BOOKS LISTINGS

THE WRITE STUFF

Journalist and author Kim Newman invites Ann Donald into the dual murky worlds of dark terrors and film.

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Name Kim James Newman.

Age 37.

Previous iobs Sad but true. 1 have never had anotherjob in my life.

Route to becoming a writer Basically after I graduated in English 1 applied forjobs over a period of two to three years with no joy. By then I had been doing freelance writing fora number of rnintttely paying magazines including The List doing film reviews. so after trying to procure properjobs ljust stopped.

Daily routine I try to write every day. If I skip lunch or don't have to go and see a film in the afternoon then I try to squeeze in three or four hours at the keyboard. When I wrote fantasy anti sci-ft books for young adults under my pseudonym of Jack Yeovil. then 1 did a straight three hours a day for three weeks at the keyboard.

lnrluences Raymond Chandler and Cornell Wallrich. an American psychological thriller author are literary influences. The usual suspects that I studied as part of my degree course. from Shakespeare to John Fowles. have all been absorbed. In terms of film. Ford, Hawkes and Hitchcock are major touchstones. Pressburger and Powell. Nigel Neil the man behind Qtuttermass and Dennis Potter for his ability to write meta-fiction.

Ambitions l'tn one of the few people I know who actually did what they said they were going to do as a kid. l‘d like my books to get better and for one of the many filmscripts I‘ve written to be rnade.

Fears Drying up on the literary side. Other than that. blindness. decapitation and mental illness. I tend to be fired up by anger against something rather than fear of it.

Income It goes up and down. One year it can be nothing. the next 100K. You also have to take into account l‘m VAT registered so take twelve something per cent ofthis average number of 47K per annunr

Kim Newman has contributed to Dark Terrors 2.’ The Col/anti: Book Of Horror: edited by Stephen Jones and David Sutton. published by Gollanez at £16. 99.

EVENTS

Glasgow

Stuart Donald Fri 1 Nov. 6.30pm. Free. John Smith's. 57 St Vincent Street. 221 7472. A question and answer session with the creator of Para Handy. plus a reading from his new collection Para Handy All At Sea (Neil Wilson £7.99).

Jack Maclean Thurs 7 Nov. 6.30pm. Free. John Smith’s. 57 St Vincent Street. 221 7472. The author reads from. and signs copies of. his new book Hopeless. Not Serious (Mainstream £14.99). and opens the bookstore’s new coffee shop. Peter Westwood Thurs 7 Nov. 7.30pm. Free. Burns Room. Mitchell Library. North Street. 287 2933. Westwood presents Burnsiana. as part of the Library‘s Burns '96 programme.

John iiegley Fri 8 Nov. 7pm. Free. Waterstone‘s. 121 Union Street. 221 0890. The mart who brought poetry to the tnasses reads from his new collection The Fainily Paek (Reed £10).

Motor Mouths Fri 8 Nov. 8pm. £5 (£2). CCA. 350 Sauchiehall Street. 332 ()522. The successful series returns. this time with hip hop poet Patti Beatty. whose first novel White Boy Shuffle (Reed £6.99) caused a sensation in America. and Jessica Care Moore whose smooth and deft delivery of langttage tnade her a live times winner on US talent contest ‘lt‘s Showtime At The Apollo‘.

Stephen Fry Wed 13 Nov. 6.30pm. Glasgow Film Theatre. Rose Street. 332 8128. Tickets £2.50 (£1.50 redeemable against book) from GET or Dillons. 174—76 Argyle Street. 248 4814 After his impromptu ‘break‘. Fry returns to read from. and sign copies of. his hilarious new black comedy Making History (Hutchinson £15.99 Dillons £ l 2.99). Scottish And Mexican Poetry Thurs 14 Nov. 7pm. Glasgow Print Studio. 22 King Street. 552 0704. Mexican Poet Juan Luis Campos and home-grown talent Donny O‘Rourke read a selection of their work as part of the Print Studio’s ‘Day Of The Dead' festival.

