Taster of Charlie’s first novel
Landscape inspires book
Author Charlie Gracie, who lives in Thornhill, is to give a reading of his new novel in Stirling next month.
The book, To Live With What You Are, is the Stirlingshire author’s first novel and focuses on the couple Maura and James who “randomly kill people but otherwise lead a normal life”.
Originally from Bailieston, Charlie, 56, has seen his poetry published in a number of anthologies and his work has been shortlisted for literary awards.
He is currently on the board of directors for the Scottish Writers Centre based in Glasgow.
As well as being a published author and poet, Charlie also works part-time as a social worker.
He said: “Throughout my adult life I’ve balanced writing with the need to work,” he said. “It was work that brought me and my wife from Lanarkshire to the Thornhill area in 1991, and our children grew up here.”
“Thornhill’s become my home and I’ve been involved in the writing scene in Stirling for many years.”
Charlie said one of the main inspirations for his novel was the River Forth, where the latter half of the novel is set.
“That flatness, the way it winds across the Carse, the way that people like James and Maura could hide in plain sight there, among the hills and the farms and the wee villages. Artists like Maura love big skies too, and that’s an attraction for me as a writer – you can’t escape nature here.”
Charlie has finished work on his second novel, which he hopes to get published following the release of To Live With What You Are.
Charlie will be reading from his new book at Stirling Central Library on Wednesday, December 5 at 6.30pm.