Writing Career. I’ve always kept notebooks of poetry, film ideas, book ideas etc. since I was at school. An art college graduate in 1984, I’ve had a mixed career in advertising, design and publishing. From 2000 to 2005 I was a Production Editor for a Highlands-based publishing company, working with the design, typesetting and editing of books. I started writing seriously in January 2005, entering in the Scotland on Sunday/Orange short story competition. I didn’t win any prizes but I was pleased with my effort and enjoyed the process tremendously. I started writing a novel and more short stories. In the summer of 2006 I went on an Arvon creative writing course at Beauly with Carl MacDougal and Bess Ross as tutors. This was a fantastic experience. Writing Career. I’ve always kept notebooks of poetry, film ideas, book ideas etc. since I was at school. An art college graduate in 1984, I’ve had a mixed career in advertising, design and publishing. From 2000 to 2005 I was a Production Editor for a Highlands-based publishing company, working with the design, typesetting and editing of books. I started writing seriously in January 2005, entering in the Scotland on Sunday/Orange short story competition. I didn’t win any prizes but I was pleased with my effort and enjoyed the process tremendously. I started writing a novel and more short stories. In the summer of 2006 I went on an Arvon creative writing course at Beauly with Carl MacDougal and Bess Ross as tutors. This was a fantastic experience. I received good feedback from the two writers and also the other students and I’m still motivated by this event. In 2007 I formed the Grantown Creative Writing Group. In November 2008 I was a prizewinner in the BBC Radio Scotland ‘Days Like This’ competition, and they recorded me reading my story which was then broadcast. 2006-08. I worked as a self-employed book designer/typesetter, mostly historical narrative and memoir books with publishers Whittles and Librario. I also co-owned a small independent bookshop at this time. From 2006 to 2008 I worked part-time as Copy Editor for the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald, editing sports reports and letters but I also compiled and wrote several articles which were published in the paper. In 2009 we moved down to Kendal and I joined the writer’s group based at the Brewery Arts Centre, which meets every fortnight. I’ve found it very beneficial for my writing and I’ve become much more prolific. I also read my stories out at the monthly Open Mic Night at the Brewery Arts Centre and have received many positive responses. March 2010 - Short story reaches longlist of BBC Radio ‘Opening Lines’. (65 out of 600 entries). 2011 – “Cowgirls and Angels” short story comes second in the Ilkley Literature Festival Short Story competition. 2013 – January. Self-publish my first novel, “The Cold Glass Star.” ...more