On my special
post, Promoting Yorkshire Authors, I am delighted to welcome, Malcolm Hollingdrake.
Malcolm is here
to talk about his crime series, the Harrogate Crimes, so please help yourself to
a glass of bubbly and settle down on a recliner to find out what happens on the
streets of Harrogate.
My name is
Malcolm Hollingdrake and I write the Harrogate Crime Series featuring DCI Cyril
Bennett and DS David Owen. Thank you very much for inviting me to chat with you
here. It’s so rewarding to be asked to say a little about the books I write. “I
write” – when I say those words, I still have to pinch myself – I look at the
books, The Harrogate Crime Series, lining the shelf and feel very proud.
I
have two copies of each book, both sets have the same titles but there are two
different covers and to some extent two different collections of words within.
Why is that so?
A
couple of years ago I was lucky to sign a one book contract with Bloodhound
Books and that quickly turned into a three book and then a seven book deal. If
someone had said that would be the case in 2016, I would have laughed. By 2019,
all seven books had been accepted and I was commissioned to write a new crime
series featuring a female detective and I was offered an advance for each book.
However, circumstances prevented that happening and after careful consideration
I was determined to take back control of my work and publish independently. For
this to be a success I would need time, acquire new skills and a degree of
‘going over the top’ courage.
The
advantage of this process was that I could now re-edit the books again and
refresh them. I could add elements that I realised were missing from the first
editions and I could work to design the book covers. It did, however, take
longer than I had anticipated but I got there and now all seven books are
available in both eBook and paperback format. The first five are also available
as audiobooks narrated by the wonderful Nicholas Camm.
As
the series title suggests, the books are set in Harrogate, Yorkshire, but I thrive
on linking the crimes to some of the beautiful places within the Yorkshire
Dales. I have never had to design a set for my work … nature has done that for
me!
Book
Eight, ‘Treble Clef’ was released this year and looking at the growing number
of positive reviews it has been well received. May I take this opportunity to
thank the readers of the series for making it a continued success.
Many
years ago, I wrote my first novel entitled ‘Engulfed’. It was a novel I felt
compelled to write and one I am extremely proud to add to my library. Late last
year, after scripting eight books, I felt as though my writing skills had become
more enhanced. I wanted to breathe new life into this specific work and so
‘Bridging the Gulf’ was re-written, edited and re-covered in the style of the
Harrogate Series. It will be published on 7th August.
I
have now started work on book nine of the Harrogate Series with a working title
of ‘Threadbare’. I’m excited to be back writing and researching a new novel and
I have a publication date of February in mind.
Although the books are written as a series, I do work very hard to ensure that each could be read as a stand-alone. More information about my work can be found at:
www.malcolmhollingdrakeauthor.co.uk
viewbook.at/OnlyTheDead
viewbook.at/HellsGate
viewbook.at/FleshEvidence
viewbook.at/GamePoint
viewbook.at/DyingArt
viewbook.at/CrossedOut
viewbook.at/TheThirdBreath
viewbook.at/TrebleClef
viewbook.at/BridgingTheGulf
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