for peat’s sake – oh yes

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

So I just got a really quite amazingly good review for Smokeheads over on the Scots Whay Hae blog, where the handsome and erudite Scottish cultural blogger Alistair Braidwood said I was knocking on the doors of Brookmyre, Rankin, Banks and Louise Welsh. Not literally, of course, although I did used to play that game as a kid in Arbroath where, as far as I know, there were no famous authors living at that time.

I needed that fillip as well, as the book’s recently got a dribble of meh reviews from readers over on Amazon – the usual moans about the violence and language, and folks complaining about the pace and readability, as if that’s a bad thing. Ho hum.

So thank you Mr Braidwood, and the drams are on me. As long as they’re reasonably priced ones, you understand.

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words per minute – hot shit

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

To paraphrase Zoolander for a moment, ‘Glasgow is soooo hot right now’. And at the centre of that burning cultural furnace is Words Per Minute, a spoken word/music/film/general extravaganza that occurs once a month at the ultra-cool Arches. If you don’t believe me when I say they’re hot, just check out this month’s GQ magazine, where they get mentioned alongside Cargo Publishing and flash fiction magazine Fractured West.

Anyway, Words Per Minute 11 is upon us this weekend, and I’m doing a turn at it, reading a nasty bit of Smokeheads, alongside writers Katy McAulay and Margaret Callaghan, music from San Fran and the Siscos and Michael Cassidy, a DJ set from Ursula and some short films tbc. It all kicks off at 4pm and costs a mere fiver, and I’m gonna be giving away free shit in various forms (basically left over shit from the launch party).

So, you wanna be hot, right? You wanna be entertained, right? You want free shit, yeah? Come on.

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metro v press association

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

So the highly positive reviews of Smokeheads keep on trundling in, so they do.

First up we have the rather fine four-star review in Metro which ran the other week, but which has for some reason never made it online. So I’ve typed it up like the saddo I am. It’s written by Anthony Cummins who loved the book so much he gave away two deaths and some DIY brain surgery from the plot. Thanks, Anthony!

Ditto for another glowing review, this time from the Press Association, in which Georgina Cotton gave it a very generous 7/10. I’ve always felt book reviews should give percentages – like, this is a 63% good book, that sort of thing. Why not? Anyway, the PA review is there to be picked up by any and all local freesheet papers around the country. If you write for one of them, feel free to pick it up, print it, and spread the word.

There are also at least three interviews still in the pipeline, which I’ll post up once they appear. And at least one more review to come. And a competition. Watch this space. Or not this exact space, you understand, but the general space of this blog.

Adios, compadres!

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smokeheads on criminal-e

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

Allan Guthrie is a busy man. When he’s not writing his own brilliant noir novels, editing and agenting for others, becoming an e-book bestselling writer etc, etc, he’s also blogging his ass off on several sites. Including the excellent Criminal-E, where he has very kindly interviewed me about crime writing, e-books and some other shit besides. Check it out here.

When I sent the replies to Al, he got back to me with ‘say what you think, Doug, why don’t you!’. I always worry about reactions like that. I once did a feature on writing for The List magazine, and the editor replied saying ‘very brave piece, Doug.’ To which I thought: ‘Shit, brave? Really? Shit, what does that mean? Career suicidally brave?’

It seems I like to mouth off. Ho hum.

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shots magazine v sea minor et al

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

Two great review of Smokeheads have appeared over the weekend. Oh yes.

Firstly, there’s a really very enthusiastic review over at Sea Minor courtesy of Nigel P. Bird, who also posted his review on Good Reads, Kindle Users Forum and Amazon.com – what a stand-up guy.

And then there’s a cracking write up over at Shots ezine, thanks to Calum MacLeod, who gets extra points for spotting the cheeky wee reference to the movie of The 39 Steps in the book.

Smart, erudite and dashing men, both of them.

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me talking about books

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

Latest little bit of online press, in the form of me blethering on about books to Untitled Books website. Very nice.

Also, apparently I’m ‘Scotch Whisky News’. That is according to Whisky Intelligence. More news about the hook up between book and booze to follow soon.

