Greetings from a bitterly cold Japan. I’m hiding inside watching the jōbitaki birds drinking from a recently defrosted water butt and wondering how I can be warm without destroying the environment. Beyond wearing more jumpers than is feasible in a man who wants to move his arms, I’m at a loss.
Anyway, now we’re into the new year I’m gearing up for the launch of The Only Gaijin in the Village in March. With that in mind, I have some events to plug. Glaswegians, you are in for a treat.* On March 9th at 1pm I will be in conversation with Zoe Strachan as part of the University of Glasgow’s Creative Conversations series. This is free (books will be on sale).
On March 12th at 6pm I will be appearing at the Mitchell Library as part of the Aye Write! festival. Tickets are £10 and are available from here. This is my first time in the festival so I’m very excited and also a wee bit terrified. I hope to see you there!
There will be many more events coming in the next few weeks as they are confirmed, so keep hitting refresh.
*The definition of a treat is highly subjective
Iain Maloney 
I’d just borrowed your book set around the Piper Alpha disaster from my Glasgow library, and loved it. Having just got to know Aberdeen because of my son going to university there it was particularly interesting. Also having lived through Piper Alpha as a far spectator in central Scotland and feeling ashamed not to have shown more interested in the long term consequences. I had been about to book to see you at Aye Write but the world has blown up… (son now back home from university). Good luck with you getting home to Japan if you needed to. Looking forward to seeing you in Glasgow when you do make it here. As I lived for over a decade in Laos, I am looking forward to reading The Only Gaijin in the Village, with the usual interest in what it’s like being a falang (gaijin) in Asia.
Hi, thanks for your kind words. I’m glad to hear your son got back home safely – now is the time to be at home. I made it back to Japan just before they effectively closed the borders. I hope you’re all safe, and I hope you enjoy Only Gaijin!