Hey Bute! Noir 2019

Last weekend at Bute Noir, I was Barry White.

I was first, last and everything.

Here I am at the opening event with Douglas Lyndsay, Ed James and Craig 'That wasn't the question I asked you,' Robertson.

We were talking about the police procedural.  

This was Douglas and I on the Saturday night leading the community singing on Shang A Lang by the Bay City Rollers. We were very bad indeed.

Not very bad, but actually quite good was Doug Sinclair reading from his novel at the Noir At the Bar.

This panel was 'do as I say, not do as I do'  where two seasoned ( very old) crime writers gave advice to the  three writing youngsters in the middle. The eagle eyed may spot Allan Martin on the panel, he guest blogged for me a few weeks ago with his debut The Peat Dead. the other newbies were Lisa Grey and Noelle Holton, both their novels are already huge. Douglas Skelton and Myra Duffy were offering sage advice until Noelle mentioned she had a five book deal... then everybody was taking advice from her!

It was a packed house but it does look as though we are peering to spot the audience.

In the book shop, with a nice couch, good coffee and great wee cakes we did the Highland Reel with Douglas Skelton talking about Thunder Bay ( also guest blogged on here) and Douglas Lyndsay.

Douglas won the Brookmyre Putting cup, I am not saying which Douglas.

Oscar De Muriel gave us a couple of tunes on the violin- one very sombre then he did the can can and we all joined in. We were wondering if we could do that again … with men in kilts.

Messers Billingham and Brookmyre being very naughty.

Some famous folk in the audience.

Room 101 on stage.

I wanted to put fancy coffee, mad vegans and books that you can't film ( you know where the narrator is a cushion) into 101 but I was vetoed. I did say that I wasn't playing unless I knew trump and boris were already in there.

 discussing why BMWs have indicators because, let's face it, the drivers never use them. 

Some Scandi  American stuff going on here? 

Mick Herron put wasps into room 101 as they tend to attack him.

I draw your attention to his shoes.

Luca, Mick, Thomas and Lisa.

Lilija, Liz, Alex and Louise.

I was hiding behind them, making sure no one escaped without paying attention.

Ahh the quiz, Mark, Ed and myself romped to victory. Alex Grey was score keeper. Our team did smash the charades round it has to be said.

And so ended another Bute Noir, we all got on the 7pm ferry, and fell asleep the moment it left port.

Big thanks to Suze Purple Hair Bickerton  and Mary Grab Me A Seat A The Front Picken  for letting me run riot with the product of their  phopographic skills.

Caro Ramsay