Ach, everyone’s doing this, but here you go anyway, here are ten books I’m looking forward to getting my mitts on in the next six months. These are in chronological order, likes. Enjoy!

Frank Bill, Crimes in Southern Indiana (William Heinemann, January)

Already out and I’ve already read it and it’s fucking amazing – like a shotgun blast in the guts of literature. Terrifying, brutal but brilliant.

Shalom Auslander, Hope: A Tragedy (Picador, February)

Wish I had an author name like that. Auslander’s memoir, Foreskin’s Lament (yes, really), was one of the funniest books I’ve ever read, so this first novel promises much.

Ron Rash, The Cove (Canongate, March)

Ron Rash’s last story collection won the Frank O’Connor prize, this novel will likely also mix top class literary writing with earthy wisdom.

Dan Rhodes, This is Life (Canongate, March)

A new Dan Rhodes book is always welcome, and this is apparently a missing baby mystery in gay Paris. Hurrah for Dan Rhodes!

Mark Leyner, The Sugar Frosted Nutsack (Little Brown, March)

I read Et Tu, Babe by Leyner many, many years ago, then he seemed to disappear. It was a totally mental book. The title of this alone suggests it will be awesome.

Irvine Welsh, Skagboys (Jonathan Cape, April)

Long-awaited prequel to some obscure book called Trainspotting. Sweeeet.

Megan Abbott, Dare Me (Picador, May)

Abbott’s The End of Everything was one of my favourites of 2011, so I’m now a complete Abbott fan, and cannae wait for this.

Ewan Morrison, Tales From The Mall (Cargo, May)

Twenty-first century dislocation and commercialism brought to vivid life by this experimental and revolutionary collection of stories from a controversial dude.

Richard Ford, Canada (Bloomsbury, June)

Yay, a new Richard Ford! It’s probably about Canada. I love Canada. And Richard Ford. Good times.

David Vann, Dirt (William Heinemann, June)

Vann moves from Alaska to the desert for this new novel. I bet it’s still bleak as fuck, though. Can’t wait.