Thee Most Exaulted Potentate of Love

Another Cramps-related blog post title (and no, those aren't typos). This one's for Heath Lowrance (not because he's an exalted potentate of love (although he may, of course, be just that), but because he asked for it.

I mentioned in a previous post that the wonderful ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL by Declan Burke has been short-listed for the Crime Fiction section of the Irish Book Awards. If you have read it, and would like to vote for it, you can do so here: http://www.irishbookawards.ie/PublicVote.aspx

A report from the Vancouver Writers' Festival on the event with Denise Mina, Stuart MacBride and Ian Rankin. And Stuart's questioned by the National Post, while Ian is reviewed in the FT.

A review of THE NARRATIVE OF JOHN SMITH - the unfinished lost novel of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the Economist considers Conan Doyle's voice, and a trailer for the new Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie A GAME OF SHADOWS.

Jason Isaacs on Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie. And a review of STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG.

A review of M C Beaton's AS THE PIG TURNS. And one of the comedy stage version of John Buchan's THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS.

If you're in Edinburgh between October 26th and 29th, you might want to go and see Caroline Dunford's BURKE - about half of Edinburgh's notorious serial killing duo.

More on Val McDermid's favourite walk. And on the Million For A Morgue campaign which Val is closely associated with.

Hollywood Today talks to Catriona McPherson and reviews DANDY GILVER AND THE PROPER TREATMENT OF BLOODSTAINS.

Odds and Oddments

The note on our close door, written on the betting slip, now has a small addition. Somebody has decided that the horse named "Please shut the door behind you, thank you" is running at odds of 10/1. Or perhaps that's the odds of someone actually taking notice of the request. Who knows, but I'm in for a tenner.

An interview with Denise Mina in Publishers Weekly.

And another interesting PW article on violence in novels.

Matt Tuckey of Power is a State of Mind attends an event at the Manchester Literature Festival with Val McDermid and Sophie Hannah.

Loads and loads of upcoming literary events in Edinburgh's libraries.

The wonderful Charlie Stella reviews Alice Thompson's THE EXISTENTIAL DETECTIVE and also mentions Len Wanner's interviews with Scottish crime fiction authors, which I've had the pleasure of dipping into.

Constable and Robinson are to publish a new (well, old) series by M C Beaton - not crime fiction but C&R believe it will appeal to fans of Beaton's Agatha Raisin.

A review of Caroline Dunford's Burke and Hare play.

The Vancouver Sun reviews Kate Atkinson's STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG. And the Secluded Charm blog looks at the opening of BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM.

And, finally, I'd already realised this years ago when it seemed as though every drunk bloke in a British crime drama was slurring in a Scottish accent.

From Nuns To Geezers

Irvine Welsh ran a competition to appear as a character in Skagboys. I love the name of the band, but I'm not writing it as it will bring all sorts of weird traffic here (you have no idea how many people come here after searching for the phrase 'nymphomaniac nuns' or, even worse, enter the site via the picture of me posing with a donkey).

The charming Nigel Bird, over at Sea Minor, is currently running a series of interviews called 'Dancing With Myself' which is writers interviewing themselves (very sneaky, young Nigel. The whole series is well worth a read, but the two most recent are Ian Rankin and Ray Banks.

More interviews - Caroline Dunford in The Scotsman, and Alexander McCall Smith in the Boston Globe. And Alexander McCall Smith tells The Book Show his favourite line from literature.

Stuart MacBride on being on the brink.

Excellent news from Douglas Lindsay HQ - 21 YEARS ON THE BACK OF DIXIE KLONDYKE'S SPANISH GUITAR is now available.

A couple of reviews from Eurocrime - firstly Tony Black's LOSS, secondly Philip Kerr's FIELD GREY - which is also reviewed in The Scotsman. And a few more reviews gleaned from a spider-y crawl of the web - A Work in Progress with a very thoughtful review of Gillian Galbraith's BLOOD IN THE WATER, Kate Atkinson's STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG reviewed by the Vancouver Sun.

