Crime novel debut for former uni student
A former Stirling University student’s first novel is set for publication next month.
Alan Gillespie, who studied English at Stirling between 2003 and 2007, has written the ‘The Mash House,’ a tale of crime, mystery and deceit set in an isolated village in the West Highlands.
The 35-year-old said the ideas behind the book, which took almost three years to complete, came from a variety of sources.
“I lived and taught for a year in the West Highlands. I was struck by how beautiful and bleak the landscape was – and by how friendly yet peculiar many of the people were,” Alan said.
“I had it in my head that everyone there had a secret. And that’s a big theme in the book, that we all carry separate identities and the duality of ourselves.
“I was also inspired by the weird, dark writing of fellow Stirling Uni graduate, the late Iain Banks, whose books I love.”
Alan recalled this week that he might not have been the most conscientous student during his time at Stirling when he also worked in McDonald’s in Murray Place and Boots in the Thistles.
He said: “I was studying an English degree but I was a terrible student and spent most of my time in the union bar. I stayed on campus and then in town. Thankfully I have pulled my act together since then.”
In 2011 Alan was awarded the Scottish Emerging Writer’s Residency at Cove Park on the Rosneath Penninsula.
‘The Mash House’ is set for publication on Thursday, May 6.
Alan said when the storyline of the novel crystallised, the writing process picked up speed.
He added: “Once I caught onto the storyline properly, I wrote about 1000 words a day pretty religiously until I had a big, flabby, messy draft.
“Then I worked with my editor for a good few months ironing out different structural issues and storyline resolution problems.
“The book was originally supposed to be published in January this year, but has been delayed due to the pandemic.
“I am absolutely buzzing that it is now on the brink of publication, and to be able to see it in real live bookshops.”