Dreaming the Daily Darg: Working Lives in Scottish Writing since 1918 Studies in Scottish Literature 50/1, 2025 A special issue exploring work & working life in Scottish writing chiefly of the 20th & 21st centuries – available now on Open Access #litstudies scholarcommons.sc.edu/ssl/vol50/is...

Next in our timeline: No. 39 – Mavis Belfrage (1996). Originally titled Agnes Belfrage, Gray changed it after input from writer Agnes Owens. His least fantastical work, it explores love and working-class life from the '50s–'90s. #alasdairgray #thealasdairgrayarchive

Began reading this last night. Three authors alloted one third of the book each. Alasdair Gray is one of my favourite writers. I know almost nothing about Agnes Owens and James Kelman, but the Kelman selection so far has been excellent, reminding me somewhat of Beckett ☺️ #booksky

Front cover of Saturday Herald. Agnes was born and grew up Milngavie, where generations of mothers family were embedded in the area for years before. She moved to live in Alexandria (The Vale ) in 1964.

todays chazza bookshop find so sexy

In the coming weeks, this page will be changing name. It will become the Agnes Owens Literary Estate with a refreshed bio as the Bluesky social media presence for that entity.

“It didn’t occur to me for about five or six years after leaving school that literature was something I could be involved in. Then I discovered it was possible to write stories myself…” —an extract from James Kelman on “Elitism & English Literature”, from a book I’m currently typesetting

“I don’t write about people that are nice people. They’ve got to be sinners, with a wee touch of goodness here and there, you know.” Giving “people like that” a voice: a conversation with Agnes Owens (1926–2014) – born #OTD, 24 May A 🎂 🧵 1/5 journals.openedition.org/etudesecossa...

Old Tawny

Young Agnes Striding out with her mother Jessie down Milngavie High Street!

Happy birthday Agnes ❤️ Deeply honoured to be working with Agnes’s family to bring her work to wider attention in 2026 to coincide with her centenary via her archive (housed within @agrayarchive.bsky.social) ❤️

www.arvon.org/writing-cour... This was a fascinating live webcast !

Have now secured the backing of my old 3rd Kilmarnock Boys’ Brigade company. This book cannot fail…😉📚

Just brilliant and great about the interview!

@penamerica.bsky.social ’s latest report highlights rising threats to writers, not just in authoritarian states, but in democracies too. PEN International echoes the call to protect writers everywhere. Read via The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...

Young Agnes shopping in Milngavie

Great choice.

Another lovely afternoon recording John's memories of his mum, Agnes Owens. Huge thank you, John, for providing such rich and valuable insights!

Spent the afternoon in sunny Balloch, recording an oral history interview with Doreen Hopwood, a friend of Agnes Owens for many decades. Thank you to Doreen for sharing her memories with me, as well as bringing some fab materials that will make an excellent addition to @aowensarchive.bsky.social !

Our Custodian @sorchadallas.bsky.social honoured to meet so many of Agnes Owens friends & family today whilst discussing her work & plans for sharing via the @aowensarchive.bsky.social at Alexandria Library for #internationalwomensday

For #InternationalWomensDay we celebrate Agnes Owens whose darkly comic stories of everyday working-class life brought a satirical edge to the wealth of post-industrial urban Scottish fiction produced at the end of the 20th cent, can’t wait to open @aowensarchive.bsky.social later this year!

In honour of International Women’s Day I listened to my favourite bad a*s 90’s women, Alanis Morrisette, Sinéad O’Connor, and Sheryl Crow- love them. Had it been a day of reading? Then hands down, Margaret Atwood, Barbara Kingsolver, and Agnes Owens. Here’s to great women and their contributions💪🏻

Our Custodian, @sorchadallas.bsky.social , is delighted to be giving a talk on Agnes Owens tomorrow for #internationalwomensday She will be discussing her work & plans to bring it to wider attention via the opening in 2025 of @aowensarchive.bsky.social supported by her family ❤️

I don't know who needs to hear this, but your day job doesn't define you as a writer! 💫 Many famous authors had day jobs while writing their breakout novels. Stephen King worked two jobs while writing Carrie, Agnes Owens was a cleaner, Janice Galloway was a teacher, Douglas Adams was a body guard.

Just watched the BBC Doc- Girl in the River. Heartbreaking !

A brilliantly detailed piece on the inward spying state, writers on the radar!

A more realistic analysis of these fascinating conflicts depicted the n America can Primeval . For all its faults I thought it was still a commendable ‘Western’

Fantastic article although no mention of his association with the faction Clann Albain, a proactive Scottish Independence group consisting of other writers of the Scottish Renaissance such as Hugh MacDiarmad, Neil Gunn and Nigel Tranter .

Exhibition I went to in Brisbane 2015 on David Lynch, the Greatest of film makers !

“I mean they were mostly fighting in places that didn’t belong to them, weren’t they?” Much of English history is neatly summarised in AUNTIE ROBBO, Ann Scott-Moncrieff’s children’s novel that was rejected as being “too Scottish” by London publishers in 1941… 2/7

Very much informed on this big cat - great article !

Beautiful light for a snow shoe excursion from home up the Cromdale hills today - but very soft and tiring powder underfoot. www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/c...

….never pick up a stone if you do not have a place for it!

Ma Maw an Me!

Finished this, originally given to Agnes Owens from Mr Kelman in 1984, she had all of his books !

Claire Keegan

“I am a chorus in search of a tragedy, a raker of middens in the industrial North. “I am a genius in an obscure line of business. Try me a little. “I may have something you can use.” The author & artist Alasdair Gray (1934–2019) was born #OTD, 28 Dec 1/5 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/a...

Brilliant that Gentlemen of the West is still regarded - so good to hear you enjoyed so much @zacharyngow.bsky.social

Star of Anagach

So very true ! @kariebookish.bsky.social

My 12 year old Tamdhu engraved with Gentleman of the West!