I’ve got a new book collecting column in the current issue of Mystery Scene magazine.  It’s about fighting the enemies of books – water, fire, insects, etc.  I forgot to mention this last month, but I also had a book collecting column in the previous issue of Mystery Scene about the idea of “following the flag” in book collecting.  Basically, that means buying the first British editions if you are collecting the work of a British author, or the first American editions if you are collecting the work of an American author.  And so on.

The Capel Mounth - photo by Graham Marr

Neil Ramsay and I have a new article in our ancient Mounth series in this month’s Leopard magazine.  This one is about the Capel Mounth, an old road that winds through the Grampian mountains.

I just found out that the first piece I was ever commissioned to write, back in 2008, is now online for the first time.  It’s about the would-be State of Absaroka and was published originally in South Dakota magazine in 2009.  You can read the article here.

Mounth Keen - photo by Graham Marr

Neil Ramsay and I have a new article in our ancient trackways series in this month’s Leopard magazine. It’s on Mounth Keen, an old way through the Grampian mountains in Scotland.

New article in the Autumn 2011 issue of Fine Books & Collections.  A Book Lovers’ Gift Guide, in time for the holiday season.  Co-written with the Fine Books editor, Rebecca Rego-Barry.

In this month’s digital newsletter from Fine Books & Collections, I have a profile of Thatcher Wine, a rare book dealer who also designs custom book jackets.  You can read it online here.

The Fungle Road - Photo by Graham Marr

Neil Ramsay and I have a new article in our Mounth series in the October issue of Leopard magazine.  This one on the Fungle and the Firmounth, old trackways in Deeside, Scotland.

“Indeed, the old name for the Fungle, the ‘Cateran Road,’ indicates the prevalence of thieves along the route.  ‘Cateran’ is of Gaelic origin and is another word for bandit.  The Fungle Mounth must have witnessed its fair share of bloody skirmishes over cattle.”

    And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
    Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
    And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
    That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

A long article I wrote about deadly butlers is in this month’s Believer magazine. 

What the Butler Did: The Origins of One of Mystery Fiction’s Most Enduring Clichés Discussed: An Alarming Appearance of Shirtsleeves, The Golden Age of Mystery Fiction, The Codification of Acceptable Culprits, Unapologetic Feminists, Titillating Fan Fiction, Handy Double Entendres, Nefarious Pasts and Murderous Presents, Incredibly Trusting Ladies and Lords, A Fateful Fur Coat

The first part is online here.

New article in this month’s Trail Runner magazine.  The Lung-Gom-Pa Runners of Old Tibet.  Exploring the Mystery Behind an Ancient Buddhist Practice.

Getting ready for a trail race? Try this for your training:

1.    Seclude yourself in a remote cave for three years.

2.    Spend most of your time practicing breathing exercises and chanting Buddhist mantras.

3.    Practice leaping upward from a cross-legged sitting position without using your hands. Repeat ad infinitum.

4.    Return to the world three years later, light as a feather, in a heightened state of consciousness.

Run vast distances. Win races. (Known side effect: By this point in your training, the act of winning will have become meaningless to you).