Publishers and writers ‘fair trickit’ to receive Scots award

Jul 19, 2023

Nine new books in Scots have been awarded funding by the Scots Language Publication Grant. Now in its fifth year, the Scots Language Publication Grant was created by the Scots Language Resource Network to support Scots publishers and writers.

It is funded by Scottish Government and administered by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing.

This year’s successful awardees include the debut collection by the current Scots Scriever Shane Strachan; a memoir by writer and presenter Billy Kay; as well as comics, picture books, non-fiction texts and translated works. Applications were assessed by a panel with expertise in Scots and publishing.

Duncan Lockerbie from Tapsalteerie said the Aberdeenshire-based publishing house were ‘fair trickit’ to receive the award, a sentiment echoed by other successful recipients.

This year’s successful books are:

  • DWAMS by current Scots Scriever Shane Strachan (Tapsalteerie)
  • Born in Kyle by Billy Kay (Burnawn Books)
  • Tommy Foghorn by Seona MacRuary and Lilian Ross (Giglets)
  • The Fusslin Thrang: Collected Poems in Scots by Alexander Hutchison, edited by AB Jackson (Blue Diode Press)
  • Burds, Baists and Bugs by Claire Hubbard and Tom Hubbard
  • The Songs of Jock Duncan by Jock Duncan, edited by Peter Shepheard (Rymour Books)
  • Yum by Susi Briggs (Foggie Toddle Books)
  • The Dunfermline Story by Colin Maxwell (Maximized Comics)
  • Guid Morning! Guid Nicht! by Matthew Mackie (Tippermuir Books)

CEO of Scottish Book Trust, Marc Lambert said: “The Scots Language Publication Grant is essential to many publishers and writers in Scotland. The award creates and protects space for new works from contemporary Scots voices in the publishing calendar, as well as facilitating collections and translations of significant historical works. We thank the Scottish Government for making these publications possible.”

Dr Michael Dempster, Director of the Scots Language Centre and Chair of The Scots Language Resource Network said:

Director of the Scots Language Centre and chair of the language resource network, Dr Michael Dempster, said: “We’re gey prood fir tae see a rerr clyack fae this yeir’s Scots Publication Grant. Fae the kenspeckilt tae the suin tae be kent, an fae aw the airts an pairts o Scotland ilkane o thir publication’s a walcome eik tae the seiven hunner year corp o Scots liteteratute. We luik forret tae them comin intae the warld!”