We drove the wrong way to the Golden Lion. (Let's call it a dry run.) As I was decanted from the car, I noticed the bus stop was busy with people, and suddenly they all crossed the road, leaving behind a lone piper. Those were the VIPs on their way to the Bloody Scotland launch.
Following them in and up, going into the ballroom to steal a chair to sit on, I got there just in time to see director Bob McDevitt sort of falling off one, making me worry about mine. When I was seated, blogger Lizzy Siddal came up to chat, and I've clearly been coming to these launches too many times, as I knew to grab a couple of programmes for us from the box behind me on the bar.
Publicist Fiona turned up with Val McDermid, the star of the day, and ushered her into the ballroom. Wondered if the tall man I saw mingling was 'my' Georgian from last year, and when his wife joined him I concluded I was right. They seemed to remember me too... And yes, I've really been coming too many times when I can recognise the back of the Waterstones bookseller.
These days when sponsorships of book festivals is a bit of a sore point, I welcomed hearing the names of those sponsoring Bloody Scotland. Thank you! Bob spoke very briefly to introduce this thirteenth crime weekend, which starts on Friday 13th [September]. Tickets for sale now!
Before collecting Aunt Ochiltree at the front entrance, I put my borrowed chair back, right behind Val, who seemed to be sitting on the chair that almost unseated Bob... I explained my presence behind her back. Once Aunt Ochiltree was sitting down near the front, with Val still occupying 'my' spot, I found myself a new back row seat.
This year's taster event for Bloody Scotland was 'the majestic Val McDermid,' talking to Craig Robertson about her new book Queen Macbeth, which is a sort of re-telling of what we have learned from William Shakespeare, and better than the history lessons in school. A thriller, but not a crime novel. Those three women are not witches, but her friends. Real women, who did all the work while the men went to war.
Val reminisced about a hotel venue burning down just before an event on Queen Macbeth, ending up doing her talk practically on Shakespeare's grave. Then there was the burning of a banqueting hall, but that might have been in the book...
There was to be no medieval 'forsoothery' in her book. But herbs. Ginger. Mary Beard is a useful ally for checking the likelihood that ginger could have grown in Scotland back then. Or sourced when visiting the Pope in Rome. And they knew how to dose opium correctly. She'd like some for her back surgery next month.
The Q&As brought up important stuff like whether Karen Pirie is a bumbag or backpack kind of person, and how old Allie Burns will be in 2019. No, Val doesn't want to go on to 2029. She quoted P D James on ending Dalgliesh early enough that she wouldn't die mid-book. And Val has given her name to an award, despite not being dead. Television or film for Queen Macbeth doesn't matter, as long as the book is still the best.
Say what you want, but events like these are a safe bet to bring Aunts to. Especially if followed by afternoon tea. In fact, there is something very useful about daytime entertainment of this type. We foraged for tea, as our US guests queued up for a McDermid autograph in their freshly bought book.
(Top photo by Lizzy Siddal)
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