Like Lazarus... only not.

Mes Amis

Yes, I haven't been exactly sociable of late. Mostly day job related and the fact I am really pushing to get the potential book #3 into a state where Agent Al will look it and go, "verily, it is worth pursuing, sirrah"*.

So no I'm not dead. Just vewy vewy quiet.

If you want proof I would book tickets for the Dundee Literary Festival (see the link the sidebar) on 26th June at 1:30pm. Myself and the estimable GJ Moffat will be behaving like performing seals for your pleasure and it would be wonderful if we were able to do so in front of a room of people. Because we tend to feel silly when its just us (I actually have no idea how ticket sales are going, but this is just an extra shove).

Speaking of crime writerly events. The Dundee Book Events folks are having an event with that jackanapes Stuart MacBride and the sophisticated Aline Templeton on Tuesday 16th June in the Tower Extension Lecture Theatre in Dundee. Call Waterstones Dundee on 01382 200 322 and tell 'em that rapscallion McLean sent ya. Tickets are £3 each and more info can be found at the DBE blog at dundeebookevents.blogspot.com. And yes, I did help them set it up. But only because they're lovely, lovely people.

Moving from events future to events past, I'd like to give a brief mention to the brilliant Tony Black who launched his latest novel GUTTED in Edinburgh the other week. A full review is due up on the Crime Scene Scotland reviews website along with my thoughts on Nate Flexer's The Dissasembled Man and a whole heaping of other titles.

Oh, and can I just say that Colin Bateman captures the absurduity of a bookseller's life quite wonderfully in his latest novel, Mystery Man. I haven't laughed so hard in ages, particularly at the John Grisham cameo.

Au revoir

Russel

*For we all know that is how Mr Guthrie speaks