Unique Setting for his Stories
A leading South African novelist has taken up the academic post of Reader in Creative Writing at Northumbria. |
Michael Cawood Green is now enjoying life in Northumbria’s unique creative centre in one of the North of England’s most historic and atmospheric landmarks – the ancient Holy Jesus Hospital in the heart of Newcastle.
The novelist is working alongside New Writing North, Flambard Press, and the creative writing magazine Mslexia at the 700 year-old building, one half of which is occupied by the National Trust, and the other half by Northumbria University.
Michael has written many scholarly articles and contributions to anthologies of creative work. He is also the author of a literary study Novel Histories: Past, Present and Future in South African Fiction and Sinking: A Verse Novella and most recently, his novel For the Sake of Silence which was published to critical acclaim last year.
He comes to Northumbria from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban where he was Head of the Department of Literary Studies, Media and Creative Art. He started the course in creative writing in South Africa 12 years ago and since then it has become the most heavily subscribed course at the University.
He holds Degrees from the Universities of Natal, South Africa, Stanford in California, and York. He is one of the founders of the Poetry Africa and Time of the Writer annual festivals in Durban in which he has both performed and presented.
Set in the centre of the city, Holy Jesus Hospital has been used as an Augustinian Friary, an almshouse, and a soup kitchen.
Dr Penny Smith, Programme Director in the Department of Humanities within the School of Arts and Social Sciences, and herself a novelist, said: “We are delighted that New Writing North, Mslexia, and Flambard Press have moved into our Write in the City project based at Holy Jesus Hospital, and look forward to working together with them in this emerging new centre for writing-based organisations.
“Michael Cawood Green, and our writer in residence, Marion Husband, will be able to write and teach in the building. All the writers involved with our courses want an office here because it’s a brilliant place to work - just made for writers.’’
Date posted: January 22, 2010
