Thursday 23 December 2010

I Wish You A Merry

What with my Mum trying to put everyone she meets off reading my stuff, you'd think that was enough family support of that type, wouldn't you? Well, you'd be wrong. A couple of days ago, my brother arrived home for Christmas. The following conversation took place shortly after.

Darren: I've read OLD DOGS.

Me: Have you?

Darren: Yes, it was excellent.

Me: Thanks, Darren. What was it about, by the way? [note: Darren has Aspergers, a very short attention span, and a tendency to exaggerate - this is, therefore, a normal type of question chez nous in order to ascertain the verisimilitude of what is being said.]

Darren: It was about...ummm...a detective who solves a crime?

Me: Nice try. You didn't read it, did you?

Darren: Well, no, I didn't read all of it...but what I did read was excellent.

Me: How much did you read?

Darren: Half a page.

So, there you go. My mum refuses to read OLD DOGS (not strictly true - she gave up at the sentence "Displays of wealth always gave him a hard-on and these two old bags were dripping with it". Since that's the second sentence, she did, therefore, actually manage to read the first sentence without too much distress), my partner says he might get round to it at some point but that I shouldn't hold my breath, my brother managed half a page before he apparently lapsed into a coma, and my Dad read it and said "You're a bit odd, aren't you, our Donna?"

Anyway, onto the news. The Geeky Girls call Denise Mina's A SICKNESS IN THE FAMILY "deliciously dark and suspenseful" and Horrorview enjoyed it too. And Mysteries Etc loves M C Beaton's BUSY BODY. Margot Kinberg puts Val McDermid's THE GRAVE TATTOO under the spotlight.

Karen Dunbar does Denise Mina at Glasgow's Oran Mor. While Mina pens a ghost story for Radio Scotland's Ghost Stories at Christmas between December 27th and 31st.

Ian Rankin, amongst others, on his favourite moment from The Archers.

Spinetingler has a collection of 'the best crime fiction of 2010' in one handy place.

Bid to be a character in a Stuart MacBride novel and help Buckie Lifeboat Service. And here's a Christmas present from Stuart MacBride - an exclusive short story in the Aberdeen Evening Express.

And, finally, a wee awwwwww story from my bus route.

And, finally finally, I can just imagine the sniggering in the newsroom as this article was written. "It's a right cock-up"? Indeed.

Have a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, everyone. Back on Boxing Day. Xxx

13 comments:

  1. Donna - Happy Christmas to you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This has actually peaked my interest in Old Dogs. I will be adding it to my ToRead list.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Merry Christmas to you, Donna!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Merry Moments to you and your family, Donna. Interesting bits to click on, good stories the last few days about your Mum and Dad and brother, and we wish you Very Merry Christmas!

    Bobbie and Larry and Buddy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Awra best Donna,

    I put Old Dogs on my Santa's list so here's hoping I get it. {Either that or the flame thrower he missed off last years swag}

    ReplyDelete
  6. Heppy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to you too Donna.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Margot, Dorte and Jose Ignacio - thank you - and to you too!

    Mark - my mum is most distressed to hear it. I, on the other hand, am chuffed to little mint balls.

    Bobbie - lots of love to you all. Hugs to you and Larry and a big doggy hug to Buddy.

    Alistair - oh it has to be the flame thrower! Bugger Old Dogs when you've got a flame thrower on your Christmas list :o)

    ReplyDelete
  8. A very happy Christmas and new year to you, too, Donna. I can see that Christmas in your family is going to be a rich source of future blog posts, short stories and maybe even novels!
    My best wishes
    Maxine.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Once I discovered your blog earlier this year I had to buy a copy of Old Dogs. I promise I read it all the way through and loved it (though I won't be lending it to my Mum). Looking forward to seeing how you follow it up.
    Happy Christmas and all the best for 2011.

    ReplyDelete
  10. to keep the pies firm, huh?

    a happy and a good

    x

    ReplyDelete
  11. Maxine - if I survive, yes :o) And all the best to you and your family.

    Janet - how lovely - thank you so much. My blog readers are the nicest people.

    Nigel - can't beat a firm pie, I always say. And you too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. hope you had a good Christmas. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hagelrat - lovely thank you! And you, too, I hope?

    ReplyDelete