Cynthia Rogerson

Cynthia Rogerson is the author of four literary novels and a collection of short stories. She is predominantly interested in exploring family relationships and displacement in society. I Love You Goodbye has been translated into eight languages, short-listed for Scottish novel of the year 2012, and been serialized for BBC Woman’s Hour. She won the V.S.Pritchett prize in 2008 for A Dangerous Place. Her short stories have been broadcast, anthologized, shortlisted and included in literary magazines. She tutors on the University of Edinburgh’s online creative writing program, and has also tutored on Dundee University’s writing practice program with Kirsty Gunn. She’s enjoyed tutoring for 26 years in various places, including hospices, primaries, psychiatric hospitals and libraries. In addition, she’s programmer at Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre, inviting some of the finest writers in the UK and beyond to work with new writers. Born and raised near San Francisco, she’s lived in Scotland for over thirty years. Her fictional work is mostly set in the Scottish Highlands, with one novel set in California. She attributes much of her style and tone to a state of chronic homesickness. This has no cure, as she loves both places equally. Mother of four, she now lives near Inverness with her husband, hens and golden labrador. She squeezes writing time in when she can, especially on trains and early mornings at home. Strong coffee is essential, and traveling on a regular basis seems to be essential too. She still dreams of producing the Great Novel.     

Cynthia Rogerson delivers Bridge workshops to schools in the north of Scotland, including Fortrose, Dingwall and Aboyne Academies and Anderson, Portree and Gairloch High Schools. Her informal sessions focus on improving confidence in all aspects of essay writing, building an argument and the art of editing. She enjoys helping young writers find the best way to communicate clearly and effectively and while the emphasis is on bridging the gap between school and university, her sessions can be helpful to all students, including those who are bound for further education or employment. The author of five novels and collection of stories, her work has been translated into six languages, won the V.S.Pritchett Prize and been adapted for BBC radio.