My first children's book, The Superpower Project was shortlisted for the Floris Books Kelpies prize 2014 and also the Montegrappe / Scholastic Prize for New Childrens Writing. The book was published by Kelpies in February 2016.
I run Magic Torch Comics CIC, which works with schools and community groups to tell stories using comics. We were named as one of The Big Issue's Top 100 Changemakers for 2020 for our comics literacy work. You can read lots of our comics online for free on our ISSUU page.
In 2019, I was one of the Scottish Book Trust's Digital Storytellers in Residence, working with Inverclyde Libraries to collect and share stories from all across the community and in 2020 I also started working with the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network to create podcasts which share community stories.
Over the years, I've written folktales, comics and ghost stories which celebrate the more unusual history of the West of Scotland and beyond. These include Wee Nasties, an illustrated book for 4-8 year olds, intended to introduce younger readers to local myths, and Tales of the Oak, a vintage horror comic for older readers. Both publications were supported by Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland. More recently, I've worked with New Scots families to create a storybook of folktales from Syria, Sudan and Scotland.
Other than that, recurring classic themes here would be Wind in the Willows, War of the Worlds and Alice in Wonderland and winter. I've yet to mash all that together.
If you want to contact me about anything on this blog, or just generally, mon blether on twitter or in a slightly more formal way on linkedin.
I'm part of the Scottish Book Trust's excellent Live Literature scheme, and enjoy working with schools and community groups to promote reading. If you are interested in booking me for an event, you can find out more here. I'm able to deliver sessions remotely if required, beamed directly from my office (a converted toilet under the stairs)
And if you'd like a look inside that converted toilet, you can watch a short video about me and my work, which was created as part of the Digital Open Studio project in Summer 2021.
