John Connolly is the amazingly talented and hilariously funny author of the Charlie Parker detective novels; started out writing crime and gradually introduced horror and occult elements into his books as he went along, then branched out with a collection of short stories called Nocturnes (some of which were read on BBC Radio a couple of years ago) which had a definate supernatural flavour. His new book is called the Book of Lost Things, the first chapter of which can be read here. I've met him three times; the first time, he flirted with my mother while I stood in the background and blushed because I was too nervous to say anything, the second he ranted about Japanese horror movies and how much he hates the Isle of Man (where I'm from, and where he was doing a booksigning the first time I met him) and the third, he gave a talk about why he hates cat stories and why everyone from Maine is crazy. And he's awesome and I'm totally in love with him in a creepy stalkeresque fashion.

Francis Wolcott is a character from the second season of Deadwood; he's an agent of George Hearst and he comes to Deadwood to spread rumours about the camp's future and make prospectors sell their claims to his minions at reduced prices. Also, he can't take off his trousers during sex. It's very strange.

Heath Ledger!Casanova isn't bad, it's just... I'm not being a jerk, but I just do not believe that Heath Ledger is the world's greatest lover. I'm sure he has many good qualities and he's not exactly hard on the eyes, but he lacks that spark of sexual magnetism that transforms well brought up society women into sexcrazed lustbeasts.