The only reason I'd go to Scotland -- other than that fun thing I talked about doing with select explosive ordnance at WorldCon -- would be to hang out at Stuart MacBride's way-fancy-sounding launch for his novel, Cold Granite. Free food, right?
Then there's the recent facial injury. How many writers do you know who could carry off that eye patch? With that accent? (You pregnant ladies and other easily-queased folks might want to skip his April 22nd entry or risk bidding your Wheaties adieu.)
I'd go, but unfortunately they won't let me out of the country. Cause one measly little international incident, get your passport yanked by the State Department. I still think the French over-reacted. My shoes almost matched my purse.
Anyway, since most of us Yanks can't crash the lad's launch, I say we go over and have a comment party on his weblog while he's gone. Enough of us show up, he'll think he's been BlogSPAMmed. We could even pretend to be SPAMmers and really mess with him.
Seriously, a novel launch is a wonderful and terrifying thing. If you do have a minute, stop by Halfhead and wish him luck.
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How sweet! (Not the proper reaction for someone who writes ‘tartan noir’ crime thrillers I know, but what the hey.) Believe me, you’d be more than welcome – just stay away from the Mini-Kievs, I’m not sharin’ them with nobody!
ReplyDelete>The only reason I'd go to >Scotland...
ReplyDeleteHey, O prolific one!
What about our castles? History?Battlefields? Countryside? Whisky? Culture?
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ReplyDeleteStuart wrote: just stay away from the Mini-Kievs, I’m not sharin’ them with nobody!
ReplyDeleteCanape hog.
Zornhau wrote: What about our castles? History?Battlefields? Countryside? Whisky? Culture?
You mean, the ones we Irish didn't give you? ducking
It's the bagpipes and the haggis that kinda scare me. Ever notice how much they look alike? Stick six or seven forks in a haggis, you'll see what I mean.
PBW wrote:
ReplyDelete>You mean, the ones we Irish >didn't give you
And all these years I thought you were an American!
And, ducking won't help against a diagonal blow (a "Zornhau")from a greatsword. :)
Actually, Medieval Scotland was ethnically a bit like New York.
The supposed Irish influence really results from a common Scotto-Norse Irish Sea culture.
The "Anglo Normans" - Flemings, French, Old English etc - had their impact too, e.g. John Stewart of Mentieth who took Castle Sween off the Irish Sweens, souped up its defenses and held it against all comers.
The Bruce had an Anglo-Norman dad, even if his mum was a gaelic speaker. And so on.
The Irish were in much demand as mercenaries though...
Z
PS You're right about the haggis/bagpipe thing: traditionally they're speared to death with a special fork. If the tines hit the right mark, they insert pipes. Otherwise, they liquidise the insides and sell the results as a food.
Zornhau wrote:And, ducking won't help
ReplyDeleteWas sehrt, das lehrt.
LOL. I had to google that. It took me straight to an article on German sword traditions: "What hurts, teaches".
ReplyDeleteThe shame! Thanks to our useless education system, the only German vocab I have relates to swords!