The author will be joining us for a live webchat on Friday 8 July between 1 and 2pm . Post your questions now

After last week's fascinating live chat with Kate Pullinger, we're moving back across the Atlantic to spend some time with an author closer to home.

When we asked you whom you'd like to see more of on the site, one of the names that came up over and over was Iain Banks. And who are we to argue? Named by the Times as one of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945, his first novel, 1984's The Wasp Factory, established him as a fresh and remarkable voice in literary fiction. He continued to publish literary novels to great acclaim, but also, in 1987, ventured into SF with Consider Phlebas, his first novel on interstellar society the Culture, written under the name Iain M Banks. His 2004 SF novel, The Algebraist, was shortlisted for the Hugo award for best novel.

So there it is: our second ever author webchat, and you get two for the price of one. Both Iain Banks and Iain M Banks will be joining us for a live chat on Friday 8 July, between 1 and 2pm. Feel free to start posting your questions now, so Iain has plenty to get stuck into, and log back in on Friday to join in the conversation.

Next week: Sarah Waters

moflaher asks:

I have been always interested in the way you think about the "ethics" of artificial intelligence, as expressed in your culture novels.

Am I right to think that this is just your way to make the universe in which the culture develops palatable to human-like societies, essentially without challenging their role as the dominant species. Sometimes I think even is an "optimistic" view of the future evolution of sentient entities, but a lot of people theorizing about the "singularity" are in favour of a more dark future for the next sentient thing in the universe.

Minds like the ships in the culture novel if ever exists, will behave more in line with the idea of "dominant species", as any new addition to the evolutionary scene, with important competitive advantages has behaved. Reasonably kind to their own kind, considering the rest of the universe as "resource". Do you agree?

Iain Banks replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

moflaher, hi

Too pessimistic. I start from the point of view that what is wrong, and to be avoided, is suffering, and I'm suggesting that's the Minds view. They can be almost infinitely tolerant because they are almost infinitely powerful (well, by our standards). As of the Singularity... I'll believe it when I see it.

LisaScullard asks:

The first of your novels I read was AGAINST A DARK BACKGROUND.

When you think of a story idea initially, do you think of the moments of humour that might come into it at the time, or is it something which emerges during the process of writing?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

LisaScullard, hi

Much of the humour, especially in dialogue, is generated effectively in real time, as I write, though there will usually be some bits that I thought of ages ago and which were noted down, to wait for a suitable place in a book to crop up or be designed specifically for them.

Finite187 asks:

I'm a massive fan of your sci-fi and fiction work, just one additional question - When are they going to do a Culture film? It wouldn't be as good as the books but to see it up on screen would be amazing.

Can you pester Ridley Scott or Chris Nolan, perhaps?

Iain replies

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

Hi Finite187

Ah - sigh - don't hold your breath, as I believe they say in Hollywood. One or two stories optioned and various things being talked about, but nothing definite - or even near-definite - so far. In a way I'd love to see a Culture film, but on the other hand I just know they'll get the ships all wrong...

dook asks:

Iain big fan of your sci-fi stuff and the fiction as well, but particularly love the culture books. Any chance we'll see a trilogy in the future or a even a duology (is that even a word? going to risk it).

Also I feel in a couple of books we have been teased with the prospect of another large scale war similar to the Idrian/Culture war. For instance, at the end of Look to Windward I believe it was speculated upon that machines within the culture may have conspired to blow up the orbital and in Surface Detail I thought half way through a large war might spread into the real. So my next question is, will there be a follow up to Look to Windward, which was my favourite book thus far or is there likely to be a large scale culture war either internally or with an equiv tech society?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

You are probably going to be disappointed twice; I'm not a trilogy fan and I've no plans for Another Big War. You never know, of course. If the right idea comes along...

ReluctantTeuton asks:

The most important question of all (and one that not even Google can answer) is: How can I join the Culture? Is there something akin to Douglas Adams' Electronic Thumb that would allow us to attract the attention of a friendly ship?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

Hi, ReluctantTeuton!

I'm glad you asked that. If you send me all your bank account details - including passwords, I must stress that - to my charitable foundation "Cultology Inc", registered in Maryland, then I, Iain Lafayette Banks, will personally make sure that you become a fully fledged Culturian! I am their secret representative on Earth and... oh oh; here come the men in white coats...

killarahales asks:

Feersum Endjinn: Aye luf dis boock. Partly because of Bascule's age this seems more like a book for young adults. What led you to use the speech pattern for Bascule and how do you believe it impacts the storytelling in the novel?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

Hi killarahales

I wanted to make the book read longer than it actually was, and Bascule's bits slow the reader down. I'm sure I had a good reason for this at the time. Also I just wanted to make Bascule's voice different, more endearing somehow. I suppose more child-like, though I certainly don't consider it a YA work.

Trashcity

Iain. Thanks for the work.

