I am very, very happy to announce that my debut novel, A RELUCTANT SPY, has been shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, an annual award given by the amazing Bloody Scotland crime writing festival.
I'm incredibly honoured to have been shortlisted along with books by four other amazing debut authors: Claire Wilson, Foday Mannah, Richard Strachan and Natalie Jayne Clark. The crime and thriller world in Scotland is packed with talented, awesome authors and I'm so pleased that the Prize judges felt that A RELUCTANT SPY was good enough to stand alongside the other books on this list. I've been sitting on this news for a while, but it still feels quite surreal.
This nomination is particularly meaningful to me because of how closely this festival is linked to the writing and publishing of my debut novel. I first attended Bloody Scotland in 2023 and finished the first submission draft of A RELUCTANT SPY sitting in the cafe at the Albert Halls. I distinctly remember leaning back after saving the file and sending it to my editor, then looking over at the festival bookshop, then thinking 'wouldn't it be amazing if, one day, I had a book on those shelves?'
One year later, the day after my novel came out, I was back, this time as part of the Crime In The Spotlight series, which pairs new authors with each panel to do a short reading. I was lucky enough to appear before the on-stage interview with veteran journalist and thriller author Frank Gardner, who I then shared a signing table with. It was a real pinch-me moment and a perfect launch weekend experience.
And I did, indeed, see my books on sale at the festival workshop, a year after imagining it. Plus we sold every copy!
I spent the rest of the weekend meeting readers, authors and passionate book industry folks and having an absolute whale of a time. It was the perfect way to start my career as an author.
2025, here we come
This year's Bloody Scotland festival is from the 12th to the 14th of September in Stirling, and I'll be there for the duration. There's more to come as the programme for the festival is announced, but I do hope you'll come along and cross your fingers for me when the winners of the Debut Prize and the McIlvanney Prize are announced.
I'll see you in Stirling!