Zoe Strachan
Encyclopedia
Zoë Strachan is a Scottish
novelist, journalist and university tutor.
, Ayrshire
. She studied Archeology and Philosophy
at the University of Glasgow
, followed by a MPhil in Creative Writing at the universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde
. She later became a Creative Writing tutor at the University of Glasgow. Strachan lives in Glasgow
with her girlfriend, novelist Louise Welsh
.
, The Edinburgh Companion to Contemporary Scottish Literature and The Antigonish Review. In 2006 she was named the first writer-in-residence at the National Museum of Scotland
in Edinburgh
. Her first novel, Negative Space, was published in 2002 by Picador
. It won the Betty Trask Award
in 2003 and was short-listed for the Saltire First Book of the Year Award. Her second novel was 2004's Spin Cycle. In 2008 Strachan was awarded the Hermann Kesten
Stipendium fellowship. As of June 2009, she was working on her third novel, Play Dead.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
novelist, journalist and university tutor.
Biography
Strachan grew up in KilmarnockKilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
, Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
. She studied Archeology and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, followed by a MPhil in Creative Writing at the universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. She later became a Creative Writing tutor at the University of Glasgow. Strachan lives in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
with her girlfriend, novelist Louise Welsh
Louise Welsh
Louise Welsh is an author of short stories and novels, based in Glasgow, Scotland.Welsh studied History at Glasgow University and traded in second-hand books for several years before publishing her first novel....
.
Work
Strachan's work has been published in New Writing 15, Bordercrossing BerlinBordercrossing Berlin
Bordercrossing Berlin was a literary journal founded in 2005 and based in Berlin, Germany. It ceased publication after three issues.It featured prose and poetry by authors writing in English but living in non-English speaking countries...
, The Edinburgh Companion to Contemporary Scottish Literature and The Antigonish Review. In 2006 she was named the first writer-in-residence at the National Museum of Scotland
National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the Royal Museum next door, with collections covering science and technology, natural history, and world...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. Her first novel, Negative Space, was published in 2002 by Picador
Picador (imprint)
Picador is an imprint of Pan Macmillan in the United Kingdom and Australia and of Macmillan Publishing in the United States. Both companies are owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group....
. It won the Betty Trask Award
Betty Trask Award
The Betty Trask Prize and Awards are for first novels written by authors under the age of 35, who reside in a current or former Commonwealth nation. The awards were established in 1984 by the Society of Authors, at the bequest of the late Betty Trask, a reclusive author of over thirty romance novels...
in 2003 and was short-listed for the Saltire First Book of the Year Award. Her second novel was 2004's Spin Cycle. In 2008 Strachan was awarded the Hermann Kesten
Hermann Kesten
Hermann Kesten was a German novelist and dramatist. He was one of the principal literary figures of the New Objectivity movement in 1920's Germany.The literary prize Hermann Kesten Medal has been given in his honor since 1985....
Stipendium fellowship. As of June 2009, she was working on her third novel, Play Dead.