Fantasycon 2018

This weekend I’m going to be heading to Chester for the latest instalment of Fantasycon. As always there is a programme full of panels, talks and other events on all subjects relating to the fantastical genres. I had a wee look at it over the weekend, actually, and marked out a few things that I […]

Some upcoming events

There follows a short round up of some stuff I’m really pleased to be doing over the next month or so: Feb 5th : In the guise of Bert Finkle, with my criminal accomplice Markee de Saw, I’m going to be performing at Spangled Cabaret’s 10th birthday show. Spangled has been a main artery of […]

Britannia Panopticon Book Fair

If anyone happens to be in Glasgow’s Merchant City next Saturday afternoon (perhaps taking in the entertainment and foodie delights of the Merchant City Festival), you might be interested in the Britannia Panopticon Book Fair. A selection of local and international authors will be selling books and giving readings in the historic surroundings of the […]

Gatsby Club, Sinister Wink, Speculative Bookshop

Got a few Glasgow-based gig type things on the immediate horizon for those that are interested in such things. First up, de Saw & Finkle have a couple of cabaret gigs: On Saturday 27th we’re excited to be appearing at the Gatsby Club’s Worlds Of Tomorrow (7.30pm, Glasgow University Union, £14), which this time around turns its theme […]

In case of book launch…

So, as April (and The Moon King) approaches, the pre-launch ducks continue to be put in rows. This weekend’s task was Choosing A Reading Passage. In case, you know, an occasion should arise where a reading might be called for (and there might, there might…I’m working on it). This is a new challenge for me. When […]

Delivery

I like a good fiction podcast from time to time. They’re good company when you’re working through something long and drudgey at work, and when they’re done well, they’re excellent. My paragon for audio presentation of fiction is BBC4extra. Understandably, since it’s a huge, professional organisation. But there are a lot of skilled independent and […]

It was a hundred and forty years ago today

On St Andrews Day, 1872, the first ever official international football match was held at West Of Scotland Cricket Ground in Glasgow. The game, of between Scotland and England, was watched by 4000 people, and ended goalless. I’m very much hoping (and would be HUGELY surprised if it does) that the score won’t be the […]

Conventionality

Round about this time every year I start to check the calendar to see how many weeks are left until Eastercon, one of my cherished biannual breaks spent in the company of my excellent friends in the genre writing community. And, on finding out that it’s still six weeks distant (*sigh*!) I’m always a little […]

Christmas, a Word (…dog)

Feeling right Christmassy now after last night’s WordDogs Christmas show. Kudos to those plucky few – performers and audience alike – who braved the weather, thanks to Fressh for being wonderfully generous hosts and special commiserations to Santa for severe image-blackening he received on several fronts. All the readings – from Mo Blake, Ian Hunter, […]

Christmas Entertainment!!!

So, you’ve done all your Christmas shopping, crammed half of Tesco’s into your freezer, trimmed the tree, wrapped the pressies and performed a complex mathematical analysis of the Radio Times in order to programme the PVR to make sure you don’t miss anything important on the telly over the next couple of weeks. Now you […]