I'm a Thug and a Zombie

Hello, dear Reader, I hope you've had a splendid weekend. I've just spent a lovely day filming part of a short film for a charity I'm involved in. When I say 'filming', my involvement was minor, consisting mainly of fielding variations on the question "Haw, hen, is this part of that Brad Pitt zombie film they're making in George Square?" I'm trying to tell myself that they're mistaking me for Angelina Jolie, rather than a zombie, but...since I look as though I've eaten Angelina Jolie and still had room left over for dessert, I'm not exactly convincing anyone. My confidence was further dashed when we were filming in one of the stations. We had to get security passes, complete with photos, to be allowed to film there. Two of my colleagues - let's call them John Smith and Fred Jones - were first up to get their passes. They came back with nicely printed passes in the names of Mr J Smith and Mr F Jones. I was up next. I helpfully spelled my name. "Is that with an R E at the end?" said the official. I said that it was. I received my pass. All it said was "Donaldmuire". I didn't even get a Mr. I mean, the photograph wasn't particularly flattering but...still.

Allan Guthrie's Thuggish 13. And look at me, in there, nestled in such good company, looking all hard and mean and that.

A nice review of Len Wanner's DEAD SHARP: SCOTTISH CRIME WRITERS ON COUNTRY AND CRAFT. And a few more reviews - Denise Mina's THE END OF THE WASP SEASON, M C Beaton's DEATH OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP, Craig Russell's THE DEEP DARK SLEEP and BERTIE PLAYS THE BLUES by Alexander McCall Smith.

A short story by the brilliant Ray Banks over at Shotgun Honey.

I don't know whether Radio New Zealand have just put up these old radio interviews with Kate Atkinson and Val McDermid, but they just came up in my google alerts, so I thought I'd mention them.

Talking of Val, some reviews from the Edinburgh Book Festival, including one of Val's event. More book festival stuff with a review of the Iain Banks event, one of the William McIlvanney one I mentioned previously, and a podcast with Louise Welsh. And the Falkirk Herald chats to Alan Bissett.

The full line-up of the Soho Literary Festival, which includes Philip Kerr.