Val McDermid Q&A

With over 16 million copies of her books published and having been translated into 40 languages. Val McDermid is one of Scotland’s most prolific writers. Her first novel was published in 1987. It was the first British crime novel with a lesbian detective. This was the time of Thatcher government creation of section 28, making it illegal for local authorities to support anything that may promote same sex relationships. I asked her how hard it was to get her book out there.

Caro Ramsay Q&A

Her writing has been described by the Guardian as “Black, bleak and brilliant.” Caro Ramsay is on her 14th novel. Although she was was born in Govan, Caro now lives in what she wryly tells us her publicity often describes as ‘a small fishing village on the west coast of Scotland; Elderslie.’ We were lucky enough to catch up her ahead of her talk at The Paisley Book Festival this month.