Some friends affectionately call me The Big Bopper – as in Chantilly Lace, you know the big guy who went down in the plane with Buddy Holly and Richie Valens? – and it’s probably down to my retro look and musical tastes as much it is my girth. I’m big and, yeah, I bopped (when I was a lad and sans the dodgy knee). I’ve also been known to get up at a mic at a karaoke gig and give it big licks and jazz hands. I don’t mind the moniker, to be honest, but I’ve always fancied myself more of a crooner than a country rocker. Four or five pints in and I think I can sing like my musical heroes: namely Dino and Bobby Darin. It surprises people when I get stuck into Little Ol’ Wine Drinker Me or Mack the Knife, but that’s the way my heart lies.
Bobby Darin was always on the fringe of The Rat Pack, but to me he should be an honorary member. The guy was awesome, and his voice moves me. Not to mention being cool as hell and as slick as oil. I’d love to dress with his panache. But I’m the wrong build, and dare I say it, not cool enough. So, I resemble the Big Bopper instead, and I’ll live with that. But I want to sing like Darin.
I’m old fashioned, but I don’t care. You can’t help the music that moves your soul. When I’m writing, I like to have something playing in the background. I’ll often slip Dino or Bobby or Frank or Nat or even Gene ‘n’ Eddie onto the CD player. Occasionally I’ve looked back at what I’ve put down on paper, and those ol’ crooners or rockers have left their mark. Author intrusion. Hell, yeah! There’s a reason beyond his penchant for knives why Tubal Cain – the bad dude from Dead Men’s Dust – was listening to Mack the Knife on his car’s CD player while hunting his next victim. That was me, I guess, playing his part and loving being the bad boy for a change.
It wasn’t until I realised that, that I thought back to other hints in my writing, and how much music – particularly the Legends – have influenced my books. Most notably, Elvis Presley, or at least characters from his movies, has cropped up in some of my Joe Hunter books, as has Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran. In an upcoming tale, Joe does his thing along Route 66, where Nat King Cole gets a mention. In one book, a bad dude also drives a Coffee Coloured Cadillac a la Chuck Berry, and there’s also John Lee Hooker’s Boom, Boom in there somewhere. And, coming up, Tubal goes Somewhere Beyond the Sea.
Nuttin' like a good cup of Joe for Joe
People often ask the question: What do I have in common with my character Joe Hunter? Well, people expect to hear me say that we both have a background in law enforcement or the military, or maybe that we are both highly skilled martial artists. We do, but that’s not it. Some even expect me to be a frustrated vigilante and that it’s my politics I’m slapping down on the page. None of those are the truth. The things I share most with Joe is his love of strong coffee and the old songs. Joe is a fan of the same singers as I am, and it’s probably the greatest influence I have over him as his chronicler. So if you’re looking for author intrusion, look for the hints and you’ll probably guess what was playing in the background while I was typing.
Matt ~ Though I'm pretty excited you're coming around soon during our nextNOIRAMAATTHE BIJOU. . . it was quite cool to hear you snappin' your fingers back stage during ourRATPACKREVUE, repeating (in a stage-whisper naturally),"But what about Bobby Darin? But what about Bobby Darin?"I've learned now if one challenges one of their crime'thriller heroes to spin eloquent on one of their music'enhancing heroes . . . good vibes churn, all in an afternoon's muse. I thank*you good sir and fill and spiel our audience in the further on your thriller eloquence:
MATT HILTON or JOE?
Very much appreciate this, Kate. It's very good of you, and of course I'll inscribe your Joe Hunter stuff for you.
Strong coffee in hand and another full day ahead. Now back to the writing.
Matt
Contrary to popular belief, Matt Hilton is his real name. Well, actually it’s ‘Matthew’ but he wouldn’t thank you for his Sunday name. He was born the same year that England won the World Cup which is a very long time ago. Not that he’s interested in soccer, his sporting interests are in boxing, MMA and martial arts. It probably comes from having four brothers and scrapping his way through meal times when he was a lad. As you can tell from his chunky build he looked out for himself OK.
Matt was born in Scotland, but followed his family south to England and grew up in Carlisle, Cumbria and has stayed in the county since (apart from a two year sojourn back to his ancestral land during his late teens). Growing up he listened to tales of horror and adventure told to him by his father, a natural story-teller, and it was only natural that his over-active imagination be funnelled into books, both reading and writing them.
One of 5 greats - #6 on the way!
From a very young age, Matt scribbled down short stories, and even attempted his first novel at age 11. In his early teens he wrote a ‘coming of age’ novel called 'AGGRO', followed by a couple heroic fantasy books before discovering a new love of action thrillers and crime. He was once shortlisted for a national 'write a novel' competition, and came fourth in another, as well as having some non-fiction articles in magazines. For more than twenty years he submitted his books to publishers without success (writing seven stand-alone action/crime thrillers), until in 2008 he finally managed to secure an agent and a record-breaking 5 book deal for his Joe Hunter series. Since then Matt has secured a 3 book deal in the USA, a further 2 book deal in the UK, and translations in Germany, Italy, Romania and Bulgaria. His debut novel - Dead Men's Dust - reached Number 11 in the Sunday Times bestseller list, and was named as one of the 'Thrillers of the Year 2009' by the Daily Telegraph. DMD was also shortlisted for the ITW Debut Thriller Award 2009.
Matt worked at various mundane jobs, before going into the private security industry for 18 years, followed by 4 as a cop. He quit his career as a police officer with Cumbria Constabulary to pursue his love of writing tight, cinematic American-style thrillers, and to date has five Joe Hunter books on the shelves with more to come, as well as a short crime story in the anthology Even More Tonto Short Stories, and an up-coming zombie tale in Wild Wolf Publishing’s ‘Holiday of the Dead Anthology’.
Known as a British thriller writer, you might be surprised to find that Matt’s influences incline more towards the horror and fantasy writers of the 1930s, the ‘men’s action’ writers of the 1970s, and American thriller authors including Robert Crais, Jeffrey Deaver, David Morrell and Dean Koontz. His favourite writer is John Connolly.
Matt also writes horror and humorous crime short stories under the pen name of Vallon Jackson – the worst kept secret on the internet - as well as co-editing fiction webzine Thrillers, Killers ‘n’ Chillers with those loveable crime and horror gents Col Bury and Lee Hughes.
You can find more about Matt and his books here and here, as well as insight on Joe.
"Thanks Big Bopper! - I mean Joe, I mean Matt!"
~ Absolutely*Kate, heralding ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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