Harrogate Crime Writers Festival

All

We are looking for a London/Southern based blogger/tweeter to cover the launch of the Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival February 3rd in London and come up to Harrogate for the full festival to enjoy exclusive behind the scenes access, and immerse themselves in thrilling after event lock ins. In return for your full pass and put up we’d like your blogs and live tweeting!

If you love the life of crime (between the sheets) and would murder to get your hands on this opportunity, we’d like to hear from you.

Let us know in the comments box below if you’d like this little holiday oop North and why! You have until 9pm 31st January, and feel free to get your cheerleaders behind you using the comments box below and tweeting with #theakstonscrime

31 comments

  1. London based photo journalist and sometime blogger. Enjoy tweeting a good angle and can rant like a mandrill’s stoker. Originally from the north country so always keen to get back, take a shufty and shine a light on the old place. And the OP crime writers festival sounds just the ticket.

    Would you require a brand new blog setting up?

    Please get in touch,

    Best

    AP Childs 07870 875205

  2. I’d love to do this. In fact it’s my dream job! I have a great love of crime writing, from Wilkie Collins and Poe right to present day writers like Ian Rankin and James Ellroy. I would love to find more crime writers to enjoy. I would also love to go to Harrogate where the queen of crimewriting spent those lost days! My day job is lecturing about events so I understand how they work when they work well. My spare time is spent tweeting (I have more than 1700 followers) and reviewing theatre for Defnetmedia. So I can write formally and informally, at different lengths and for a range of different audiences. As a conference goer I am also used to live tweeting, embedding media quickly, using hashtags and preparing for such events. I am v enthusiastic and excitable – and excited 🙂 and more to the point know how to get others excited too. Let me know if you need any more info; plainly I’d be more than happy to give it to you!

  3. Hi

    Really interested in this (Dream come true stuff) as I’ve attended the festival three times before – twice in its early days and for the full event last year.

    Also, as things turn out, I have a day’s holiday from the day job on 3rd Feb to attend two blogger events in London (Simon & Schuster’s Blogger get-together and then the launch of David Hewson’s new book at Goldsborough books) both to cover for my blog, so should be fine to attend a meeting that day.

    I covered the whole event (including the Creative Writing Day & Dragons’ Pen) last year and posted a full and comprehensive report on my then blog (http://keithbwalters1.blogspot.com) which covered everything.

    Drop me an email if you’d like me to send you over a copy of my full write-up of last year.

    I have also covered other crime-writing events and creative writing classes by crime-writers (Crimefest/Crime Scene/Guildford Book Festival etc) and regularly review books (mainly in the Crime genre) on my new blog http://booksandwriters.wordpress.com

    I covered all the actual talks and events, including the dinners and cabarets, and some of the evening’s bar events too.

    I am a regular user of twitter to communicate with publishing houses, other bloggers and crime authors too.

    Happy to take photos to accompany any reports too.

    2010 Harrogate was a happy 40th birthday present to me by my lovely family.
    Sadly, at present, funds look like I won’t be making this year’s festival, so this would be a great thing if I could assist you by being there this year.

    Let me know if you require any further details from me.

    : )

    1. Could not think of a better choice than Keith. His knowledge and coverage of crime fiction is second to none. He puts in enormous time and effort with regard to news, reviews and interviews covering this genre, and would undoubtedly do you proud. If you want a comprehensive, fair-minded account, here’s your man.

    2. Keith would be a brilliant choice for this. The perfect mixture of know-how and unbridled enthusiasm. Always a pleasure to see at any event and it would be great to have him as TOPHCWF Blogger in Residence!

    3. Choice number one in my book – couldn’t think of a better candidate than Keith – all the very best

    4. It would be brilliant if Keith blogged it. As I will be the new CWA Chair then, and keen to forge links between the CWA and the US International Thriller Writers, I would notify their members to watch for it and read it, too.

      All best Peter James

    5. Keith would be an excellent choice. Insightful and entertaining, I can’t think of anyone more suited.

    6. Keith would definitely be a great choice for this gig. When I dip my toes into the world of crime fiction, Keith’s blog is always my first port of call to look out for titles to buy.

      He’s passionate about the genre, highly social media savvy, and will certainly do you proud.

