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Featured Author - Stuart MacBride


Kell

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would you ever consider basing them in another Scottish town/city or abroad even, but still using the same characters?

 

I don't think so, Inver. As it is I've got the whole North East of Scotland to play with and offshore too - it all falls under Grampian Police's jurisdiction. Mind you, with all this talk of 'policing without borders', international cooperation, and the 'war on terror', you never know.

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are your books in the same lines sort of style as Ian rankin?

 

Hi SBW,

 

Well, my books are set in Scotland and they're about the police, but other than that...? Possibly. I'd say Rebus is definitely a lone wolf kinda guy -- my books are more teamwork-based.

 

Then again, they both have a darkness to them, and some of that good old-fashioned Scottish gallows humour.

 

Ian Rankin's a terrific writer, so if my books come close to his kind of quality I'll be very proud indeed.

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Are any of the characters you write based on anyone you know (however loosely)? Or are they perhaps conglomerates of several people? Or are they completely separate from anyone you've met?

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Are any of the characters you write based on anyone you know...

 

A couple are, Kell, but not until the third book - I was asked if I'd auction off a character for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and I thought I'd have a bit of fun with other people I know.

 

So PC John Rickards is based on... John Rickards (writes very good crime novels for Penguin*) with only a few minor changes to make him work better in the story. Another friend, Alex Clark, became Zander Clark (I took liberties with him and made him a pornographer in the book).

 

Everyone else probably have small slivers of other people I know / meet at events / sit within earshot of in the pub... But it's not a conscious thing.

 

* The publisher, not the birds. That would just be silly

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As for DI Insch, his sweetie addiction just came about by accident while I was writing him. Now I use it as an excuse to put in all the sweets I remember loving from my childhood. I've recently discovered a wee sweetie shop in the nearest town that does old-fashioned Scottish confectionery, so look out for 'soor plooms', 'tatties' and 'granny sookers' making their appearance.

Hi Stuart. Having discovered that one of your DIs shares the same name as the place of my birth!, I recently bought Cold Granite and Dying Light. I've yet to read them but, out of interest, is he called after Insch?

 

I haven't heard of lucky tatties for years. I don't suppose they are allowed to put the plastic charms in them these days. Soor plooms etc probably account for my mouthful of amalgum, but happy days.

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Are we allowed to know which town this is, Stuart. We locals might like a visit!:lol:

Pipistrelle....welcome to the board. Lovely to have you join us. If you were born in Insch, does that mean you are near Aberdeen these days? If so, you are in good company. There are four of us from Aberdeen on the forum!

 

Pp

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I usually have 2 books on the go one upstairs and one downstairs. Cold Granite was upstairs here beside the compute where I can pick it now and the but it has now gone downstairs as well so I can read it more. Sorry to say the I had neve heard of Stuart McBride until a book came into the chartiy shop where I work.

 

Read the back and liked the story and now I have fell in love with Stuart and can wait to read more of his books :lol:. I love his humor and the story even tho' I only about have way thru.

 

Heather

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have you always enjoyed writing...?

 

I can't say I enjoy it much at the moment, Michelle. But no - I wasn't one of these precocious sods who pen their first novel at the tender age of three. I absolutely hated English in school, though I loved to read.

 

I only came in to writing in my mid-twenties, when a couple of friends talked me into giving it a shot. They were writing as a hobby, and I thought I'd give it a go. And got hooked. But up till then: nothing.

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Hello

 

I have to confess that i havent read any of your books,,,,,,yet:smile2: i am tempted though.

 

I wanted to ask - would u like ur books turned into films or a tv series? and also what did u do with ur first book- did u send it to lots of publishers?

 

kay:readingtwo:

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Stuart, following on from one of Spooncats questions, if your books were made into a tv series and/or films who would you like to play the parts of Logan, Insch and DI Steel?

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I have to confess that i havent read any of your books,,,,,,yet:smile2: i am tempted though.

 

Then you should give in to temptation Spooncat, there's no point denying yourself. They're full of fibre, low in fat, and sugar-free.

 

would u like ur books turned into films or a tv series? and also what did u do with ur first book- did u send it to lots of publishers?

 

 

Yes, and it depends. In that order. The first book I wrote isn't the first book that was published - it was a rather twisted comedy thriller thing and the writing was bloody terrible. I loved it at the time, but a lot of it makes me cringe now. But it was my first book, so I'm daftly proud of it.

 

COLD GRANTE (the first one to be published) only went to HarperCollins, and they picked it up. So it didn't have to go anywhere else. Which is nice.

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What do you like to read when you are not writing?

 

Loads of different stuff, Inver. Because I meet a lot of other crime writers at events and festivals I tend to pick up books by people I like, so my TBR pile is stuffed full of crime fiction. I like other stuff as well, but crime's my favourite.

 

Recently enjoyed reads include:

Ray Banks - SATURDAY'S CHILD

Allan Guthrie - HARD MAN

Adrian Hyland - DIAMOND DOVE

Charlie Williams - DEADFOLK

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Swho would you like to play the parts of Logan, Insch and DI Steel?

 

I'd have quite liked John Simm (played the part of Sam Tyler in Life On Mars) to play Logan, but now that he's been in LOM that would probably be a non-starter.

 

In my mind Insch is a shaven-headed Robbie Coltrane - certainly it has to be someone who's very tall and very wide.

 

Steel I have no idea for, but someone recently suggested that Helen Mirren would filthy up nicely for the part. From playing the Queen, to a wrinkly, chain-smoking, foul-mouthed, lesbian. What could be better?

 

Did you have anyone in mind?

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John Simm would be good, or David Tennant?

 

Surprisingly enough, David Tennant was down to read the books for the audio (abridged) versions, but pulled out due to other, time-travelling commitments.

 

Can't say that I blame him ;}#

 

But then again, I think if he were to play Logan, most people would be wondering why Doctor Who was investigating prostitute murders in Aberdeen...

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John Simm would be good, or David Tennant?

 

I totally agree with you Louise, still not sure about Robbie Coltrane playing Insch though, but can't think of another to quote "very tall and very wide" actor.

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