I got a garbage brain, It's driving me insane...

Post title courtesy of The Cramps' Human Fly (which also happens to be the only thing I can play on the guitar).

Catch Russel McLean at Dundee University on October 28th, talking about Scottish crime fiction. And Alexander McCall Smith is in Norfolk on October 24th and in Bridport on 20th November. Russel is free, Alexander McCall Smith will set you back £15 and £12 respectively. It's official - Russel is chea..errr...very good value.

And there's lots of Scottish crime at the Reading Festival with Denise Mina, Stuart MacBride, M C Beaton and Quintin Jardine. Denise and Stuart will also be appearing at the Toronto International Festival of Authors, along with Ian Rankin. And the Vancouver Sun asks Denise Mina some questions.

How Ian Rankin infiltrated police college. And he tells the National Post that he's a frustrated musician and how he's awaiting the volleys for THE IMPOSSIBLE DEAD. And here he is, talking about Cromarty. I wonder whether he ever gets fed up of people asking him about anything and everything...maybe I should ask him.

Denise Mina's FIELD OF BLOOD actors up for Scottish BAFTAs. And, in other awards news, congratulations to Gordon Ferris whose THE HANGING SHED is up for the CWA's Ellis Peters Historical Award. And he's not Scottish, but huge congratulations to Declan Burke for his nomination for the Irish Book Awards.

Kate Atkinson on Jason Isaacs as Jackson Brodie. And a review of the show.

Conan Doyle's lost first novel is to be the highlight of the Portsmouth Literary Festival.

Peter May on his French award.

Irvine Welsh gets cut from his own film.

And now I am off for the best part of the week - a virtual creative writing class via Skype with a class of 4th and 5th graders in Alaska. The next best thing to being there. Today I'm giving them feedback on some brilliant and hilarious Halloween stories they've written.