Mary Irvine

Mary Irvine is a Yorkshire-born writer known for her diverse writing projects and commitment to promoting other writers. She is best known for her work in short fiction and local history pamphlets, often in collaboration with illustrator Anne Marshall.

Her most recent work, A Greek Love Affair (2024), is a romantic novel set in Greece based on her experiences living there.

Irvine's journey into creative writing began later in life. After retiring as a teacher, she studied for a Master of Letters in Creative Writing (M.Litt.) at Glasgow University, an experience that ignited her passion for storytelling. As for her late start, Irvine said: "Having been told at school that I had no imagination, I didn't start writing creatively, until I was in my sixties. Now, I love to experiment with different styles. This belief in the freedom of writing while maintaining the necessary discipline has informed her work ever since.

Before her writing career, Irvine was a teacher, specialising in working with children and adults with special needs. Her teaching career took her from a Church of England teacher training college to various roles, including teaching A-level English literature and managing special needs programmes. This background in education has shaped her disciplined approach to writing.

Her career took an adventurous turn when she moved to Greece, where she worked as Director of Studies at a language school in Athens before settling on the island of Spetses as a private tutor. These years in Greece would later serve as the basis for her debut novel, The Wind Whispers Her Name (2018).

Irvine's writing process is one of dedication, often involving several projects at once. For The Wind Whispers Her Name, she returned to Greece to immerse herself in the environment that inspired her story. "It seemed logical," she said of the decision to return to Greece for several weeks, where she wrote whenever she didn't eat or sleep. The novel draws heavily on her years in Greece, capturing the cultural nuances and personal experiences she encountered.

In addition to her writing, Irvine is heavily involved in supporting local writers through workshops, courses and literary events. She has organised numerous events, including the popular Meet the Author sessions and open mic nights at local venues, providing platforms for established and emerging writers.

Her latest novel, A Greek Love Affair (2024), tells the story of Carys, a woman who decides to pursue her dream of moving to Greece after a failed marriage. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Athens, the novel explores themes of self-discovery and finding happiness later in life.

Now living near Loch Lomond, Irvine continues to write and organise literary events, with a current project focusing on a memoir of peace campaigner Margaret Harrison.

Photo credit: www.glasgowwestend.co.uk