Av byronv2
Deeply saddened to learn today that one of the finest Scottish writers of the last half century, Iain Banks, has passed away, just a short time after announcing he had terminal cancer. Ironically his last book features a character also dying of cancer (started before he knew he was ill), publisher Orbit Books was trying to rush it out later this month, now sadly just too late for him to see on bookshelves.
I had the honour and pleasure of hosting Iain for author events several times in Edinburgh and when I had my much publicised incident with my old bookstore Iain was one of the authors I’d worked with who stood up for me in public. Finding it hard to believe this genial, friendly, smiling man and gifted Scots author is gone at 59. Have posted some thoughts on my blog www.woolamaloo.org.uk/?p=3955
Meantime I notice many readers on Twitter are honouring Iain’s memory with pictures of his books with a good single malt (a passion of Iain’s) and I thought I would add my own small photo tribute to those. Here’s a photo I took just over a year ago of Iain with fellow local bestselling scribe, Ian Rankin, in an Edinburgh pub – happier days: www.flickr.com/photos/woolamaloo_gazette/6780055390/