Scott Ferguson Writer

My book is an 85,000 word coming-of-age tale set in the summer of 2014, amongst the thrill and ferment of pre-Referendum Scotland. It is fast-paced, humorous, and brings to life the millennial experience amidst the vivid and distinctive atmosphere of a post-industrial Scottish town.

The novel’s protagonist, Jamie Watt, is back home in Ayrshire after finishing University in Glasgow. It is a period of readjustment for Jamie, and while trying to find a job, and purpose, he reconnects with his childhood best friends: Euan, Jenny, and Euan’s younger brother, Gav. At first, Jamie finds exactly what he left, and he slips back into a routine of pints, gambling, and partying.

Jamie soon realises that his oldest friends have developed new problems, and like him, are at a crossroads in their lives. Jenny’s facing a resit at Edinburgh Uni, and is battling with an imposter syndrome she thought she’d overcome. Euan has a gambling addiction that he refuses to admit to and confront, and Euan’s troubled younger brother, Gav, with his own addiction issues, is at the brink of irreversible crisis.

Four years into a new Tory government’s austerity programme, Jamie finds himself part of a generation at the centre of intersecting economic & social crisis. With the Independence Referendum months away, Jamie is increasingly politicised, and he realises that although the future of the nation may be at stake, so is the destiny of its youth.

Some key themes this novel covers include the explosion of gambling addiction amongst young men; the experience of working-class students studying at elite universities; the mental health crisis exacerbated by the accessibility and normalisation of recreational drugs; the decline of social mobility and the prospects of young people; and the politics of hope. The politics of hope may seem nostalgic in 2026, however they found an outlet during the Scottish referendum, which preceded both the Corbyn & Sanders movements in the wider-UK and US.

In terms of comparative titles, my book could be compared to “Young Mungo” by Douglas Stuart, “The Young Team” by Graeme Armstrong, “Lazy City” by Rachel Connolly, and “Close to Home” by Michael Magee. I believe my own book belongs in the same growing category of coming-of-age tales. However, it’s unique in the way it captures a seismic time, both politically and socially, in recent Scottish and British history.

I am currently seeking agent representation and publication.