If you're in Perth this weekend why don't you come see me at the Perth Writers Festival. Fortunately I'll be surrounded by big name talents so I won't be under too much pressure to be funny or interesting. This is the programme listing for my stuff:Pulp Fiction
The new novels of KA Bedford, Lenny Bartulin and Adrian McKinty have a Chandleresque air to them. They look at the legacy of noir fiction and its effect on their writing with Grant Stone.
Chair: Grant Stone
Undercroft Sat 27 Feb, 2 – 3pm
Crime Does Pay
Crime writers Colin McLaren and Adrian McKinty consider the interplay between real life and the imagination in the world of crime fiction.
Chair: Deborah Kennedy
Uni Club Theatre Sat 27 Feb, 5 – 6pm
Complex Characters
Though crime fiction is sometimes accused of being formulaic, it often features complex characters who grow over a series of books. Michael Koryta, Adrian McKinty and Irvine Welsh talk about the complexity of character.
Chair: John Harman
Uni Club Theatre Sun 28 Feb, 12.30 – 1.30pm
...
I'll also be doing an event on March 2nd when I'm back in Melbourne at the North Fitzroy Star hotel at 6 PM with Michael Koryta, Marianne Delacourt & Rebecca James.
43 comments:
You're effortlessly funny, Adrian, never seems like you're under pressure to entertain.
I wish I could stop by Perth and check out the panels. Sounds really cool. I miss those conference panel discussions from when I was in school.
Random conference occurrence: I once presented a paper on David Cronenberg at a San Diego pop culture conference and ended up with my wife at a party with Harvey Keitel's girlfriend and love child.
Notes on a couple older posts:
I didn't know Sean Penn was a wife beater! I always liked that fact that he punched paparrazi and have enjoyed several of his movies. Just as I walked away from a brief and miserable stint as a computer salesman, I saw him in The Assassination Of Richard Nixon and was transfixed by his portrayal of a miserable furniture salesman. Plus there's The Indian Runner, and State of Grace.
And you may have seen this already, but if you haven't you must.
Speaking of Ebert as you did recently, this article about him was excellent I thought.
That was a great video, Hardbarned. And I now know that Wisconsin is the California of the Midwest.
Hope you get a good turn out, Adrian.
Oh, and yes, Sean Penn is an excellent actor. Just not an excellent man.
and Milk, of course. forgot that one.
Girish
Thanks man.
BTW if I had the chops I'd do a Marxist review of Up in the Air. It seems that the movie is really calling out for one. I'm just sayin'...
HB
I long for the days when Harvey Keitel and Bob De Niro were Scorsese's muses not Leonardo di Caprio.
Sean Penn? Yeah, terrific actor I agree. To me he was the moral centre of The Thin Red Line, more so than Witt even.
But yes, a SERIAL wife beater. Allegedly. Well, we know he pled guilty to beating up Madonna and Robert Wright Penn has said a few things that seem clear that the leopard hasnt changed its spots... If he wasnt Sean Penn I'm pretty sure he'd be doing 10 years in San Quentin by now.
HB
Loved that article. Ebert really does seem to operating on a higher level now.
Seana
And you speak from personal experience.
Yes, I'm kind of surprised actually not to have met any blue people here yet. It's either because they haven't figured out what is the most organic sort of indelible dye to use, or because I just don't get up into the mountain meadows that much.
Though I'm almost positive that caber tossing thing they do in Perth is something they also do up in Ben Lomond.
Nice caber tossing pic. I recently met a fella who participates in the local Highland Games, and I must say, I'm awfully tempted to try tossing a caber and/or a sheaf.
Have fun and good luck on the panels.
Brian, if you do, you have to have someone take a picture and post it for us.
Who's the dude in the skirt, and why is he carrying a telephone pole?
Looks like Sharon Shannon is in the musie part of the festival. She's the squeeze-box player on "Galway Girl" and worth seeing, from what I can tell of her stage demeanor on YouTube clips.
Yeah, I always liked movie stars who beat up paparazzi, just the way I'd like anyone who thinks he makes millions rather than thousands per movie because of his talent alone.
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Just saw Up In the Air, and might post about it, Adrian, though my Marxist days are well behind me.
Seana
Are you near that strange Danish town that was in Sideways?
Brian
Dont damage your back. Start with a branch.