Edinburgh

Poems 8t Pints Fri 1 Nov. 7.30pm. The West End Hotel. Palmerston Place. Info: 346 2212. £1.50 (£1). The Edinburgh Writers Association present an evening of poetry readings. with guest writer Tom Bryatr. plus floorspots.

Scott Hastings Sat 2 Nov. noon- I pm. Free. James Thin. 57 George Street. 225 4495. One of Scotland's most successful rugby players reads from his new biography written with Derek Douglas. Great Seott.’ (Mainstream £14.99).

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Paul Beatty mouths on at the CCA on Fri 8, promoting his new book White Boy Shuttle as part or the Motor Mouths series

Writing November Sat 2—10 Nov. All events at Traverse Theatre. Cambridge Street. 228 1404 unless otherwise stated. Edinburgh Book Festival present a series of author events:

David Lodge with Alan Taylor Sat 2 Nov. 2pm. £3.50. The author omea/l World. Nit‘e Work and Therapy talks about his work as a writer and literary critic.

Four Scottish Poets Sat 2 Nov 5pm. £3.50. A look at poetry in the l990s with Kate Clanchy. Douglas Dunn. Valerie Gillies and Tom Pow in conversation with Robyn Marsack.

Around The World With Babar Sun 3 Nov. 2.30pm. £3.50. See Kids.

James Ellroy with Stuart Cosgrove Mon 4 Nov. 7.30pm. £3.50. Whilst not having the best start in life. Ellroy has emerged as one of America‘s greatest crime writers. Tonight he talks about My Dark Places. his new book based on the investigation of his mother's murder.

Margaret Drabble and Neil Dunn with Maggie Lennon Tue 5 Nov. 7.30pm. £3.50. Drabble reads from her first novel in five years. The Witeh (If/it'tttool'. while Dtmn reads from her follow-up to Poor Coir. The Silver Shoes.

Fay Weldon with Di Speirs Wed 6 Nov. 7.30pm. £3.50. ()ne of Britain's most successful writers talks about her new book Worst Fears. and the art of the short story.

Redmond O’Hanlon with Tom Adair Thttrs 7 Nov. 7.30pm. £3.50. The best-selling travel author reads from his new book Congo Journey.

Kate Atkinson and louis De Bernieres With Jan Fairley Fri 8 Nov. 7.30pm. Atkinson. winner of the 1995 Whitbread First Novel Award for Behind The Seenes At The Museum. and Bernieres. author of Captain Core/It's Mandolin talk about life as prize-winning novelists.

Sir-Reel Svankmaier And The Speaking Parts Sat 9 Nov. 2.30pm. Edinburgh Filmhouse. Lothian Road. 228 2688. £3.50. John Hegley and Valerie Gillies add poetry to the Czech animators work. See feature.

John Regley Sat 9 Nov. 7.30pm. £4.50. Poet. comedian and songwriter llegley reads from his new collection The I-‘ami/v Park. See feature.

light Through The Bars - 2 Sun 10 Nov. 5pm. £3.50. A. 1.. Kennedy pays tribute to Nigerian writer and activist Ken Sarawiwa. on this the first anniversary of his death.

Katie Morag’s World Sun 10 Nov. 2.30pm.

£3.50. See Kids.

Yellow Care Sun 3 Nov. Spin—midnight. £3 (£l.50). Over 18s only. Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street. 220 4349. The Cafe return for another evening of underground poetry. music and film. Part of Assembly a/it'e.’.

Storytellers: The Artist at the 'Centre Mon 4 Nov. 5.30pm. Free. St Cecilia's Hall. University of Edinburgh. 650 4 I67. Linda Dégh. Professor of Folklore at the University of lndiana. discusses the art of storytelling. Part of the Seottis/t International Storytelling l-‘estir'al. laurence Gardner Mon 4 Nov. 7pm. Free. Waterstone's. l3 Princes Street. 556 3034. The author reads from his controversial new book about Jesus Christ The Bloodline ()j'T/te Holy Grail (Element £16.99).

