This summer, in association with the Grassic Gibbon Centre, the University of Aberdeen hosted the first Literary Lights Creative Writing Prize.
This competition, open to all registered students at the University of Aberdeen, invited written prose entries in either fiction or non-fiction which in some way addressed the lasting significance of place in our lives. There was a fantastic response to this competition, and the variety and quality of work submitted provided the judging panel with many moments of admiration and pleasure. The winning piece was “Earth Underfoot”, by Caitlin Millar, a final year student from the School of Computing & Natural Science.
Grassic Gibbon Centre Director Dr Bill Malcolm, who presented the prize to Caitlin following her graduation ceremony, said “Caitlin’s work was a worthy winner. From beginning to end it carries the reader on a restless but richly rewarding journey of images, atmospheres and reflections. We are delighted that Caitlin is the winner of this inaugural prize”.
Caitlin, who graduated this week with an MSc in Petroleum Geology, said “I'm so pleased to have won the Literary Lights Prize - it's added something special to what is already a rare occasion!”
A special commendation was given to entries from two other students, ‘Faerie Pools’ by Lily Greenall and ‘Mither Tap’ by Darryl Peers. All three students will be invited to take part in celebrations held throughout 2017 by the Grassic Gibbon Centre to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Centre opening.