Wick author shortlisted for major literary award

WICK-born writer Ewan Morrison has been nominated for a prestigious book award.

He joins prize-winning author Lucy Ellmann and criminologist David Wilson as part of this year's shortlist for the Saltire Awards – Scotland's national book awards.

Ewan's nominated work called Nina X deals with a woman who escapes from a cult she was born and raised within and who now has to survive in the real world. Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh called it an "amazing book" and said there are few writers left in Britain who have "Morrison's ambition, vision and empathy".

Ewan said: “I’m honoured to be nominated for a Saltire Society literary award.

"So many of the Scottish writers who’ve influenced me have been nominees and winners in the past and it’s wonderful to be in their company.”

This year's event, on November 30, will also feature a lifetime achievement award for "meaningful creative contribution to literature". The event will recognise work across fiction, research, history and poetry.

The Saltire Awards list also features poet Polly Clark and Clare Hunter in the first book category.

Shortlisted books for 2019 include Prof David Wilson's My Life With Murderers in non-fiction and Lucy Ellmann's Ducks, Newburyport in the fiction category.

Also recognised are Polly Clark's Tiger and Damian Barr's You Will Be Safe Here as well as Leila Aboulela with Bird Summons and Ruairidh MacIlleathain with Coig Duilleagan na Seamraig (Five Leaves of the Shamrock). The latter is one of three Gaelic books on the shortlist across the range of categories.

An additional award, the Callum MacDonald Memorial Award for the publisher of an outstanding example of pamphlet poetry published during the previous year, is presented in partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library.

The event will see the winner of each book award receive a cash prize of £2000 and go on to be considered for the top prize of Saltire Scottish Book of the Year, receiving a further £5000.

Grace Vincent, deputy publicity director at Ewan's London-based publishing house, said: "We at Fleet are beyond delighted that the provocative and groundbreaking Nina X, which we are so proud to publish, has been recognised by this prestigious prize, and would like to thank the jurors and of course congratulate Ewan."

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.