Perhaps the best-known of these collections is Glasgow Zen (1981). It captures, says critic Liz Niven in Scottish Studies Review in September 2003: ‘the philosophical bent of much Glaswegian banter, the concise brevity of Glasgow speech and the incisive wit often found in a passing street conversation.’ It is an extremely amusing collection, investigating the fabric of speech: Alan Spence is a member of the Edinburgh Sri Chinmoy Centre and practises meditation. [5] Awards [ edit ] But Spence is not solely inspired by the minutiae of daily life. On meeting Alison Watt, a painter, he was moved to write a meditative response to a painting she was commissioned to create for Old St Paul’s church in Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh. The work, Fold, is a huge four-part painting of draped fabric. Alan Spence’s response to it, alongside photographs of its creation and an interesting introduction, were featured in a book created to celebrate the work. In these poems, Spence investigates ideas of ‘pure being’, salvation and contemplative faith: His poetry includes two books of haiku: Seasons of the Heart (2000); and Clear Light (2005). A further collection, Glasgow Zen was first published in 1981, and an expanded edition republished in 2002. His short story collections are Its Colours They Are Fine (1977) and Stone Garden (1995), which won him the 1995 Scottish Writer of the Year Award.

His published plays are Sailmaker (1983), Space Invaders (1983), Changed Days (1991), and The 3 Estaites (2002). He is Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen and, with his wife, runs the Sri Chinmoy Meditation Centre. He has been the Artistic Director of the Word Festival since 1999.

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You’ve been drinkin…” Pg. 16. We’ve just seen Alec playing and using his imagination, now he has to

Alan Spence (born 1947) is a Scottish writer and is Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen, [1] where he is also artistic director of the annual WORD Festival. He was born in Glasgow, educated at Allan Glen's School [2] there, and much of his work is set in the city. Burns, John (1982), review of Glasgow Zen and Sailmaker, in Hearn, Sheila G. (ed.), Cencrastus No. 10, Autumn 1982, pp. 42 & 43, ISSN 0264-0856 The interpolation of Glaswegian dialect amid lofty Zen phrases produces an insightful book which lingers with the reader long after they have put it down. It is a book which, according to John Hudson, in Markings 15, ‘pops up just when you are about to pop out’ placing you ‘re-signed, pointed in the right direction, the here and now’. By accessing meditative thought and insight through everyday tasks, Spence reveals a new world in the mundane. Both plays are Scottish National 5 texts. This is an ideal opportunity for school pupils to see the texts they study come alive on the stage. In addition, there are workshops for school pupils arranged to take place around the performances, hosted by the directors of the plays and when possible some cast members.Whilst these performances present an excellent opportunity for school students who study the plays, the plays are of course hugely enjoyable for adult audiences and the shows are by no means intended exclusively for schools. suddenly deal with his dad’s drinking problem. How does this make you feel about the character(s) at His longer writings include novels: Its Colours They Are Fine; The Stone Garden; The Magic Flute; Way to Go and The Pure Land. He has also written a number of plays: Sail Makers; Space Invaders and Changed Days. He became writer-in-residence at the University of Aberdeen in 1996, and has held a personal Chair in Creative Writing since 2001. He was also the artistic director of Aberdeen’s annual Word Festival 1999-2011. Glasgow’s own Alan Spence’s “Sailmaker” beautifully tells the sad and complex tale of an academically gifted boy and his struggling father. Set in Govan in the 1960s, the story begins with the initial impact upon both at the loss of the boy’s mother, and then follows the father and son through approximately ten years of their lives together. His first work was the collection of short stories Its colours they are fine, first published in 1977. This was followed by two plays, Sailmaker in 1982 and Space Invaders in 1983. The novel The Magic Flute appeared in 1990 along with his first book of poetry Glasgow Zen. In 1991, another of his plays, Changed Days, was published before a brief hiatus.