“Art imitates Life as Fiction Examines Independence” by Iain Sutherland (The National 4.2.22)
What is my ‘Genre’? Essay on Scottish political thrillers
Pre-orders for Sovereign Cause
We are now in the final week of pre-orders for the fourth Willie Morton political thriller, Sovereign Cause and it’s already clear more readers have pre-ordered this title than others in the series. Thanks to all who have pre-ordered the paperback or Kindle eBook. There is still time to pre-order, right up to publication day (1 June), when the title is distributed to selected bookshops and opens for online purchase. Copies can be purchased through this website’s Buy Andrew Scott’s Books button here https://andrewmurrayscott.scot/home/buy-my-books/ or via online retailers. At this stage it looks as if the new title will be the biggest seller yet and perhaps outsell Deadly Secrecy. Though each may be read as a standalone novel, there is strong evidence that a majority of readers return to buy previous titles or ones they have missed and the series goes from strength to strength. Thanks for your interest!
Sovereign Cause
The 4th Willie Morton Scottish political thriller, Sovereign Cause is on its way… amzn.to/2ZTuoCV launching in late May via Zoom. If you’ve read any of the Morton series, or listened to my lengthy interview on IndyLive Radio last October by Marlene and Valerie, look out for invites to join the book chat and hear about the new book, ask any questions and help to spread the word. The new novel is a belter, set in Scotland and London with a sub-plot set in Catalonia, as Willie Morton and his intern Ysabet Santanac try to get to the bottom of London and Madrid’s attempts to stop Scotland and Catalonia regaining their sovereignty — and find themselves on the hitlist of the secret state.
Virtual Book Launch Event
Friday 29th May is the day of the launch of my third Willie Morton thriller, Oblivion’s Ghost. Unlike the previous titles in my “Scottish espionage” series, it is not being launched in a real bookshop, due to the pandemic, but is being launched virtually in a virtual bookshop, courtesy of Facebook Live. It will take the format of the usual launch event with short readings, a bit about me and my writing. I’ll be answering the questions you post in and giving away some free copies of the paperback and ebook. Promises to be a lively event and at present around 111 folk are either going or interested. The downside is – you’ll have to bring your own wine! Another issue is hair! Because none of us can get to the barbers… well, I might be forced to resort to a variety of hats, balaclavas or wigs to conceal the alarming appearance of what passes for hair on my head. I’ll try to remain professional despite that. I’m hoping to get asked lots of interesting questions, whether you’ve read my previous titles or not. This time around, a small army of volunteers agreed to read the advanced proof of the novel, and some of them will be coming along, so it feels more like a team effort. Thanks to all those – you know who you are. The Facebook Live event starts at 6pm (till 7pm), and all book-lovers are welcome. Look forward to interacting with you then!
Book Week Scotland 2019: Blether and My Books
Looking forward to this year’s Book Week Scotland programme, funded by Book Trust Scotland. I will be attending other writers’ events but also speaking at two of my own. My events this year will feature the Willie Morton thriller series that I write as Andrew Scott. I’ll be at Coldside Community Library, 150 Strathmartine Road, Dundee, on Wednesday 20th November at 2pm. Then Banff Library, High Street, Banff, on Thursday 21st November at 7pm. I’ll be reading extracts from the first two titles in the series, Deadly Secrecy and Scotched Nation. https://andrewmurrayscott.scot/home/novels/And discussing the pitfalls and pains of creating a contemporary thriller series set mainly in locations around Scotland. I hope to field some interesting questions from the audience and get a good blether going! Blether is the theme of this year’s BWS programme. It’s great that we have this annual celebration of books, reading and writing just at the start of the winter. There is nothing more pleasurable than staying in and enjoying a good book! My events are free but ticketed. Tickets and more information about the Banff event can be obtained from Live Life Aberdeenshire website / Events… Tickets for the Dundee event can be obtained from Eventbrite Andrew Scott – the Willie Morton series. The full BWS programme: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland
Video 2: Scotched Nation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cH-YSvj6eE Video 2: Scotched Nation. I created these brief videos as publicity tools to explain, as concisely as possible, the purpose and scope of my new series of political thriller fiction. The Willie Morton mystery thriller series, rooted in Edinburgh, is set around some of the most wonderful landscapes that Scotland has to offer, in many locations that are off the beaten track. An early comment on the visual quality of the writing, by (strangely enough) a Scottish publisher interested in publishing the first book, referred to the immersive nature of the writing. I decided against accepting their offer, preferring to retain, for the moment, my artistic independence, in order to establish the series. I believe the books would make excellent films as they have three of the essential ingredients: strong conflict embedded in compelling narratives about an emerging Scotland, wonderfully scenic locations for action sequences and topical themes as relevant and urgent as today’s headlines. And all of this within the structure of an ongoing fiction series involving a cast of believable characters and a quite flawed but likeable protagonist, struggling freelance journalist, Willie Morton.
Press & Journal
Upcoming North-East Book Tour events
Deadly Secrecy – book talk
Andrew Scott will be in the cafe at Waterstones, 35 Commercial Street, Dundee, on Tuesday 4 June at 6pm to do a short talk about his Scottish political conspiracy thriller Deadly Secrecy. 
He will read an extract from the novel and discuss the context and inspiration for the Willie Morton series which are set in a politically febrile contemporary Scotland. Free event, all welcome. More info: https://andrewmurrayscott.scot
He will read an extract from the novel and discuss the context and inspiration for the Willie Morton series which are set in a politically febrile contemporary Scotland. Free event, all welcome. More info: https://andrewmurrayscott.scotBook Signing Success at Scots Independent
Very successful book signing hosted by the excellent team at the Scots Independent at the EICC on Saturday and Sunday. Lots of friendly advice and support from the great and good and some great laughs and reminiscences. The bearded gent whose copy I’m signing is my old AUSNA pal Sandy Allan, with former SI editor Jim Lynch and his wife and Ian Hamilton – a great SI team. Thanks guys! We shifted box loads. Pic courtesy of Tony Grahame.