School Daze

The Scotsman peppered award-winning author Louise Welsh with all sorts of questions about what she liked about school, what she disliked, and her earliest ambition:

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO?


For a long time, I wanted to be a spy. At a careers day, I said I
wanted to join the diplomatic service. My teacher told me children from
comprehensive schools did not go into the diplomatic service and asked
if I fancied being a hairdresser. I had shown no interest in being a
hairdresser, and would have been rubbish at it. I always had literary
leanings, but didn’t know whether it would be possible to do anything
with it. Exams often filled the gap when I would otherwise be writing.

A hairdresser?! Sheesh. Although the spy thing came to fruition, sort of, in her newest work, TAMBURLAINE MUST DIE, which deals with Christopher Marlowe’s final days and is quite good fun.