Podcast series explores Polygon writer's path to publication

A new podcast series exploring a debut crime author’s 14-year journey to publication will be released on 20th June.

"Debut: A Crime Writer’s Journey from the Bedroom to the Bookshelf" tells the story of Charles E McGarry, whose debut crime novel The Ghost of Helen Addison will be published by Polygon on 6th July.

Featuring episodes with "two of crime writing’s biggest names", Val McDermid and Chris Brookmyre, the series will explore what it takes to get a "great story" into mainstream publishing.

The podcast will feature discussions about how McGarry left a well-paid career aged 30 to pursue his ambitions as a writer, how he found a London agent after years of searching, only to lose him in a matter of days, how one rejection note, among dozens of rejection notes, "changed everything", and more.

Neil White, producer of "Debut", said: “Charles’s is an epic journey which starts with a soul-searching road-trip across Australia and will culminate with the publication of his novel in July. We were captivated by his story and wanted to capture the highs and lows of trying to get published. Charles’s conversations with Val and Chris, in particular, are fascinating insights into how these two great writers went through their own unique challenges early in their careers. They both had great advice for Charles about what lies ahead.”

All six episodes of "Debut" will be released on Tuesday 20th June.

The podcasts are available here, on iTunes and all other audio platforms.

The series is produced by BackPage media, producers of the podcast "The Big Interview with Graham Hunter".