Inverness-based author to judge memorial short story competition
Inverness-based Barbara Henderson, one of Scotland’s best-known writers, will be the judge for the 2025 Bill Mowat Short Story Competition.
The competition in memory of Bill – a well-known journalist, historian and councillor from John O’Groats who died last year – was set up by John O’Groats Development Trust and the John O’Groats Book Festival.
Barbara is the award-winning author of 11 books. Her historical fiction for children is widely studied in Scottish schools and has won several prizes, including two Young Quills awards from the Historical Association.
She has completed a year as the inaugural Forth Bridge writer in residence. Barbara still teaches drama in a primary school, but she says she loves to travel to “spread the story-love”.
Her latest novel, children’s eco-adventure I Don’t Do Mountains, will be published by Scottish Mountaineering Press in March 2025.
Ian Leith, a trustee of John O’Groats Development Trust and one of the book festival organisers, said: “Barbara is, of course, well known to John O’Groats Book Festival audiences, and we are privileged that she has agreed to act as the judge.
“The competition is now open, with this year’s theme being the Pentland Firth – giving writers the scope to interpret this in whatever way they see fit.”
Application forms are available from Café Groats at John O’ Groats or by email from ian@baselineresearch.co.uk
Winners in the inaugural Bill Mowat Short Story Competition were presented with their awards in November.
Writers were asked to consider the theme of lighthouses in conjunction with the Duncansby lighthouse centenary celebrations.
The overall winner was Susan Andrew, for her story entitled Ray, while Calum Falconer was highly commended for his entry, Light and Dark. The under-16 winner was Maree Ford for The Lighthouse Keeper.
This year’s judge was local writer Gail Anthea Brown.
Bill passed away in August 2023, aged 80. He represented north-east Caithness on Highland Regional Council for 16 years. He was chairman of Gills Harbour Ltd and a member of Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council.
Bill worked as an Inverness-based reporter for the Daily Record, having started out in journalism as Thurso-based editor of the Caithness Courier.
