Wednesday, December 23, 2009

EXIT MUSIC: PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
EXIT MUSIC

BY IAN RANKIN

ABOUT THE BOOK:

It's late in the fall in Edinburgh and late in the career of Detective Inspector John Rebus. As he is simply trying to tie up some loose ends before his retirement, a new case lands on his desk: a dissident Russian poet has been murdered in what looks like a mugging gone wrong. Rebus discovers that an elite delegation of Russian businessmen is in town, looking to expand its interests. And as Rebus's investigation gains ground, someone brutally assaults a local gangster with whom he has a long history. Has Rebus overstepped his bounds for the last time? Only a few days shy of the end to his long, controversial career, will Rebus even make it that far?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


"I grew up in a small coal-mining town in central Scotland. I was always interested in stories. Even though the town had no book stores (and my parents were not great readers), I made full use of the local library. It was mind-boggling to me that (at the age of 11 or 12) I could not gain access to a movie theatre to see such classics as 'The Godfather', 'A Clockwork Orange' or 'Straw Dogs', yet no one stopped me from borrowing these titles from my library. Books seemed to have about them a whiff of the illicit and the dangerous. That was all the encouragement I needed. I went to university in 1978, joined a punk band (on vocals), and continued to write a lot of song lyrics and poems. However, I found that my poems were actually 'telling stories', and so started to write short stories.

A few of these found publication and even won some awards. Then one story raged out of control and became my first novel. It was never published, but that didn't matter: I was now a novelist. I stumbled on Detective Inspector John Rebus by accident while attempting to write an update of 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde': Rebus would be my Jekyll, his Hyde a character from his past. Along the way, I discovered that a cop is a good 'tool', a way of looking at contemporary society, its rights and wrongs. Rebus, I decided, would stick around. Meantime, I finished unviersity, moved to London for four years (where I worked first as a college secretary, later as a hi-fi/audio journalist), then rural France for six years. Both my sons were born in France. By the time the oldest had reached school age, we'd decided to move back to Scotland. I now live and work in Edinburgh, and the Rebus novels have gone from strength to strength in terms of sales and recognition.

My favorite we site is www.oxfordbar.com - the official web site of Rebus's favourite Edinburgh tavern!

Favorite/inspirational books include: pretty much anything by James Ellroy, Ruth Rendell, Raymond Chandler. Plus classics of Scottish Literature such as Robert Louis Strevenson's 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', James Hogg's 'Confessions of a Justified Sinner', and Muriel Spark's 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'. If I had to choose a few others to take to my desert island, I'd probably opt for Martin Amis's 'Money', Anthony Burgess's 'Earthly Powers', Anthony Powell's 'A Dance to the Music of Time' and Ian McEwan's 'First Love, Last Rites'.


GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO VALERIE AND THE
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I
HAVE FIVE COPIES OF THIS
EXCITING BOOK TO GIVEAWAY!

THE RULES:
--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY



HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY:GO TO THE HACHETTE BOOK SITE WHERE THEY HAVE A SECTION FOR AUTHOR IAN RANKIN'S TWENTY REBUS FACTS. DISCUSS AND COMMENT ON ONE OF THEM.

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW IN THE ENTRY

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, JANUARY 12

GOOD LUCK!

35 comments:

Glenn said...

That Ian Rankin credits Rebus with having attended two completely different high schools. I actually think that might be the untrue fact indicated in #20. Thanks for the giveaway.

glenn_pessano (at) yahoo (dot) com

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I love that about "There is only one person called Rebus listed in the Edinburgh telephone directory. He lives in Rankin Drive." I assume that's not a coincidence?!!! Or is it? It doesn't say!

By the way, Merry Christmas to you, Ms. M, and the rest of your family!

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

g.g. said...

Rebus's favorite pub is the Oxford Bar and it is a real place


anjamie4 AT gmail dot com

bermudaonion said...

I'm wondering which of the rebus facts isn't true - maybe the one that says one of the facts isn't true? Please enter me. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Marian Perera said...

I can imagine eating a lot of weird things - like Rocky Mountain oysters - but a corned beef and beetroot sandwich?

Marian

mdperera at hotmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

John Rebus and Ian Rankin were born in the same Scottish coal-mining town, Cardenden, about twenty miles north of Edinburgh.

