We have a special
celebration as Martina Cole, one of
Britain
The Shots team of Mike
Stotter, Ayo
Onatade, Mike
Ripley and I headed to London’s West End to attend the launch party for her
20th novel Revenge, courtesy of Headline Publishing and Martina
Cole. We all know how excellent
her literary parties are, so we dressed appropriately for the occasion
[well I brought my Heisenberg
Pork Pie Hat]. Joining us were several writer / critics including Chris Simmons, Maxim
Jakubowski and his charming wife Dolores - and many others including her
agent Darley
Anderson. There was the Headline Editorial team, her Film and TV colleagues
including independent
producer / director Barry Ryan and his team, her close family and friends.
I love to celebrate great
writing, though
like Stephen King, there can be some snobbery when it comes to success, but
I can assure you that when it comes to portraying the criminal underworld, few
do it with such panache as Martina Cole. Though it’s her
readers that count, and they are a loyal breed.
Her latest work REVENGE
is no exception –
Michael Flynn is untouchable in a world of power,
money and violence. He fights for what he wants and he takes it, whatever the
cost. He learns the rules of the Life from the best and when his mentor,
legendary Face Patrick Costello, is taken out, no one questions that Michael
Flynn is his natural successor. For Michael, loyalty - and crime - pay.
Michael rises to heights beyond anything the criminal underworld has seen. He owns everyone and he rules his empire with an even but fierce hand. No one would dare challenge him.
Then the unthinkable happens.
Perhaps Michael Flynn is not so untouchable after all, and he must learn that...
WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE CAN BE NO FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
Michael rises to heights beyond anything the criminal underworld has seen. He owns everyone and he rules his empire with an even but fierce hand. No one would dare challenge him.
Then the unthinkable happens.
Perhaps Michael Flynn is not so untouchable after all, and he must learn that...
WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE CAN BE NO FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
Apart from her novels, she has several of them adapted
for TV as well for the
theatre and even presents, true crime on
TV .
The clip below is an
interview with the Guardian’s Erwin James
Martina talks about Patrick
Prior’s production of Dangerous Lady at Theatre Royal Stratford, East
London
The launch party for REVENGE
was held at the CAFÉ
ROYAL’S POMPADOUR SUITE with a
balcony that overlooked Regent
Street London ’s
West End , a far cry from Martina’s humble
beginnings. The room was heaving, and everyone in great from celebrating a
wonderful and generous writer. Jane
Morpeth, Headline Publishing’s Managing Director welcomed us all to the
Café Royal and gave a warm and heartfelt introduction to Martina Cole. Jane
explained the help she gives new writers starting out, the work with women in
the prison system, and that on Thursday, she will be involved with the ITV-3
/ CWA Daggers Hall of Fame. Jane also indicated Martina
is 2013’s Reading Agency’s Advocate – as she is passionate about reading as
it helped her get out of the tough world she found herself in – which she
discusses below
As ever, there was a long
round of applause as Martina was asked to come to the microphone, and in her
modest style, she had a very short speech which was basically a thank you to
her publisher Headline and her agent Darley Anderson – both who she is strongly
loyal to – and of course her family and friends and her readers who she treats
as friends.
I managed to record her speech in gonzo-style. It’s less than 60
seconds, and if you wait to the end, you’ll see the gathering who came to
celebrate the launch of REVENGE at London
One thing I admire about
Martina Cole is her unpretentious
approach to crime writing, and how despite the fame and profile she has
attained; she remains the same woman I met so many years ago.
She also
epitomizes an observation I have found in my many years of interviewing and
reviewing the writers that make up the darkest edges of the genre. The darker
the imagination, the more generous and amusing, as well as modest [and
grounded] is the writer, in my experience.
So with the gathering
raising their glasses to Martina Cole, it was hard to spot her as she was
rarely in one place at any one time, as she wanted to welcome everyone, and
thank them from coming to see her.
So if you’re new to the work
of Martina Cole, Shots eZine have organized a competition to coincide with the
release of REVENGE on Thursday 24th October 2013, in which we are
giving away a signed copy of REVENGE to one lucky reader.
All you have to do is answer
the following question –
Martina Cole’s debut novel
DANGEROUS LADY was recently staged at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East London,
can you name Maura Ryan’s brothers?
[A] Walter and Jessie
[B] Geoffrey and Anthony
[C] Bill and Ben
[D] John and James
If you need a hint – click
here
All you have to do is email
the answer together with your name and postal address to shotscomp@yahoo.co.uk
and ensure you place ‘MARTINA COLE REVENGE’ in the subject line of your email.
Terms and conditions for the
Martina Cole competition
• Closing date for entries
is Sunday 3rd November 2013 12:00:00 AM
• All correct entries will
be entered into a prize draw and the first correct answer picked at random on
3/11/2013 will be declared the winner of the signed book
• The winner will be
notified by email within 14 days of the promotion closing date and is required
to accept their prize by email or phone call within 14 days of notification.
• In the event of
non-acceptance within the specified period, the promoter reserves the right to
reallocate the prize to the next randomly drawn correct and valid entry.
• The winner will be
notified within 28 days of the closing date. No responsibility can be accepted
for lost or misplaced entries
• The prize is
non-transferable and there is no cash alternative
• Only one entry per person
•Incorrect or illegible
answers or entries received after the entry date will not be entered into the
prize draw
• The judges decision is
final and no correspondence will be entered into
• No geographical
restrictions apply
Good Luck, but if you don’t
win, you should still explore the work of Martina Cole which can be purchased
from the Shots
Bookstore Here and we have a special offer with over 50% off the retail
price of REVENGE by clicking
here
Martina Cole Bibliography
Dangerous Lady [1992]
The Ladykiller [1993]
Goodnight Lady [1994]
The Jump [1995]
The Runaway [1997]
Two Women [1999]
Broken [2000]
Faceless [2001]
Maura's Game [2002]
The Know [2003]
The Graft [2004]
The Take [2005]
Close [2006]
Faces [2007]
The Business [2008]
Hard Girls [2009]
The Family [2010]
The Faithless [2011]
The Life [2012]
Revenge [2013]
Martina is on the road so if
you’d want to get a book signed click here
More information available
from www.martinacole.co.uk
Shots Ezine would like to
thank Headline Publishing for the signed copy of REVENGE for the Shots /
Martina Cole Competition, and as always thanks to Jane Morpeth, Darley Anderson
and Martina Cole for their assistance in this article, and the invitation for
the Shots Team to the launch of REVENGE, and what a swell party that was!
Photos © 2003 - 2013 A S Karim
The above photo of Martina Cole
and the late Herbert Lom was taken at Crimescene 2003 and there is an amusing story
behind this photo, click here
to read it
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