It’s been  a long time in coming: too long. We’ve had editorial issues, copyright issues, financial issues, design issues, you name it, we’ve had an issue with it on the road to bringing our latest publication to the world, but finally, Hack by James Wells is finally available.

Right now, we’re testing the e-book route. Part of the reason’s financial, but dwelling at the cutting edge of zero-budget publishing, we’re also looking to see how far we can take it without a physical format – although traditionalists shouldn’t worry, as there will be a print edition in due course.

So, about Hack….

…the long…

Rob Price is a music journalist. He’s a hard-drinking hack who’s frustrated, skint and cynical, and he’s drowning in a pile of CDs to review that he simply doesn’t have the time to listen to. He’s not only got money issues, but girlfriend issues, flatmate issues, personal hygiene issues and a rampant libido he’s incapable of keeping in check after a few pints.

Hack follows Rob round endless seedy dive venues as he finds himself at odds with the people he meets in an industry teeming with hangers on, wannabes, maybes and no-hopers, as he sneers, snorts, tokes and spews his way through a succession of sordid encounters and dangerous liaisons in his quest for that ‘big’ story.

A graphic and darkly comic tale of misanthropy, music and misadventure, Hack is the ultimate novel of sex ‘n’ drugs ‘n’ rock ‘n’ roll that makes Lester Bangs seem positively straight edge in comparison to Price. This book is to music journalism what John Niven’s Kill Your Friends is to A&R – only grimier, slimier and grittier. While some writers go for the jugular, James Wells just goes straight for the jugs.

…and the short…

Hack is the story of hard-drinking, drug-imbibing, sex-crazed, misanthropic music journalist Rob Price as he follows bands round the diviest venues on his quest to break the next big thing. But Rob is a man with problems. Girl problems, money problems, housemate problems, hygiene problems… a sordid and seedy tale of debauchery, Hack is the ultimate novel of sex ‘n’ drugs ‘n’ rock ‘n’ roll.

Hack is available now priced $2.99 via Smashwords.