CRIME WRITERS RAISE FUNDS FOR THE NHS WITH NEW ANTHOLOGY

Features thirty crime and mystery shorts from some of the world’s best thriller authors including Neil Broadfoot, Roz Watkins, Zoe Sharp and New Zealand author Kirsten McKenzie

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne based literary group, Noir at the Bar, has brought together some of the best crime writers from across the globe, to publish a collection of short, fictional crime stories.

Running for over four years from Newcastle’s The Town Wall public house, the physical event is usually an opportunity for authors of the genre to showcase their creative prowess with fellow writers and crime fiction enthusiasts.

When the coronavirus lockdown started, Noir’s founder, writer and creative writing tutor Vic Watson, looked to move the event online.  She dug into her contact book to invite authors to a free weekly virtual get together.  Simon Bewick, a marketing consultant and writer, agreed to provide marketing and technical support, and just one week later the first Virtual Noir at the Bar launched. 

In less than two months, the weekly live event has been seen by hundreds of attendees live and thousands watching the recordings the following day.  Over 70 authors have already appeared at Virtual Noir at the Bar, with over 100 more scheduled up to August.  

The duo wanted to create something lasting from these virtual events, and so Noir from the Bar was conceived - a collection of 20+ short crime stories.  Created, and published in just six weeks, with publication date scheduled for June 10th 2020, the anthology features best-sellers authors including Neil Broadfoot, Roz Watkins,  Sharon (SJ) Bolton and Zoe Sharp , plus some of the best up-and-coming writers in the genre today, stretching from Newcastle to New Zealand.   All contributors: authors, editors and designers have given their time and work for free and have agreed that all proceeds should go towards supporting our fantastic NHS.

Vic Watson said of the project: “Although we run our events from a local pub, they have previously attracted writers visiting the UK from Iceland, Germany and America, so we knew there would be a global appetite for people to get involved in a virtual event.  Running Virtual Noir at the Bar has given us the ability to host writers from across world, together in the one space.  We’ve even had authors in New Zealand getting up at 6:30am to appear and bringing an audience with them! 

“As with our events, I’m keen to showcase new and emerging writers alongside established authors within the anthology.  People may buy it because of the writers they’re familiar with, but they’ll be treated to stories from writers that within a few years will be household names.”

Simon Bewick added: “Knowing what Vic has achieved with Noir at the Bar and with the amazing network of authors she has, it seemed an opportunity to use my twenty five years in the publishing industry to create something beyond the event itself: a lasting experience for readers and a way to raise some money at the same time. In all my years, both working for one of the world’s most respected publishers, and my experiences in being published myself, I’ve never known a project come together so quickly. Everyone involved has given their absolute best, with the vast majority of authors writing something new specifically for the anthology.  Anyone buying the book will not only get some of the best short crime and mystery fiction available at a fantastic price but will be donating to the NHS – it’s a win, win situation!”

Noir from the Bar is available from June 10th, via Amazon.  All profits will go to NHS Charities Together.

Those interested in joining future Virtual Noir at the Bar live author readings can sign up for more information via the Virtual Noir At The Bar website. 

For further information and interviews with Vic and Simon please contact both of them. :

victoriawatson2008@yahoo.co.uk  (specifically about Noir at the Bar and Virtual Noir at the Bar)

and 

simonbewick2018@gmail.com (specifically to discuss the creation and publication of the book)

The Virtual Noir At The Bar promotion video is available at: https://videopress.com/v/gFZsFv79

Previous Virtual Noir At The Bar recordings available at: https://bewbob.com/virtual-noir-at-the-bar-archives/

Full list of authors included in this anthology: 

Suzy Aspley, Alison Belsham (The Tattoo Thief (Sullivan and Mullins)), Simon Bewick (You Could Make a Killing), Sharon Bolton (the Lacey Flint series), Neil Broadfoot (the Connor Fraser series), Philippa East (Little White Lies), Ashley Erwin (A Ballad Concerning Black Betty or the Retelling of a Man Killer and her Machete), Derek Farrell (The Danny Bird Mysteries), Margaret Kirk (the DI Lukas Mahler series), Neil Lancaster (The Tom Novak series), Louise Mangos (Strangers on a Bridge), Danny Marshall, Chris McDonald (A Wash of Black), Kirsten McKenzie (The Old Curiosity Shop series), Effie Merryl , Phoebe Morgan (The Doll House), KC Murdarasi (Office Life (and Death)) , Rob Parker (The Ben Bracken series), Robert Scragg (The Porter & Styles series), Zoe Sharp (the Charlie Fox series), Sara Sheridan (the Mirabelle Bevan series), Dave Sivers (the DI Nathan Quarrel series) , Graham Smith, (the Jake Boulder series), DC Smith , Eve Smith (The Waiting Rooms), Martyn Taylor (The Price of Everything),  David Turton (The Malaise), Fiona Veitch Smith (The Poppy Denby Investigates series), Roz Watkins (The DI Meg Dalton series) and Olga Wojtas (The Miss Blaine’s Prefect series)