn’t know when, where, how, or why. She just knows somehow that she’s committed a crime and needs help. If the mystery is solved, it means jail for her but she is determined to find out for herself what has happened. However, the case, already strange, gets far weirder as the plot progresses.
Is it a case of Déjà vu; is the mind playing strange tricks and memory being distorted over time? This stimulating mystery explores the dark side of memory and its impact.
The story is set in the midst of the COVID pandemic; it is an exciting who-done-it with a twist (although readers already know who-done-it from the word go). Laced with satirical observations and snippets of historical information about Northern Ireland’s past, this is a multifaceted read.
Alongside the main plot runs several subplots and there are also several other characters who are vital to the story, including the Private Eye’s sidekick Billy and his ‘Billie-isms’.
Absent Victim is an enjoyable, fast-paced read that contains a unique plot, one that will have readers guessing right to the finale and it will then leave them with another idea to digest. I was kept entertained until the very last page especially with the amusing humour and sarcasm which featured heavily throughout.
Undoubtedly, this is a well-scripted psychological crime thriller; it will keep readers on tenterhooks as the story unfolds, they won’t be left disappointed.
It is an unusual, enjoyable, crime thriller which is brilliantly told, with the author's witty narrative and character dialogues a welcome addition to a well-told thought-provoking story.
Anne Pritchard
Absent Victim David Roy Publisher: Hobart Books
A mystery thriller with a difference, what’s not to like? An intriguing tale; there’s no body, no motive, no name and readers will be wondering, who did Stephanie Kuler kill and why? After she asks a private detective to investigate a murder, he tells her to go to the police instead, but when she recounts the rest of the story, intrigued, he takes on the case.
The main character, the private detective (readers never know his name), recounts the tale and explains how he has been given this perplexing scenario by wealthy client Stephanie Kuler. After initial reservations about taking on the case he reconsiders as he decides the money will be useful.
Strangely, there isn’t a body, no reason for the murder and no name for the supposed victim; but surprisingly Kuler knows she is the murderer. She can’t remember who she’s murdered; she doesn’t know whether the person she’s killed is male, female, an adult, or a child; she doesn’t know when, where, how, or why. She just knows somehow that she’s committed a crime and needs help. If the mystery is solved, it means jail for her but she is determined to find out for herself what has happened. However, the case, already strange, gets far weirder as the plot progresses.
Is it a case of Déjà vu; is the mind playing strange tricks and memory being distorted over time? This stimulating mystery explores the dark side of memory and its impact.
The story is set in the midst of the COVID pandemic; it is an exciting who-done-it with a twist (although readers already know who-done-it from the word go). Laced with satirical observations and snippets of historical information about Northern Ireland’s past, this is a multifaceted read.
Alongside the main plot runs several subplots and there are also several other characters who are vital to the story, including the Private Eye’s sidekick Billy and his ‘Billie-isms’.
Absent Victim is an enjoyable, fast-paced read that contains a unique plot, one that will have readers guessing right to the finale and it will then leave them with another idea to digest. I was kept entertained until the very last page especially with the amusing humour and sarcasm which featured heavily throughout.
Undoubtedly, this is a well-scripted psychological crime thriller; it will keep readers on tenterhooks as the story unfolds, they won’t be left disappointed.
It is an unusual, enjoyable, crime thriller which is brilliantly told, with the author's witty narrative and character dialogues a welcome addition to a well-told thought-provoking story.
Anne Pritchard
School
When I was at school, I was strongly tipped for failure I don't blame anyone but myself. A psychologist could look at my background and find all sorts of reasons for my terrible academic performance... but I think they'd be wrong. I was just lazy and directionless.
My worst subjects were the sciences. Had I told one of my science teachers of the time that I would one day become a science teacher myself, they would have, quite rightly, erupted in laughter. But that would never have happened because there is no way I ever saw myself being a teacher of any subject. Nevertheless that's what happened and for years I suffered the defeats and further defeats of teaching.
My favourite subject was English and I was lucky to be taught by the school's best teacher - Mr Murphy. He was the calmest, kindest teacher in the school and always immaculately dressed. Mr Murphy was an Irishman and spoke softly, always encouraging.
He would have approved of me becoming a writer and I would have loved to tell him of how that came to be. Sadly, he died many years ago and I never got the chance to talk with him again.
My worst subjects were the sciences. Had I told one of my science teachers of the time that I would one day become a science teacher myself, they would have, quite rightly, erupted in laughter. But that would never have happened because there is no way I ever saw myself being a teacher of any subject. Nevertheless that's what happened and for years I suffered the defeats and further defeats of teaching.
My favourite subject was English and I was lucky to be taught by the school's best teacher - Mr Murphy. He was the calmest, kindest teacher in the school and always immaculately dressed. Mr Murphy was an Irishman and spoke softly, always encouraging.
He would have approved of me becoming a writer and I would have loved to tell him of how that came to be. Sadly, he died many years ago and I never got the chance to talk with him again.
November 11, 2021
Today
Today, I will do my blog, then take my daughter to school. I will edit a book which has been submitted and do a bit of my own writing.
The rest will be spent looking for opportunities to tell the story of Hobart Books: the two Gulf War veterans who decided to take on the world of publishing with dogged little Hobart Books etc. It's a David and Goliath story if you want to put a heroic spin on it. I had no idea that so many other publishers existed, each vying for a slice of the same market.
But we will make it. We have great writers and a great management team. Our books and artwork are top-notch and we are 'networking' all the time. I never envisaged me saying that.
Oh, and I will also pick my daughter back up from school later, in case you thought I'd forgotten.
The rest will be spent looking for opportunities to tell the story of Hobart Books: the two Gulf War veterans who decided to take on the world of publishing with dogged little Hobart Books etc. It's a David and Goliath story if you want to put a heroic spin on it. I had no idea that so many other publishers existed, each vying for a slice of the same market.
But we will make it. We have great writers and a great management team. Our books and artwork are top-notch and we are 'networking' all the time. I never envisaged me saying that.
Oh, and I will also pick my daughter back up from school later, in case you thought I'd forgotten.
