Iain (M) Banks
An influential writer of both contemporary and science fiction.
I love the list of Culture ship names that can be found at Iain Banks FAQ
Some interesting opinions on Banks' style and character can be found at c2.com
An insightful interview at scifi.com, with a somewhat strange message from the barbarian from the novel The Bridge.
Banks' take America, the Iraqi conflict and Sci-fi at salon.com.
Banks' MySpace Profile.
An influential writer of both contemporary and science fiction.