Glasgow Student Short Story Prize 2009

Judged by A.L. Kennedy
Edited by Elisabeth Ingram, Rebecca CF Bradburd and Jose Velazquez

Author Biographies

Linda McLaughlin (Glasgow University) is currently studying for the MLitt in Creative Writing at Glasgow University. She has been a professional actor for 16 years, and first started writing with the aim of producing starring parts for herself, but has since made the happy discovery that there’s an awful lot more fun in writing than that. She recently won a Cove Park Bursary, and now intends to spend as much time as possible in staring at beautiful scenery and thinking about (and perhaps even producing) good writing. She is absolutely delighted to have won The Glasgow Student Short Story Prize.

Nikki Cameron (Glasgow University) was born in Forres but has spent much of the last 25 years living on the Isle of Bute. She now lives and works in Glasgow, teaching creative writing and using expressive writing as a therapeutic tool with children and adults. At an age when she should be more sensible, she has been persuaded by her daughter to consider running the New York marathon in 2010. Frankly, she'd rather be at home eating chocolate!

Craig R. Lamont (Strathclyde University) is a student at the University Of Strathclyde who writes many stories. Born in Rutherglen, a small town outside Glasgow’s city centre; he lives there with his family. Craig once disliked reading and saw television and movies as a much more appealing pastime. Artwork and graphics took up his time and eventually, when attending university, he found a passion for the craft behind each novel, each short story, each sentence. Before long, the TV was neglected in standby mode (much to the dismay of parents and energy saving fanatics alike). One thing that seems to have taken residence so far for Craig: imagination.

Matt Brolly (Glasgow University) is a distance learning student in the Creative Writing MLitt programme. He is based in Beckenham, Kent. The Heron is an adapted chapter from a novel in progress provisionally titled, The Warmest Room.

Euan Cuthbertson (Strathclyde University) used to joke that the only book he'd ever read was Fantastic Mr Fox, but it was close to the truth until his 5th year in secondary school. Since then a book collection, mostly of Raymond E Feist, Conn Iggulden and Jeff Lyndsay has grown. While finding himself bored in 1st year Uni, Euan decided to write a story for his own amusement, and has been writing since. When failing to keep his sanity, Euan studies Forensic Biology at Strathclyde University.

Mary Houston (Glasgow University) decided to go back to university three years ago, to read great books and look at beautiful paintings. She attended the Access course at the University of Glasgow and was fortunate enough to gain a place in the Faculty of Arts studying English Literature and History of Art. In previous incarnations she has been a Civil Servant, a self employed Key Cutter and Shoe Repairer, a self employed Retailer of Costume Jewellery and more recently a part time Care Assistant and Supermarket Worker. She am also a single parent to a clever and supportive teenage son.

Vicki Husband’s (Glasgow University) poetry and short fiction has appeared in the following publications: The North; Mslexia; Aesthetica; New Writing Scotland 25 & 27; Present Poets anthology; and the LauraHird.com website. Vicki works as an Occupational Therapist for the NHS and is studying Creative Writing at Glasgow University.

John Jennett (Glasgow University) was born to distinguished medical parents, and trained in music before becoming a successful hotelier turned sailing skipper. Recently he studied with the novelists Suzanne Berne and Niall Williams before joining the Glasgow University MLitt. 2009 saw John on the shortlist for the Fish, Hemingway and Glasgow Student prizes, claiming runner-up in the National Gallery’s literary competition. His poetry and prose have featured in periodicals at home and abroad and Autumn will see him published in two anthologies. According to John, he writes under an “inescapable influence” from the physical and cultural landscape of his native Scottish Highlands and Islands.

e.g. Jönsson (Glasgow University) is a translingual, crossgeneric storyteller born outside Malmö, Sweden in 1981. She has studied The Gothic Imagination at the University of Stirling and Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow. Other texts are available in e.g. Brand, The Packingtown Review, Brittle Star, Litro and Corvaceous. For more, see www.egj.name

Arthur Ker (Glasgow University) was raised in Argyll, studied design at Glasgow School of Art, and worked as a design lecturer in further education for twenty-five years. He has had short stories and poems published in literary magazines including Words, Cencrastus, Northwords, The Eildon Tree, From Glasgow to Saturn and Poetry Life. He has been short-listed and awarded highly commended in several national writing competitions. His first novel was short-listed for, but unfortunately didn’t win, The Dundee Book Prize. The novel is currently undergoing yet another edit, the last hopefully.

Robert Kilgour (Strathclyde University) is a 21 year old student attending Strathclyde University, just about to go into a joint honours of English paired with Journalism and Creative Writing. Robert grew up in a small village in South Lanarkshire, then moved to Glasgow when he finished High School at Biggar. Robert has always liked stories, both in telling and reading, and often just makes things up when the truth is mundane. His favourite authors are Charles Bukowski and Anton Chekov.

Kirsty Logan (Glasgow University) is a 25 year-old writer, editor, grad student, waitress, and general layabout. She likes bad horror films, coffee cupcakes, and sticking pins in maps. She lives in the south side of Glasgow with her girlfriend. She can be found at kirstylogan.com.

Harry McDonald (Glasgow University) is a Scottish writer living in Glasgow with his wife and two daughters. He recently completed his final year in the MLitt Creative Writing course at Glasgow University. He has previously had poetry and fiction published in literary magazines and anthologies, both in print and online; most recently in the current edition of NWS 2009 and the Glasgow student anthology, Hunger. He is happiest writing short stories but also enjoys working with other forms of writing, such as poetry and novel writing. He is currently working on a screenplay for a World War 1 musical.

Lucy Morrin McIver (Glasgow University) was born and grew up in Stirling. She moved to Glasgow in '05 to study English Literature at the University of Glasgow. Her poem Cyclamen was published in Type Review 1.2.

Carthage O'Sullivan (Strathclyde University) is originally from Ireland but has lived in the UK for 17 years. She is entering her final year of Law at Strathclyde, and wishes to write full time.

Michele Waering (Glasgow University) was born in Lancashire in 1950 of American parents. Her luck held for two years until she was shipped to the USA on a military transport vessel. She attended school in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, where she began writing at the age of twelve. Still full of adventure in 1974, she emigrated to Glasgow with her son and one suitcase; over her time here, she has worked at various jobs and attended writing classes and groups. She is gearing up to start her second year of the MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow.