The fat crime writer squeezes into The Skinny

Mes Amis

I do like my dinner, so I was as surprised as anyone when I was told I had been mentioned in a magazine called Skinny.

Aha, but mes amis, I soon realised they meant The Skinny and understood that the title is a reference to a zine that gives you the lowdown, the scoop, the inside track. This grand music/culture zine that covers most of Scotland had an excellent Bookish Christmas Gift Guide in its latest issue, and guess which not-that-skinny crime writer got a lovely mention for his second novel?

place of high violence and low morals on the part of both criminals and police officers. Who knew Dundee could be so interesting?

Oh, we'll let that gentle dig at the city fly for now and not only because they go on to call the book a ...

snappily written heart thumper

before going on to say that

This is only McLean’s second novel, and he’s a young writer. The older crime writers should be looking over their shoulders at him and taking note.

You lovely folks at The Skinny, These Aye Mean Streets salute you!

(check out the whole Book Christmas Gift Guide here)

Au revoir

Russel

Now is the Winter... and well, he seems quite contented actually...*

Mes Amis

Quiet round here, I know, as I do various terrible things for various terrible people, but poking my head up to let you know that the wonderful Jim Winter at January Magazine has weighed in on the upcoming (Dec 8th!) release of THE GOOD SON in the US by St Martin's Press and he has the following to say:

Not as violent or coarse as fellow authors Ken Bruen and Ray Banks, McLean nonetheless skillfully mines the same ground for a bleak and desperate literary landscape.

Oh, yes. I like that. Bleak and desolate is good, although my mum might disagree about the coarseness...

But the jewel in the crown is coming:

Whatever comes next promises to be ever bit as hopeless and violent as The Good Son. And that’s a good thing. McLean has scored in his first novel.

Oh, yes. You want to check everything Jim has to say? Clickety-click my friends.

Whaddaya mean you want more?

Oh, okay, howsabout this interview that I apparently totally failed to link to before that concerns the UK release of THE LOST SISTER?

And then check out 7 quick questions from a man named Weeb** over at Writing Raw.

Has that sated your appetite? I certainly hope so. But have no fear, mes amis, I'll be back soon.

And yes, I don't know if that's a threat or a promise either.

Au revoir

Russel

*With big ol' apologies to Bill Shakespeare. Mind you this isn't half as good as the perhaps apocryphal Ad campaign run by an outdoors shop in Edinburgh many years ago that allegedly displayed a sign outside proclaiming "Now is the discount of our winter tents".

**Which incidentally was the name of the rought draft of Johnny Cash's eventual hit that became "A Boy Named Sue".

Flashback (with GJ Moffat)

Mes Amis

After a very long time some pictures have been sent my way of the Dundee Literary Festival where, earlier this year, I appeared with the fantastic GJ Moffat, author of Daisy Chain. The event was nicely attended by an enthusiastic audience who, after our readings, got straight down to the business of questions.

The photos are courtesy of the enormously talented Ross McLean* who kindly passed on some images of the event.









Here we have the estimable Mr Moffat reading out a pre-prepared statement of intent. At this point, your beardy hero was thinking, "ulp, we were supposed to be prepared?"













Luckily, I had to hand a copy of THE GOOD SON so read out the sweary bits for all the nervous ladies in the audience. That was okay, because at lunchtime on a Friday and in front of a crowd of Dundee women (and a smattering of chaps, too), Gary had just read out the rather sweaty sex scene that opens DAISY CHAIN.









After all that sex and violence, our moderator - the charming and rather brilliant Robin Pilcher - had to go and have a lie down with a damp towel over his forehead. So we moved the podium to one side and took questions from the audience. Look closely and you can see one of their feet dangling into frame in the picture above.









After the signing was over, we signed for the lovely folks at Borders who were sponsoring the festival and chatted to fans. By this point, we were both starting to hallucinate having only grazed on sandwiches left behind by the lunchtime "Poem and a Piece" event. But according to our two adoring fans (pictured), this made for some great entertainment as the crowds took bets on who would collapse of hunger first.

Anyway, folks, that was a flashback to a grand event, and let me say, if you're in Dundee for the lit festival, they really do lay on a fine series of events.

And if you're in the mood for a Glasgow thriller with a Cobenesque styling to the action, I would also say you might want to take a peek at Mr Moffat.

Au revoir

Russel
*no relation. But we did once work together. It was very confusing on payroll having two R McLeans.

"Assured and uncompromising."

Mes Amis

Rock on those lovely folks at The Big Issue, especially Doug Johnstone, for the recent (and wonderful) review of THE LOST SISTER.

