Historic Stirling again became the 'Graveheart' of Scotland yesterday as the fourth Bloody Scotland crime-writing festival opened, and got off to a great community-engagement start with the opening ceremony (pictures above).
Since then it has been a delight to watch or be involved in a terrific series of events and to meet so many old and new friends from the expanding universe of crime writing and reading.
It is wonderful that so many writers and readers have come from outwith Scotland, and it's great to see the reactions to the scenery, town, and venues from those who haven't visited Stirling before.
If you haven't been to Bloody Scotland, read this lovely 'Bloody Scotland, I am here' blog post to get a feel for what it is like to arrive for the festival.
This afternoon a number of the Bloody Scotland crime writers in Stirling gathered to supporting the international day of action for refugees.
 |
| 'Bloody Scotland Sees Syria' 2:30pm 12th September 2015 (Denise Mina, Val McDermid, Alex Gray, Lin Anderson) |
So the best of luck to everyone on the shortlist (all great books), and there is always the possibility later of either celebrating or drowning sorrows afterwards if the doors aren't locked to crime writers for the later stages of 'Crime at the Coo'.
Although locked doors shouldn't really present much of a problem to crime writers ...
Book 9 in Lin Anderson's Rhona MacLeod forensic scientist series (shortlisted for Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime book of the Year 2015):-
Paths of the Dead #UK ► amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LB89QU0/
Paths of the Dead #US ► amazon.com/dp/B00LB89QU0/
