Christine De Luca

Christine De Luca is a Scottish poet and novelist who writes in English and in Shetland Dialect which is a blend of Old Scots with much Norse influence. You can find out more about her poetry and publications in her biography

December 2011

The UK's recent windstorms kept many Scots indoors. This led Christine to write a light-hearted poem, Whirlwind.

Another month and another review of And then forever. Follow this link to read The New Shetlander's review of 'And then forever'.

Blackwell's bookshop on South Bridge, Edinburgh has just restocked Christine's novel and it is also available from The Shetland Times Bookshop's website.

Christine has been a member of the Edinburgh-based Shore Poets for many years. The group has just celebrated its 20th anniversary and have released from the shore, a CD of poetry and music to mark the event. Christine has contributed a poem to the CD and was part of the team who compiled the poetry.

November 2011

Christine's novel, And then forever was reviewed by The Scotsman.

If you live in Edinburgh, you can pick up Christine's novel at Blackwell's bookshop, South Bridge. If not, then it is available online from The Shetland Times Bookshop.

Here are some more reviews of And then forever:

"In her well-handled use of history, De Luca has written a novel which is large in theme and scope but the relationships of the characters remain at the centre of the book."Review of 'And then forever', Mark Ryan Smith, The New Shetlander, Yule Issue 2011 No 258 (Read the full review)

"De Luca demonstrates a keen eye and freshness of vision when conjuring places...the author inexorably draws us into their web without recourse to surprise or suspense or sentimentality."'Tale of love and romance delights', Tom Adair, The Scotsman, November 2011 (Read the full review)

"We still get a sense of very real lives and places, which is particularly evocative as seen through the faded glamour of the tourist today, compared with the snow, the effort and the sawdust then."Review of 'And then forever', Diana Esland, November 2011 (Read the full review)

October 2011

Christine took part in two international literary festivals in Canada: the Thin Air Festival in Winnipeg and the Festival International de la Poésie in Trois Rivières, Québec.She described the Winnipeg Festival as "well organised, friendly and high energy". In the Francophone festival Christine had to read in three languages (French, English and Shetlandic) at each of the 26 events in which she was involved!

Two memories in particular stand out for her: taking part in an event with a group of local people who write mainly for therapeutic reasons and who had difficulty standing up in front of their peers and reading their poems; and, at another performance, learning that the old man who came late and left early was Jean Chrétien, the former PM of Canada.

Christine's other October event was the Edinburgh launch of her novel And then forever at the National Library of Scotland on the 19th of October. Over 90 people were there to hear Diana Hendry chat with Christine about the novel.

September 2011

March 2011

The Scottish Poetry Library voted Christine's poem Gaet-markers, from North End of Eden, one of the Best Poems of 2010.

September 2010

Christine launched her sixth poetry collection, North End of Eden, at the WordPlay Book Festival in Lerwick. The book is published by Luath Press.

Here are some of the poems from North End of Eden:

• HighAccidentals
• HighAvoirdupoids
• HighBlue Een

July 2010

Christine and Christie Williamson pick up the prize at the 2010 CMMA awards. Christine edited Christie's poetry collection, Arc o Möns. It was published by Hansel Cooperative Press.