Before the Poison has debuted in the New York Times Book Review bestseller chart at #21 this week. This is the extended list, of course, but we only need to go up another six places to get in the published list. The paperback reached #2 in the UK bestseller list recently, and is still in the top ten. The hardcover made #1 last August.
I have a number of exciting events coming up in 2012. I will be interviewing Harlan Coben at the Metro Reference Library in Toronto, on Thursday, March 29, at 7.00pm. On Saturday, May 5, at 2.00pm, I will be giving a talk at the Dales Festival of Food and Drink in Leyburn. In June, I am set to appear at the Beverley Folk Festival, in East Yorkshire, with folk superstar Martin Carthy. This event is on Sunday, June 17 at 11.45am. I hope to premiere a new short story connected with the world of folk music, and showcasing songs from Martin. I have done events with his daughter Eliza Carthy before, and they were all great fun.
In July, I will be having an onstage chat with Ian Rankin at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Festival, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. We did this at the first ever festival, and have repeated it several times since with much success. This is on Friday, July 20, from 10.00pm to 11.00pm. Yes, that’s right. It’s the late event. No doubt everyone will be sufficiently wined and dined by then. In August, I have an event at the Festival of the Written Arts, in Sechelt, on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. the festival runs from August 16 to 19. More details to follow. On August 27, I am due to appear at the Edinburgh Festival for the first time. Again, more details later. Finally, from November 5 to 10, I’m teaching a crime writing course along with Manda Scott for the Arvon Foundation, at Monlack Mhor, near Inverness.
And that’s all for the moment. I’m sure there will be more, and I will try to get details out as they come in. It’s shaping up to be a very busy year, and I’m looking forward to seeing many of you on my travels. The next DCI Banks novel, Watching the Dark, should be out in the UK and Canada in August, and the second series of DCI Banks will be airing on the ITV in the autumn. I have just heard that it is airing in Sweden at the moment.
Peter Robinson 