IAIN Banks's last novel will be published on June 20, his publisher has confirmed.
The literary world was shocked this week when the popular Scottish author announced he has only months to live.
Banks, the writer of books such as Complicity and The Crow Road, as well as a series of acclaimed science-fiction novels, revealed he has advanced gall bladder cancer.
He is currently on honeymoon with his wife Adele in Italy, where, according to his friend and fellow Fife-born writer Ian Rankin, he is "enjoying life to the max".
Last night, his publisher Little, Brown described the "terrible shock" the company felt at the author's announcement.
The Quarry, the novel Banks says will be his last, has been given a publication date for hardback of June 20.
Ursula Mackenzie, chief executive of the Little, Brown book group, said: "Iain Banks has been published by Little, Brown for his entire career, since paperback publication of his first novel The Wasp Factory in 1985, so his news is a terrible shock for the whole company.
"Now, of course, that news is reverberating round the world of books, from his many fans to booksellers and reviewers around the country – everyone who has ever come into contact with Iain shares our shock and sadness.
"Iain is a man whose vibrancy, energy and creativity seemed so unstoppable but we are all now focusing on publishing his new novel, The Quarry, as swiftly as we can, hardly able to believe that it will be his last."
The Wasp Factory has been recently re-released through the Abacus imprint of Little, Brown, to celebrate its 40 years of publishing.
A spokeswoman said the publisher was concentrating its efforts on releasing Banks's new novel in June.
Banks said in his statement: "My heroic publishers are doing all they can to bring the publication date of my new novel forward by as much as four months, to give me a better chance of being around when it hits the shelves."
Banks has cancer in his gall bladder, liver, lymph nodes and probably his pancreas.
He said he has been told he has months to live and intends to spend as much time as he has left seeing friends, relations and visiting places that have meant a lot to him and his partner, Adele Hartley.
In his statement, he said that after learning of his illness he had asked Ms Hartley "if she will do me the honour of becoming my widow".
The guestbook that has been set up online to gather messages and tributes from fans and readers now runs to more than 105 pages of messages.
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