Poetic, affectionate and moving stories of Glasgow street life * * Sunday Times * *
A calm and necessary visionary -- ALI SMITH
One of Scotland's most accomplished literary talents * * The Times * *
Beautifully observed . . . in each story there is a shining and unforced truthfulness -- EDWIN MORGAN
Brilliant . . . exquisitely and beautifully written stories -- LIZ LOCHHEAD * * The Herald * *
Like Chekhov's stories . . . [Spence] is a writer to cherish * * Scotsman * *
Beautifully crafted tales, capturing a time and place and thronging with life * * Glasgow Sunday Herald * *

Alan Spence is an award-winning poet, playwright, novelist and short story writer and is the author of six works of fiction, six collections of poetry and six plays. His awards include the Glenfiddich Award, The People's Prize, Macallan Short Story Prize and McVitie Prize for Scottish Writer of the Year. He is Professor Emeritus in Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen where he founded the annual WORD Festival in 1999 and was its Artistic Director for twelve years. With his wife he runs the Sri Chinmoy Meditation Centre in Edinburgh. In 2017 he was appointed Edinburgh Makar, the Poet Laureate for the City.