Memoir: Write Your Own Story 2027

Tutor: Catherine Simpson – Writer

Catherine Simpson’s memoir When I Had a Little Sister: the story of a farming family who never spoke (4^th Estate, 2019) was described as ‘superb’, (Sunday Times), ‘riveting’ (Observer) and ‘a study in gender oppression’ (TLS) and was featured on BBC Radio’s Woman’s Hour.  Her second memoir One Body; a retrospective (Saraband, 2022) was shortlisted for the Saltire Society nonfiction book of the year and selected for World Book Night. Her novel Truestory won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers award and was inspired by Catherine’s experience of raising her autistic daughter, Nina. Raising Nina was also the subject of her memoir Hold Fast: motherhood, my autistic daughter and me (Saraband, 2025), which was long listed for a Saltire Award in 2026. Her most recent memoir is Sandwiched: Caring Up & Caring Down (Saraband, 2026).

In 2021, Catherine wrote and performed a monologue, Driving Dad to the Old Folks’ Home, on BBC Radio 4, which was chosen for pick of the week. Although her work covers serious subjects, she blends the light and the dark, weaving in humour and a sense of the absurdity of life.

Catherine has mentored writers for the Scottish Book Trust and New Writing North. She enjoys encouraging people to tell their own stories and helping them clarify their thoughts and hence their writing. She is currently a Royal Literary Fund Fellow based at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.

She has twice been a judge for the Saltire Literary awards.

Catherine has two adult daughters and lives in Edinburgh with her husband.   

Wednesday Evening Guest Reader: Alan Johnson – writer

Alan Johnson was General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union before entering Parliament as Labour MP for Hull West and Hessle in 1997. He served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010 after filling a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Until 20 January 2011 he was Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.

His childhood memoir ‘This Boy’ was published by Bantam Press on 9^th May 2013. It won the Royal Society of Literature’s Ondaatje Prize, and the Orwell Prize, Britain’s top political writing award.  His second volume of memoirs, ‘Please, Mister Postman’, was published in September 2014 and won the National Book Club award for Best Biography. It was followed by ‘The Long and Winding Road’, published in September 2016 which won the Parliamentary Book Award for Best Memoir.

Alan retired as an MP in 2017 after 20 years and five elections.

A fourth memoir about his love of music (‘In my Life – A Music Memoir’) was published in 2018.

Three years later, Alan’s first novel, ‘The Late Train to Gipsy Hill’ was published by Wildfire. It was followed in September 2022 by ‘One of Our Ministers is Missing’ and ‘Death on the Thames’ in March 2024, which completed his trilogy of thrillers featuring DCS Louise Mangan.

Alan’s concise biography of Harold Wilson was published by Swift Press in September 2024, and it won the prize of ‘Best Biography’ at the Westminster Book Awards.

Having spent eight years on the BBC’s ‘This Week’ sofa with Andrew Neil and Michael Portillo, Alan then appeared regularly with Steph McGovern on Channel 4’s ‘Steph’s Packed Lunch’ and is continuing his addiction to live television with appearances on ITV’s ‘This Morning’.

Alan was appointed Chancellor of the University of Hull in June 2023 and lives in East Yorkshire with his wife Carolyn.

Fee includes all day and evening tutored workshop sessions, individual tutorials, tutor and guest readings, accommodation, inc. sheets and towels and all meals (not including alcohol).

Single – En-suite room £1,205
Single – Shared bathrooms £1,155
Shared Room (2 Beds, only for people who know each other) £1,105 pp – single supplement £50

£250 deposit payable on booking by bank transfer, PayPal, credit card or cheque, to secure place. Balance due six weeks before the start of the course.

Please see Terms and Conditions.

Please arrive between 3:00pm and 4:00pm on Monday 4th October 2027

Tea, cake and housekeeping information 4.30pm

Introductory Workshop 5.30 – 6.30pm
Dinner 7.00pm

After breakfast, 10:00am on Saturday 9th October 2027