Gillian Shirreffs Author

Gillian Shirreffs is a Glasgow-based writer who uses fiction to explore the world of illness. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007. Her creative practice is driven by curiosity, invention, and the desire to illuminate the lived experience of MS. In 2021, she graduated with a Doctor of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. In her thesis she explored the relationship between object and illness, with specific reference to MS. The creative element of her doctorate is Brodie, a novel narrated by an object. The idea for this method of interrogation came during months of bed rest. Brodie's experiences mirror something of Gillian's own: the period of unwelcome intervention, confinement, and oddness that a relapse inevitably brings. Hungry for information, Brodie is able to see, hear, smell, intuit and can communicate with other objects. Brodie cannot, however, move unaided. This existence may be marked by limitation and a lack of control, but it is full and vital thanks to Brodie's keen interest in the lives and stories of others. Betrayal - a nod to her body's inclination towards treachery - is a theme that, in common with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, threads through the novel. However, it is Brodie's longing to return home to Violet (life before) that drives the narrative. Brodie was published on the 8th of September 2023 by Into Books. In August 2021 Gillian was diagnosed with breast cancer. In gratitude for the incredible support she received during 16 months of active treatment, and beyond, all profits from Brodie are going to Beatson Cancer Charity.