It was just murder to miss Bloody Scotland
But now top author is launching festival
Fans of author Alexander McCall Smith and his much loved The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series are in for a treat on Monday when he helps mark the programme launch of Stirling’s Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival.
For many years the multiaward winning writer was a professor of medical law and worked in universities in the UK and abroad before turning his hand to writing fiction. He has written and contributed to more than 100 books across various genres.
But it wasn’t until the publication of the first in his hugely successful The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series 20 years ago that Alexander became a household name. The series has now sold over 20 million copies in the English language alone. Since the books took off, he has devoted his time to writing and his various series of books have been translated into 46 languages and become global bestsellers.
In 2007 he received a CBE for services to literature and in 2011 was honoured by the President of Botswana for services through literature to the country.
Perhaps one of the reasons the world has never tired of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and its heroine Mma ‘Precious’ Ramotswe is that Alexander himself never has.
“I look forward each year to revisiting the settings and the characters in The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency,” he said. “My conversation with Mma Ramotswe – we have become firm friends over many years.
“I travel to Botswana as often as possible – I aim to be there at least once a year – to immerse myself in the goodness of the people and the beauty of that country. That is what I wanted these books to reflect, the warm, courteous people of a largely successful country.
“Of course problems exist there as they to do everywhere but it is a country that has enjoyed considerable success because of sensible leadership after independence and careful use of natural resources. There is tremendous humanity in Africa and many people in the west don’t know that exists. I hope that the books in the series give people an insight into a different Africa – a far more positive Africa than the one often portrayed in the news.”
Alexander has always written from an early age and sent his first manuscript to a publisher at the age of just eight.
“I don’t recall what it was about but the publisher took the time to write an encouraging letter back. I didn’t have particular dreams and certainly no expectations. I suppose like all writers I wanted my books to find a readership and they have.”
He has been keen to take part in the Bloody Scotland festival ever since fellow authors Alex Gray and Lin Anderson started it in 2012 but a hectic travel diary and his annual promotional tour in the USA had always clashed. But he was “delighted” when they invited him to take part in the out of season event.
“Alex and Lin, and all those who supported them, took on an enormous task when they set up this festival. Today’s team behind the Bloody Scotland festival continues that work throughout the year, producing a very strong programme that has crime writing at its heart for an audience they have come to know well. I am looking forward to meeting some of the enthusiastic attendees I have heard much about.”
He hopes to build on the already fond memories he has of Stirling. “I was fortunate enough to be awarded an honorary degree by the University of Stirling a few years ago,” he said. “I received the award of Doctor of the University at the graduation ceremony for students from the school of arts and humanities and the management school. It was a great honour to be part of their momentous day.
“And we brought The Great Tapestry of Scotland to Stirling Castle in 2015 where it was displayed for some weeks in the Great Hall – a magnificent setting.”
Alexander may well be the envy of many writers, having never suffered from ‘writer’s block.
“I’m very fortunate in this. I always think that if one can’t get going on a book, it’s indicative of a state of depression. I write at home in my book-lined study, or in our house on the coast in Argyll – or when travelling.”
When not writing himself he is a fan of the Mapp and Lucia books by E.F. Benson and works of R.K. Narayan, although much of his reading these days is non-fiction. One of his favourite books is WH Auden’s Collected Shorter Poems.
“Auden’s voice is wise and humane,” said Alexander. “I am always comforted by it. I attended a reading by the great man a long time ago and in recent years I have been fortunate enough to become friends with his literary executor, Edward Mendelson.”
Alexander will be appearing at The Golden Lion in Stirling to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and mark the programme launch of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival 2018 on Monday 4 June at 1pm. Tickets £5 available from www. bloodyscotland.com or from the Albert Halls or the Tolbooth.
Like all writers I wanted my books to find a readership and they have