Holy Mortarbards, Batman!

Glasgow crime writer Alex Gray does some detective work to uncover the 'bible of Scottish cuisine'. "Though controversial recipes such as sheep's head broth have been relegated to the introduction because of changes to health and safety laws, and shifting public taste, the editors promise that fans of the original will not be disappointed." Presumably that means that sheep's head broth has been replaced by deep fried Mars Bar.

Iain Banks TRANSITION will be serialised internationally on iTunes as a free podcast, starting on September 3rd. *UPDATE* (the comments section at the link to the Bookseller article talks about TRANSITION not being the first - thanks to Mack for the link).

An interview with Robert Downey Jr, Rachel McAdams, Joel Silver and Susan Downey about the new Sherlock Holmes film.

Tom Morton's SERPENTINE reviewed in the Highland News.

An audio interview with Denise Mina.

I don't know how close this is to completion but Johnny Borrell of Razorlight, Robert Carlyle and somebody called Colin (reports vary as to whether it's Firth or Farrell - which makes me even more dubious about the whole thing) will apparently star in Irvine Welsh's film THE MEAT TRADE. I won't hold my breath.

Edinburgh Napier University is to include graphic novels in its Masters Degree, and the University of Dundee will teach comics as part of its English degree. Guest lecturers will include Ian Rankin.

"Sorry hen, it's just ma wee snake."

Anyone who knows me is aware that THINGS HAPPEN on the Number 62 bus. Tonight I was quite late coming home. Buses in Glasgow after about 7pm are a bit of a minefield. This evening there were three young girls who were soaking wet from head to toe sitting near the front of the bus, so I decided that near the back of the bus - usually a place to be avoided at all costs - was the place to be. I dug out my book and lost myself in Karen Campbell's THE TWILIGHT TIME until I felt this tickling on the back of my neck. I shook my head, thinking it was my hair and that stopped it...for a minute or so. And then the tickling started again. 'Hello', I thought, 'your luck's in, Donna.'

I turned round, brushing my hand down the back of my head as I did so, and came face to scaly little face with a huge ginormous snake. I let out what can only be described as a pathetic girly whimper. The scaly little face was attached to a scaly well-fed body, which was coiled around the thick neck of a guy who was busily texting away. He looked up and saw the look on my face. "Aw sorry hen, it's just ma wee snake." Wee snake. It was about 100 feet long and looked as though it could swallow a herd of cows and still have room for a plump redhead.

This is not the first time I've come face to face with wildlife on the bus. I once found myself inches away from the bleary pink eyes and twitching whiskers of a rat. Sitting on the shoulder of a man who also had bleary pink eyes and twitching whiskers.

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled crime fiction blog.

There are authors, authors everywhere at the moment it seems, so here's some festival news.

Richmond Walking and Book Festival. I would fall over.

Crime writers Allan Guthrie, Stuart MacBride, Ann Cleeves and Tom Morton will be appearing at Shetland's Wordplay Book Festival. Good stuff. And there's an event with forensics expert Helen Pepper that looks fascinating. I attended an event whe was at once before and it was excellent (even if I did have to go for a lie down afterwards).

Val McDermid appears along with Kate Mosse and Jasper Fforde at the Southbank Centre in London on 16th September.

What an intriguing idea - Tony Black answers questions from readers . I'm going to be checking out this site more often. With thanks to the Rap Sheet.