Pastures new for Catherine Deveney

ARGUABLY one of Scotland’s best-known journalists has left Scotland on Sunday newspaper, to work freelance, including as a book writer.

Catherine Deveney already has two novels to her name – Ties that Bind and Kiss the Bullet – and she has a third one – provisionally titled, Dead Secret – due out next year.

Her last piece for Scotland on Sunday – for whom she has worked for 20 years, ten as a staffer, and where she was chief features writer – was an interview with the wife of convicted killer, Peter Tobin.

She has also been signed up as a ghost writer for book publishers, Hodder.

She told allmediascotland.com: “I’ve always liked trying to capture people’s stories and voices. I know these are hard times to go freelance, but I felt it was time to give the book writing a real go. I was ready to take the risk.”

Apart from two years ago, when she boycotted the Scottish Press Awards – in solidarity with a NUJ protest against cuts being overseen at The Herald group of newspapers by then awards chair, Donald Martin – Deveney has won at least one title every year at the awards these last ten years.

She was named Journalist of the Year at the awards six years ago.