Professional Writing alumni’s debut novel shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Prize

What can you tell us about your debut novel, The Search For Othella Savage?  

The book on the surface is a missing person’s novel that seeks to respect and stay dedicated to the tropes and methodology of the crime/thriller genre. However, it’s slightly different: it focuses on the lives of women from within the Sierra Leonean community living in Scotland. A writer friend of mine described it as “Diaspora Noir,” a classification that I find very appealing and apt!  

Inspiration came largely from the harrowing case of a South African nurse; she was abducted from her house and locked in the boot of her car in 2008 in Scotland. I situated this event within the thematic context of the insidious nature of political and religious power, which I think has universal resonance. 

How did your time studying Falmouth’s Professional Writing MA help to set you up for a writing career?  

My time at Falmouth was exceptional and deeply insightful. Living in Scotland, I had naturally applied to study creative writing at a university within the country. I was however not granted entry, yet Falmouth on the contrary opened their doors to me. The lecturers and the modules were of a very high standard, providing me with invaluable advice and guidance which continues to inform and mould my writing to this day. Much appreciated indeed.