Monday, October 23, 2017

Debut novel by MA graduate Ever Dundas shortlisted for 2017 Saltire Literary Award

The stunning cover art for GOBLIN
The MA Creative Writing programme is proud to see one of our graduates shortlisted for the prestigious 2017 Satire Literary Award for First Book of the Year.

Goblin by Edinburgh Napier University alumni Ever Dundas is one of the six finalists up for the award.

Widely regarded as Scotland’s most prestigious book awards, the Saltire Literary Awards are organised by the Saltire Society, a non-political independent charity founded in 1936 to celebrate the Scottish imagination.

The shortlists for all seven Saltire Literary Awards were announced in Edinburgh last week, with Ever's novel described as a 'beguiling historical tale'. The winners are named on November 30th - St Andrew’s Day.

Congratulations are also due 404 Ink publishers Heather McDaid and Laura Jones, who are recent guest speakers on our MA programme. Both have been shortlisted for the Saltire Emerging Publisher of the Year Award, while their company 404 Ink is up for Scottish Publisher of the Year.

Alongside its Saltire Award shortlisting, Goblin is also among the finalists for the celebrated Edinburgh International Book Festival's First Book Award, with the winner to be announced soon.

Ever will be one of four writers reading in the Scottish Parliament on November 15th for international Day of the Imprisoned Writer. This free event run by Amnesty International and Scottish PEN is sponsored by Mike Russell MSP. Tickets can be booked here.

Sunday, October 8, 2017

More success for MA Creatve Writing alumni: graduating student wins short story contest

Anna Haldane • photo © David Bishop
We're delighted to reveal another accolade for alumni of the Edinburgh Napier University MA Creative Writing programme!

Following on from Georgina Bruce winning a British Fantasy Award for short fiction, graduating student Anna Haldane has won the 1000 Word Challenge for her entry The Tiller's Challenge.

Anna's tale was chosen ahead of numerous entries from around the world and she describes herself as 'pretty damn happy' about the coming first in a kiss-themed challenge. 'Strictly speaking it's a new story,' Anna says, 'but I used elements from two of my assignments on the MA programme, including world-building and linguistic innovation.'

Anna was part of our 2016-17 cohort and will be formally graduate from the MA at a ceremony in Edinburgh's Usher Hall later this month.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

MA graduate wins a 2017 British Fantasy Award

Georgina Bruce - a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University's acclaimed MA Creative Writing programme - has won the Best Short Fiction trophy at the 2017 British Fantasy Awards.

The winners were announced at FantasyCon 2017 in Peterborough, with Georgina being awarded the accolade for her short story White Rabbit, originally published in issue 50 of Black Static magazine.

Since graduating from the MA four years ago, Georgina has had short stories published in many of Britain's bestselling genre fiction magazines, such as Interzone and Black Static. She is currently working on a novel with the working title The Mirror Book.

"I'm delighted to see Georgina's talents as a storyteller recognised," says David Bishop, programme leader for the Creative Writing MA at Edinburgh Napier. "Winning this British Fantasy Award is thoroughly deserved, and will be a great boost for her career. I can't wait to read her novel!"