Personally speaking, (and it’s my website so I’m allowed) 2022 was a year of incredible highs and devastating lows.
But that’s life, ain’t it? Ups and downs, peaks and troughs, swing and roundabouts. All that jazz. As John Lennon said, life is what happens while you’re making other plans.
As Dickens wrote, it was the best times; it was the worst of times.
So, what was it all about, 2022?
Well, I was on the telly – three times! Four, you could say, because one was a two-parter. I think I was on screen even more than ‘The Heroes of Telemark’ this year, and that’s quite a feat.
First there was a documentary I presented on the Crime + Investigation Channel. Although I’ve appeared on the box many times over the years, it was the first time I’d ever actually fronted a full show and it was an interesting experience. It was filmed in 2021 but didn’t go out until earlier this year, as part of a strand called Once Upon a True Crime, which saw some top crime writers (and me) outline a case that inspired their writing. The other authors were Denise Mina, Mark Billingham and Peter James.
Mine, of course, was about the Ice Cream Wars in 1983/84 Glasgow. I’ve never used them directly in my fiction but I did co-author the true crime account of the case and what I learned during that period has informed most of my stories.
Filming in Glasgow with a lovely car but, for me, hellish to drive.
I had to drive a Ford Capri of the period. No power steering. No ABS. After driving it round and round in order to get the take the director wanted I had shoulders like Big Arnie and I had to start hitting the brakes a half mile before I wanted to stop.
Mr Billingham and I even launched the series at a special event in The British Library in London.
Bestselling author Mark Billingham and I looking suitably sombre for the promotion of the Once Upon a True Crime series in the British Library
Later in the year I was one of the contributors to a BBC Scotland two-part investigation of the case. Reports tell me that the programme makers did a great job, but I still haven’t watched it because I really hate seeing myself.
Those two documentaries will be my last word on the tragic case.
This year I also made my second appearance on David Wilson’s Crime Files. Being interviewed by the professor is always daunting as I feel he is picking up on every bit of body language and psycho-analysing me. In fact, he probably is!
He’s a lovely guy and it was good of him to have me back.
We were talking about the Sandy Drummond case, an unsolved murder from Fife, which I find fascinating. I wrote about it in one of my true crime books many years ago, back when Caxton was still working his press.
When I walked into the studio I was greeted by the face and beard of an old friend – Stan Leech. Now a cameraman, he was part of the crew for the series. Amazingly, in a previous life, he played Sandy Drummond in a Crimewatch re-enactment. It’s a small world, right enough, but as someone once quipped, I wouldn’t like to paint it.
I had two books published – the fourth Rebecca Connolly thriller WHERE DEMONS HIDE (Polygon) and the first Jonas Flynt historical adventure AN HONOURABLE THIEF (Canelo).
Outing no 4 for Rebecca ConnollyThe eye-catching cover for the first Jonas Flynt historical thriller
It’s a thrill to have one book published, let alone two in a year, and I am grateful to the publishers and my agent, Jo Bell, for making it happen. Also to Denzil Meyrick for more or less forcing me to begin writing the Jonas Flynt tales. But that’s a story you should all know by now. And if you don’t, I tell it in the author’s note at the end of the book.
Yes, that’s an unashamed attempt at selling!
The two-book thing will be repeated in 2023, by the way, with another Rebecca, CHILDREN OF THE MIST, and another Jonas, A THIEF’S JUSTICE.
Another high spot of the year was when the third Rebecca Connolly A RATTLE OF BONES was longlisted for the McIlvanney Award.
The longlist for this year’s McIlvanney Prize. Needless to say I wasn’t shortlisted, otherwise that’s what you’d be seeing!
That’s the third time I’ve made that prestigious list. Let’s hope it won’t be the last!
I had a busy year at festivals, appearing in Paisley, Aye Write, Bute, Stewarton, Bloody Scotland in Stirling, Grantown, even a stint hosting a table at one of the dinners in Harrogate. Not sure I’ll be as fortunate in 2023.
Author pal Gordon Brown and I teamed up for a double act to promote out new titles at a few venues, including Stewarton and Glasgow. It turned out to be a sort of Two Blokes in Search of a Plot. Or, given my advancing years, in search of a pot.
One of the best nights of my life, in the Book Nook, Stewarton, with Gordon Brown, who appears to be yawning. And I’m not even talking!
They were all fun and thank you to the bookstores and venues who hosted us.
Book Week Scotland was another busy period and I’m grateful for the libraries in Dundee, Motherwell, Musselburgh and Saltcoats for inviting me. I was crossing central Scotland like a bank robber on the lam.
That leaves the lows.
Ah, the lows.
Charles Dickens again, or maybe it was just Kermit the Frog – life is full of meetings and partings. I experienced both.
There’s a Hollywood adage for romantic comedies that breaks them down into the three-act structure of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. I’ve had the first two but the third is unlikely. Perhaps even impossible. But, as I said above, that’s life/other plans etc. I wish it wasn’t, but there we go.
