Fiona’s perseverance finally pays dividends

Author’s book takes pride of place in Central Library

A first- time novelist is thrilled to see her new book on display at the library she has visited since she was a youngster.

Fiona Lindsay, from Paisley, has written a romantic comedy dubbed The Consolation Prize, and readers can now borrow it from Central Library.

The 55- year- old said: “I’ve always been a member of that library as far back as I can remember.

“I remember going there as a child.

“And everybody of my age always says ‘ Tuesday nights!’, so that must have been late opening.

“I suppose being a member of that library for all this time, it’s nice to see my book there.”

A graduate in English literature from the University of Glasgow, Fiona worked in HR with Renfrewshire Council for many years, but has always been keen on writing fiction.

“Although I did actually get to use my English with the council because I was an ace minute taker,” she said. “I did that for 25 years.” Fiona added: “I was probably trying to write novels at 19 when I was at university, not very good ones admittedly.

“Before that I had written poetry and prose at school for English class but it was always novel writing I was drawn to.

“People say they like to do something quick, so it’s just a short story or a poem. But even as a teenager I was keen to write novels.”

The Consolation Prize is about a young Londoner with family in the Scottish Highlands, whose boyfriend had been cheating with another girl and they break up.

“It’s kind of about the difference of living in London and living in the Highlands,” Fiona said.

“It’s gently humorous, I would say.

“It took me a couple of years to write.”

The book is part of a trilogy, with the other two parts already written and these will be published in due course.

“They are all set in the village of Kirk Lochy, and they’re called the Kirk Lochy Chronicles,” Fiona said.

“Some of the characters are the same and some are different.

“And the sort of constant in it is the village.

“If it existed it would be near Ullapool.”

Fiona is now working on a novel for young adults.

“For that, I’ve got to try to consider what is contemporary, what young people are about nowadays with me being older,” she said.

“So I’ve had to speak to my friend whose daughter has just turned 20.”

The Consolation Prize is available at Abbey Books in Wellmeadow Street and on Amazon.

Even as a teenager I was keen to write novels Fiona Lindsay