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Victoria Gemmell

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Contact: [email protected]
Local authority: Renfrewshire
Languages: English
Author type: Writer
Victoria Gemmell's headshot

Passionate about inspiring and motivating teenagers, I have worked as a careers adviser for twelve years in schools, college and community settings. Since the release of my debut young adult novel, Follow Me, I have delivered talks and creative writing workshops within schools and community settings to enable teenagers to discover the power of their imagination and explore the fun side of creativity.

I am passionate about inspiring and encouraging young people to write (and read) and I am comfortable working with reluctant readers. I have some experience delivering workshops to young people with ASN. I enjoy conducting workshops which explore the themes of inspiration looking at what inspires ideas and how everyday events, newspaper headlines, and images, can spark off ideas for stories and characters and fire up the imagination. 

I write edgy, contemporary young adult fiction, with elements of mystery and romance. I like to place young people at the centre of the mystery. Relationships between friends/family/romance are always central to my stories. Follow Me won the Scottish Association of Writers TC Farries Award. I am awaiting publication of my second YA mystery, Promise Me. I also write contemporary short stories for older readers.

Websites featuring the author

Local authorities will visit

East Ayrshire; East Dunbartonshire; East Lothian; East Renfrewshire; Edinburgh City; Falkirk; Glasgow City; Inverclyde; North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Perth and Kinross; Renfrewshire; South Ayrshire; South Lanarkshire; Stirling; West Dunbartonshire; West Lothian

Events will deliver

Panel event; Reading; Talk; Workshop

Audience will work with

Adult learners; Care-experienced people; Reluctant readers; Vulnerable young people (under 18); Young people in the community (e.g. Youth clubs, Guides, Scouts); Young people with additional support needs (under 18) (ASN/SEN)

Topics of work

Adolescence; Contemporary fiction; Mystery & thriller; Publishing & getting published

Age groups published for

Teens; Adults

Age groups will work with

12-14; 15-18; 18+

Audience size

0-10; 11-30; 31-100; 100-500; 500+