Things have been a little quiet around here lately, which is unsurprising, given the circumstances. In my case, those circumstances unfortunately include a relatively mild bout of COVID-19, which I’m still recovering from five weeks on from my first symptoms.
However, the reason for catching you up today isn’t about my ongoing health issues, but something a little more positive. Here’s a hint – the title is a massive spoiler.
As you may be aware, I’m currently studying part-time at the University of Glasgow for a doctorate in Creative Writing – with a side order of Online Gaming, Folktales and Adaptations, and Fantasy in the mix. I’m hoping to come out of it with a novel and a collection of essays for publication at some point in the future.
As I’m still less than halfway through the course, back in November I took a last roll of the dice at funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), through the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH). The decision on my application is now in.
Reader, I got it.
It’s hard to overstate what this funding means for me. I’m now able to work on my project without worrying about how to make ends meet or whether I’m being a burden on my loved ones. On that note, I’d like to give special thanks to my supervisors (Drs Zoë Strachan, Matt Barr, Darshana Jayemanne, and Rob Maslen), fellow Doctors-in-training Meg MacDonald and Francis Butterworth-Parr, and my lay readers, whose hard work was vital in helping me pare my application down to something worth funding. And I am immensely grateful to both SGSAH and the AHRC for both the financial support and their implied faith in my project. It may also mean some additional research opportunities for the novel, so fingers crossed…
The news originally came through last week, at which point I was still sleeping for most of the day. So my capacity for celebration then was a bit limited. Frankly, after four months of rewrites, resubmissions, feedback, and endless word count paranoia, I was partly relieved it was all over. However, today I finished tying up the red tape and sent in my acceptance form to SGSAH. So, with deference to the lockdown, I’m thinking a glass of something bubbly, a movie, and a good takeaway. Cheers!
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