Welcome - The International Writers Magazine - Summer 2008 writing from across the globe.

Just returned from the Winchester Writers’ Conference run by Barbara Large MBE, where I was a speaker (on young adult fiction). It’s pretty scary to see so many writer’s gathered in one place, 400 delegates in fact, from all over the world and at least 60 professional writers, editors, agents and educators in attendance running workshops, classes, giving speeches and revealing tricks of the trade.

Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse novels) gave us all a lesson in spelling and Graham Hurley (the dinner speaker) one in crime writing. In between you had the likes of writers Peter Gutteridge, Beverley Birch, and Judy Waite as well as literary agent Lorella Belli giving one to ones. On the Saturday all of us, around 30 professionals werein this big hall going through something akin to speed dating. 15 minutes per writer, only none of us got laid.

Why are the writers there? To find out if their ideas and manuscripts are any good, or how to sell them or what’s wrong with them. It’s tough being face to face with someone who may not have the talent they think they have but absolutely great when you can also see the potential and you can steer them to the right person or at least encourage them to finish their book.

One thing that is apparent is that the average age is quite high. It should be younger, but perhaps young writers cannot afford it. But if more younger writers came to this event in the UK sat in the speakers classes, joined the many workshops and had to pitch their ideas and exchange readings it would be a very useful thing for them to do. Of course, it helps if you have talent and it’s no use getting cross with the professionals because they are rejecting your material. Sometimes one has it, sometimes not. It's true for all writers, me included, everything can be improved. Here you will get useful and honest critical comment as well as support.

Market conditions are tough, ask any bookseller. Your idea or book has to really be damn good now to get any attention and the necessary investment to make it a success.

What are publisher’s looking for? Good original, well presented, perfectly spelled, sharp, witty, intelligent writing by a writer who is prepared to promote it, blog it, push it (without offending people in the process). Shy retiring types to the back of the queue please, even if your work is half-way brilliant. If you can’t shout about it, who else will?

Of course there may be limits. One young woman in my session was upset a publisher didn't seem to like her children's book on cannibals. Well, eating your neighbours might just be the kind of taboo still to be broken, especially in kids books. For the record I suggested it could be a comedy rather than dining on eyeballs for Christmas, but hey, maybe someone out there will take to it and make her rich. That's the publishing business, it all comes down to people and tastes (rather than tasting people).

I met remarkable people with genuine ambition in Winchester, some with real talent and some, I sincerely believe, got some help with how to focus their work and took heart from it all.

If you have a book that will be ready to show by next June and don’t have an agent or publisher, think about the Winchester conference as a place to connect with one. They are much more likely to buy something from someone they know than a stranger. That’s what they tell me anyway.
I guess I’ll see you there in 2010.

Missed me? Didn’t come to my talk? Hell buy one of my books. They are good beach reading.

It's summer they say. This is the month we make our escape. So there will be no updates after next weeks get away. We have writing to do. Actually I have to come up with a new title for my new book and that, as any writer will tell you is harder than writing the whole thing! I shall sit on the beach in France and contemplate.
I hope you, dear reader will also contemplate, write, get out there in the sun and generally have some fun, despite all the bad news and cost of gas and diesel. Luckily no one owns the fresh air - yet....

Sam North: Editor July 1st 2008

Welcome to the Summer Edition of Hackwriters. If you want to help us keep going, buy my new book Mean Tide. You don’t have to read it, give to a friend. I guarantee they’ll love it. Meanwhile ...look below

Borderlines Vol 2 A Literary Spark - ISBN: 978-1-4092-0494-7 A University of Portsmouth publication from the School of Creative Arts, Film and Media- Buy now - available from Lulu Press & Blackwells, Amazon on-line Borderlines Vol 2 - A literary Anthology of new fiction, travel writing and poetry from the Creative Writing Programme and invited writers at the University of Portsmouth, UK under the editorship of Freya Scott, Ryan Sirmons, Aby Davis and Sam North 'An exciting insight into the amazing talent and diversity of new writers out there today' Stuart Olesker - Playwright

Meanwhile, you worried about your health? Read my book '‘Another Place to Die'' . If you have the slightest worry about how to survive the coming flu pandemic, you need this book and all the proceeds go to keep Hackwriters going. In the UK newspapers 31.08.07 they were quoting a Home Office paper called: Planning for a possible Influenza Edpidemic and predicting 650,000 'extra' deaths this winter in the UK if it breaks out. There will also be a shortage of coffins, not that you need them in a mass grave. It's all in my book, you don't need this report. Another Place to Die is a guide on how to survive the pandemic. So order now for your autumn reading. (Maybe Amazon will do you a deal on a coffin too!) You will not be disappointed.
See the review from Calvin Hussey

Published June 2008 - Mean Tide by Sam North 'Extraordinary novel about a child's psychic awakening' Lulu Press - ISBN: 978-1-4092-0354-4 Review: 'An engaging, unusual and completely engrossing read' - Beverly Birch author of 'Rift' Be one of the first to read it - Order now Sent to live with his spooky Grandma by the river in Greenwich, Oliver (12) discovers a whole world of disturbed people who are probably even crazier than the ones he left behind. When he finds a dog with its throat cut on the beach, everything changes. Age range 12-16 and adult

Another Place To Die by Sam North ISBN: 978-1-84753-899-4 The Great Flu Pandemic is coming. Are you prepared? Reviews: 'It will keep readers in suspense, laced with gritty-gallows humor' Charlie Dickinson 'Beautiful, plausible, and sickeningly addictive, Another Place to Die will terrify you, thrill you, and make you petrified of anyone who comes near you...'. Roxy Williams - Amazon.co.uk Fascinating, frightening and compelling, Another Place to Die is the ultimate page-turner which I guarantee will result in many late nights under the bedside light with you uttering, ‘just one more chapter!!’ Ian Middleton Read the first chapter on line Order Now direct from Publisher : Another Place To Die

The Curse of the Nibelung - A Sherlock Holmes Mystery by Sam North ISBN 1-4116-3748-8 $19.98 Retail - 300 pages - Lulu Press USA 'Chocolate will never be the same again' - Sunday Express Buy from your favourite on-line retailer Amazon UK Amazon USA Barnes and Noble & Waterstones

Diamonds - The Rush of '72 is also available from the publishers direct

Diamonds - The Rush of '72 By Sam North ISBN: 1-4116-1088-1 Buy now from Amazon.com 'a terrific piece of storytelling' Historical Novel Society Review Also printed in the UK and available from Amazon.co.uk & Waterstones

We at Hacks are self-supporting and if you want to support us, buy Sam's books - All the funds from the sale of the books go back into the site. If you live in New York they can be ordered at the Mysterious Bookshop at 58 Warren Street. These titles are able to be ordered at Amazon who keep stock see below and can be ordered from Waterstones all over the UK and Hatchards in London and for less cost direct from Lulu.com in the UK and USA

* The MA in Creative Writing at Portsmouth University started another year this October. Apply now for 2008 entry: The current students have all got their major projects under way now. Novels, screenplays, children's fiction, speculation fiction, crime novels, you name it... If you need support and like a good encouraging peer group, join us. Might do you good to live in Portsmouth for a year, but you don't have to. Students come down from London once a week and further afield. Apply now to avoid being disappointed. You do not have to be published to join us, but you do have to have a portfolio of some interesting writing already to hand. *Hackwriter published writers especially welcome. Come to Sherlock Holmes country (yes this is where it all started on Elm Grove in Southsea). **Course almost full 1.07.2008

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