Critical Death Theory, first draft: 38,900 words.
I’m sitting in my usual weekend coffee shop here in Edinburgh, taking a break from Critical Death Theory and looking up at Edinburgh Castle. Even though Edinburgh Castle is bathed in sunlight, I’m wondering why it looks almost exactly the same as Edinburgh Castle not bathed in sunlight. That is one dour, dour building. Which probably has a lot to do with its dour, dour history. I don’t know if this is true but it’s said that the infamous red wedding in George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones was inspired by the so-called black dinner at Edinburgh Castle, a murderous — and all too real — event that took place in 1440. One of many, I’m afraid.
I also don’t know if Stirling Castle, which is about thirty-five miles up the road from here, has a similarly bloody backstory but I intend to find out. I’m visiting the city for Bloody Scotland, the international crime writers’ festival, next weekend. I shall be wearing my (still new-feeling) crime writer’s hat and doing a short, spotlight piece on A Quiet Teacher. By happy coincidence, A Quiet Teacher has just been named a Top-10 thriller/mystery debut by Booklist Reader. So flattered about that! Anyway, the spotlight piece should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. It’s at 10:30 on the Saturday morning, after which I can take in the rest of the festival free of further obligation. A whole host of really cool authors will be there, including Val McDermid, Lisa Jewell, and Mick Herron. It’s going to be a blast!
Still wearing my crime writer’s hat, my publisher tells me there’s a distinct possibility that I will be turning up at another festival in the early part of next year. I will let you know more once (if!) it gets nailed down.
And for the SF readers out there, I have not forgotten you! E________ is in (I hope!) the final stages of editing. Hopefully, there will be more to say on that front in the not-too-distant future.
In the meantime, Stirling, here we come!