Sheila Templeton was born in Aberdeen, then spent an itinerant childhood ranging from Rannoch Moor to Dar-es-Salaam. Though she left her grey granite roots forty years ago, her work still often draws on that rich Buchan landscape.

Since moving to Ayrshire in December 2000, the changing light of the local coastline is an added inspiration. She finds beach walking an excellent remedy for writers' block!

Her poems have been published in New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and The Herald. She won the Scottish Association of Writers Poetry Trophy 2002, the local Ottakar's Poetry Competition 2003 and also major awards in the Killie Writing Competition. In 2007 she won third prize in the James McCash Scots Language Poetry Competition organised by Glasgow University and the Herald. Her poem Hairst Meen was selected by Edwin Morgan from over 260 entries to the competition. In 2007 Sheila also won the prestigious McLellan Trophy, judged by Janet Paisley, for which she was awarded a beautiful trophy, specially commissioned from a local Arran artist.

Slow Road Home is Sheila's first collection.

Promoted by

Third Stage

Supported by

Woodend Barn, Banchory