News Archive: June 2015

Guest blogger – Morag Wells

18th June, 2015

Morag Wells, a recent graduate of the University of St Andrews, was a guest blogger at the Walter Scott Prize and Young Walter Scott Prize events on 13th June 2015.  Here are her reflections on the day. “Saturday the 13th of June saw my first visit to the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, where the culmination… Read More »

Watch the Walter Scott Prize winner announcement

15th June, 2015

John Spurling receives the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2015 from the Duke of Buccleuch, at the Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival in Melrose on 13th June 2015.  

2015 winner announced!

13th June, 2015

John Spurling has won the sixth Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction for his novel set in imperial China, The Ten Thousand Things. The author was at the Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival in Melrose to receive his prize from the Duke of Buccleuch on Saturday 13th June. Alistair Moffat, Chair of Judges, said: “The… Read More »

Author spotlight: Damon Galgut

12th June, 2015

Damon Galgut, shortlisted for Arctic Summer, answers some questions about his writing and being shortlisted for the Prize. What do you think about being shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction?  Do you see yourself as a historical novelist? I’m delighted to be on this shortlist, although I have never aspired to being… Read More »

ITV Border report on first Young Walter Scott Prize workshop

10th June, 2015

ITV Border were there as the first Young Walter Scott Prize workshop was held at Scott’s home, Abbotsford, on Monday 8th June.  See their report here Young people from Earlston High School gathered inspiration and techniques from writer Elspeth Murray, and workshop leader Alan Caig Wilson, in a day’s programme in the glorious surroundings of… Read More »

Behind the scenes at the Walter Scott Prize – a reader’s tale

10th June, 2015

  In the run-up to the announcement of the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2015, we give you few behind-the-scenes peeks at how a Book Prize is administered.   Bridget McCann is one of the team of readers for the Walter Scott Prize, who check each entry for eligibility and quality, before the longlist… Read More »

Author spotlight: Kamila Shamsie

8th June, 2015

Our final spotlight is on Kamila Shamsie, author of A God in Every Stone.  Here Kamila answers some questions about how she writes, and being shortlisted for the Prize. What do you think about being shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction? Do you see yourself as a historical novelist? When you spend… Read More »

Pilot workshops for Young Walter Scott Prize announced

3rd June, 2015

The Young Walter Scott Prize is excited to announce two pilot workshops in the Scottish Borders this summer, at Sir Walter Scott’s home Abbotsford, and at the Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival in Melrose. These ‘Writing the Past’ workshops offer young writers a range of different ways to inspire their own historical fiction, in the course… Read More »

Author spotlight: John Spurling

3rd June, 2015

The spotlight this week is on shortlisted writer John Spurling, author of The Ten Thousand Things. The WSP asked him about the lead character in his novel, and his thoughts on being shortlisted. What do you think about being shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction?  Do you see yourself as a historical… Read More »