Quintin Jardine's blog

For those who haven’t seen this:

This is an initiative in which a bunch of us writers are trying to publicise our work, and to introduce our circle to the writing of others. Ten questions, some silly, some serious: here we go.

• What is the working title of your next book?

It’s not ‘working’, it’s printed and will  be released at the end of this month. It’ll be the fourth in my Primavera Blackstone series, and it is titled ‘Deadly Business’.

• Where did the idea come from for the book?

Like all the others, I’m afraid. Sounds corny, but it came out of my head.

• What genre does your book fall under?

It’s a nice little mystery, poised somewhere between hard-boiled an cosy. Is there a murder in it? That’s a matter or interpretation

• What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in
a movie rendition?

I wouldn’t. I’d leave it to the professionals. But I’ve always thought that Ashley Jensen would make a perfect Primavera. Failing her, I’d go for Simone Lahbib. Shirley Gash; she is uncastable, and would have to play herself. Men? There’s Primavera’s pal Alex Guinart the cop; the part might be a  little slim for Javier Bardem, but that’s who I’d have, and for the Oz dream sequences, it can only be Keanu Reeves.

• What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Con-man gets his comeuppance.

• Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I don’t get that question. (I didn’t write it.) The book will be published by Headline, like the other thirty-five. Yes, I have an agent.

• How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Three Months, give or take.

• What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

‘Come Paris sons are odorous’, as the telegram read, advising a lady that her offspring had fallen into a vat of perfume.  Besides, mystery fiction is not replete with grieving women with growing boys. I’d like to think that Primavera Eagle Blackstone, Phillips as was, is one of a kind. For sure, I meant her to be.

• Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Primavera came into existence more than 15 years ago,  when, after finishing my third Bob Skinner novel, I decided to see whether I could do anything else. Turned out that I could. The rest is geography.

• What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Its location. Primavera and Tom live in a fictional house in the very real village of St Marti d’Empuries. If you’ve never been there, I urge you to visit.

If that lot floats your boat, I suggest that you might like to continue the voyage with the following:

http://writerlywitterings.wordpress.com/ — the blog of the legendary Michael Jecks, master of the medieval and of the moor.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/barbara-nadel/ — she doesn’t have a website, but this will lead you to the work of the incomparable Turkish Delight that is Barbara Nadel.

http://www.paul-johnston.co.uk/ — a fellow Jock, the acerbic, prolific and  and ridiculously talented Paul J, whose first big character was called Quint: no relation.

http://www.michaelconnelly.com/ — in the US nobody does it better.

In  this day and age, it’s unusual for a man to praise his bank. Indeed it may be unprecedented in any day and age!

That said, I had to make a fairly complicated transaction yesterday in Lloyds International in Barcelona, and could not have been more pleased by the way it went. All credit to Veronica Alvarado and her colleagues.

I’m puzzled. I can’t work out why I don’t like Davina McColl. Any suggestions?

Not her fault at all.  I just don’t, is all.

We were watching Sky News this morning . . . incidentally they should have sent big Eamonn home to bed, rather than letting him go on air with such an awful cold . . . when they went to commercials. One of the first ads was new to us. It featured an unprepossessing toothless, bespectacled child singing, tunelessly  a little rhyme which, from what we could make out through the accent, appeared to be a general moan against winter life in general. Turned out the kid was trying to persuade us to read the Sun. She didn’t: comparing notes afterwards, we had both decided five seconds into the ad that whatever she was selling, we weren’t buying.

I was scathing at the time. Now I’m annoyed, and wondering what sort of parents would allow their child to be cast in an image that could haunt her through life, for the benefit of the mighty Newscorp, and of course for quite a few . Grumpy, QJ? No sense of humour, QJ? I don’t believe so, but if you’ve seen it, what do you think?

I’ve lived in Gullane for more than for 40 years and for all of that time I’ve known David Meiklejohn. He’s been friend, neighbour, five-a side football teammate and opponent, very much a fixture of my life and the lives of everyone around him, in our tight-knit village.

David died yesterday afternoon, suddenly, while visiting his daughter  in Italy. My household, and I’m sure, our entire community, expresses our deepest sympathy to Katie, Wendy and Andrew, and shares their grief over their terrible and unexpected loss. He’d probably have been embarrassed by me describing him as irreplaceable, but he is.

As the year lurches to a close, it’s time for me to look forward, and to wish the best for the celebrations to come, and for the whole damn year that follows, to my chosen people:

My family, nearest and dearest. They know who they are.

My circle of friends; the Gullane posse and the L’Escala crew.

My global army of readers, to whom I add my deepest thanks for your faith and your loyalty.

My correspondents, through this blog and through Facebook. Your praise is cherished and your feedback invaluable.

Eddie, Junette, Paul and all at the agency.

Martin Fletcher, my long-serving, long-suffering editor.

All the people at Headline Towers in Euston Road, and their Commonwealth colleagues.

Ryan Giggs, for allowing me to cling to the hope that  I might yet make a successful comeback to the Thursday Legends.

Every single person in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary  who has been involved in the care and treatment of my lovely wife Eileen, during her health hiccups this year, and to Alannah and the others who kept me ticking over.

Something I didn’t know until I became in a debate with my friend Pat Wright on the merits of Nicolas Cage: he is not the only acting Coppola to effect a career name change. Who is the other? Answers please, via Comments.

As the year draws to its end, I am indulging myself by watching  telly. Currently it’s ‘Hooray for Hollywood’ on BBC4, relatively calm after a bizarre Nicolas Cage movie on Canal +, ‘Drive Angry’. Nic is a very fine actor, so what possessed him to take that one on? Did you know that his real name is Nicolas Coppola, and he’s the nephew of the ‘Godfather’ director, Francis Ford Coppola?

I’m glad you like ‘The Loner’, ‘cos I do too. And thanks for your support; seems like I’m in good company.

As for TV, there is little chance of Skinner being made into a series, as I will not allow anyone to mess about with my characters in a way that is unacceptable to me, and most production companies seem to want that right.

This may count as a Christmas present; it is to me, and for sure to my imaginary friend Bob.

One of my first tasks of 2013 will be to sign contracts for four more Skinner books. This will take the schedule through to 2018, and gives the man plenty of scope for career moves between now and then. At present he is in seclusion considering his position in the light of the Scottish Government’s ridiculous and risky decision to centralise the country’s policing into a single force. That’s what happens when you put an economist and a lawyer in charge of decision-making, neither profession being renowned for its common sense.