Edward Born Mon 4 Nov. 7.30pm. £5 (£3.50). Fruitmarket Gallery. 45 Market Street. 225 2383. One of the USA‘s leading writers makes a rare trip to the UK for an evening of poetry with Tom Leonard and Bill Griffiths.

Alison Prince Mon 4 Nov. 7pm. James Thin. 53—59 South Bridge. 556 6743. The author of the autobiography of Kenneth Grahame reads from her new novel The Witching Tree (Alison Busby £5.99). Cordon legge, laura J. iiird and Paul Reekie Tue 5 Nov. 7pm. James Thin. 53—59 South Bridge. 556 6743. Readings from three of the contributors to the

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Fay Weldon tells oi Speirs her Worst Fears as part or Writing November at the Traverse

vibrant new collection of works (‘hildren ()j'ztlbion Rovers (Rebel lttc/Canortgale £8.99).

Rob Grant Wed 6 . 'ov. 7pm. Free. Waterstone's. l3 Princes Street. 556 3034. One half of the writing duo behind Red Dwarf/reads from. and signs copies of. the latest Rl) novel Baekwan/s (Penguin £5.99).

Maggie Herman and Christine De luca Wed 6 Nov. 7.45pm. Netherbow Theatre. 43 High Street. 556 9579. £3 (£2). Hull- based writer llannan and Shetland-based De Luca join forces for an evening of poetry. ()rganised in conjunction with Edinburgh University Poetry Society. Frank Ronan and Christopher Whyte Thurs 7 Nov. 7pm. Free. \N'aterstone's. l3 Princes Street. 556 3034. Ronan reads from his new collection of short stories Handsome Men ItH' Slightly .S'un/nirned (Hodder £5.99) and novel Lore/y (llodder‘ £12). while hotly tipped Scottish author Wher reads from his debut novel Ifuphemia (Indigo £5.99).

literature and Storytelling Thurs 7 Nov. 7.15pm. £2 (non-members). Room 55. Moray llouse Institute of Education. Patersons Land. 650 8902. An open meeting of the United Kingdom Reading Association. with guest speaker Swedish storyteller Goran Hemberg. Part of the .S't'ottish Internatiomtl Storytelling Festival.

Edwina Currie Fri 8 Nov. noon—1pm. l-‘ree. Waterstone‘s. 13 Princes Street. 556 3034. The politician turned novelist signs copies of her book A Woman 's More (Hodder £5.99). now out in paperback. Tobias Wolit Mon 1 1 Nov. 7pm. Free. Waterstone's. 128 Princes Street. 226 2666. Wolff reads from his new collection of short stories The Night In Question (Bloomsbury £14.99). See preview.

Paul Beatty and Richard Beard Tue 12 Nov. 7pm. Free. Waterstone‘s. l3 Princes Street. 556 3034. Performance poet Beatty reads from his debut novel White Boy Shu/jle (Reed £6.99). while Beard reads from his first book X20 (Flamingo £9.99). Christmas Shopping Evening Wed 13 Nov. 6—l0pm. Free. James Thin. 53—59 South Bridge. 5566743. A fun-packed. purse-stretching evening ofevents. with author signings (including rugby star Scott Hastings). craft demonstrations. quiz. slideshow antl talk. llower arranging. the chance to win a Colin Baxter print and. of course. wine and Christmas cake.

Kirsty Wark Thurs 14 Nov. 7.30pm. Free. Waterstone's. 83 George Street. 225 3436. The ubiquitous TV presenter reads frotn her new book on the history of Scottish politics since World War II. Restless Nation (Mainstream £14.99).

Kathy lette Thurs 14 Nov. 7.30pm. £2 (£1). Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street. 220 4349. The outrageous Australian author reads from her follow-up to Foetal Attraetion. Mad Cows (Picador £ I199). Part of Assembly alii'e.’.

88 The List l- 14 Nov 1996