A New Writing Game

Over the past few weeks I have been preoccupied with the new adventure in writing, becoming a crime novelist. As many of you know, A Madras Miasma was taken up by Tom Vater and Hans Kemp of Crime Wave Press – many thanks, guys – and appeared first in e-version then quickly in paperback on … Continue reading

Old Books and New Technology

Like most academics I have an extensive library that reflects an intellectual journey and a range of sometimes (to others) bewildering interests.  That is in turn reinforced by memories and records of great libraries and archives around the world as part of a search for information and understanding amidst all those interests.  The “historian’s moment”, … Continue reading

e-Book Crime

One of many consequences of the e-book revolution is the “opening” of both author outlet and reader access avenues. That is, with Kindle, Nook, Kobo and all the rest writers now have an alternative to the old grind of finding an agent and/or a publisher and then getting a deal and then getting published. There … Continue reading

Crime, Place and Justice

Any Twitter follower of Ian Rankin (@beathhigh) will know he is now at work on his new novel following the success of The Impossible Dead, itself the second in his post-John Rebus series following Inspector Malcolm Fox of the “Complaints” division at the Lothian and Borders police, the unpopular cops who check the cops.  Rankin … Continue reading