Our Writers

Jill Bennett, an ex chartered school librarian, is now a performance poet, creative writing tutor, Bookbug Rhymetime Leader and professional short story writer, and is keen to promote her love of the Scots language to the young through the medium of poetry. Her published poetry includes Dreamcatcher  and Walking the Rainbow co-authored with Elizabeth Cordiner

Kerry Black is a textile college graduate with an interest in theatre and costume design. Her poems have been printed in several anthologies.  Her poetry, combined with  puppetry, make her a welcome visitor to schools and book festivals.

Elizabeth Cordiner is a retired  Scottish primary headteacher and writes poetry and short stories. She enjoys taking poetry in modern spoken Scots into primary schools, libraries and festivals, writing stories for children in their own Scots language.  Her first collection of Scots poems for children, Walkin The Rainbow, was co-authored, and is performed, with Jill Bennett.  Her first collection Orchids in Glenrothes includes poems for both children and adults.

Jim Douglas is a writer, artist, poet and entertainer. His pictures and cartoons have appeared in numerous books and exhibitions all over the country and some even have a home with the royal family. He is a regular contribor to The Robbie Shepherd Show on Radio Scotland and has worked with Billy Kay and others on Scottish history and heritage programmes.Run to the Rainbow is a  slightly fictionalised account of growing up in a mining village.

William Hershaw is head of the English teacher deparment in a secondary school. He is also a poet, musician and song writer, published, among others, by Aberdeen University Press, Akros and Polygon . He won the Callum MacDonald Memorial award in 2005 and was runner up for the 2007 McCash Poetry Prize.
The proceeds from his latest work Johnny Aathing are donated to Leukaemia Research, Charity No:SCO 37529

Tom Hubbard, poet and novelist, was the first librarian at the Scottish Poetry Library. He has published several collection of poems in Scots and English and his novel Marie B. was long listed for a Saltire Book of the Year award.

Lillian King is  primarily a writer of non-fiction with an interest in mining, railways and women's history, but also dabbles in poetry and playwriting and has written five novels.

David Lockhart R.S.W. a poet, writer,  musician and artist,  was for many years an art teacher in Fife schools. His book is a graphic account of growing up in the years between the wars.

John McManus is a retired Professor of Geology at St Andrews University. He has published over 200 scientific articles, served on boards of The Scottish Natural Heritage  and Scottish Environment Protection Agency and represented the UK at UNESCO.

Michael Pedersen lives in Edinburgh where he launched Neu! Reekie! (an avant-garde mix of poetry and film.) He is a writer and performer, a  member of the Creative Team of Dream Tower Inn, a BBC featured, pluralistic play and forthcoming motion picture depicting contemporary Scotland,  and is now working with Theatre Workshop Edinburgh. He spent a year in Cambodia  learning the language and producing poems for his latest book, The Basic Algebra of Buttering Bread
 

Margaret Tollick is a retired primary school head teacher and a member of the Scottish Storytelling Network, working with schools, adult groups and libraries.
The revenues from Tapsalteerie go to Maggie’s cancer Care Centre, Kirkcaldy