    7. Hi there.

      Turns out that, on February 3, I’ve been invited to the launch of the first Press Club to exist in Brussels since the late ’50s.

      Not only will it be graced by the fat Portugeuse tos…um, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, but it’s only five minutes from Mallett Towers.

      In addition – and it’s a big addition – we’ve also been promised tons of gratis food and drink.

      Oh, and a free memory stick.

      Given that this momentous event could hardly go ahead without my presence, I shall have to withdraw my application. With regrets etc, etc.

      At the same time, I’ll vote for Keith – mainly as he’s middle-aged, apparently broke and because loads of his so-called mates seem to want to send him to the frozen wastes of North Yorkshire.

      The guy clearly needs cheering up. Good luck, mate.

      1. Tony

        Appreciate your comments – yes I am all of those things (broke, middle-aged, and a little cheering up always helps!).

        Sorry to hear you’ve dropped out of the running – but a free memory stick ! 🙂

        Enjoy your event

        All the best

        Keith

    8. I’d vote for Keith – more of a fan of his style of writing and interview style, so if the assignment went to him, I’d read it!

    9. Keith would be a fantastic choice for blogger in residence. He’s passionate and knowledgeable about the genre, has great contacts and it’s always a pleasure to hear what he has to say. Go Keith!

    10. I’ll stick a hand up for Keith Walters too: a nice guy, very up on his crime fiction, and someone who’s been supporting and helping get the word out about the festival for years.

      He’d be an excellent choice.

    11. Please pick my husband as I need a break LOL as long as he brings me back a signed Tess Gerritsen

  4. I’d definitely reccommend that Keith B Walters is the person for this task.
    His reviews are objective, insightful and honest, he writes well and identifies the most important things to comment on.
    His Blog review of last year’s Harrogate Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is a word of literary genius, and a true joy to read 😉
    Keith will not take the easy road and simply comment that everything was fantastic, neither will he criticise for the sake of it, but he will be consider every word carefully, and be constructive in his critique.
    Besides being a regular blogger, writer and tweeter, he is also one of the nicest people I have ever met.
    Harrogate TOPCWF will simply not be the same without Keith B Walters as blogger in attendance, you should definitely choose him.

  5. OK.

    This task is utterly spot on for me.

    I’m a freelance journo living in Brussels but I was previously dragged up in Knaresborough, Harrogate and York.

    “Yorkshire folk? I recognise their footprints, Sarge.”

    I was, bizarrely, runner-up in Big Blogger three years back but have concentrated on my website/magazine since then. And just about stopped crying about coming second.

    I normally come first, but that’s another story….

    I’m currently in the throes of launching a travel website, so loads of fun ahead and travelling works for me, especially a trip from Brussels to London to t’North.

    I used to work at the Dower House hotel in Knaresborough as a teenager and served breakfast to Dustin Hoffman while he was making ‘Agatha’.

    Well, strictly speaking, I served him breakfast BEFORE he buggered off up the road to make a bit of ‘Agatha’.

    Most important meal of the day, yer know.

    Anyway, he was at the hotel for a while and one day his room key disappeared. This was a bit of a mystery so I told him ‘the butler did it’. I got half a laugh and a half-a-quid tip.

    Short-arsed twat.

    Incidentally, I’m a big fan of Louise Welsh. We met in Brussels and bonded – mostly because I was interviewing her and also cos her lead character is gay. It was the global gay army that beat me in Big Blogger. So, when we spoke, I was humorously ironic.

    Probably.

    Made a gag about “can’t these gays just stick to being good with colours?”

    She said: “Did you just say ‘good with killers’?”

    The rest is mystery. Jocks, eh?

    Also, to add to my pedigree, my former wife is the daughter of the ex-best mate of Dick Francis. Unfortunately, the best-mate-of-Dick Francis is now dead (hence the ‘ex’ bit). However, I do have a signed copy of a DF novel with the words ‘To Tony and *ex wife’s name*. Good luck with your life together.’

    Woo. Er, thanks, Dick. You are offically the most boring bastard it was ever my misfortune to interview. (Insider’s note: his plots are worked out via a program on a computer as he’s too numb to remember which combinations of unlikely crap he’s used before.)