Throwing myself with dramatic abandon into a slough of despond, I found myself once again grateful for my friends. They rallied round when my wife died three years ago and they did so again when this relationship died. I have some wonderful friends and if they read this – you know who you are, I won’t embarrass you – then I want them to know how much I appreciate them.
I also lost an old friend, who had been ill, on Christmas Day.
Stephen Wilkie was the most knowledgeable person regarding Scottish crime I have ever met. The consummate tabloid reporter, he was the guy I turned to whenever I needed to know something. If he didn’t know about it, it didn’t happen, simple as that. I often urged him to write a book but he never did.
I have many regrets in life. One of them is not being a better friend to him.
RIP, big guy. If there’s a news desk in the afterlife, I’ll lay odds you’re showing them how it’s done.
The programme for the superb Glasgow literary festival Aye Write has been announced – and I’m in it!
Yay!
I’m paired with someone called Denzil Meyrick, who must be a newcomer because I’ve heard very little about him and he’s not very active on social media at all.
Apparently, his books are good though.
And we’re being interviewed by another brash newcomer called Theresa Talbot, who is apparently also good.
Theresa Talbot
I think they’re just giving these fresh starts a hand up by pairing them with a more seasoned hand.
I really should be more careful when shaking that pepper pot.
Seriously, I’m looking forward to the event.
Denzil is a huge draw and Theresa is brilliant interviewer and author.
Also, we’re pals (they’ll deny it, but I have emails) so it will be a laugh.
Come along and see us if you can.
We’re appearing on Friday March 20 at 7.45pm in the Mitchell Library.
Well, I’ll tell you – I’m trying to think up (Skelton speak for steal) as many jokes as I can for the opening event of this year’s crime writing festival in sunny Grantown-on-Spey.
For the past three years we have presented a new Carry on Sleuthing on the Friday night but this year is different.
Letitia Luvibod, the real-life alter ego of the fictional Caro Ramsay, has a subsequent appointment and has managed to avoid the show this year.
Frankly, we couldn’t do it without her. She told us.
So, Michael J. Malone and I have put our heads together. It was quite painful and I don’t know why we did it.
Anyway, the upshot is the opener this year will be a pot pourri of comedy. And if you have some pot, it might help.
Rather confidently called You’ll Die Laughing, the show will feature the aforementioned Mr Malone and myself, along with special guests.
I’m scribbling away right now. Well, not right now because I’m typing this, but you know what I mean. However, the only thing I can say with any measure of confidence is that the show will feature a Sherlock Holmes parody.
We think.
But the festival as a whole is super exciting. OK, no Caro Ramsay this year but we do have Theresa Talbot, Lesley Kelly, Margaret Kirk, Hania Allen, Olga Wojtas, Gillian Galbraith, Denzil Meyrick as well as, of course, Michael and your current correspondent.
All the events take place in the Pagoda, which is a superb venue, and the festival kicks off on Friday November 1.
OK, it’s not quite Roger Whittaker but the sentiment is accurate.
I’ll be visiting this historic city for the first time in August.
Along with bestselling author Denzil Meyrick, I’ll be chatting first to the book group based in Waterstones but also signing some copies of THUNDER BAY.
Perth has a new literary festival – and the first event is a crime panel!
I’m joining old pals Denzil Meyrick and Neil Broadfoot in Perth’s Museum and Art Gallery on Friday April 26 on the opening night of the inaugural Soutar Festival of Words.
Things have suddenly turned busier than ever here at Hole-In-The-Wall.
First, THE JANUS RUN is now out there and ready, willing and (hopefully) able to give readers a thrill ride in words.
I’m also as busy ever on social media – well, as busy as I can be given I really don’t understand it at all!
I’m writing a new Carry on Sleuthing (more later) and awaiting edits on a new book to be published next March. I’ve already seen the cover and it’s so good it would make me want to read the book! And I know what happens.
You’ll hear a LOT more from me on this new one in the coming months.
However, I’m also out and about a great deal over the next few weeks.
DENZIL MEYRICK
Fans of Denzil Meyrick are snapping up his new book THE RELENTLESS TIDE.
I’ve been lucky enough to chair Denzil at two bookstore events for its release – Edinburgh and Glasgow.
I say chair but really you just start him off and watch him entertain the crowd with a string of one liners and stories.
I have two more with him coming up:
Thursday October 11 – Falkirk Library 3pm (in association with Waterstones)
If you’ve never seen Denzil then come along if you can – he gives right good chat. and if you’ve never read his books, then you really are missing something!
CARRY ON SLEUTHING
You can’t keep a good show down. The same can be said for Carry on Sleuthing.
The gang is heading to Giffnock Library on Friday October 12 with MURDER AT THE KNICKERAGE.
The four blokes – Neil Broadfoot, Gordon Brown, Mark Leggatt and myself – are crossing the water to Bute on Friday October 19. It’s already a near sell-out so if you want a ticket, be quick!
MEL SHERRATT
On Thursday November 25 I’ll be in Waterstones Argyle Street once again, this time to natter to bestselling author Mel Sherratt about her new book HUSH HUSH
