The Demon Dog Comes to Glasgow

Not much of a signature but it means a lot to me. The greatest book ever written (FACT) signed or at least initialled by the greatest author to have ever lived, the self styled 'Demon Dog' of American Literature, James Ellroy.

I met my friend Ian and his fiance Debbie for dinnerbefore heading to Glasgow Film Theatre for the talk. Ian was quite lucky to be there given that he had escaped from a burning tenemant block the night before.


Ellroy came on and quoted Tennessee Williams, W.H Auden amongst others before launching into a massive thank you to us, his readers:


"I kneel before you and thank you for worshipping the written word, bound in cloth"


To which we roared our approval!


Ellroy read from his new book 'Bloods a Rover' and Ian and I agreed after that it was fascinating to hear his voice read his own words, especially given the unique style in which he writes.


He thanked us again:


"I want to thank you for taking time out from your sex lives, drug addictions and infatuations with Barack Obama to come and hear me read tonight".


When the time came for autographs I was a nervous, simpering wreck but thankfully managed to compose myself by the time I shook his hand. Not only is his voice big but so is the man himself, probably 6ft 3" by my reckoning. He pointed at me as I walked away and he said "See you next year!". A reference to his next book, his second volume of autobiography "The Hilliker Curse".