Sheena Blackhall
Encyclopedia
Sheena Blackhall is a poet, novelist, short story writer, illustrator
, traditional story teller
and singer.
Author of 76 poetry pamphlets, 12 short story collections, 4 novels and 2 televised plays for children, The Nicht Bus and The Broken Hert. Along with Les Wheeler, she co-edits the Doric
resource Elphinstone Kist, and currently works on the Aberdeen Reading Bus, as a storyteller
and writer
, also sitting on the editorial board for their children's publications in Doric
, promoting Scots culture and language in the North East.
, daughter of the manager of Strachan's Deeside Omnibus Service, Charles Middleton, and his second cousin, farmer's daughter Winifred Booth. She was educated in Aberdeen, but summered in Ballater
for many years. Her brother, Ian Middleton, was an accomplished organist and clavichord player, who was the manager of a merchant bank in São Paulo, Brazil, where he settled and died. During the typhoid epidemic in Aberdeen of 1964, Blackhall was hospitalized in the town's City Hospital for several weeks. The family transport firm, owned by her aunt, closed as a side effect of this. After a year's study at Gray's School of Art
, Blackhall passed a teaching diploma and worked for a time as a special needs teacher, marrying and raising a family of 4 in this period, when she wrote children's stories for BBC Radio Scotland. In 1994 she obtained a Bsc (Hons. Psych) from the Open University, going on to gain an M.Litt with Distinction from Aberdeen University in 2000. From 1998-2003 she was Creative Writing Fellow in Scots at Aberdeen University's http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/ Elphinstone Institute and is currently attached to the Institute as an Honorary Research Associate. In 2003 she travelled as part of a group to Washington, showcasing Scotland's culture as a guest of the Smithsonian Institution
. In 2007 she was Creative Writing Tutor at the Institute of Irish and Scottish studies at King's College, and two years later was Writer in Residence during Aberdeen University's Word Festival. In April 2009 she was inaugurated as Makar
for Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland. She has won the Robert McLellan tassie for best Scots short story 3 times (1989,1990,2001) and the Hugh MacDiarmid trophy for best Scots poem 4 times (1990,2000,2001,2010). In 1992 she shared the Sloane Award with Matthew Fitt from St. Andrew's University. Other prizes include awards from the Doric Festival, the Bennachie Baillies, and from the TMSA for ballad writing and traditional singing. She has twice been shortlisted for the Callum Macdonald Poetry Pamphlet prize (2005 & 2009). In 2007, Lallans
Magazine awarded her the William Gilchrist Graham prize for best Scots short story. She has also been shortlisted for the McCash poetry prize.
Blackhall worked alongside Aberdeen's well loved 'first lady of drama' Annie Henderson Inglis MBE at Aberdeen Arts Centre
, from 2003-2010 delivering weekend storytelling and drama workshops for three to eight year olds.
Full list on Blog
What the Open Library holds
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, traditional story teller
Story Teller
Story Teller was a magazine partwork published by Marshall Cavendish between 1982 and 1985.-Publishing history:...
and singer.
Author of 76 poetry pamphlets, 12 short story collections, 4 novels and 2 televised plays for children, The Nicht Bus and The Broken Hert. Along with Les Wheeler, she co-edits the Doric
Doric
Doric may refer to:* Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians* Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture* Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode* Doric dialect...
resource Elphinstone Kist, and currently works on the Aberdeen Reading Bus, as a storyteller
Storyteller
- Films and television :* Narradores de Javé , a 2003 Brazilian film by Eliane Caffé* The Storyteller , a 2009 American horror film* The Storyteller, a 1988 television series by Jim Henson...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, also sitting on the editorial board for their children's publications in Doric
Doric dialect (Scotland)
Doric, the popular name for Mid Northern Scots or Northeast Scots, refers to the dialects of Scots spoken in the northeast of Scotland.-Nomenclature:...
, promoting Scots culture and language in the North East.
Biography
Sheena Blackhall (b. Sheena Booth Middleton) was born in 1947 in AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, daughter of the manager of Strachan's Deeside Omnibus Service, Charles Middleton, and his second cousin, farmer's daughter Winifred Booth. She was educated in Aberdeen, but summered in Ballater
Ballater
Ballater is a burgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on the River Dee, immediately east of the Cairngorm Mountains. Situated at a height of 123m in elevation, Ballater is a centre for hikers and known for its spring water, once said to cure scrofula.-History:The medieval pattern of development along...
for many years. Her brother, Ian Middleton, was an accomplished organist and clavichord player, who was the manager of a merchant bank in São Paulo, Brazil, where he settled and died. During the typhoid epidemic in Aberdeen of 1964, Blackhall was hospitalized in the town's City Hospital for several weeks. The family transport firm, owned by her aunt, closed as a side effect of this. After a year's study at Gray's School of Art
Gray's School of Art
Gray's School of Art is an integral part of the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen that is one of the oldest established fine art institutions in Scotland...
