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Cleland Smith
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I'm a Scottish writer, born in Inverness and raised in Dingwall by the Cromarty Firth. I have a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Glasgow, an MA in Creative and Life Writing from Goldsmiths College, London and a Diploma in Education and Training.
Over the years I have worked as a supermarket store detective, a call-centre knowledge engineer, a business analyst in the banking sector, as the development manager for an award-winning online learning company and as a college lecturer. My debut science-fiction novel, Sequela, was awarded a Kirkus star and was named to the Kirkus Best Books of 2013. My second novel, the historical fantasy Black Doe, comes out in August 2026.
As well as writing, I run workshops and work as an audiobook narrator. I currently live in Surrey with my husband, my two children and our cats, Maisie and Charlie.
I am also the poet Angela Cleland.
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My second novel, Black Doe, will be published in August 2026. It's set in the landscape of my childhood and though it's a historical fantasy for adults, it takes some inspiration from the many Rosemary Sutcliffe novels I read as a child. If you like gritty historical fantasy with assassins, mothers, kelpies and bloodthirsty pine martens, this might be for you. Find out more.
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