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.

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.

"Books of scientific iInterest are filed in the bottom, sir"

Val McDermid says grown-up books need a dead body in them, there's a great interview with her over a Declan Burke's Crime Always Pays., another one at We Love This Book,

The City Life reviews STRIP JACK by Ian Rankin, the Fleetwood Weekly News reviews Quintin Jardine's THE LONER, His Futile Preoccupations enjoyed Ray Banks' BEAST OF BURDEN, and a review of the TV version of Denise Mina's FIELD OF BLOOD.

More on Tony Black's film news.

A stage adaptation of Andrew O'Hagan's THE MISSING.

Scotiana has a piece on Alexander McCall Smith's books.

Crimeculture has extracts from Len Wanner's DEAD SHARP: SCOTTISH CRIME WRITERS ON COUNTRY AND CRAFT.

Finally, I think I'd rather be mugged in Edinburgh than go to a library in New Zealand.

Half-mugged on a wet day

An excellent piece on Val McDermid in The Guardian.

A great interview with Ray Banks over at Hardboiled Wonderland, and Ray talks about his favourite short series' here. The young man has good taste - Woodrell, Willeford and Raymond are 3 of my absolute favourites. I'd also add Mr Banks to that list.

You can go to jail as part of the Wigtown Book Festival at the end of September.

If you're in California you can see Catriona McPherson in San Mateo tomorrow and in Davis on Friday.

Helen Fitzgerald wants to buy your kidney.

Sherlock Holmes banned for being anti-Mormon.

The lovely Declan Burke mentions Charles Cummings' THE TRINITY SIX. Talking of Declan, here's a smashing review for ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL (a marvellous book, which you can win here).

Scotland on Sunday reports on the launch of the Edinburgh Book Festival, while the Guardian blog tells you what you can expect over the next couple of weeks, and whether tickets are still available on any given day. The Daily Record has a beginner's guide, and the BBC announces more stuff.

The FT has an interesting article on e-books, including the information that Ian Rankin's Edinburgh iphone app has been downloaded more than 30,000 times.

Ah, how I wish I was going to Bouchercon.

Finally, Glasgow crime decreases on wet days, apparently. Having been half-mugged on a wet day, I have to disagree.

This, That, and a Bit of the Other

This weekend's film viewing was 36 QUAI DES ORFEVRES with Daniel Auteuil and Gerard Depardieu - a gritty, absorbing and convoluted crime thriller with lots of shades of grey. Great performances from Auteuil and Depardieu. Off to Harrogate Crime Festival next week so it will be a film-less weekend.

A great post from Helen Fitzgerald on self-obsession, and here's a great interview with her in The Scotsman.

The Scotsman also interviews David Ashton.

Hobbit in Irvine Welsh's ECSTACY.

An audio interview with Dr Val McDermid.

The World of Alexander McCall Smith, a review of BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS and a video interview with the man.

An interesting article on Douglas Watt's TESTAMENT OF A WITCH.

Fancy an evening with Ian Rankin?

Shirley McKay and Gillian Galbraith will be appearing at the Inverness Book Festival August 10-13. Louise Welsh and Christopher Brookmyre will also be appearing.

The Guardian on class in fiction. And another Guardian piece - this time the best summer reads and where to read them. Maybe we should do the equivalent for crime fiction.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you again that you should read the genius that is Douglas Lindsay's GOVERNMENT OF THE LIVING DEAD, do I?

And, he's not Scottish, but I can't resist the chance to give a shout out to the lovely Declan Burke, whose book ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL is out soon. It's absolute 100% brilliant, by the way. And it's being launched on August 10th at the Gutter Bookshop in Dublin. Everyone welcome.

Rock Star or Writer?

A video interview with Ian Rankin on his recent trip to India. And a print interview on writing whydunits rather than whodunnits . He then tells the Hindustan Times that crime writers want to be rockstars. He's right. I always wanted to be a drummer with the Ramones. However, after Tommy Ramone left they turned me down and gave Marky Ramone the job. Then Richie Ramone. Then Marky Ramone again. They even had Elvis Ramone for a short while. But they refused to take Donna Ramone. Maybe it's because I can't play...

As part of the Alibi Crime Writing Competition, here are some tips from Stuart MacBride. I'm with him on the 'what do you call yourself' thing. I've never called myself an author (I don't suit smoking jackets), or a 'writer' - I just find it impossible to do. Sometimes I manage to mumble "I...errr... I write... but I have a proper job too". I feel like a pretentious fake, as though someone (probably my mother) will scream "Look at her, the lying little bint, calling herself a writer when she obviously can't string two decent words together." Anyone have any suggestions as to what I am? Hmmmm, maybe I should rephrase that. What, dear reader, should those of us who feel weird using the designation 'author' call ourselves?

If you're a Kate Atkinson fan, here's a chance to win a prize (if you live in the US). And, on the subject of an offer you can't refuse, Declan Burke (who's not Scottish but he's a top bloke and a wonderful writer and those two things count) is experimenting with 'crowdfunding' his GONZO NOIR aka BAD FOR GOOD. I was lucky enough to read it and it's sheer genius - very funny and very clever.

Alexander McCall Smith on his addiction to tea.

When is a book review not a book review? When it just mentions what the author dreamed about last night.

Irvine Welsh is coming to town. Well, as long as your town is Melbourne, that is.

And, finally, this guy is obviously an Iain Banks fan. He's also totally bonkers and totally brilliant (he's also no relation).

Reviews, Interviews and Bad News

Off out to a gig tonight to see The Enemy so here, hopefully, is an automatically posting...errrr...post.

Frederic Lindsay and Ken McClure visit East Lothian's libraries.

Audio reviews of Ian Rankin and Stuart MacBride, with downloadable audio clips. And, talking of Stuart MacBride, the lovely Russel McLean reviews the SF/crime concoction HALFHEAD and finds it most excellent.

Amongst many other books, PW reviews M C Beaton and Alexander McCall Smith.

An interview with Val McDermid on Women and Hollywood. And one with Sherlock Holmes aficionado and all round top bloke Rafe McGregor on The Tainted Archive.

And finally, he's not Scottish, but he's the inspiration for this blog because of all the great stuff he does on Irish crime fiction, he's a mate, he's an all round top bloke, and he's one of my favourite writers. So I am very saddened to see Declan Burke post this. I understand and respect his decision, and his little daughter is one hell of a lucky girl to have such a great Dad, but I hope that Dec keeps writing fiction - because he's brilliant at it and his books brighten my days. I read his first book EIGHT BALL BOOGIE back when it first came out in 2003 and absolutely loved it. I kept checking for more books by him so it was marvellous to get to know him a few years later and find out that he had a new book coming out. I have multiple copies of THE BIG O, and I've been lucky enough to read both manuscripts he currently has out in the market. He has great talent and his fiction is funny, thrilling, smart and touching with great characters and full of life. All the best Dec, whatever you do, but I'm crossing everything that fiction plays a big part - if not right now, then in the (near) future.