And, finally, looks like Letty and Dora in OLD DOGS may not be so far off the mark after all...

"Strange Ajatteleminenkin Abdominal Symptoms"

It all happens in Ian Rankin's neighbourhood. And here's a review of DOORS OPEN.

Alexander McCall Smith on adjectives. And the BBC goes inside the No. 1 Ladies Opera House.

Louise Welsh talks to The Book Show. And in an interview at The Afterword.

Iain Banks opens Gourock Library.

If you're in Edinburgh between 16th and 20th November, you could go and see Caroline Dunford's play about body-snatchers Burke and Hare. And, while you're there, you could go and see Ian Rankin and Gunnar Staalesen in conversation on November 26th.

I've mentioned Len Wanner's site The Crime Of It All before, but it's so good I'm going to mention it again. Hundreds of interviews, plus reviews and articles, amongst other things.

A review of Stuart MacBride's Flesh House - if you speak Finnish. If not, don't worry, Google Translate is here to help (since Babelfish sadly doesn't do Finnish): "I think I will take to go vegan. This book creates a strange ajatteleminenkin abdominal symptoms."

Maxine Clarke with one of her always thoughtful reviews over at Eurocrime. This time Karen Campbell's SHADOWPLAY.

And, finally, the always funny Douglas Lindsay with the revolutionary 10am, 10 second Barney Thomson novel. Definitely not a 'scrotum's worth of balls'. One thing though, Mr Lindsay, if my maths is correct I'm going to be about 118 by the time it's done.

Hydrophobia, Haircuts and Haunted Houses

The Independent reviews Val McDermid's TRICK OF THE DARK. And Val's on The Book Show's Off The Shelf. And here are her top 10 Oxford novels.

Stephen Fry will play Mycroft Holmes in Sherlock Holmes 2.

A very varied range of Alexander McCall Smith related items. Middletown, Ohio, is having a Botswana weekend and there will be an exhibit about Alexander McCall Smith's books. The man himself, meanwhile, was at the Goteborg Book Fair, and will be at the Boston Public Library on October 25th. He's also taking part in World Rabies Day, and congratulations are in order as he receives an award in Botswana.

The always funny Douglas Lindsay on when haircuts go bad.

Ian Rankin, Iain Banks and Quintin Jardine at the Lennoxlove Book Festival in November. And a reminder of the event at the Portobello Book Festival with Ian Rankin, Allan Guthrie, Doug Johnstone, Alice Thompson and Caroline Dunford.

The lovely Caro Ramsay talks about her diploma in forensic science, osteopathy, and living in a haunted house.

BookGeeks reviews M C Beaton's SNOBBERY WITH VIOLENCE, while at the other end of the spectrum the marvellously named Cinema Fromage looks at Denise Mina's graphic novel A SICKNESS IN THE FAMILY.

And thanks to all for your comments and e-mails on the Ramones story blogathon - I'm so looking forward to seeing everyone's stories! I've already seen one and it's a cracker.

Book Launches and Big Lunches

Iain Banks and Neil Forsyth at the Dundee Literary Festival this week, while Chris Ewan is at the Lowdham Book Festival on July 1st. And I've mentioned this event before but here's another reminder for the launch of Tony Black's new Gus Dury book on Thursday 1st July. I just received this book and am itching to get stuck into it.

A report from Fife Council on their ladykillers events last week.

Alexander McCall Smith opens a cancer service in the Scottish Highlands.

STB's Weekly Blog looks at Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther novels, and a transcript of the NPR audio review of IF THE DEAD RISE NOT.

A review of Alice Thompson's THE EXISTENTIAL DETECTIVE. This one sounds fascinating. And she'll be at Blackwells in Edinburgh on June 29th.

A long-missing painting of ghostly soldiers, once owned by Arthur Conan Doyle goes on sale this week.

Caroline Dunford will be appearing at Edinburgh's Portobello Library on June 30th.

And, finally, anyone for some f-f-f-f-fava beans? (Thanks (I think) to @stevemosby for the link).