Cal Flyn

I am an author and journalist, from Inverness-shire and currently based in Edinburgh. My first book, Thicker Than Water, followed the life story of a distant relative as he left Scotland during the Highland Clearances to become an explorer in Australia, but was later involved in a number of brutal massacres of the Gunai Aboriginal group.

Since then, I have been writing a lot on nature and environmental issues and I have a monthly column - The Wild Frontier - in Prospect Magazine, wherein I draw life lessons from rustic living. I served as writer-in-residence at Gladstone's Library in north Wales, I am a fellow of the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire, and will be spending a month as a resident of the Jan Michalski Foundation in Switzerland. I would be very interested in further residencies.

I'm happy to give talks and readings, and have experience of speaking at events ranging from classrooms to the Canberra International Book Festival, and would happily chair events too. I love running creative writing workshops, for ages 15+, and can gear them towards specific projects or portfolio pieces. I'd also be happy to act as a mentor through the writing or publication process to highly motivated teenagers and adults. (Photo credit: Nancy Macdonald)