Category Archives: Book releases

Posts relating to book releases and signings

In which the Author spills blood all over the Daily Mail…

 

 

‘Murder and Mayhem in the City where the Streets Ran with Blood’. Phew, you don’t get many headlines like that. That’s the introduction to a piece on my new book The Bloody History of Scotland: Edinburgh that appeared in the Daily Mail on Monday, October 22. You can read the full piece here, or by clicking on the image. The article is reproduced by kind permission of the Daily Mail and journalist Jim McBeth.

 

And a quick reminder that I’m giving an illustrated talk based on The Bloody History of Scotland: Edinburgh at Blackwell’s Bookshop, South Bridge, Edinburgh, on November 6. The event, which will have time for book signing, starts at 6.30 and tickets are free – details from the City of Literature website.

 
 
 
 

In which the Author is interviewed in the Edinburgh Evening News…

 

 

 

There was a feature on Bloody History of Scotland: Edinburgh in the Edinburgh Evening News on Saturday 13 October. Entitled “‘Edinburgh is a blood-soaked place’: An alternative history of the Capital,” the piece covered topics such as public executions, heads on spikes and the cannibal Earl of Dunlanrig, and also included an interview with the humble author in which I actually manage to sound semi-coherent.

 

You can see Jen Lavery’s article at:

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/edinburgh-is-a-blood-soaked-place-an-alternative-history-of-the-capital-1-2573703.

 

 

In which the Author has another book published…

 

The latter part of October sees the publication of my latest attempt at world literary domination, The Bloody History of Scotland: Edinburgh. The book is a speedy and sanguinary sprint through the city’s dark past, taking in everything from massacres and murders to witchcraft, torture and executions.

 

Events commence in the Dark Ages with the annihilation of the Goddodin warrior tribe, and continue through medieval wars and sieges onto dastardly deeds surrounding Mary, Queen of Scots, and a veritable rogues’ gallery of assassins, rioters, pirates, hangmen and cannibals. Bodysnatchers, serial killers, poisoners and Zeppelins bring up the rear, and, for light relief, there is also a diversion into Edinburgh’s nineteenth-century brothels and houses of pleasure, with their associated crimes, court cases and general depravity.

 

  1. “And There Was Slaughter”
  2. A Barricade of Dead Horses!
  3. Tortured to Death over Three Days – For Killing the King!
  4. Murdered at the Sign of the Black Bull!
  5. Slaughter on the Streets!
  6. “Burn Edinburgh to the Ground!”
  7. A Tapestry of Naked Corpses!
  8. Stabbed To Death – In Front of the Queen!
  9. Death of a King: Blown Up and Strangled
  10. Siege!
  11. Death and the Maiden
  12. A Sea Battle – Inside the Harbour
  13. Drowned Alive in the Loch!
  14. Burn the Witch!
  15. Plague
  16. A Concentration Camp – in the middle of Edinburgh
  17. The Dismembered Marquis!
  18. The Wizard of West Bow
  19. The Hangman was a Murderer
  20. He Roasted the Servant on a Spit – and then ate him!
  21. He Fired into the Crowd – and was Lynched by the Mob!
  22. Jacobite Conflicts and the War of the Chamber Pots
  23. Riot!
  24. Piracy and Murder of the High Seas!
  25. Duel!
  26. Fire!
  27. Burke and Hare – Serial Killers!
  28. Poison!
  29. Hanged By The Neck Until Ye Be Dead
  30. The Night of the Zeppelins
  31. Sex and Death

 

You can find more about the book through Facebook and from the website of the publishers, The History Press. Upcoming media coverage includes features in The Edinburgh Evening News and The Scottish Daily Mail. There’s also a free illustrated talk on the book taking place at the splendid Blackwells Bookshop on South Bridge in Edinburgh on Tuesday 6 November. The humble author will be waving his arms about and bellowing on about grisly deeds and ghastly anecdotes from 6.30pm, and signing books after the talk as well.

 

There shall be blood!

 

 

In which the Author writes several more books…

 

When not sipping champagne cocktails with my showbiz chums and lazing round in a sun-kissed paradise – which, as we all know, is how writers habitually spend their time – the odd bit of work gets done here and there.

 

The Poltergeist Over Scotland book is with the publishers, and will be out before the end of the year. As the first ever history of Scottish poltergeists, featuring 134 cases over 400 years, it was a revelation to write.

 

Meanwhile, Bloody History of Scotland: Edinburgh, a sanguinary voyage through a thousand years of Edinburgh battles, bodysnatching and bloodletting, will be published by The History Press in October. And The Little Book of Edinburgh, a companion to last year’s The Little Book of Glasgow, is underway, for a 2013 publication date. Other 2013 books are in the pipeline, awaiting the official announcement from the various publishers.

 

Also on the blocks is my first work exclusively for the ebook market. What is a Poltergeist? – Understanding Poltergeist Activity will be published by David & Charles/F&W Media International in December 2012. Featuring polt cases from America, Canada, the UK, Europe, Brazil, Asia and Australia, this will set out to challenge many set notions about poltergeists. It’s certainly challenging my ideas on the subject. Watch this space…

 

And now, where’s that pool boy with my Sundowner…?

In which the Author does a book signing for Haunted St Andrews…

 

 

On Saturday 21st July I’ll be at the independent bookshop J & G Innes to sign copies of Haunted St Andrews. Also known as the ‘Citizen’ shop because of its association with the St Andrews Citizen, the half-timbered building on South Street is something of an institution in the town. I’ll be there from 11am until mid-afternoon.

 

If you can’t come along on the day, call the shop on 01334 472174 to reserve a copy, and I’ll sign it for a later pick-up. I’ll also have some strictly limited-edition Haunted St Andrews bookmarks to give away. See http://www.jg-innes.co.uk/ for details on the shop.

 
 
 

In which the author publishes another book (again)

 

My new book, Haunted St Andrews, is published today (29 June). The list of contents should give you an idea what to expect:

 

Chapter 1  – The White Lady and The Haunted Tower

 

Chapter 2 – A Haunted Cluster – the Ghosts of The Pends, St Leonard’s School and Queen Mary’s House

 

Chapter 3 – Ghosts of Castle and Cloister

 

Chapter 4 – Ghosts of Town and Gown

 

Chapter 5 – Pitmilly House – Poltergeist Manor!

 

Chapter 6 – A Pair of Poltergeists

 

Chapter 7 – Death Warnings, Dead Air and Ghost Villages

 

I will be doing a book signing at the esteemed bookshop of J & G Innes, St Andrews on Saturday 21 July. Meanwhile, there will be articles on Haunted St Andrews in the Scottish Daily Mail (Saturday 30th June) and the Glasgow Herald (Sunday 8 July). There was going to be a televised interview on BBC’s Reporting Scotland, but they cancelled at the last minute (and there was me having ironed a clean shirt and shaved my manly stubble – honestly, the sacrifices I make for my public…)

 

Haunted St Andrews is published by The History Press at £9.99, and is available from your local high street bookshop or from Amazon.