Connery and me

So the Edinburgh Festival is coming to a close, and the city seems rather empty and forlorn. The sun has emerged, too, now that the people have gone.

I've been extremely fortunate to get a reviewing gig for the Times Literary Supplement, which has involved seeing as many shows as I can, absolutely free. My impossible attempt to summarise the past month ought to appear in the forthcoming issue.

On the subject of Edinburgh, a friend drew my attention to a recent article about the International Book Festival. Asked by the Independent about fees paid to performers, the organisers insisted that Sir Sean Connery had received the same payment as "an unknown author from Toll Cross". I'm pretty sure that means me; less sure whether to feel chuffed or downhearted.