24 August 2010

Festival showcase for university writers

Two creative writing students from the University of Dundee will be hoping to impress influential figures from the world of literature when they appear at the Edinburgh International Book Festival over the next week.

Josephine Jules Andrews will be appearing at the Dragon's Pen event on the Thursday, August 26th, while Jacqueline Thompson will be taking part in the 'Writing into the Future' showcase four days later.

Josephine (48), from Carnoustie, will be pitching her work - and then reading from her portfolio - to a panel of experts who will then do an on the spot critique. With just two minutes allowed for the pitch and a further two for her reading, Josephine will have to work fast to impress the ‘dragons’, who include journalists, agents and representatives of publishing company Canongate.

'I'm thrilled to have this opportunity,' she said. 'The Dragon's Pen event is a fantastic chance to pitch my work to a great panel, and I’m very much looking forward to it.'

The event that Jacqueline is reading at takes place in the Writer’s Retreat tent from 7.30pm on Monday, August 30th. ‘Writing into the Future’ showcases the work of MLitt students from each of the seven Scottish universities that offer a Creative Writing programme.

Each of the participants have 12 minutes to give a flavour of their work, and Jacqueline says she’ll be reading a selection of poems from the folio she is currently working on.

The 22-year-old from Arbroath said, 'I'm looking forward to having the chance to read in front of an international audience and am thrilled to be sharing the bill with so many incredible writers.

'Right now I'm feeling nervous, excited and very grateful to have been given this opportunity. The atmosphere at the EIBF is always fantastic and I can't wait to be there as a performer as well as a spectator.'

As well as carrying out a range of work to promote interest and excellence in the study of literature, the University has earned a growing reputation for its teaching of Creative Writing. Modules are available at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as a stand alone course devised by award-winning author Kirsty Gunn, Professor of Creative Writing at the University.

Both writers are products of the Creative Writing programme at Dundee. Professor Gunn said she was confident Josephine and Jacquline would acquit themselves well as the Edinburgh events and that their talent would speak for itself.

She said, 'We have some wonderful students emerging from our Creative Writing courses in Dundee and this is a fantastic opportunity for them to show their work off to a very exciting audience.'

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
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