Born in England to international parents who raised me in New Jersey, I at first eschewed higher education. I moved to New York the day after high school graduation in order to run a business with my childhood friends. My abilities as a writer allow me to broadcast any message with pinpoint precision, and my dedication to executing every assignment thoroughly, quickly, and gladly ensures that I am always an asset. Even so, my greater strengths lie in supporting others as an advocate or editor.

Dedicated and passionate about literary expression, I have freelanced as a writer, editor and designer for individual clients, creative offices, and marketing agencies in San Diego, New York, and remotely. I have worked in-house in roles ranging from Copy Editor and Production Assistant to Office Manager and Creative Director. My professional experiences have honed well my skills as a communicator and designer, and I feel just as at ease with massive, intricate projects as I do with daily minutiae. Aggressively detail-oriented, I thrive under pressure, providing vital support by identifying and solving those problems others tend to overlook. I count myself lucky whenever met with the opportunity to train, mentor, or learn from fellow writers and artists. I unfailingly offer and elicit thoughtful, constructive and direct feedback (a euphemism for “aggressive criticism”), especially wherever literary devices, figurative language, or overarching structure are concerned. I consistently facilitate fantastic results through polishing, tightening, and elevating the works of others.

With a passion for syntax and an eye for design, I have gleefully internalized even the most obscure of grammar points in American English. Pushing myself to hone my skills, I’ve developed proficiency in software platforms like Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and Google Drive through a blend of formal education, on-the-job training, and self tutoring. I call myself a writer, having earned my bachelor’s degree in English with minors in Creative Writing and Journalism, and my resume boasts diverse experience in graphic design, advertising, customer service, management, teaching, editing and writing. Armed with webdesign fundamentals and a precise, distinctive style, I cultivate creative, exciting, and thoughtful websites, promo, press, short stories, periodicals, social media, academic papers, and instruction manuals, as well as meticulous reporting of corporate election results, financial statements, meeting agendas, and more. Et cetera. That part was so boring.

Used to the pressures of an environment that expects my best on a daily basis, I demand of myself consistency, authenticity and innovation, and my strength lies in my versatility. The breadth of my interdisciplinary background allows me to improvise easily, applying my dogged work ethic to every task.

Working Title: Live Literature and Cultural Value: An Ethnographic Exploration

Topic: I research contemporary live literature, using ethnography to understand and communicate the nature, effects and cultural value of live literary events.

Research interests: Live literature, literary studies, publishing studies, literary culture, ethnography, contemporary culture, interdisciplinarity, creative writing, censorship, freedom of expression.

Supervisors:

• Prof Claire Squires (Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication)
• Dr Katie Halsey (Division of Literature & Languages)

Scholarships: AHRC Block Grant Partnership funding.

Publications and Papers: My first book Saffron Shadows and Salvaged Scripts: Literary Life in Myanmar under Censorship and in Transition, an ethnographic monograph including interviews with three generations of Burmese writers and new translations of their work, will be published by Columbia University Press in July 2015. An extract from the book, ‘The Tiger’ (including an interview with the author Win Tin), is reproduced here. For other publications and more information, please see the linked pages below.

Links: Website – Twitter – Academia.edu – LinkedIn – Live short stories

Email: ellen.wiles@stir.ac.uk

 Working Title: Promoting Scottish Books in the 21st Century: An Investigation into the Sustainability of Scotland’s Literary Culture

Topic: Examining the issues which face book culture in  Scotland in the 21st Century, including decreasing printed  book sales, the rise of digital media and competing consumer  demands. My research looks at alternatives to traditional  book production, such as digital innovation, and the growth  of literary tourism to continue the important role of literature  culturally and economically in Scotland. Ultimately, I hope  my research offers insight into this important time of change for the Scottish publishing industry and provides recommendations to publishers and organisations to achieve sustainability.

This research degree is supported by the AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership run by the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities

Research interests: Scottish Publishing, Book History, Cultural Policy, Literary Tourism, Scottish Identity, Digital Innovation, Gamification of Literature

Supervisors:

• Prof Claire Squires (Stirling Centre for International Publishing & Communication)
• Prof David Finkelstein (University of Edinburgh
• Dr Simon Rowberry (Stirling Centre for International Publishing & Communication)

Scholarships:

• AHRC Studentship (2014-2017)

Links

• Academia.edu
• LinkedIn

Working Title: Read Write City: Towards a city-wide strategy in support of reading, writing and publishing.

Topic: In collaboration with Glasgow Life my research aims to inform the development of a literary strategy for the city of Glasgow. The study examines current involvement with literature across the city and is looking at ways in which Glasgow can become a city of people who actively engage in reading and writing.

This research seeks to explore connectivity between different aspects of the literary infrastructure, whilst examining the reach and scope of existing projects in the city, as well as successful approaches used in communities elsewhere in the UK and across the world which might usefully be applied to Glasgow’s particular set of challenges and possibilities.

