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On Monday's Book Café we mulled over the pros and cons of this - we went so far as to play a slightly racy excerpt from a self published novel to make the point (something about well filled slacks.. eowwww!) and sitting along side me, guffawing at the dodgy bit of audio we had just heard was someone who has been down the self publishing route. American writer brought out his own first novel aged sixteen. Some years on things are going very well - this young adult fantasy fiction writer can really shift the units. (35 million at the last count!) It all started in the humble setting of his own home; mum and dad Paolini rolled up their sleeves and set about producing, marketing and distributing their son's stories. Now we have the legendary Inheritance Cycle (the first book was Eragon) Eventually, Christopher and co became victims of their own success and ended up going with established publisher. So no more slog over deciding on the cover/distribution deals/marketing and more time for writing, which is just as well. As the interview drew to a close, Christopher revealed that he had another 20-30 new book ideas ready to go. Paolini fans, fear not. There's plenty more gas in that tank.

I wouldn't call myself an outdoorsy kinda gal. Skiing is about the limit and even then, that involves minimal gravitational effort, heading down a hill. Heading UP a hill or even walking round one is something I leave to others in the family or people like . He's just produced THE OLD WAYS, a third book in a trilogy and it's a wonderful meditation on walking on old pathways around Britain. MacFarlane is a rare writer - one who knows his stuff and has put in the hoofage (7-8,000 miles, to date.) but also someone who can paint a masterly picture with words. His odyssey begins in Cambridge where he lives and we find Robert off on a nocturnal journey into the countryside on foot after a heavy snow fall. It's totally captivating. If he keeps this up, I might be dusting down the unbroken-in boots and heading out into the wilderness some time soon.

Tuesday's Culture Cafe had an operatic theme. We kicked off with the wonderful Gershwin production, PORGY AND BESS which is on tour in the UK thanks to the They've transplanted the action from the American deep south to Soweto, South Africa. The music, needless to say, is sublime.. so many hits in there that I recognised but wasn't aware came from P and B like Summertime, Plenty of Nuttin' etc ( ok, even I had figured out that I LOVE YOU PORGY could just be connected to the production!) We heard from the opera's artistic director and BESS herself and if you are anywhere near Edinburgh this Friday or Saturday I urge you to go and see this show.

Sitting beside me in Glasgow was 's Alex Reedijk.. a man I haven't seen much of in ages but he had plenty to talk about and smile about. Scottish Opera are celebrating a 50th anniversary, although when Alex joined them in 2006, few would have placed bets on the company surviving the year. Now look at them go...outreach projects, touring and the fantastically inspirational five: fifteen series of mini operas involving brilliant creative collaborations between composers and librettists. Cape Town Opera admitted they'd nicked the idea themselves and said it was bringing in a different kind of audience. Opera buffs are a faithful lot but Alex R insists that there's a younger profile turning up for shows and they are the best dressed!! I'll be checking out the evidence for myself soon enough as there's plenty on the Scottish Opera anniversary programme to excite me.

BTW - if you like your opera short, sweet AND informal, go to the library. Edinburgh is the place to be if you fancy hearing an aria waft out amongst the bookshelves. It's guerrilla opera, courtesy of the Edinburgh International Festival team, and what a great initiative. When will they roll it out around the country?