Leela Soma

I was born in Madras, India, and now live in Glasgow. I arrived here in 1969 and found that there were no Indo-Scot published writers. I was a principal teacher of Modern Studies, and as soon as I retired I went back to my passion for writing.

I was inspired by James Kelman and his call to get working class voices heard, and I feel the same about getting young Asian Scot voices in mainstream Scottish literature. My poems and short stories have been published in a number of anthologies and publications, including The National, The Scotsman, The Glasgow Review of Books, Espressofied, Steel Bellows (USA), The Blue Nib, The Grind, New Voices and Gutter.

My first novel Twice Born was published in 2008. My second, Bombay Baby, was published by Dahlia Publishing Limited in 2011. Boxed In, a short story collection e-book, was published by The Pot Hole Press in 2013. I was commissioned to write a story for Glasgow Women's Library's anthology.

I am serving on the Milngavie Week Committee and on the East Dunbartonshire Arts and Culture Committee. My work reflects my dual heritage of India and Scotland.