Research interests: book culture, creative writing, publishing, communities, cities, endogenous growth, creative industries, community engagement, cultural production, identity.

Supervisors:

• Professor Claire Squires (Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication),
• Professor Richard Haynes (University of Stirling, Department of Communications, Media and Culture),
• Jean Cameron, Senior Arts Officer (Glasgow Life)

Scholarships: AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award

Links:
www.readwritecity.com

Paul on Twitter: @readwritecity
Paul on LinkedIn
Paul on Academia.edu

Email: p.j.docherty@stir.ac.uk

Working Title: The History of the Saltire Society’s Book Awards: 1982-present.

Topic: I am a final year PhD Researcher working on an AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award in collaboration with The Saltire Society, Edinburgh. The purpose of this research is to construct a critically assessed history of The Saltire Society’s book awards (which includes History, Research, First, Poetry and Literary Book of the Year Awards). The thesis will consider The Saltire Society’s literary awards within the context of prize and literary award culture in general, as well as consider its position within contemporary Scottish literary culture and its influence upon the modern Scottish literary canon.

I am also interested in book and literary award culture more generally, keeping a close eye on developments throughout the UK and internationally.  I’m particularly interested in award culture in relation to gender, nationality, publishing history and book promotion and sales.

Research interests: saltire society, literary awards, book history, publishing, book sales and marketing, gender studies

Supervisors: Professor Claire Squires, Dr. Suzanne Gilbert

Scholarships: AHRC CDA Scholarship
British Federation for Women Graduates Elen Wynne Vanstone Scholarship, 2014
Society of the History of Authorship, Readership and Publishing Travel Grant, 2014

Publications and Papers:
‘Women of the Saltire Society’ at Smashing the Patriarchy in 100,000 words? The use of Feminism in Academic Theses at University of Dundee, 13th January 2014.

‘Reinventing the Book’: The Aesthetics of Digital Literature in Contemporary Literary Award Culture at By the Book: the Book and the Study of its Digital Transformation, hosted by Oxford Brookes University, Florence, 24th May 2014

‘21st Century Philanthropy? The Cultural and Economic Capital of Contemporary Book Award Culture
at Creative and Commerce in the Age of Print, University of Edinburgh, 26th July 2014.

‘fit tay be in schools, huvn no bad language, sex subversion or antireligion’: The Saltire Society’s Book Awards, Judgment Culture and the Scottish Literary Canon at Religions of the Book, SHARP (Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing), University of Antwerp, 20th September 2014.

‘The measure of a work of art is how much art it has in it, not how much “relevance”’: The ‘relevance’ of Contemporary Book Awards and the Purpose of Judgment in Literary Culture at The Prestige of Literature
Carleton University, Ottawa, 10th October 2014.

“It’s all unclear”: The ‘Reality’ of Bret Easton Ellis’s ‘American Psycho’ and its Position Within the Literary Convention of Contemporary Gothic Fiction in Bray, Suzanne and Preher, Gerald, eds., Fatal Fascinations: Cultural Manifestations of Crime and Violence (Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013), pp. 113-121

Related work:
Bloody Scotland Crime Festival Short Story Competition Coordinator, 2013-2015
9th Art Award for Graphic Literature Administrator, 2013-2014
University of Stirling Arts and Humanities Postgraduate Conference Committee Member, 2014
MacRobert Arts Centre Book Group Coordinator, 2014-2015

Links:
Twitter: @StevieLMarsden
https://stir.academia.edu/StevieMarsden
https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/stevie-marsden/70/12/b2b
https://bookawardsblog.wordpress.com/

Contact:
s.l.marsden@stir.ac.uk

Working Title: Digital Publishing in Ghana: A Focus on Children’s Publications

Topic: This research assess the state of digital book publishing in Ghana in terms of the level of skill/expertise, infrastructure and access to children’s eBooks published in Ghana. It also investigates current practices among eBook publishers against the backdrop of what pertains in developed economies.

Research Interests: Electronic Publishing, Online Technologies, and Publishing Management

Supervisors:

• Professor Claire Squires (Stirling Centre for International Publishing & Communication)
• Dr Simon Rowberry (Stirling Centre for International Publishing & Communication)

Scholarship: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, funded by UK Government

Publications and Papers:

• Opoku-Amankwa, K., Mahama, A.K., and Ry-Kottoh, L., (2012), Itinerant Booksellers: Necessary Evils to the Book Trade in Ghana. Publishing Research Quarterly, Springer Science + Business Media Media, LLC. DOI 10.1007/s12109-012-9281-4
• Esseh, S. S. and Ry-Kottoh, L., (2013), The Open Journal Systems: Reviving African Publishing Culture. Presented at the Fourth International PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference in Mexico, August 19 – 21.  http://pkp.sfu.ca/pkp2013/paper/view/454/248

Contact details: l.a.ry-kottoh@stir.ac.uk /afeafary_kottoh@yahoo.co.uk

Working Title: An Analysis of Established and Emergent Practices of Working in Interdisciplinary Working Partnerships in relation to Digital Technologies, Audience Engagement and Production of Culture.

