Mollie Baxter

I worked as a waitress in triplicate, then in social services, with adults with learning disabilities, before committing myself to my writing.

Right now I’m working on a collection of short stories and a novel. Having long and short projects on the go means they grow together, and it helps prevent staleness creeping in.

I also write songs and have been performing since I was 18, singing, playing guitar, as well as reading short stories, performing sketches and improvising. I recently started learning to play the cello and suddenly have no friends.

Here is a short video made to support Mollie's stories in Before the Rain, flax006
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Biography

Born in 1977 in Essex, Mollie moved to Silverdale via Bolton by the time she was seven. From then, apart from a year in St Andrews, she has always lived in Lancashire, and always close to the sea. Now Morecambe is her anchorage.

She completed the MA in Creative Writing at Lancaster University in 2003 and has had many accolades for her work, and seen it published in The Quiet Feather, Scribe, Pitch, Lune Fiction, and on www.the-phone-book.com. She recorded Hating Baby in 2000.

She runs workshops for adults, children, under- and post-graduates (currently teaching at Lancaster University and University College of St Martins), and writes a column in NAWE Magazine, exploring ways to best facilitate students’ learning in creative writing

Awards

2005 - 2nd place in Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition October
2004 – 1st place in Word Market Short Story Competition
2002 – Shortlisted for the Lichfield and District Short Story Competition
2002 – 3rd place in International Ladysixstring Song-writing Competition.

Reviews

A poise, individuality and power in the writing that is rare
David Smith, Agent Annette Green Authors’ Agency
Risky…brilliantly achieved passages and effects.
Graham Mort, PhD Convenor at Lancaster University.
Intelligent writing, strange and thought-provoking
Archie Gibbles – reader review on ‘You Write On,’
What is so interesting about Mollie Baxter’s work is her diversity. She has a wonderful knack for creating other times and places, odd otherworldly realities as well as historical milieus, but is just as much at home writing about modern people living mundane here-and-now lives. A natural writer with an instinctive facility with words, she is blessed with a sharp ear for dialogue and an impressive descriptive talent. It will be fascinating to see what she does with all this talent.
Carol Birch

Workshop Feedback

As an experienced workshop leader and facilitator, since 2002, Mollie has worked in university, community and library settings. She is particularly interested in exploring the place where words and music cross over, and has begun to lead collaborative performance workshops. She sees her workshops as a chance to turn writing into a social act.
Mollie describes it in a way that makes you understand it clearly.
Mollie is very approachable and patient. She puts everyone at their ease hich helps to create a good learning environment.
Ms Baxter … certainly knows her subject and has filled me with onfidence … with Mollie's expert tuition I am now well on the way to completing my first novel.

Review of Thinking in Slices (in Square Cuts Flax001)

A light tone, an insistent ghost and a plate of tomatoes add up to a tender portrait of a remembered love affair. The repetition of their last conversation becomes more and more poignant as the story moves forward. Mollie shows a compassion and objectivity for her characters that projects a generosity to them, and from them to her reader.

Listen to Mollie read from Thinking in Slices which appeared in Square Cuts, flax001

Personal Reflection

My stories are modern gothic in the sense that I’m interested in externalising psychological landscapes into webs of symbolism and situation. This is what I’m attempting to do in Thinking in Slices.

I love performing my work, especially in environments where people get to share their work, otherwise you’re either just creating for yourself, or at least there’s a separation between the work and its audience.

Before The Rain – Flax006