, Blackhall passed a teaching diploma and worked for a time as a special needs teacher, marrying and raising a family of 4 in this period, when she wrote children's stories for BBC Radio Scotland. In 1994 she obtained a Bsc (Hons. Psych) from the Open University, going on to gain an M.Litt with Distinction from Aberdeen University in 2000. From 1998-2003 she was Creative Writing Fellow in Scots at Aberdeen University's http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/ Elphinstone Institute and is currently attached to the Institute as an Honorary Research Associate. In 2003 she travelled as part of a group to Washington, showcasing Scotland's culture as a guest of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. In 2007 she was Creative Writing Tutor at the Institute of Irish and Scottish studies at King's College, and two years later was Writer in Residence during Aberdeen University's Word Festival. In April 2009 she was inaugurated as Makar
Makar
A makar is a term from Scottish literature for a poet or bard, often thought of as royal court poet, although the term can be more generally applied. The word functions in a manner similar to the Greek term which means both maker and poet...
for Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland. She has won the Robert McLellan tassie for best Scots short story 3 times (1989,1990,2001) and the Hugh MacDiarmid trophy for best Scots poem 4 times (1990,2000,2001,2010). In 1992 she shared the Sloane Award with Matthew Fitt from St. Andrew's University. Other prizes include awards from the Doric Festival, the Bennachie Baillies, and from the TMSA for ballad writing and traditional singing. She has twice been shortlisted for the Callum Macdonald Poetry Pamphlet prize (2005 & 2009). In 2007, Lallans
Lallans
Lallans , a variant of the Modern Scots word lawlands meaning the lowlands of Scotland, was also traditionally used to refer to the Scots language as a whole...
Magazine awarded her the William Gilchrist Graham prize for best Scots short story. She has also been shortlisted for the McCash poetry prize.
Blackhall worked alongside Aberdeen's well loved 'first lady of drama' Annie Henderson Inglis MBE at Aberdeen Arts Centre
Aberdeen Arts Centre
Aberdeen Arts Centre is a theatre on King Street in Aberdeen, Scotland.The 350 seater auditorium regularly plays host to music and drama events and is the focus for much of Aberdeen's amateur dramatic activities....
, from 2003-2010 delivering weekend storytelling and drama workshops for three to eight year olds.
Novels
- Double Heider Loon 2003 (Itchy Coo) ISBN 1902927729
- Minnie 3 x CDs, one book (SLRC) 2004 ISBN 189992003X
- The Quarry Lochlands 2007
- The Gods of Grayfriars Lane Lochlands 2008
- Millie (Reading Bus) 2010 ISBN 9780956483744
Short Stories
- Nippick o Nor East Tales Keith Murray Publications 1989 ISBN 1870978099
- Reets Keith Murray Publications 1991 ISBN 1870978331
- A Hint o Granite Hammerfield Publications 1992
- Braeheid. A Fairm an its Fowk Hammerfield Publishing 1993
- A Kenspeckle Creel Hammerfield Publishing 1995
- Wittgenstein's Web G.K.B.Enterprises 1996 ISBN 0952655411
- The Bonsai Grower GKB Enterprises 1998 ISBN 095265542X
- The Fower Quarters GKB Enterprises 2002 ISBN 0952655462
- Indian Peter Thistle Reprographics, Limited Edition 2004 (children's stories in Scots)
- Pie in the Sky Thistle Reprographics, Limited Edition 2004 (adult stories)
- Victor Vratch & ither bairn tales Lochlands, Maud, 2009
- Isle o the Deid Malfranteaux Concepts 2010 ISBN 9781870978637
- The Jam Jar
Poetry Pamphlets
- Stagwyse Selected Poems Charles Murray Trust 1995 ISBN 0952114259
- The Skreich, Poems in Scots & English Lochlands 2010
- Victor Vratch the Craa Lochlands 2009
- Figurehead (Poems & Prose) Lochlands 2009
- The Ship of Fools (Poems & Story) Malfranteaux Concepts 2009
- Cats in a Gale Lochlands 2009
- Danse Macabre: Writings Round a Festival (Poems & Songs) Lochlands 2009
- A Visit to Planet Auschwitz (Poems & Prose) Lochlands 2009
- The Barley Queen (Poems & Prose) Malfranteaux Concepts 2009
- Peacock (Poems) Lochlands 2009
- Wittins (Selected Poems) Diehard Publishers 2010
Full list on Blog
What the Open Library holds