Iain Banks email Q&A October 2008
October 14, 2008Welcome to the latest Q&A session with Iain Banks. The first two sessions can be found here: Q&A session I and Q&A session II.
Read on for the latest Q's from Iain's readers and fans, with A's from the man himself...
Iain Banks talks to Writing Magazine
October 10, 2008Iain has been interviewed for the latest edition of Writer's News Writing Magazine and talks about a number of writing-related subjects, including plotting, character development, pre-planning and avoiding the temptation to polish work until the first draft has been finished.
Interviewer Judith Spelman has posted a (1.23Mb) pdf copy of the piece on her own website at www.judithspelman.co.uk.
[Thanks to DaveH for the heads-up]
Book Aid charity auction to include Banks-signed copy of ‘Fear and Loathing’
October 10, 2008Lewis Proudfoot of Book Aid International has been in touch to tell us about an eBay auction that they're holding to raise money for literacy projects in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the items to be included in the auction ought to be of interest to Banks-collectors, as Lewis explains:
"Visitors to the Iain Banks site may be interested in one of the items: a copy of Hunter S Thompson's Fear and Loathing, illustrated by Ralph Steadman, and signed and inscribed by Iain Banks ('May the spirit of the blessed Saint Hunter be with you')."
This item will be one of those listed on Book Aid International's 'Books Change Lives' eBay for Charity page on Monday October 13th.
A press release about the auction adds: "As well as a fantastic array of signed books, Book Aid International will also be auctioning a number of original illustrations by some of the UK's best-loved illustrators including Nick Sharrat, Satoshi Kitamura and Sue Heap."
State of the Art radio adaptation news
October 7, 2008Via DaveH we've learned that Ian Whates, one of the organisers of this month's Newcon4 convention - at which Iain will be a Guest of Honour - has posted the following news about Paul Cornell's radio adaptation of Ian's short story 'The State of the Art', at the SFF Chronicles forum.
"Paul Cornell's radio adaptation of Iain Banks' novel The State of the Art will be aired on the 6th March 2009 on Radio 4...
"Of course, anyone impatient for a preview would have to come along to NewCon 4. We've obtained permission to play exclusive clips from the show, 6 months ahead of its broadcast; said clips to then be discussed by the author and adaptor ('adaptor' as in Paul, rather than any electronic gizmo!)."
And there's more information on State of the Art's place in the forthcoming BBC Radio science fiction season, over at blogs.thestage.co.uk.