There’s a wee bit more review news for the book as well. Firstly, there is a rather nippy review on The Dabbler website courtesy of Ian Buxton, who knows his whisky. Despite spending the whole review having a pop, he still manages to write: ‘Smokeheads has a page-turning energy that can’t be denied.’ I’m not gonna link to it, why increase their traffic, eh?

Other reviews – apparently there’s a four star one in today’s Metro, but I haven’t seen it yet. Also, there’s allegedly one coming on Eurocrime, watch this space. I’ll post em up once I have em. Also, there’s a very nice Press Association review kicking around, again, I’ll post once it’s online.

There are a few more online features still to come, as well as more competitions to win booze and books.

Oh, and as a cheeky wee teaser, I might have some good news on the film rights front soon. But whatever you do, don’t hold your breath, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for your untimely demise.

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the guardian likes smokeheads

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

So, Smokeheads got a great write up in The Guardian at the weekend there. Laura Wilson wrote about it in the Crime Fiction Roundup, and if you can’t be bothered clicking here to read the whole thing (it’s really quite short and won’t take up much of your time), here’s a choice quote:

It will have you laughing and wincing in equal measure as – thanks to the passion with which Johnstone writes about his main subject – you are left punch-drunk by the whisky fumes that rise from the page.

‘Punch-drunk by the whisky fumes’, I like that a lot, thanks Laura.

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the times v spinetingler

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

Two amazing reviews of Smokeheads were brought to my attention yesterday that highlight the variety of modern journalism. The first of ’em was in some newspaper called The Times, by Peter Millar. You have to pay to see online content at their website, so here it is in full. Choice quote:

This is a hugely atmospheric thriller soaked in the spirit of life on the outer fringes of the British Isles: Local Hero in reverse, a Scottish Straw Dogs laced with whisky and gore.

Next up is far and away the funniest, sweariest and most positive review of the book so far, courtesy of Nerd of Noir in Spinetingler Magazine. Choice quote:

Smokeheads is gonna be a major discovery this year for crime cultists, dear reader, I can feel that shit in my bones… This shit is too intense, too insightful, and too fucking fresh not to get some great notices.

With apologies to Mr Noir for omitting his boner gag.

I don’t know either Peter Millar or this Nerd of Noir legend, but I love them both like brothers, and if I ever meet ’em, they are getting a big dram bought.

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number one with a bullet

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

Ahem. Smokeheads is apparently a Number One Bestseller!

OK, that statement needs some clarification. If you head over to the Publishing Scotland website, you’ll see the book is indeed number one in their Scottish Bestsellers List. This is almost entirely due to a statistical anomaly, because they’ve taken the chart from one shop, where I played a gig last week and charmed the audience into buying a few books. Nevertheless, for (presumably) one week only, I am lording it over Maggie O’Farrell, Alexander McCall Smith and Jackie Kay. Ho ho.

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after the smokerush

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Doug Johnstone

Well the last couple of weeks have been a bit nuts, lots of live events in bookshops, festivals, libraries, bars and clubs, as well as loads of print and online reviews for Smokeheads coming through, and various competitions to boot. Felt pretty overwhelmed by it all, mostly in a very good way. So I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the support so far, really. And also to say, you know, spread the word.

Word of mouth has always been crucial in getting books noticed and read, but it is absolutely vital now more than ever. It’s struck me over the last few weeks how redundant conventional print coverage is for any artistic endeavour – I’ve certainly received less reviews and interviews this time round, partly because this book is more of a genre work therefore ignored by the mainstream press, but also simply because the newspapers have bugger all space to review anything now, thanks to extreme budget cuts. I know, I write reviews.

In comparison, online reviews, interviews and mentions through social networking, blogs etc have become the currency of publicity for literature, and a great thing that is too, because it strikes me as much more democratic, cutting out the self-appointed arbiters of literary taste at newspapers and getting information about books out to readers directly.

So, thanks again. And spread the word. If you’ve read Smokeheads and enjoyed it, please don’t be shy about telling folks. And if you haven’t read it – what are you doing wasting your time reading this crap when you could be getting stuck into it?

That’s all. More chat about further press coverage, competitions and so on as and when it pops up in the ether.

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