Sue McCormick

Sue was born in Preston, Lancs, where she made her stage debut at the age of 4, with her parents’ variety act.

She spent 3 glorious years at Aberystwyth University in the 70s and, after leaving with a BA Hons Drama, she worked as an actor for over 40 years on stage, screen and radio. She wrote 5 plays that were professionally produced and specialised in directing site-specific Shakespeare.

After completing an MA in Creative Writing at Lancaster University, Sue now writes full time. She lives in Dumfries and Galloway where her partner Mark runs the oldest theatre in Scotland and where she indulges her lifelong love of Classic Crime, writing The Holly and Ivy Mysteries. The 1st in the series – Red As Any Blood – was published Sept 2025 by Honno Press and the 2^nd – Sharp as Any Thorn – will be out next year.

Other Writing –

Plays

WILD AS THE WHITE WAVES – The Life and Poetry of Edna St Vincent Millay – a one woman show on tour and at the Edinburgh Festival – 2002 to present.

BLOOD RED ROSES – commission for Demi-Paradise Productions at Lancaster Castle – 2004

UNRULY WOMEN – commission for Quondam Arts. Toured nationally 2007.

HELL AND HIGH WATER – commission for Mikron Theatre’s 40^th Anniversary. Toured nationally 2011.

NO FAT JULIETS – a contemporary comedy with songs – a co-production between The Dukes, Lancaster and Oldham Coliseum. 2013

Prose

SMALL ACTS OF COURAGE – a novel – shortlisted for the Retreat West Novel Competition. Self-published 2020.

THE PIG – short story – longlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize, the Fiction Factory Prize and the Yeovil Prize. Finalist in the Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition 2020 and published in their anthology – Life On The Margins.

SCARS – short story – short listed for the Wells Literary Prize.

Poetry

2 poems in The Lit Room Anthology AN ARTIST’S TALE

5 poems in DREICH #9 Autumn 2020

2 poems in SOUTHLIGHT 28