ALISTAIR FINDLAY has had a diverse career, from West Lothian journalist to clay miner to social worker. He has published three previous collections of poetry, including The Love Songs of John Knox (2006) and Dancing with Big Eunice. He retired from social work in February 2009 and lives in Bathgate.TESSA RANSFORD was born in India, educated in Scotland and has lived all her adult life in Scotland. Tessa founded the Scottish Poetry Library in 1984 and was director there until 1999. Tessa was also founder of the School of Poets poetry workshop (1981-99) and editor of Lines Review poetry magazine. She is also now the Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at Queen Margaret University.

This is a confident, upbeat collection, drawing on shared history and language... invoking the ghosts of Hugh MacDiarmid, Margo MacDonald, Naomi Mitchison, Burns and Lenin. - ANDY CROFT, Morning StarThe majority of the poems are successful. At its strongest moments it is a testament to the richness of Scottish poetry, and serves as a detailed snapshot of the nation. - MICHAEL GRIEVE, The Saint

ALISTAIR FINDLAY has had a diverse career, from West Lothian journalist to clay miner to social worker. He has published three previous collections of poetry, including The Love Songs of John Knox (2006) and Dancing with Big Eunice. He retired from social work in February 2009 and lives in Bathgate.TESSA RANSFORD was born in India, educated in Scotland and has lived all her adult life in Scotland. Tessa founded the Scottish Poetry Library in 1984 and was director there until 1999. Tessa was also founder of the School of Poets poetry workshop (1981-99) and editor of Lines Review poetry magazine. She is also now the Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at Queen Margaret University.

This is a confident, upbeat collection, drawing on shared history and language... invoking the ghosts of Hugh MacDiarmid, Margo MacDonald, Naomi Mitchison, Burns and Lenin. - ANDY CROFT, Morning StarThe majority of the poems are successful. At its strongest moments it is a testament to the richness of Scottish poetry, and serves as a detailed snapshot of the nation. - MICHAEL GRIEVE, The Saint

ALISTAIR FINDLAY has had a diverse career, from West Lothian journalist to clay miner to social worker. He has published three previous collections of poetry, including The Love Songs of John Knox (2006) and Dancing with Big Eunice. He retired from social work in February 2009 and lives in Bathgate.TESSA RANSFORD was born in India, educated in Scotland and has lived all her adult life in Scotland. Tessa founded the Scottish Poetry Library in 1984 and was director there until 1999. Tessa was also founder of the School of Poets poetry workshop (1981-99) and editor of Lines Review poetry magazine. She is also now the Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at Queen Margaret University.

This is a confident, upbeat collection, drawing on shared history and language... invoking the ghosts of Hugh MacDiarmid, Margo MacDonald, Naomi Mitchison, Burns and Lenin. - ANDY CROFT, Morning StarThe majority of the poems are successful. At its strongest moments it is a testament to the richness of Scottish poetry, and serves as a detailed snapshot of the nation. - MICHAEL GRIEVE, The Saint