Bestselling authors to join Department of English Literature

Wednesday, 17 January 2018

Authors Kate Clanchy and Shelley Harris will join the Department of English Literature.

Two bestselling authors are set to join the School of Literature and Languages as experts in creative writing.   

The Department of English Literature is delighted to welcome Kate Clanchy and Shelley Harris as teachers of creative and persuasive writing. Along with teaching students on creative writing courses, Kate and Shelley will also take active roles in departmental research and outreach activities. 

Kate Clanchy is a writer of fiction, poetry and drama. Her work has won many prizes and awards, including the BBC National Short Story Award for her story The Not-Dead and The Saved. Her memoir of her Kosovan neighbour, Antigona and Me, was awarded the Writers Guild Award for Best Book. Eleven of her plays have been produced by BBC Radio, and she has written for titles including The Guardian, The Scotsman, New Statesman and Poetry Review. Of her novel, Meeting the English, the New York Times noted "there isn't a dull scene", while the Guardian described it as "richly conceived, original and very entertaining."  

Shelley Harris is a bestselling novelist. Her debut book, Jubilee, attracted much critical attention on its release – as well as being shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize, it featured on Radio 4's ‘Book at Bedtime’ and was chosen as a recommended title in the Richard and Judy Book Club. Her second novel, Vigilante, was described by The Times as "entertainment wrapped around a tense thriller."

On the two appointments, Professor Gail Marshall, Head of Literature and Languages, said: 

"We are very pleased to have Kate and Shelley join the team. Not only do they both have fascinating writing profiles, they also share an impressive track record for teaching."

Please join us in welcoming Kate and Shelley to the University of Reading.