Alan Bissett

(born 1975 – ) - Falkirk

Alan Bissett

Alan Bissett was born and raised in Falkirk. He graduated from Stirling University with a first class degree in English and Education. After a spell as an English teacher at a secondary school in Elgin he returned to Stirling University where he gained a Masters in English Literature.

It was during this time that he wrote his first book, Boyracers and edited a second, Damage Land: New Scottish Gothic Fiction. Both books were published by Polygon in 2001. Bissett has had many short stories published in various literary magazines and anthologies. He has been short and long-listed for the Macallan / Scotland on Sunday short-story competition on four occasions.

He lectured in Creative Writing at the Bretton Hill Campus of Leeds University for three years, during which time he wrote his second novel, The Incredible Adam Spark. The book was published by Review in 2005 and a film version is being planned.

Both Alan Bissett's novels use Scottish colloquialisms and reference popular culture, adding depth to the characters and locations.

He now lives in Glasgow where he lectures on Glasgow University's Creative Writing course, and started work on his third novel in 2005.

  • Cover scan of Boyracers
    Boyracers
    Boyracers is a fresh, savvy and honest take on being young, naive, hopeful, and the pains of living life at hyperspeed in a mad pop-culture world. Boyracers is Alan Bissett's first novel.
  • Cover scan of The Incredible Adam Spark
    The Incredible Adam Spark
    Adam Spark, eighteen going on eight-and-a-half is a fast-food worker. On waking from an accident in which he saves a child, he has curious powers, he's sure it can't just be his imagination. Could it be that Adam has been chosen to become Falkirk's first superhero?

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