Lin Anderson
Encyclopedia
Lin Anderson (born in Greenock
, Scotland
) is a Tartan Noir
crime novelist and screenwriter
, best known as the creator of forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. The Rhona MacLeod books are currently being developed for ITV
.
. She worked in the Nigerian bush for five years during the 1980s, and later wrote an African short story which was broadcast on BBC Radio Four. Another of her African stories was published in the 10th Anniversary Macallan/Scotland on Sunday
Short Story Collection. Before turning full time to writing, she used to teach maths and computing at George Watson's College
, Edinburgh
.
A film of her screenplay Small Love was shown at London Film Festival
and Edinburgh International Film Festival
in 2001, and broadcast on Scottish Television
in 2001 and 2002. Since then she has graduated from the newly founded Screen Academy Scotland
, and has further screenplays in production.
Lin is a massive fan of the film Braveheart
, claiming to have seen it over fifty times, and in 2004 wrote a book about the making of it (see Non-fiction below). She lives in the Merchiston
area of Edinburgh, near the writers Ian Rankin
, and Alexander McCall Smith
.
Lin is a member of the Femmes Fatales crime writing trio, together with Alanna Knight and Alex Gray
.
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) is a Tartan Noir
Tartan Noir
Tartan Noir is a form of crime fiction particular to Scotland and Scottish writers. It has its roots in Scottish literature but borrows elements from elsewhere, including from the work of American crime writers of the second half of the twentieth century, especially of the hard-boiled genre, and of...
crime novelist and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, best known as the creator of forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. The Rhona MacLeod books are currently being developed for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
Biography
Lin Anderson was born in Greenock, of Scottish and Irish parents. Her father was a detective in the CIDCriminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
. She worked in the Nigerian bush for five years during the 1980s, and later wrote an African short story which was broadcast on BBC Radio Four. Another of her African stories was published in the 10th Anniversary Macallan/Scotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday is a Scottish Sunday newspaper, published in Edinburgh by The Scotsman Publications Ltd and consequently assuming the role of Sunday sister to its daily stablemate The Scotsman...
Short Story Collection. Before turning full time to writing, she used to teach maths and computing at George Watson's College
George Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
A film of her screenplay Small Love was shown at London Film Festival
London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival is the UK's largest public film event, screening more than 300 features, documentaries and shorts from almost 50 countries. The festival, , currently in its 54th year, is run every year in the second half of October under the umbrella of the British Film Institute...
and Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
in 2001, and broadcast on Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
in 2001 and 2002. Since then she has graduated from the newly founded Screen Academy Scotland
Screen Academy Scotland
The Screen Academy Scotland is a collaboration between Edinburgh Napier University and Edinburgh College of Art. It was opened in August 2005 by the then First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell, and is based in Edinburgh, Scotland...
, and has further screenplays in production.
Lin is a massive fan of the film Braveheart
Braveheart
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical drama war film directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The film was written for the screen and then novelized by Randall Wallace...
, claiming to have seen it over fifty times, and in 2004 wrote a book about the making of it (see Non-fiction below). She lives in the Merchiston
Merchiston
Merchiston is a prosperous, mainly residential area in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. The housing is primarily a mixture of large, late Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian villas – several of the latter by Edward Calvert – together with a smaller number of Victorian tenements and...
area of Edinburgh, near the writers Ian Rankin
Ian Rankin
Ian Rankin, OBE, DL , is a Scottish crime writer. His best known books are the Inspector Rebus novels. He has also written several pieces of literary criticism.-Background:He attended Beath High School, Cowdenbeath...
, and Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, is a Rhodesian-born Scottish writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. In the late 20th century, McCall Smith became a respected expert on medical law and bioethics and served on British and international committees...
.
Lin is a member of the Femmes Fatales crime writing trio, together with Alanna Knight and Alex Gray
Alex Gray (author)
Alex Gray, born 27 May 1950, Glasgow, is a Scottish crime writer. She has published six novels, all set around Glasgow and featuring the character of Detective Chief Inspector Lorimer and his psychological profiler Solomon Brightman, the earlier novels being published by Canongate and later books...
.
Rhona MacLeod series
- Driftnet (2003)
- Torch (2004)
- Deadly Code (2005)
- Blood Red Roses (2005)
- Dark Flight (2007)
- Easy Kill (2008)
- Final Cut (2009)
- Reborn (2010)
Screenplays
- Small Love (2001)
- River Child (2006)
- The Incredible Lightness of Brian (2006)
External links
- Personal Website
- Sunday Times interview (2005)
- Radio interview (2009)
- Video interview at Daily RecordDaily Record (Scotland)The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
(2010) - Femmes Fatales website