OMG!Both my husband and I were born in the same city. Coincidence? I think not!

Merry Christmas
kaiminani at gmail dot com

holdenj said...

I think it's pretty funny that Rankin hated London so much that he made Rebus suffer with him for a tale!.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

petite said...

Thanks for this great giveaway. Rebus and Ian were born in the same Sottish coal mining town, Cardenden. Wonder if that is coincidence although it could be valid. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

chey said...

The American edition of 'Let It Bleed' has an extra final chapter unavailable in any other country. I wonder if that's true.

chey127 at hotmail dot com

scottsgal said...

9.Rebus served in an elite unit of the British Army before becoming a cop I think this is a true fact

msboatgal at aol.com

nfmgirl said...

"Rebus's favourite snack — a bun with a filling of corned beef and beetroot — is unique to the real-life Oxford Bar, where it now known as a 'Rebus Roll'."

Ugh! Now I don't know whether I have ever really even had corned beef or beetroot, but neither that's because neither sounds appealing. So having both in one "roll" really doesn't sound appealing!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

Blogged:

http://cerebralgirl.blogspot.com/2009/12/book-giveaways-in-blogworld-12-26-09.html

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

booklover0226 said...

#12 - 12.'Tooth and Nail' was originally called 'Wolfman', until Ian Rankin's American editor suggested the alternative.

If I saw the title "Wolfman", I would have thought it was a paranormal/horror novel.

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 AT gmail DOT com

traveler said...

Rebus has always lived in Arden Street, which is where Ian Rankin lived when he wrote the first Rebus novel. Thanks for this lovely chance. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

His favorite snack- a roll filled with corned beef and beetroot sounds disgusting!

aksimmo@brainerd(dot)net

Anonymous said...

I would like the chance to win this book.

dlsmith44@msn.com

lag123 said...

We do not know if John Rebus has a middle name. He is just Rebus. This sounds like a really good book. Thank you for having this giveaway.

lag110@mchsi.com

lag123 said...

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/lag32583/status/7252403048

lag110@mchsi.com

ccqdesigns said...

There is only one Rebus in the Edinbourgh phone book and Ian Rankin lives on Rankin drive. I wonder..... does anyone else live on Rankin drive?

rebecca dot cox at charter dot net

ccqdesigns said...

http://twitter.com/ccqdesigns/status/7280341439
Here's a tweet!

rebecca dot cox at charter dot net

mrsshukra said...

There is only one person called Rebus listed in the Edinburgh telephone directory. He lives in Rankin Drive. I think this is fate, more than just coincidental!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

Wendi P said...

Rebus served in an elite unit of the British Army before becoming a cop. I wonder why he left the Army? Choosing to be a cop would be somewhat familiar to him.

parodi821 at yahoo dot com

Aik said...

Rebus's favourite snack — a bun with a filling of corned beef and beetroot — is unique to the real-life Oxford Bar, where it now known as a 'Rebus Roll'. Now that's interesting!

aikychien at yahoo dot com

Lori said...

Wonder which is not true?

Lori said...

An extra chapter? Interesting

enyl said...

I find it hard to believe that a cornbeef and beetroot sandwhich is actually a delicacy.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

Anonymous said...

#20 One of the above 'facts' is untrue... Don't know which one is untrue. Will need to research.

rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

Lacey said...

I think maybe the one about his middle name isn't true. and I like that he served in an elite unit of the British Army before becoming a cop if that is true. lol It makes his stories more interesting though.

Lacey said...

I think maybe the one about his middle name is not true. IF this one is true he served in an elite unit of the British Army before becoming a cop, that makes his stories more interesting.

Lacey914@sbcglobal.net

Lacey said...

http://twitter.com/HtxAstrosFan/status/7454617268

Tweet!

Lacey914@sbcglobal.net

Renee said...

One of the above 'facts' is untrue..... wondering which would be untrue...

Nancye said...

Rebus's favourite snack — a bun with a filling of corned beef and beetroot — is unique to the real-life Oxford Bar, where it now known as a 'Rebus I think this sounds gross!!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/7611838111

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/7611838111

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

dsandyboy said...

Ian Rankin is Scottish.

dsandyboy@gmail.com

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