'Wasp Factory' author Iain Banks says he is dying of cancer

IAIN BANKS, the renowned Scottish author whose novels include The Wasp Factory and The Crow Road, has just months to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The 59-year-old broke the news on his website today. He said the novel he is working on, The Quarry, would be his last because "as a late stage gall-bladder cancer patient, I'm expected to live for 'several months' and it's extremely unlikely I'll live beyond a year".

Banks said he had "withdrawn from all planned public engagements" as a result of his illness. He has also asked his partner Adele "if she will do me the honour of becoming my widow", explaining to his readers that "ghoulish humour helps".

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Educated at the University of Stirling, Banks published his first book in 1984. In 2008, The Times included him in its list of 'The 50 greatest British writers since 1945'.

The Wasp Factory, his first and best-known novel, was described as "shocking" by the BBC. It is narrated by Frank Cauldhame, a 16-year-old who describes a childhood shaped by mental illness and cruelty to animals. Banks has said his own childhood was happy and he did not relate to any of the characters in his book – he simply wanted to ensure his first publication made an impact.

Banks said a website is being set up to allow "friends, family and fans" to leave messages and check on his progress. Ian Rankin, another prominent Scottish author, described the news as "just awful".

Banks has asked his publishers to bring forward the publication of his new book to "give me a better chance of being around when it hits the shelves." He also praised NHS staff who have looked after him - and said he may undergo chemotherapy to try to extend his life.