Writer, Filmmaker, Mother, Grandmother
It's time for some PhD chat. Yes, I am still working away on my PhD and still really enjoying it. I know there will undoubtedly be a period of stress ahead, but for now I'm delighted to be finding the experience such a positive one. I think as I'm working on subject areas that I… Continue reading Yip, I’m still writing that PhD..
I'm now four months into my PhD at Stirling (you can read more about my research here). It has passed quickly and it has been a challenging and rewarding time. For the first couple of months of my PhD, my mum was seriously ill in hospital. I tried to visit her every weekday - expect… Continue reading PhD life.
When you agree to a THR, it's major surgery no less and carries a number of risks, it’s undoubtedly because you have reached the point where it is impossible to function. The small pockets of relief that used to offer some respite no longer exist. Living in constant pain eventually becomes overwhelming and consequently, you can… Continue reading Reflections on total hip replacement surgery (THR)
Carol Ann Duffy wrote a beautiful poem, The Way My Mother Speaks, and the opening is stunning - I say her phrases to myselfin my heador under the shallows of my breath,restful shapes moving. Recently, I've been thinking about the way my mother speaks. Before her words come to me, I experience an odd feeling,… Continue reading The Way My Mother Lived
I'm so excited to be in conversation with Judy Murray at a forthcoming Tidelines Book Festival event (Monday, 11th September at the Harbour Arts Centre in Irvine). I'll be chatting to Judy about her debut novel, The Wild Card. I previously interviewed Judy for my film about her close friend, Elena Baltacha, the Scottish tennis… Continue reading Tidelines Book Festival event – @JudyMurray
I love July. As a child growing up in Glasgow, July signified the start of the school holidays and the month we travelled to Ireland to see our grandparents on Rathlin Island. It has rooted me in the island and the tastes, sights and smells of this special month. The summer month. Sadly, my grandparents… Continue reading July is summer.
I'm really looking forward to taking part in the latest Linen Press Inside the Linen Cupboard event, "Writing Character in Fiction". Novelist Susan Clegg and I will be discussing how to write character, in particular characters who are dark, difficult and yet utterly credible. If you've read any of my work then you'll know that I… Continue reading Writing Character in Fiction
I had a lovely conversation with the fabulous team at the Football Makes Glasgow podcast recently, talking about writing novels, working in football broadcasting and making my documentaries, focusing on those featuring football icons such as Rose Reilly, Tommy Burns, Jock Stein and Jimmy Johnstone. Thanks to Lindsay Hamilton from Glasgow Football Tours for inviting… Continue reading Football Makes Glasgow
Today marks 15 years since former Celtic player and manager, Tommy Burns, died. He was just 51 years old. He was an incredible man who loved his family, his Catholic faith and Celtic intensely. He also had a deep affection for Kilmarnock too! I knew Tommy as a work colleague and he was incredibly fun,… Continue reading The ‘Tommy Burns’ Times
It was wonderful to have had the opportunity to speak about my Cold War Hockey film on Connie McLaughlin's Morning show on BBC Radio Scotland, alongside Scotland player Jenna Park. There's a link to the sequence here. Jenna and I are interviewed from around 2:20:00 to 2:30:00. Cold War Hockey aired on BBC ALBA last… Continue reading Radio and TV
Margot McCuaig 