“Wow. I’m so speechless but I’ll do my best.
I’d firstly like to start with my thank yous: I know these normally go at the end, but to me they’re probably the most important part.
To begin I want to thank my agent Rachel Petty, who truly championed Glasgow Boys in ways I’ve only ever dreamed of. It’s really important that your agent understands the core of your novel, in order to articulate that to the world, so I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without Rachel, who so completely understands Glasgow Boys.
Secondly, I’d like to take a minute to thank my incredible editors, Alice Swan and Ama Badu. Glasgow Boys is a product of their tireless work and incredible skills, both of which in my opinion know absolutely no bounds.
I’d quickly like to shout out the entire team at Faber, specifically Beth Carter, Jack Bartram, Natasha Brown, Simi Toor, Leah Thaxton, Sarah Connell, and so many more incredible people at the wonderful publishing house of Faber who I absolutely idolise and who are all a tiny piece of Glasgow Boys. Working with the team and what we’ve managed to create with Glasgow Boys is truly the proudest achievement of my life.
I want to take a moment to thank my wonderful sensitivity readers John Radoux and Ania Bas, who both read for the authenticity of the foster care system and Finlay’s Polish Identity.
Lastly, I want to thank the people who have shaped me and given me everything I have: my mum and dad, Catherine and Robert McDonald, my brother and sister, Caitlin and Joseph McDonald, and my phenomenal fiancée, Jamie Thorburn, who is with me today and who is truly on every single page of Glasgow Boys.
I’m utterly delighted to receive the Carnegie medal for Glasgow Boys, which is as near and dear to me as my own heart. With Glasgow Boys, it was my intention to bring into the light things that are often overlooked as a working class, disabled and first-generation university student, but mainly the difficulties of making your way through a world that is essentially not built for you.
Maybe we don’t often speak of these invisible barriers, but we navigate them regardless. It was something deeply important for me to showcase the strength, the community, the humour and the love of the people within Glasgow Boys, including but not exclusive to: care experienced people, healthcare workers, hospitality staff, queer people, immigrants, and the working class.
Banjo and Finlay feel as real to me as everyone in this room right now. They are genuinely standing up here with me to accept this award, as cheesy as that sounds, and I just want to thank the judges for celebrating them and their story, for giving them this platform and welcoming them into such an incredible legacy as the Carnegies.
To be honoured with an award chosen by librarians will forever be so special to me, who wouldn’t be an author and would never have found books without the absolutely vital support and encouragement that teachers and librarians offer the world. Their job is to shape the future, which is not always easy, but I do hope it’s worthwhile when they’re able to witness their impact in the form of everyone in this room.
Lastly, I want to talk to my other shortlist-ees. Obviously, I was one of you and I certainly expected to stay that way, so I just wanted to thank you for all of your wonderful books. Nathanael, Matt, Claire, Kelly, Blessing, Luke and my fellow Scot, Brian. I absolutely adored all of your novels and I feel much more connected to my own humanity through them. They are so deeply important and I feel as though I’d love to share this award with you. I wanted to let you know that anyone would have been a worthy winner in my eyes.
Thank you so much; I’m so excited to celebrate with you all.”