Scottish writer Alexander McCall Smith, famous and beloved for his "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series" of books, will be here Oct. 15 and 16. He'll be in conversation with writer Garrison Keillor at the Fitzgerald Theater at 8 p.m. Oct. 15. Tickets are $20 ($18 for Minnesota Public Radio members) and are available at the Fitzgerald box office or at Keillor's bookstore, Common Good Books, 165 Western Av., St. Paul.

With the price of the event ticket, customers will receive $10 off the cost of Smith's newest book, "The Charming Quirks of Others," the latest in his Isabel Dalhousie series.

The next day Smith will sign books at 10 a.m. at Rain Taxi Review's Festival of the Book, a free event held at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, 1501 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.

He'll also appear on Keillor's live radio show, "A Prairie Home Companion," beginning at 4:45 p.m. Saturday.

Here'sa link to an interview the Star Tribune did with Smith back in April, before his appearance was canceled.