Thanks to everyone – 125 folk – who came on the tour this month. I hope you all enjoyed it; for me it was a pleasure to meet such a wide variety of people with their different interests in the Trainspotting story. Some were into the literature, others the film, others were curious about how it all happened, and why it happened here, and how does Irvine Welsh stitch the story together. 19 of my books were sold – wherever you are in the world I hope it sheds a bit of light on the subject and reminds you of an interesting tour.
Meanwhile, the BBC is intending to screen an hour-long documentary about the arrival of HIV in Leith in the 1980s. The director says he thought he knew enough about it to make a start – he acknowledges now that he hadn’t realised how closely it was related to the heroin scene. He’s talking to a good number of the players from the scene, and it should be a good programme. I’ll let you know when it comes out, we’re not sure yet which side of Christmas it will be.
I’m getting more used to this book event carry-on, having been to a couple recently. Secret: don’t say too much, start a discussion. We’re hoping to have a big event in Leith in November, as a contribution to Leith coming to terms with (don’t you just hate that cliche?) its Trainspotting past. It will take its place alongside the BBC programme. It’s a story that needs to be told.