Centre for New Writing appoints more acclaimed writers
13 Jun 2007
Two novelists and a poet join the University's literary ranks
The Centre for New Writing in the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures has added prize-winning novelist M.J. Hyland to its staff of novelists and poets.
The writer, who was recently awarded the Hawthornden Prize for her second novel Carry Me Down and the Encore prize for best second novel, has been appointed as a Lecturer in Creative Writing.
M.J. Hyland's second novel, which charts a year in the profoundly troubled family life of twelve year old John Egan in early 1970s Ireland, was also shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize. Her work has been acclaimed by the likes of Ali Smith, Hilary Mantel and J.M. Coetzee, who said, "This is fiction writing of the highest order."
Co-Director of the Centre Dr John McAuliffe said: "We are delighted that M.J. Hyland has agreed to join the Centre for New Writing when it opens in September.
"She is a terrific writer, one of the leading members of the new generation of British and Irish novelists, and her experience as a writer coupled with her enthusiasm as a teacher will be a real boon to our students."
The author will join literary heavyweight Martin Amis at the Centre, whose appointment was announced in March. He will teach post-graduate seminars in Manchester each fortnight, and will also take part in a series of landmark events.
The Centre has also appointed two new Research Fellows:
- Joe Stretch, a Manchester-based, first-time novelist and singer in "electro death pop band" Performance.
- Neil Rollinson, a poet whose works "ring with compassionate wonder at the universe," (Independent on Sunday). His fourth book Demolition will be published by Jonathan Cape in September.
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