In 2015 I applied to the Scottish Book Trust’s mentoring programme for young writers and illustrators in Scotland called “What’s Your Story?” and I was one of ten to be chosen for the programme. The programme aimed to create a two-day creative writing conference in 2016, StoryCon, and to create an online resource to embolden and support Scotland’s teenage writers. The conference and online resources were produced by the ten participants of the programme with collaboration with Scottish Book Trust and partners. All ten participants were also professionally mentored in their chosen forms and genres and showcased the completed work produced during the mentorship at the conference in 2016. 

 

I was 17 and in my first college course doing an NC in Fine Art to get a better portfolio for the illustration course I was rejected for. I was mentored by graphic novelist Edward Ross who introduced me to comics and graphic novels and I produced my first comic with his guidance. 

 

It’s fun and nostalgic to look back at “Error 22”, especially after comparing it to the work I’ve done more recently. “Error 22” is an action/mystery story about a brainwashed assassin who kills a family but is unable to kill the young child and ends up trying to take care of her while trying to understand his own past. It’s heavily inspired by the “Captain America” character Bucky Barnes which is really funny looking at now. 

 

There were more issues of the story planned but never finished but Sebastian, the soldier, and Sarah still have a special place in my heart.