I sure miss Ian Banks. And Ian M. Banks even more.

Simon Stephenson has written a beautiful piece about Banks, published on Tor.com. It starts like this:

“It was the day my grandmother exploded.

That might just be the greatest opening line ever written, and I am allowed to say that because I did not write it. It is the opening salvo to Iain Banks’ 1992 novel The Crow Road.”

Every time I read a Banks book I’m inspired to be writer and intimidated that I’ll never be as good as him. As soon as I get home I’m going to grab my paper copy of The Crow Road and read it again.