Its a short 'un, but good, and to set up the context, it follows on from a review of a poetry collection:

"...Not poetic, but certainly compelling is THE LOST SISTER by Russel D McLean. Set in Dundee, its a hard-boiled and heavily stylised crime-noir tale, the followup to the author's debut. THE GOOD SON. Once more we journey with private eye McNee as he trudges through the underbelly of the City of Discovery, in an assured and uncompromising tale to whet the appetite of hardcore crime fans."

Oh, yes. I'm liking that. Especially the "assured and uncompromising" bit.

And the word "compelling," too.

Anyway, I am returning to the bactcave for a while to work on some terrible secret projects. I am behind with correspondence, so anyone expecting to hear from me... I will be with you asap!

Au revoir

Russel

"I can barely remember what I wrote in this one"

Mes Amis

Not quite the same as being there, but with thanks to my Dad, a couple of clips of the launch of THE LOST SISTER now exist online. There was apparently a third clip but its been deleted by an act of God (or a wrong button pressed - only you can decide!).

Anyway, here I am about to try and read from the opening of the book when a couple of heckles and an unexpected intruder put pay to my plans:



And here I am finally getting back into order and reading the prologue of the novel.



Of course, there was far more than that going on, but as you can see I got at least one decent laugh out of the evening and that's all that counts.

Its also worth noting that THE LOST SISTER made it into the Scottish Interest Charts from Waterstones at #8 this week (as seen in this week's wondrous Glasgow Herald), one behind that master of mirth Christopher Broookmyre (SNOWBALL IN HELL is great fun!), several more behind that rapscallion Stuart MacBride (if you ain't read HALFHEAD, do it NOW! - after reading THE LOST SISTER, obviously) but frighteningly, one place ahead of Literary Genius Iain Banks (I haven't read TRANSITION yet, but its on me list!) ! Of course, with your help perhaps we can make it two weeks before I drop out of the charts altogether. So go ahead, purchase away my legions - - let us make this the Age of the Russel - free beards for all!

Right... now to go and catch up on stuff what I should have done ages ago...

Au revoir

Russel

Lost and Found

Mes Amis

Huge, incredibly grateful thanks to all of you who showed up for the launch of THE LOST SISTER on Thursday night (and if anyone can confirm rumours that the launch was mentioned on STV the next day, please tell me). With incredibly grateful thanks to the wondrous staff at Drouthy's bar on the Perth Road for opening their vaults to our madness. The event went very well indeed and with enormous thanks to my big, bad boss Gordon Dow for introducing the whole shebang and Scotsman journalist Dave Lewis for providing insightful questions (and, apparently, eye candy for the ladies - - as if I wasn't enough, eh? Eh?)

Sales were nice and everyone enjoyed the bar afterwards. And, no, that wasn't a pint of vodka I was drinking during the interview - it was actually water. I saved the beer till later.

Anyway, here's some photos for those of you who weren't there, and if you want an unbiased view of the event (and a competition to win the book if you can guess my food allergy - the pun is in the question) go visit the wonderful Donna Moore post haste.

Let's start with me and Dave up in the pulpit...









And then the crowds in one one half of the bar (the room was a funny shape so there are more folks out of shot, many of them standing near the stairs where apparently you could only hear the "short, funny looking one with the loud voice")









And here's some of me signing, too, afterwards.









And finally - a celebratory pint: I survived!










So there we have it. A whole evening encapsulated in a few photographs. As ever, thanks to those who showed up, my agent Al Guthrie for all his efforts in getting me here, my UK publishers, Five Leaves Publications for getting the book out to the world and Dave Lewis for agreeing to do the interview.

And of course all those booksellers who made book #2 a viable proposition! You guys have a harder job than most people realise...

And now, mes amis, I'm going to go and sleep...

Au revoir

Russel

Release the beast!

Mes Amis

How time flies, eh? It seems less than a year ago that THE GOOD SON was unleashed upon the world and now... well, THE LOST SISTER has arrived as well. Yes, although some shops have had it in stock today is the official release date for PI J McNee's second case, and this time, well, let's say that things are going to get pretty deadly for our man McNee.

If you want more info check out this interview conducted by thriller writer Derek Gunn for the ITW.

Or this discussion of the modern UK PI with Jay Stringer and Ray "Dirty, hard and fast" Banks over at Do Some Damage.

You might also be interested to know that Library Journal has weighed in on the US release of THE GOOD SON with a lovely wee starred review that runs:

J. McNee, a police detective–turned–private investigator, is just existing in Dundee, Scotland, as he avoids the truth about his wife’s fatal car crash for which her family blames him. When a local farmer asks him to determine why his estranged brother hanged himself, McNee goes up against his former mates in the force and must come to grips with his own life. In this impressive first novel, McNee is a down-and-out failure in the mold of Ken Bruen’s sleuths, but he overcomes the case’s complexities, the lack of respect for his profession, and his own personal hang-ups to triumph in the end. Verdict With a great blurb from John Connolly, this newest addition to the Scottish noir tradition will appeal to fans of Ian Rankin and Stuart McBride as well as readers of Jim Kelly.

