I am in Belfast, I am in East Belfast, sitting in my home.

Nice sunny day outside. And how long is it since you last left your house?

Oh, it's a long time. Let me think. It's probably a couple of days since I last left my house.

When I went for a walk in the park a couple of days ago, it was very nice, but I don't feel the need to go out again for another couple of days. That did me. That was fine.

How refreshing to hear somebody who is quite happy, staying indoors.

Several of our listeners keep telling me they can't wait to go outside. I think, well, how have you become backlisted listeners?

Strange people. When do you get all you're reading done?

David, Keenan, I know where you are, but tell everyone else where you are.

I'm in the West End of Glasgow, and I'm in my writing room, which is a nice little view over to Glasgow University.

Your writing room is very impressive.

It is my dream writing room. I mean, it's taken a long time, I've put together.

It's wall, it's shelved on all sides, and so it is books on all the walls, which is always my dream situation.

I mean, my father actually made all the bookshelves with no idea what we were doing, so they're all squinty.

They all go at like really weird zigzags and angles, but it's so amazing.

I mean, you could never get a bookcase quite as beautiful as that, so yeah, I love this room.

When we had Val McDermott on a couple of weeks ago, we did nearly 20 minutes on bookshelves with her.

I just tweeted a photo of Clarice Lispector in her study at home.

She's significantly more glamorous than I am in front of my bookshelves.

I don't feel she went out much, though.

Did you get that strong vibe that she invented lockdown?

Yeah. Should we get going?

Why don't we? Let's kick off.

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