Monday 28 March 2011

Cheerless, chippy, sozzled and tight-fisted? Us?

I hope you had a lovely weekend, Dear Reader. It's my last week of work this week - thanks again to all of you for your good wishes - I got on the Masters in Community Learning and Development course I wanted so, come September, I will be a student (pushing up the average age of the student population of Glasgow University quite considerably). I'm really looking forward to it, and to my placement at the wonderful Glasgow Women's Library, where I'm looking forward to becoming involved in all sorts of literacy and community projects. Before that, a few months to do some writing. I feel like the luckiest person in the world!

And now, on to the Scottish crime fiction round-up.

The Scotsman reviews Gordon Ferris' THE HANGING SHED, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Kate Atkinson's STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG and Nigel over at Sea Minor enjoyed Doug Johnstone's SMOKEHEADS.

Talking of Doug Johnstone, he's talking about books over at Untitled Books.

Kate Atkinson appears on 3rd April at Book Passage in Corte Madera. And Helen Fitzgerald is appearing at the Ramshorn Theatre in Glasgow this Wednesday (interviewed by the aforementioned Doug Johnstone, I do believe). Wine and twisted filth is promised. Excellent.

Russel McLean with a really interesting post on becoming a writer over at Musings of An All Purpose Monkey and Elizabeth - the blog's host - loves THE LOST SISTER.

Ian Rankin on structuring a crime novel.

And, finally, the depiction of Scottish people on the big screen. "Unkempt attire, wild-eyed aspect and eccentric haircut"? I do believe that's how my mother usually greets me when I go down for a visit.

6 comments:

  1. So can we expect a new novel from you soon?

    Please!

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  2. YAY DONNA!!!! SOOOOOO glad you got on your Masters program!! Huge congrats and onward you go! And yes, a few months to write....another book can happen in that time, surely! Good article about depiction of Scottish people, and as the last words say, they are really rather sweet. :-) Celebrate this last work week Donna! Enjoy your time off! And yes, write a book! :-)

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  3. The Tory government put the boot into students and librarys and Donna Moore becomes a student who works at a library! Contrary Mary!

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  4. Congratulations on being out of your job!
    ======================
    Detectives Beyond Borders
    "Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
    http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

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  5. Hope your work colleagues give you an appropriate leaving gift. Being a mature student is wonderful, you'll love it. Before then you've got a long summer stretching out ahead of you, though I'm sure you'll keep busy.

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  6. Dorte - not very soon, no!

    Bobbie - thank you, and I will :o)

    Paul - maybe Dumb Dora!

    Peter - thank you, it's a good feeling, if a tad scary.

    Janet - they gave me some really lovely gifts (that made me cry for the 25th time :o) )

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