View Reviews of books by Matt Hilton

Countdown with ...

Matt Hilton

Matt Hilton 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 – he’s a 4th Dan in the combat art of Kempo JuJitsu.

He was born in Scotland, but followed his family south to England and grew up in Carlisle, Cumbria and has stayed in the county since. From a very young age, Matt scribbled down short stories, and even attempted his first novel at age 11. For more than 20 years he submitted his books to publishers without success, until in 2008 he finally managed to secure an agent and a five-book deal for his Joe Hunter series.

Matt worked at various mundane jobs, before going into the private security industry for 18 years, followed by four as a cop. He quit his career as a police officer with Cumbria Constabulary to pursue his love of writing. Matt also writes horror and humorous crime short stories under the pen name of Vallon Jackson.

Interviewed 13 February 2016

Ten words to sum up your working life to date ...

Dishwasher, grounds man, tree feller, security guard, detective, policeman, author.

Nine things you can see from where you're sitting ...

I’m sitting in my living room at home in north Cumbria, but am fortunate (if I stretch my neck) to be able to see:
1. Skiddaw Pike in the Lake District
2. Criffel Pike in Dumfries and Galloway
3. A terraced front lawn
4. Fruit and fir trees
5. Rain
6. My dogs, Spooky – a white German shepherd/Samoyed that looks like a dire wolf – and Akisha, a hairy Akita Inu who’s as soft-natured as a teddy bear and looks like one.
7. A huge mug of coffee
8. An unused Vype electronic cigarette
9. A framed cover of my first published book.

Eight minutes to prepare a meal. What's it going to be ?

Soft-boiled eggs and soldiers … Need about four minutes cooling time before consuming the hot eggs.

Seven people you'd like to go for a drink with ...

I don’t drink alcohol very often, but I’d make the exception if I were in a bunch consisting of Robert E Howard, Bruce Lee, Bob Hope, Laurel and Hardy, Conan the Cimmerian, Albert Einstein and Musashi Miyamoto (Miyamoto Musashi).

Six things you can't live without ...

1. My wife Denise
2. Coffee
3. Books
4. My computer
5. My family
6. More books

Five favourite words ...

1. Onomatopoeia
2. Susurration
3. Mass spectrometer gas chromatograph (I know it consists of four words, but when you say it fast it all blends into one)
4. Basically
5. Just

Four places you'd run away to ...

1. A log cabin in Scotland
2. A log cabin in Canada
3. A log cabin in the Rockies
4. A log cabin in my garden

Three books you've bought recently ...

1. Black Ops by Stephen Leather
2. Born in A Burial Gown by Mike Craven
3. Snatched From Home by Graham Smith

Two things that make you rant ...

1. Other drivers
2. The fact I only get to rant about two things!

One thing you'd tell your teenage self ...

Stop pussyfooting around and go for it.