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At last, I can come clean about Sean Connery.

For five days now, I've been keeping his secret safe - helped along by the confidentiality agreement I signed with the to ensure I didn't blow their big coup before their programme announcement.

Yes, after five years of talking about it, Shir Shon is writing his autobiography, with a lot of help (and going by the DVD message sent from the Bahamas,a lot of golf) from his old friend, the film-maker Murray Grigor.

Murray, you may recall, made the 1983 film Sean Connery's Edinburgh, in which he persuaded the city's best known milk-man to return to his old stomping ground.

Now, the two chums are working on Being a Scot - Sir Sean's first official autobiography.

Murray Grigor clearly has the measure of him. Sir Sean has ditched two writers and a publishing house so far, but those in the know say the partnership is working well.

Grigor is one of the country's best known film-makers and an expert in contemporary architecture (he's currently working on a study of the modernist ruin of St Peter's College in Cardross) but he's also one of Sean Connery's oldest friends - and not afraid to shoot the Scots Bond down when he goes too far.

All that was clear from the duo's DVD message, played out to guests at the launch of the Edinburgh International Book Festival on Thursday.

"We're getting there, Sean," says Murray Grigor about the status of the book, which will be launched in Edinburgh in just over two months.
"What's this 'we' shite", growls Sean Connery.

In actual fact, the book is almost finished but Bond fans may have to look elsewhere for kiss and tell material (there are several other Bond-related events including a major exhibition of Bond book covers at the City Art Centre - all marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ian Fleming).

This is a serious tome, as much about Big Tam's views on Scottish sport, culture and politics as it is about his big screen career.

But publishing insiders were still very excited.

"Contrast it with Andy Murrray's biography, written at the age of 21", says literary agent Jenny Brown, "and here's Sean Connery's long-awaited book at 77 - 78 if you count the fact it's launched on his birthday. I know which one I think will have better content."

"Everyone thinks it'll be tales of his adventures with all these big name film stars but from what I understand it's much more about his thoughts on politics and sport and culture and architecture," says Scots author Ian Rankin.

"It's going to be quite a weighty book. He's quite a thoughtful guy."

At which point, I came over all girlie swot and admitted I was carrying - in my very handbag - a copy of Ian Rankin's Hide and Seek.

Last time we met in the National Library of Scotland - then staging a retrospective of both Rebus and Rankin - I announced my plan to re-read all the Rebus books, back from the very first.

Not terribly impressive since Hide and Seek is only the second but there was a brief twinkle from Mr Rankin before he modestly dismissed it as "the first one that was any good."

"I'm still embarassed by Knots and Crosses," he admits.

Anyway, Ian Rankin and Sean Connery are just two of the 800 authors appearing at this year's book festival. Full details available on their website.

Tickets are available from Friday 20th June - and this year, they have an enhanced box office to support the increased level of interest in the event.

Last year's box office went into meltdown on the first day and although they can't promise to have any more tickets, they do assure me there'll be a quick and efficient service to check ticket availability.

Hopefully, it'll rub off on the friinge, who had a disastrous first week with their brand new box office system.

A glitch brought it to a standstill on Monday, just hours after they launched. By the end of the day, they abandoned telephone and over the counter booking too.

Fingers crossed they hope to have the whole ticketing system up and running shortly.