REBUS creator Ian Rankin says that cancer-stricken writer Iain Banks is in good spirits despite his condition.

Rankin said on Twitter he had met Banks and his wife Adele.

He said his fellow writer, who recently announced he has months to live, was intending to read all his well-wishers' comments.

And he said Banks had joked about his appearance.

Rankin added: "Iain is spending some post-honeymoon time driving around Scotland.

"And, post-jaundice, looks (he says) a lot less like Grandpa Simpson."

He added that some photographs were taken of their meeting, "mostly, just a bunch of writers hanging out".

On his new blog this week, Banks wrote about marrying his partner Adele, his honeymoon in Venice and Paris, an emergency trip to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the "astounding" messages of support, love and encouragement from his many fans.

The writer of many acclaimed contemporary novels and science fiction books said he felt "treasured".

He said: "I feel loved, I feel I've done more than just pursue the craft I adore and make a living from it, and more than just fulfil the only real ambition I've ever had – of becoming a professional writer".

He said that the messages left on his webpage are "witty, poignant, beautiful, heartfelt, insightful, touching and just funny".

Banks, 59, is suffering from cancer of the gall bladder, liver, pancreas and some lymph nodes.

His latest book, The Quarry, which Banks says will be his last, will be published on June 20.