For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to returning guest Graeme Macrae Burnet about his latest book Benbecula, which is the new entry in Polygon Books' Darkland Tales series of novellas which have quickly become essential reading.
Graeme tells us how he came to write his Darkland Tale, why it was this story, the brutal true crime which is at its heart (and it is true, no matter what regular readers of Graeme's might believe!), the research undertaken, creating a sense of place, understanding your central characters, the importance of visiting the island of Benbecula and the scene of the crimes, and the challenges of writing to a specific format.
The two also discuss the gothic tradition, unexpected reactions, how historical fiction speaks to the present day, and how Benbecula links to His Bloody Project, Graeme's Booker shortlisted 2016 novel.
One of the most interesting and insightful writers around, it's always a pleasure to have Graeme as a guest on the podcast, and this latest episode shows just why that is. If you are at all interested in the world of books, then this is the podcast for you...
For full details, including all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com