Hello! I’m Dr. Carly Brown, a poet, author, and teacher based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
I am represented by Michelle Hauck at Storm Literary Agency.
If you’re looking for a bio to use for press and/or an event, please feel free to use these:
50-word bio
Dr. Carly Brown is an award-winning poet and fiction writer based in Edinburgh. Her debut novel Death on the Shooting Star is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press in 2028. She’s also the author of a best-selling children’s picture book, two poetry pamphlets, and a novella.
100-word bio
Dr Carly Brown is an award-winning poet and fiction writer originally from Austin, Texas and now living in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her debut novel, the sci-fi murder mystery Death on the Shooting Star, is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press in 2028. She is also the author of a bestselling children’s picture book, a literary sci-fi novella, and two poetry pamphlets. Known for her lively and witty spoken word poetry, Carly was Scotland’s National Champion of Slam Poetry (2013) and ranked fourth at the World Series of Slam Poetry in Paris. She is Co-Director of The Scottish Universities’ International Summer School (SUISS), one of Britain’s oldest and most distinguished summer programs.
If you’re still curious, here’s a wee bit more about my work across different areas:
As a poet, I’ve performed extensively across the UK and abroad, including at Glastonbury Festival, StAnza Poetry Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. My poems have appeared in The Scotsman and The Glasgow Review of Books and been shortlisted for the University of Cambridge’s Jane Martin Poetry Prize. My latest pamphlet, Anastasia, Look in the Mirror, was praised as “a brilliantly-crafted assemblage full of wit, warmth and panache” (Gutter Magazine) and the book was commended in the Callum Macdonald Memorial Award. On the basis of my poetry, I was endorsed by Arts Council England in 2018 as an “emerging world leader” in Literature and awarded a prestigious five-year Exceptional Talent UK Visa (2017-2023). I’m currently working on my first full-length collection about cosmic wormholes. More about my performance history here and my poetry publications here.
As a fiction writer, I’m interested in historical fiction, science fiction, or a blend of the two. My debut novel, Death on the Shooting Star, is forthcoming with St. Martin’s Press (Macmillan USA) in 2028, followed by a sequel. The book, a “sci fi mystery romp” about an intergalactic flight attendant solving a murder, was inspired by film noir and the golden age of air travel. My novella, All the Orphans in the Galaxy (Speculative Books, 2022), is a playful, post-modern exploration of grief, love and 90’s sci fi television. It was shortlisted for Best Novella in the 2023 Saboteur Awards and praised as “gorgeously geeky and beautifully heartstring-tugging” (Zoe Strachan). My historical short stories have been published in The Account, The Dangerous Women Project and CALYX. Since 2019, I’ve blogged about 18th century history and books.
As a teacher, I’ve taught Creative Writing and English at universities in Scotland for the past ten years. From 2023-2026, I was a Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, working with undergraduate, masters and PhD students. From 2026, I’ve served as Co-Director of The Scottish Universities International Summer School (SUISS), based at the University of Edinburgh. Outside academia, I’ve led writing workshops with all ages: from primary students aged 5-6 to retirees. I’ve worked at prisons, parks and public libraries. If you’d like to discuss working with me individually or with your organization, please see my teaching page for more information and testimonials. I’m also a member of the Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature Database.
As an academic, I hold a Doctorate of Fine Arts and an MLitt in Creative Writing (with Distinction) from the University of Glasgow. I also hold a First-Class MA Honours in English Literature from the University of St Andrews. My PhD, ‘A Matter of Loyalty: Engaging with America’s Revolutionary Past as a Creative Writer’, explored how creative writers access the 18th century past. I held a month-long residential fellowship at the Robert H. Smith International Centre for Jefferson Studies at Monticello, USA, in 2016 to conduct research for my doctorate. My main areas of academic interest are creative writing, social history, and the intersections of the arts and sciences. I’m also interested in how we can improve inclusivity and accessibility in live literature, and was Research Assistant for the Stay-at-Home Literary Festival in 2021, connecting the festival with local libraries throughout the U.K.
