So, following hot on the heels of Bookgeek’s amazing review of Smokeheads, there’s now a penetrating Q&A with me over on their website. In which I talk about my loft, strong female characters and the best writing advice I ever had (‘never apologise, never explain’). Enjoy, dudes and dudettes!
Another great review of Smokeheads has appeared from a clearly very erudite, intelligent and beautiful blogger, Bethany over at Subtle Melodrama – cheers Bethany!
Bethany reckons that ‘This would be an amazing film, if done properly.’ Even if done shitly, it would still be amazing for my bank balance, so let’s be hearing it, film producing fuckers. Eh?
Soooo, I’m reading at a Literary Death Match. Look, there’s me scratching my head while thinking about it. While a small bird, maybe a sparrow, pecks at my earlobe.
If you don’t know what the crap a Literary Death Match is, well, here’s a wee video below:
Looks like a laugh, right? Right. Although, as you can see, there seems very little death involved, although I guess you never know.
I’m appearing alongside Sophie Cooke, Hal Duncan and Katerina Vasiliou, it’s all at the Voodoo Rooms next Tuesday 6th Sept, kicks off at 7pm. Come along and watch us get hilariously slated by three judges, whydontcha? Then there’s some final play-off thing which will undoubtedly be daft beyond words. And maybe deadly.
I do hope the crowd and judges aren’t expecting laughs – I don’t do laughs, at least not in my writing, at least not intentionally.
Should be good, looking forward to it.
Come, for the love of Christ, come!
Aye so, had a great time at the Edinburgh International Book Festival last Friday – seems like ages ago already. Myself and Alan Bissett kicked out the jams in literary stylee, fielding such delightful questions as ‘what’s the most illegal thing you’ve done?’ and the like, and generally kicking the banter about like it was Piers Morgan’s head in a bag.
There are a number of blog-type reviews of the event, which is really very sweet. Imagine writing about little old us, eh? Anyway, if you want to read, they are at Manic Pop Thrills, The (Unofficial) Edinburgh Book Festival, The Scottish Review of Books and 12 Books in 12 months. Thanks to all bloggers out there for taking the time to come, enjoy and write, thanks to Peggy Hughes from the Scottish Poetry Library for being a great chair(person) and thanks to Mr Bissett for mentioning Weetabix. And thanks to Ali George at 12 Books in 12 Months – I’ve pinched your picture for this post, hope that’s OK?
More random pish soon, I bet.
Aye so, I have the great pleasure of appearing on Tom Morton‘s radio show tomorrow (Thursday 25th Aug) on Radio Scotland. The show kicks off at 2.30pm, think I’m on about 3. Probably talking about the book and the music and all that shit. No doubt some nice whisky chat, given Tom’s love of the good stuff.
So, listen in live, see if I manage to do the show without swearing – should be fun. If you miss it, it’ll be on iplayer for a week, as per, I presume.
Well, I was extremely chuffed to appear in Allan Guthrie’s Thuggish Thirteen, a selection of ‘brit grit’ authors you should read, as part of Ashedit‘s ongoing British crime writing blog.
Some great writers in there, including some good friends, and I’m gonna have to get investigating the ones I haven’t read yet. Cheers for the shout out, Al!
There’s a massive review of Smokeheads over at The Crime of it All, courtesy of Cormac O’Siochain. He manages to be both very positive and very negative about it in the same review. My favourite line is:
‘I’m left with a similar feeling to watching a dog eat its own vomit.’
Now THAT’S book reviewing, people!
Aye so, there’s been a wee flurry of Smokeheads-related shite appearing in papers and online over the last few days, what with the sexy, new paperback version coming out. Here’s a quick rundown:
Excellent review in The Independent on Sunday. Choice quote: ‘a ferocious thriller reminiscent of Straw Dogs.’
The prize for the most concise review goes to The Sunday Herald – a 50-word plot summary followed by ‘Nifty thriller.’
Rave review over at Bookgeeks. Choice quote: ‘The foul-mouthed put-downs flow as freely as the single malts.’
In depth interview with the inimitable Len Wanner over on the fantastic The Crime of it All, where you can find out who’s on my ideal dinner party list (including Yoda) and what my favourite word is (take a fucking guess).
Me interviewing myself on the wonderful Nigel Bird’s Sea Minor blog. Reading this back, I have quite a go at myself, suggesting I maybe need to go see a mental health professional or something.
Enjoy, fuckers!
Publication day! Again! Smokeheads is out in its mass market paperback format today, five wee months after it first came into the world as a trade paperback. You can buy it here. It has a new cover:
Which I like very much. I like the typeface. I am a typeface nerd.
To launch the book I’m doing a quick reading and song-playing at Blackwell’s on South Bridge in Edinburgh at 6pm tonight, as part of their Writers on the Fringe thing, alongside Lin Anderson, Fiona Thackeray, Shirley McKay, Ewan Wilkinson.
While I’m here, it’s probably worth me peddling this piece of nonsense again – me and Ewan Morrison ‘promoting’ Smokeheads. Enjoy!
I always find it’s best to do online Q&A interviews when you’re a bit pished. Lately I had a backlog of them, so I had a few whiskies last night and bashed out some suitably erudite answers. The first one is already up, over at Audacious Authors, courtesy of Kyle McCrae. Cheers, Kyle! It seems I swear a lot when drunkenly typing.
Expect a few more sweary, drunken ramblings soon.
Adios, patatas bravas!
Doug Johnstone 