Given the current corruption in media and politics, ever considered returning to the themes of Complicity, The Business, Garbadale etc. ?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

Dear Trashcity

I have no idea what you're talking about, obviously, but - again - you never know. Trouble is books are a very slow way to respond to current events, especially as now it looks like the mainstream ones will be published in March / April (that's just the right time of the year for semi-respectable literature these days apparently) and I usually write in the winter. Recently I've been writing in the first three months of the year rather than the last three, but even if I went back to finishing a first draft by the end of December that wouldn't leave enough time to get the book through the whole pre-pub process to get it out in the spring, so the mainstream novels will be a year out of date from now on (starting with Stonemouth next April, which was sort of designed to be published when it's set, in October this year). My fault; I write when the weather's poor so I'm not tempted to head out for a hill walk. If I lived in Southern California I wouldn't write a thing...

mckryn66 asks:

Have you been asked to write a Doctor Who yet?

Just reading Transition .... how come this isn't an "M" book?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

mckryn66, hi

Wouldn't really be interested in Doc Who, and haven't been asked anyway. I've been spoiled by writing novels for adults; I have a nasty habit of killing off whoever I want including the central character (not buying the Doc is going to die plotline in this series particularly) plus I can't be doing with the rules involved (such as The Monstar Has To Go Back In The Box).

Transition? There was, following some completely uncalled-for carping by a handful of over-vocal busy-bodies, a full and fair investigation into this whole issue some time ago, conducted by me, and I found the novel to be definitely 51% mainstream. So no 'M'. Unless you live in the States of course, in which case the inclusion of the middle initial made perfect sense.

tynegal asks:

Is there any other writing style you are considering?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

Sorry; just lost a whole long answer to tynegal about the next mainstream because I'm doing this on a pal's ancient non-Apple machine while house-sitting in the Highlands, and pressed the wrong button... Anyway. Stonemouth: set this autumn, published next April. Set in NE Scotland in fictitious town. Love and gangsters. Bit Crow Road ish, maybe. Linear, comprehensible, unlike (51% mainstream, onist) Transition. I hate wintel machines...

TonyTiger asks:

What's your favourite dram at the moment? Any particular reason?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

TonyTiger hi

Not drinking much whisky these days (I know; sharp intakes of breath all round). Probably still Leap Frog though, muzzle against temple etc.

JohnNewport1 asks:

What do you really think of Michael Moorcock?

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

I really think he's a great guy, an enormously talented writer and perhaps the single greatest figure in British SF history, just for his editing work. I'd rate Brian Aldiss above him as a writer, but that's no disgrace.

casy151 asks:

Hi Mr Banks,

Your work was of constant entertainment to me throughout my English Lit degree. May I ask which, out of all of your Iain Banks novels, did you feel was most underrated? I am an enormous fan of The Bridge, and am always surprised that it is rarely ranked up alongside Lanark as the greatest synthesis of reality and fantasy. IMO it thoroughly deserves to be. I appreciate that any answer might come at the expense of modesty, but no-one's judging!

Also, I notice that your female supporting characters rarely take on 'traditional' roles. They are often portrayed as independent, enigmatic, somewhat unreliable. Is it simply a case of this making for better characters, or was there a real conscious decision to subvert the traditional, passive and deferential female model?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer these questions. I am an enormous fan.

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

Hi casy151

Probably Song of Stone. I think The Bridge is relatively well appreciated, within my own body of work.

Female characters; hey, dude I'm just a new man, like. ...I don't know; I just grew up watching and hating all these TV programmes where women were always screaming and couldn't seem to run without a man hauling them by the wrist and it was always the girl who'd trip over the exposed tree root... Women in novels, even adventure novels seemed to fare a little better, but only a little. It seemed so small-minded and sexist and I just wanted to write something different. Been trying ever since. I think of the whole Culture as being, umm, 51% female (actually, more - that's just a lame attempt at a running gag).

alienape asks:

Iain

Did you intend to establish a strong Islamic reference for the Idirans by your inclusion of the Idolatry quote at the begining of Consider Phlebus?

Cheers

Iain replies:

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

alienape, hi

Nope; just wanted to get that (original version) quote in somewhere because I thought it represented a type of thinking. As it turned out, it didn't quite mean what I thought and after an Koranic scholar got in touch I had the quote altered to something more accurate. Less dramatuc, but more truthful. The use of the word "jihad" in the text was deliberate and right, though, I still think; it's a holy war. Don't run away with the idea I'm specifically anti-Islamic though; I have it in for all the Abrahamic religions, but I as long as we can live in peace together I'm happy to respect people's right to believe in whatever load of old nonsense they wish to. It is technically possible that it's me who's wrong, after all. (Ha!)

upthedale asks:

Bugger nearly 2pm...just quickly: who was the inspiration for Frozen Gold?

Iain replies

Iain Banks, with and without the M. Photograph: Rex Features

Hi, upthedale

(Last one I've got time for - sorry to everybody else - I was just jumping in there at random mostly so don't feel I was ignoring you deliberately).

A cross between Led Zep and Abba. This makes no sense to me either.

Right, my house-sitting erse - as we say here in Scotland - is out of here. Thanks for all the questions!

And - BTW - a big Well Done to the Guardian for its reporting on the NOtW scandal; I'm not sad to see the back of a paper I pretty much despised but like everybody else I find the idea that 200 blameless jouralists are getting thrown out of work while Rebecca Brooks stays - all so that right-wing billionaire Rupe can swing another juicy mega-deal - to be just obscene. People out there; you want to do something really radical? Ditch your Sky box and cancel the subscription. Stop giving money to this hyena of a man.

Adios, compadres...