Archive
Sheila Hameed
A reminder. for all those interested, of the 2013 publication schedule: Funeral Note, in mass market paperback, and Deadly Business (primavera 4) in hardback and trade paperback, both publish on January 31. Pray for the Dying, the eagerly-awaited Skinner 23, is out on June 6, again in hardback and trade versions. Signed copies can be pre-ordered though Campbell Read Books, via the link on this page.
No excuse
The BBC Trust may not want to lose its director general so soon after he took office, but it’s difficult to see how they can avoid it. ‘It wasnae me’ doesn’t cut it any more, not in this case. The McAlpine disgrace isn’t just the biggest British media shambles since the Hitler Diaries, it’s worse than that because of the vilification that has befallen the person innocently accused. He wasn’t named, but so what? In this dangerous age, when social media gossip spreads unchecked like flame through a bed of pine needles, the BBC failed lamentably in its public duty.
In such circumstances the man at the top must go. Not only is George Entwhistle, the BBC’s Director General, he is also, through his office, its editor in chief. He has no honourable wiggle room. He’s toast.
Kick it out
I’m a vociferous Scottish Nationalist, and proud of it. However I am also a senior (in age) member of a multi-racial extended family. Discrimination of any sort . . . other than in favour of good over evil . . . is anathema to me. Our skin tone is an accident of birth. So also, to an extent is our faith, but we can do something about that in later life if we choose. We all belong to the same species; we can be good people or bad people, but we’re all the same under the skin.
Thus when I read, as I have lately, of something in England called the Society of Black Lawyers, my instant reaction is that any body that defines its membership by the colour of their skin is fundamentally wrong. We’ll never create One Nation by highlighting the prejudices that militate against it.
US Kindle store
A while back, I asked for help in checking how many of my books are available in Kindle form on Amazon US. It appears that the log-jam has been broken, for as of today all of them appear to be listed, with a buy button alongside.
We are now working on Barnes & Noble.
QJ recharged
Thanks to Dr Lang and everyone else at the ERI Day Case centre who made me welcome yesterday morning, and let me loose eight hours later, complete with new pacemaker box. The procedure was so quick and efficient, that I barely knew it had begun. I still can’t figure out when the local anaesthetic was applied. They can never say exactly how long the batteries in these units will last, but as I said to the doc, if I outlast it, that will be good.
Vite!
This isn’t anywhere close to delicate, but by God it’s funny.
Camping out
A few days ago, several people on my wife’s email list had a message from her with a link that referred them to this website.
Today I received the same link from someone on mine. Problem being, Eileen didn’t send that message, and I am quite sure, neither did Jean. When Yahoo and AOL allow our email addresses to be camped on and abused in this way, there can be no clearer demonstration that that there is no such thing as internet security.
Quote for today, and every other
‘Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who put us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.’
– Mark Twain
Fun time
I’ve got an interesting Monday in front of me. Those who know me well know also that I have a heart pacemaker. It’s one of very few things that Bob Skinner and I have in common. I’ve had mine for slightly longer than him, twelve and a half years, and the battery is beginning to run out. When that happens they can’t do anything as simple as plugging you into the mains, No, they have to take the old unit out and put a new one in. And as a bonus, these procedures have to be done under local anaesthetic, so it ain’t a case of ‘Wake me when it’s over’. For those who may be facing such an implant I have one tip: when they ask you, as they make the first incision, ‘Can you feel that at all?’ it’s best to say ‘A little’, just to be sure.
Help wanted
A little while ago I gave the okay for my titles to be published in the US as e-books. Given that technical issues prevent us checking this out from the UK, it would be useful if US blog visitors could let me know whether QJ e-books are available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. All information and observations gratefully received.
Ryanair shocker
Another Ryanair fuck-up. Currently in Barcelona Airport where our flight is showing as boarding on time. However it is not. Plane is there crew is not. There will be a two-hour delay but this has not been adequately announced and many punters are sitting on the ground bewildered.
Totally unacceptable.
Man of many talents
This chap peering out of the kitchen of Can Roura, his excellent restaurant in St Martí d’ Empúries, is my friend Joan Malé. As well as being an outstanding chef, Joan has other strings to his bow. He’s a professional photographer, with his work heavily in demand. Not only that, he’s a musician, with his own record label and a second identity, Monoceros. Under that name, you’ll find his electronic constructions available through Amazon and iTunes.
Cheers, Joan.
Fug on the Tyne
Last night we caught the first episode of a new series on BBC2 called ‘Hebburn‘. My dear wife is from Tyneside and used to teach in that community, so she tittered from start to finish, and I was able to watch almost all of it without the aid of sub-titles. My favourite line was the one uttered by Granny as she wheeled herself out of the pub disabled toilet. As for the bagels, they were priceless. And the fat guy in the vest sucking in a couple of his bellies and flexing his pecs as he passed Denise at the bus stop. If you didn’t see it and can access BBC iPlayer, check it out for yourself.
Quintin Jardine's blog 