Topic: Exploring the possibilities digital technologies lend to cultural producers and audiences, for the activities of producing, disseminating and engaging with visual culture and literature is the focus of this research.

By investigating established and emerging practices of producing and engaging with cultural artefacts and experiences, as people explore creative possibilities with digital technologies, I aim to contribute to an understanding of the implications of this activity for arts and cultural organisations.

Three case studies are the focus for the research, which have involved collaborations and partnerships between arts and cultural organisations and technology companies.

This PhD is being carried out jointly at the Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication, University of Stirling and the School of Management, University of St Andrews.

The research degree is associated with the Consortium for Research in Arts and Technology in Scotland (CReATeS) and is supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Creative Scotland and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).

Research interests (keywords): Publishing, Visual Culture, Creative Industries, Audience Engagement, Digital Technologies, Cultural Production, Practice Theories, Identity Work

Supervisors:

• Professor Claire Squires, University of Stirling
• Dr Simon Rowberry, University of Stirling
• Professor Nic Beech, formerly University of St Andrews – (now at University of Dundee)
• Dr Gail Greig, University of St Andrews

Scholarships:

• The University of Stirling Impact Studentship Fund, 2013
• University of St Andrews 600th Anniversary  PhD Studentship, 2013
• AHRC/Creative Scotland/NESTA Research and Development Consortium Project Funding, 2013
• Arts Trust of Scotland Award, funding for a month long research trip to Tokyo, 2006
• Networking Artists’ Network, ‘Go See’ Bursary for Research trip to Bucharest Romania, 2006
• Scottish Arts Council, individual funding to support creative development, 2006
• Dundee Visual Artists Award, 2005, 2006, 2008
• The Royal Scottish Academy’s John Kinross Scholarship, 2004

Publications and Papers:

Forthcoming paper:
Preston, L., 2015. Producing publics: The bookspotting app and the “social life of the book” – regenerating publishing practices and reader relationships. In: SHARP (Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing) 23rd annual conference on the generation and regeneration of books. Longueil/Montreal, Canada, 7-10 July 2015.

Article in peer-reviewed journal:
Preston, L. 2013., ‘Publishing and visual culture: symbiotic relationships and the impact of technology on publishing strategies and activity‘ Book 2.0 3:1, pp.25-43.

Exhibition Catalogues:
Brownrigg, J. 2006. AWOL in Romania. In: O, Tanase ed. 2006. Absent without leave (AWOL) Young Artists’ Biennial, 2nd Edition, Bucharest 2006. Bucharest: META Publishing House. pp.8-49.

Catto, A. and McGowan, K. eds., 2006. Dundee Visual Artists Awards Scheme. Dundee: Scottish Arts Council and Dundee City Council. p.30.

Links:

University of St Andrews, School of Management

Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/prestonlouisa

Twitter: @louisa_preston

Working Title: The Scottish Child Reader in the Long Eighteenth Century: A Comparison of the Expectations and Experience of Young Readers in the Wake of the Scottish Enlightenment

Topic: The eighteenth century saw the invention of marketable, commercialised literature specifically aimed at children. I will be investigating this development in a specifically Scottish context, and will explore the following questions: What were the perceived educational, spiritual and developmental needs of Scottish child readers? How did writers of both imaginative and didactic literature attempt to address those needs? Which texts did Scottish children actually read during the long eighteenth century? How did they perceive those texts? Did the new children’s literature promote literacy? Did(and do) the expectations of (adult) writers and child readers ever really match up? Through a discussion of the legacy of Scottish Enlightenment thinking (particularly on the nature of’useful knowledge’) on ideas about reading and education, I will explore the differences in reading and education between Scotland and the rest of Britain.

Research Interests: The Long Eighteenth Century, Book History, History of Reading, Children’s Literature, History of Childhood, Scottish Enlightenment, Romanticism

Supervisors:

• Dr Katie Halsey (Division of Literature & Languages)
• Professor Kirstie Blair (Division of Literature & Languages)

Scholarships:

• AHRC DTP Studentship 2014-2017
• University of Stirling Merit Scholarship 2013-2014 (Masters)

Conference Papers:

• “The iron grasp of adversity”: Suffering and didacticism in the novels of Mary Brunton, presented at University of Stirling Arts and Humanities Postgraduate Conference, May 2014

Email: maxine.branagh@stir.ac.uk
Website: maxinebranagh.co.uk
Twitter: @maxinebranagh
Linkedin: uk.linkedin.com/in/maxinebranagh
Academia.edu: stir.academia.edu/MaxineBranagh