At the Edinburgh International Book Festival crime-writer Ian Rankin recently announced that he had some inside intelligence about what fellow Edinburgh resident J.K. Rowling was planning to write next. This announcement was then printed in the Sunday Times:
The Sunday Times newspaper quoted Ian Rankin, a fellow author and neighbor of Rowling's, as saying the creator of the "Harry Potter" books is turning to crime fiction.
"My wife spotted her writing her Edinburgh criminal detective novel," the newspaper, which was available late Saturday, quoted Rankin as telling a reporter at an Edinburgh literary festival.
"It is great that she has not abandoned writing or Edinburgh cafes," said Rankin, who is known for his own police novels set in the historic Scottish city.
The announcement caused
a bit of a stir online. But it turns out Rankin was only joking... the joke being, of course, that HE writes Edinburgh criminal detective novels. (If you've never read a Rankin novel, you should. They're good stuff.) Rowling's
literary agent commented:
JK Rowling is taking a well-earned break following the English language publication of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows and there are no firm plans as yet as to what her next book may be.
I think it would be kind of cool if she did write a crime novel next. (Thanks, Joe)
--And, incidentally, what does one call a person who lives in Edinburgh? An Edinburghian? Flora should know.
Comments
In fairness, they call us "Weigies".
True story. But don't even get me started on Aberdonians...
Incidently, when I was stationed in Europe, I visited Edinburgh and had a few drinks with one of the members of the regiment guarding the Castle. After hearing what Clans my Scottish ancestors were from he declared we could drink together since there were no feudes between us. He also mentioned he was a member of the Royal German Army.
😉
There's not really a specific word for us, other than those mentioned above.
I'd like to note that The Sun, that bastion of truthfulness, has a full page article on this.
I've been unable to verify from context whether that applies to Leitherians specifically, Edinbourghians generally, or simply members of the Scottish population as a whole (with an option on the majority of the human race).
Those south of the border, of course, are known as W____rs. I believe this term is not limited to the denizens of a single specific conurbation.