I’m extremely proud to have a short story in an e-collection of crime tales called Worth the Wait. The story, Blessed are the Cheesemakers was a shortlisted entry in a competition for Bloody Scotland, Scotland’s first International Crime Writing Festival to be held in Stirling on the weekend of the 14th September. Blessed are the Cheesemakers is set in the […]
The Great Al Fresco!
Need your post Edinburgh Festival fix? My second collection of Edinburgh tales may be just for you. The title story, The Great Al Fresco! is based on a true experience I had as the unwilling victim of a street juggler. You can pick up your own delightfully digital copy from Amazon
A Life of Crime?
I am dead chuffed to be shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Short Story Competition, especially as I am on holiday in Kintyre at the moment – hence the picture of a rock paddling in the sea. My story, along with those of my fellow shortlistees, is to be published in an ebook to mark Bloody […]
New Myths and Legends of Edinburgh volum...
“But Edinburgh is a mad god’s dream” —Hugh MacDiarmid (1892–1978): “Edinburgh” Released at last! The second collection of my stories and tales inspired by and about Edinburgh is now available. It’s in gloriously shiny ebook format for the delectable Amazon Kindle. To buy it and instantly begin reading (go on, you know you want to) [amazon […]
Prometheus–The Horror!
I watched Prometheus, and thoroughly enjoyed it – it is a visual spectacle and a piece of top-notch escapism. But I did find myself inwardly shouting at the crew “don’t be so stupid – map the bloody planet first!” but that would have made for a lesser film, I suppose, less of a visceral, hang-on-to-your-seat experience. […]
The Great Al Fresco! is on its way
It’s nearly ready – The Great Al Fresco! – New Myths and Legends of Edinburgh Volume 2. The editors have completed their tasks of uncrossing the ‘I’s and undotting the ‘T’s and now I’m formatting it ready for uploading to Amazon and the other ebook shops. It should be ready before the end of June. […]
Ray Bradbury…
…is an inspiration. One of the finest writers to grace this planet. His stories are full of wonder, are rich with humanity and above all exult in the sheer spirit of being alive. It is very sad to hear of his death today, but I shall take time to re-read some of his short stories. […]
We Won’t Find Monsters
The next in my solo set. When Mark first came up with the idea of the ‘Songs of Apollo’s Children’ project, I found myself returning to the most momentous time in the history of mankind: Neil Armstrong taking his first step on the Moon. It was the 20th July 1969, and I was nine years […]
Witches’ Knickers
They’ve been caught, flapping high on a tree in our garden for some months. One morning, after a blustery night of wind rattling the tiles and rain tapping the window like a band of agitated drummers, they appeared: witches’ knickers. I remember that it was a foul night, with shapes and shadows buffeted angrily by […]
Fahrenheit 451 – the Acoustic Version
While Arbelos are having a quiet time I thought I’d go through some of my songs and record some simple acoustic versions. Here’s the first, Fahrenheit 451, a song based on Ray Bradbury’s book. Here are the words if you want to sing along. The fireman paid a call today, he’d heard about my books […]