Some random thoughts and memories from the previous four days at the Edinburgh International Book Festival:
• A L Kennedy gets a very “I know it’s a bit impertinent, but…” opening question from the audience during her main Festival appearance: “Why aren’t you married?” Her reply is that the somewhat selfish needs of being “the best you can be” as a writer are somewhat difficult to balance with the compromises needed in any relationship. Alternatively, she’s just looking for a man who’d make a good wife.
• As I’m sat in the front row, and ask the first audience question, Ken MacLeod “outs” me as the editor of “a local fanzine” that refused one of his early short stories. Not guilty! I was the editor of New Dawn Fades before and after that point, and can assure everyone I’d have loved any unsolicited submissions at the time!
• So shocked and outraged was he by the discovery, Alan Bissett clearly felt the need to share the incredibly shocking news that Glen Michael, whose Cartoon Cavalcade ran on Scottish Television for about 26 years — was, in fact, English. And called Cecil. This clearly meant very little to the vast majority of Bissett’s audience.
• Ian Rankin once jokingly asked Ken MacLeod when he was going to start writing real books. Does MacLeod’s latest work count? He’s only gone and created a futuristic anti-Rebus figure — an Edinburgh police detective who’s happily married, doesn’t have a drink problem or too much of a dark past. MacLeod jokingly commented on the irony of a crime writer looking down on SF writers. Unlike SF writers who don’t at all look down on Fantasy writers, honest… Sharing a drink with MacLeod afterwards, this riff was extended into Fantasy Writers who look down on Horror writers who, like everyone else, look down on slash fiction.
• A L Kennedy’s “Interviewer” Steven Gale introduces the story she reads as “new”. Well, it’s not been published yet, but Kennedy’s certainly already read it in public on at least one occasion — during Glasgow’s West End Festival — and I know this because I was there! I must admit that the Edinburgh reading has a much more responsive audience; we’re willing to laugh at the genuinely funny bits, unlike the tightly permed West End Ladies Groups that turned up at Hillhead Library. At one point, Kennedy says: “Thank you for being such a sad audience. Don’t know why I didn’t think you would be — you’ve come to see me, after all.”
• Ken MacLeod follows the advice given to him by Andrew Greig, writer in residence at the University of Edinburgh when MacLeod still worked there — when doing a reading, “always read something funny”.
• Edinburgh’s official Makar, Ron Butlin, professes amazement at fellow panelists Linda Cracknell and Angus Dunn who can tell almost from the start whether they’re writing a short story or something longer. Butlin admits to being much relaxed and trusting in his approach; for instance, he only realises that he’s not writing a poem if he gets to the right hand side of the page.
• Because he’s quite tall (even when seated) and shaven-headed, Angus Dunn had “There will be” put on his head — as in, “There will be a book signing immediately after this event,” which was being projected onto the screen behind him.
• Some poets really do insist on spending more time “contextualising” their work than reading it.
• There is definitely a difference between a poet who reads and a poet who performs — the latter can be literally stunning.
• Ron Butlin, Linda Crackneel and Angus Dunn all seem wary of basing their work on ideas — which are seemingly too abstract for them compared with emotions, images, phrases, etc. Butlin goes as far as saying: “I studied philosophy. I know one idea only leads to more.” Is this why SF — where it’s been said “the idea is hero” — is so frowned upon by many mainstream authors and critics?
• “Apparantly, he’ll be talking about science fiction books,” said the volunteer collecting tickets at the door to the Ken MacLeod event, to some guy who annoyingly was blocking my path as I tried to hand over my ticket. “There are still tickets available,” the volunteer added, rather ineffectually. The potential punter’s confusion might have been because MacLeod was, of course, appearing as part of the “Fine Fiction” strand — even though the book festival doesn’t have an opposing “Crap Fiction” strand to balance things out. MacLeod’s writing is, of course, very fine indeed.
© Paul F Cockburn
