I am in the early stages of reading Des Dillon's novel, 'Six Black Candles', and can't decide if the author is illiterate, stupid or possibly brilliant; this remains to be seen. To date, the book isn't so much a page turner as a page shutter, but I have started, so I'll finish - always the best policy, even with bad books. If you are easily offended then don't even open the cover of a Des Dillon. If you are a real reader, turn those pages and read on... You can buy it, along with his others, at http://www.scottishmultimedia.co.uk/Books/ScottishBooks.htm and leave your comments here.
I'd like to discuss the titles I read and will be listing them all on here as I re-read some oldies and sneak a peak at some new releases and award winners.

http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk
http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk

If you haven't read Catcher in the Rye, you can buy it from our Paranoid Times book shop at http://www.scottishmultimedia.co.uk/ParaTimes/Shop.htm

Also, you are welcome to inquire into the availability of any secondhand titles. (We don't base ourselves in Scotland's national book town for nothing, ye ken.)Email here >>> mailto:office@nykmedia.com

Re: Catcher in the Rye - J D Salinger

Loved the book - don't know what all the fuss was about as it didn't exactly make me want to go out and shoot someone.
So, here's another Scottish connection - Holden Caulfield's sister's favourite film ever was The Thirty Nine Steps by John Buchan!

Re: Scotland's Top 100 Books

I was just wondering how 'Scottish' these had to be. I mean... could we have a case for considering 'Catcher in the Rye'?

J.D. Salinger was born and grew up in New York, but his mother, apparently, was Scottish-Irish. Also, it is reported that the novel took its title from a line by Robert Burns, in which Holden Caulfied, misquoting it, sees himself as a 'catcher in the rye'.

http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk

NOW YOU KNOW about...

THE BIG TOMATO
by Raleigh Trevelyan

(Longmans, 1966)

The blurb on the inside cover starts off...

"This outlandinsly inventive and extremely original novel combines both Satire and Farce with comic Fantasy to provide a notably entertaining view of the strange world of book publishing."

I first read this book back in the early seventies and it is, without doubt, what sparked my initial interest in publishing. By pure coincidence, I happened across a first edition, signed copy and couldn't resist the temptation. This was, afterall, the elementary beginnings of my 'madness' in wanting to pursue such a career.

I wholly recommend this book - although out of print, it's possibly available from your local library - to ANYONE who has aspirations of becoming a writer, agent or just involved in publishing.

The tale is set in a London publishing house and takes a satirical look at the people and works associated with this industry... Editorial staff, typists, printers, binders, warehousemen, marketing and promotions, booksellers, writers and agents - it's all there in glorious technicolour to be absorbed and appreciated. The satire borders on the ludicrous in parts, but if you have met many REAL people within these fields then you will soon realise that, no matter how fantastic the tale, the possibility of plausibility is forever present. In this world, you have to study the underbelly to understand the very nature of the beast. And the nature of the beast is that it is not infallible... it simply carries on regardless.

Probably the most memorable book I have ever read (and re-read) and one that will stay with me for all time. FANTASTIC!

http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk

http://www.paranoidtimes.co.uk :)

My personal thoughts on Edition 11 of Now You Know.
Get a free copy at http://www.scottishmultimedia.co.uk/FREE.htm
and then you can review it too.
============

The editor says some sensible stuff,
Jordan, on writing, sounds like he's had a huff,
The keyboard crew, they sound a mixed bunch,
Crisis in the Hoose, it amused me at lunch,
McDade Laid Bare? I guess his best he has tried,
But at dear Millie May - tears of laughter I cried,
Agnes & Senga - those two Scottish 'burds',
They certainly do have a way with their words,
I laughed and I chortled, I choked and went blue,
And that was just reading about thon big 'deid coo',
Shona Prophett - I doubt it, but interesting to see,
Eddie Elwood is fabulous, but then that is me,
Alternative Health - I laughed a great deal,
Rovin Ronnie on weight loss, sod it, eat a good meal,
The Moose, now I liked that, it gave me some thought,
And the bats, and the bear, that never were caught,
Then Jordan served up, 'At The End of the Day'
And dew drop tears, from my eyes they did stray,
I'm glad we had 'Nuts versus Zoo' near the end,
Plus Sigh 'n' Snooze, Woman Zone and 'my friend',
Paranoid Times, I'd read it all before,
But the final article left me looking for more...

(Did Paranoid Times REALLY save a life?)

Our online readers' club is here to encourage website visitors to discuss their favourite books. Having attended the local 'debate' about 100 Top Scottish Books, and discovering that I had actually read only 15 of the titles, I felt it pertinent to research what others had to say. The Booker prozewinners list is another (you can find our list at http://www.scottishmultimedia.co.uk/Writing/Booker.htm ) of those lists of books that I really MUST try to work through one dayb but for now, it will have to be reviews of what we really have read. Submit all your book reviews here and let's see if others agree.