And yes, I did notice two tiny errors - number one, Its McNee's fiancee who died in the crash and number two, the Abdernonian rapscallion mentioned at the end is a "Mac" not a "Mc". All that aside, of course, its a bloody nice review and fills me with confidence for the stateside release of this novel.

Speaking of Stateside I am not attending this year's Bouchercon in Indy due to cashflow reasons, but have plans to attend next year's soiree in San Francisco and maybe some more interesting ideas up my sleeve as well... stay tuned!

Au revoir

Russel

They're heeeeere...

Mes Amis

Its a bouncing baby book! Yes, author copies of THE LOST SISTER are here and thus, let me share with you...

Its a book in a box!









Its a book on the floor!









And, yes, I'm fairly sure these two siblings aren't going to start arguing and trying to get each other in trouble all the time.









The detial in the photos isn't fab, but close up that cover to THE LOST SISTER is very nice indeed... the view across the Tay Bridge to Dundee is nice and sinister and the blood red waters if the river itself are rather intimidating...

Au revoir

Russel

Open for business

Mes Amis

Last year Russeldmclean.com opened for business. Unfortunately we were hit by a particularly malicious bunch of spammers who took over the site for their own ends. The results weren't particularly nice, and worse, were hard to get rid of. Of course, it says something about how it doesn't matter who you are to these guys when we note that Tayside Police also recently had some problems of their own. I suppose I should be thankful for small mercies. Having endured Frankie Boyle's live show last time he came to Dundee (thankfully the tickets I got were free), I go into shell shock every time I see his self-satisfied mug.

Anyway, in response to the attacks, I took down any and all links to the site until things could be sorted. But now the links are restored, and we're back up and running again with all new and improved content at www.russeldmclean.com.

Au revoir

Russel

A brief commercial break

Mes Amis

Last year I wrote a short story for the yearly anthology, NEW WRITING DUNDEE, a modestly price £5 collection edited by those fine folks at Literary Dundee. The story itself was probably the pulpiest in the collection, concerning an aging hitman, a sackload of guilt and a morally ambiguous favour for a friend.

Now, it seems, the floodgates are open once more more and the the brilliantly talented editors are looking for more submissions. Quoth the submission monkeys:

New Writing Dundee

New Writing Dundee is a literary anthology featuring both new authors and invited published artists. Celebrating its fifth year, this book is a Dundee community based project with an international reputation. The last two issues have gone through two print runs and have held its own event at the Dundee Literary Festival.

For the 2010 issue we are seeking submissions from the general public. The book is open to all styles, genres, themes and nationalities. Send in your prose, poetry, essays, drama and creative non-fiction by 1 November, 2009. For more information go to http://www.literarydundee.co.uk/newwriting.htm.

Not only that, but I'm also told that the submissions for the Dundee Book Award are open again. Won this year by the lovely Chris Longmuir for her crime debut, DEAD WOOD. Quoth the prize monkeys:

Dundee International Book Prize

Submissions of a full-length unpublished novels are now being accepted for The Dundee International Book Prize. Running into its 6th year, its £10,000 cash award together with publication, make The Dundee International Book Prize highly valued by tomorrow's great new writers seeking to break into the publishing world.

The first four Dundee Book Prize winning novels have all gone on to have success. The authors have also gone on to produce further works of fiction and non-fiction. Andrew Murray Scott's book Tumulus detailed bohemian Dundee through the 60s and 70s to the present day. The winning novel in 2002, Claire-Marie Watson's The Curewife drew on the tale of Dundee's last execution of a witch - Grissel Jaffray in 1669 and the winner in 2005 was Malcolm Archibald's adventure on a whaling ship Whales for a Wizard. 2007 saw French resident Fiona Dunscombe scoop the accolade with her gritty, dark and full of life novel The Triple Point of Water .

The novel must be in English but can be of any theme or genre, and the competition is open to the general public of any nationality. For submissions guidelines please go to: www.dundeebookprize.com or contact literarydundee@gmail.com for more information.
The Dundee International Book Prize is a joint venture between the City of Discovery Campaign, the University of Dundee and Birlinn Ltd, publishers of the Polygon imprint.

The same people behind both projects also run the excellent Dundee Literary Festival who, for some reason, allowed your humble blogger to run amok this year in the company of the excellent GJ Moffat.

We now return to the usual ramblings...

Au revoir

Russel