Peter
Yeah I'm heavily committed not just to my events but to other dos and stuff, but I am going to try and get to the music part of the festival.
Girish
To me the good looking friendly people who made you redundant were the stuff of Marcuse's worst nightmares.
Solvang? Not too near, no. But it is on the road up from L.A. Last stopped there with my sister and my nephew when he was doing a fourth grade California Missions study, as it's also the home of the Santa Ines mission. But he just turned 17 this week so that's awhile ago now, sad as that is to contemplate.
Oh, that Perth! I was near the real Perth the other day... Didn't see you.
Ah, man, wish I could attend some of these. Very interested to know how you get on with Irvine Welsh. Really loved his early stuff. Well, not so much the short story collection, but the novels up to Glue were all great. Think I lost interest a little after Porno, though...
gb
Adrian, if you're half as funny in person as you are in your books and on this blog, you're about as entertaining as it gets.
I love not having the pressure of being funny and witty. That really is a given these days if you're a writer, isn't it?
I'm trying to sell my book Time and Tide right now, and I was wondering if you minded if I used your tiny blurb of my first chapter. I figured your name might give me some push. But I also realize you're not technically supposed to be reading me, so if it's a no, I understand.
Seana
Oh yes I forgot. For some reason I thought they went to No Cal in Sideways but they dont do they?
Miss
Ah but have you been to both? In a few days I will have accomplished that achievement.
Ger
I've listened to quite a few as audiobooks. I found them very enjoyable. I think the Scottish accent helps. Its a cliche but I could listen to Kelly MacDonald read the phone book.
Holden
I am exactly a quarter as funny in real life. Which is not very funny. Although I have to admit that in a life threatening emergency I can grow quite sardonic.
Liam
No man, feel free. I really enjoyed that chapter and I'd be proud to say it anywhere.
And good luck. If you're getting the feedback I'm getting you're probably just as depressed as I am.
Incidentally I remember a few posts back you mentioning the Afro-Celt soundsystem. The dude from that has formed a new folk supergroup called The Imagined Village who are very good.
By “the real Perth,” you mean , of course.
================
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Yeah, Sideways was about the Santa Barbara area wine region, which I think got a real boost from that film. At least, my brother-in-law suddenly developed a whole new fondness for pinot noir.
I see your second session is chaired by Deborah Kennedy. I assume it's the same Deb Kennedy I used to work with - born in, I think Uganda, adopted by an Irish couple and raised in Ireland before they emigrated to Perth. Samrt and interesting woman.
Peter
And theres one in NZ too.
DP
I think so. She said she grew up in Northern Ireland.
No, but at a very young age I had half a dozen pen friends in 'the wrong Perth'. Does that count?
At the age of 21 I hitchhiked from Edinburgh to Perth. Got picked up by two cops who drove me all the way and kindly suggested that in future I don't hitch on the motorway. Ate in a Chinese restaurant, where I remember being treated rather rudely.
Later I visited Perth WA. Lived there for four years. I could tell you all the cool places to visit, but probably only useful if you also intend visiting 1983.
Anyway, enough nostalgia. Time for my medication.
I appreciate that, Adrian. I try not to get depressed about it. I just tell myself that if the next crime novel doesn't go, then I'll go back to that Saint story on my blog. Then that may be my entrance to historical fiction.
My wife tells me not to give up, even though I feel like it sometimes. She says I've been given a talent and it wouldn't be right if I didn't use it. There are some others genres you could try out too, like the YA novels maybe. Either way, you have options. Best of luck to you, sir.
Never been to Perth, but what would Freud have said about the fellow in the skirt launching that 'big woody' for all the world to see. Thats the thing about Travis McGee...not one to walk around with a banana in the trousers to advertise his manhood. Just a generally cool late '50s hero.
Bright Wind from Mountain
Miss Witch
of course
Ernest
Its illegal to hitch on the motorway isnt it, although I used to hitch up the M1 all the time. Did the M4 a few times too.
Liam
Have no clue what I'm going to do. Maybe just try and ride out the recession like everyone else.
Bright Wind
No you've got the wrong idea, thats just one of the local telegraph pole engineers - we build em tough up north.
The 9 most dreaded words in the English language:
"If you happen to be in Perth this weekend . . .
Corbett
Hey that's great! I just finished the new Bartulin for a CF #2 review. SPOILER: it's pretty fun. Safe trip, See you in Fitzroy!
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