    Anyway, enough of that – I’m your man.

    It’s definitely ‘Mallett, in the Swan Hotel, with the typewriter.’

    Trust me, I’m a journalist xTx

  6. This is a great opportunity and one I would have loved for myself. Unfortunately it does not look possible, but I am pleased to see that Keith B Walters has applied. I really recommend him, an excellent blogger, and I know how much he’d really love to go. Good luck to all who have applied, but I’m really behind Keith on this one. Just have a look at his reviews and his past coverage of this event. He has a big following in the Crime literature blogging and tweeting community, too, which is just what you need.

    I’m positive he is the right choice!

    1. I would like to add my support for Keith. His reviews are invariably insightful and though provoking, and he is that magical mix of devotion, knowledge and deep enthusiasm for the genre His work is considered, intellient and scrupulously fair, as well as highly readable and entertaining – exactly like Keith himself.

      He would be a huge success as blogger in Chief!

  7. I think I’m going to move down south! This is my ultimate dream as an aspiring crime writer. I shall be in Harrogate for the festival, my first time this year and am really looking forward to it.

    Because I can’t nominate myself as a midlander, I’d like to echo the recommendations for Keith Walters because…well, it would be a crime not to.

  8. I thought I’d add in the tweets to Culture Vultures in support of my application. And now I will retire gracefully and let Culture Vultures make up her mind before the arms race escalates further 🙂 Good luck to all who take part.
    Maria

    @m8nd1 Mandy Phillips
    @culturevultures @mariabarrett is articulate and writes with a great deal of both passion and understanding.

    @Defnetmedia Defnetmedia
    Here @culturevultures @MariaBarrett would be ideal for this – she has Superior intellect and conviction to. Go on let her….please

    @Defnetmedia Defnetmedia
    @culturevultures @MariaBarrett even posts her own copy .. I have my back turned for 5 minutes and it’s already on the site and in the world

    @MTPT Matthew Taylor
    @culturevultures Use @MariaBarrett for #TheakstonCrime; there’s a suspicion she’s actually an undercover cop, so it’d be a good fit. 😉

    @doclorraine Lorraine Warren
    @culturevultures @mariabarrett EVERY TIME

    @Kate_Butler KATE BUTLER
    @culturevultures looking for a fabulous blogger and tweeter for #TheakstonCrime? @MariaBarrett is your woman!

    @fionalaird Fiona Laird
    @culturevultures @MariaBarrett is intelligent, witty, insightful,creative, resourceful, perspicacious,& frankly should be snapped up pronto

    @kimmcgowan kimmcgowan
    @culturevultures @MariaBarrett will be a fabulous blogger and tweeter for the #TheakstonCrime event! For sure!

    @DrDaveOBrien Dave O’Brien
    @culturevultures Dunno if it helps or hinders, but i’ll vouch for @MariaBarrett excellent artistic, academic and family credentials!

    @DrDaveOBrien Dave O’Brien
    @MariaBarrett I can prob find some stats to back up that support but i dunno if @culturevultures is persuaded by that kind of thing 😉

  9. Keith would be my choice. I couldn’t make it last year, due to other family commitments. Keith’s write-up more than made up for it.

  10. Keith would be a really fantastic choice for this – perfect mix of knowledge and enthusiasm!

  11. I agree with Mark Billingham (and it’s not the first time I’ve said that). Another vote for Kevin from me! He’s funny, warm and most importantly, criminally minded. He’d be a perfect blogger-in-residence, as he is just as mad as the rest of us!

    1. Sigh – I meant Keith obviously… see, he’d be much better than me. He’d get peoples names right for a start!

  13. Just a quick note to all that might drop back in here to say a huge thank you for your kind comments and support.

    I’m really pleased to say that I got the post, joint winner along with Maria (who I think has the professional angle covered – so might have to ask her for any tech advice to speed up the blogging/tweeting 🙂 )

    Really, really chuffed, so rather than me get all embarrassing here like some overblown Oscar acceptance, I’ll just say cheers to all of you and I look forward to raising a glass of Theakstons with many of you this year at Harrogate.

    Keith

    1. Halfway through pledging my support I saw this comment, Keith – good man yourself! Well done you – look forward to reading the fruits of your labours!

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