About

K. ALAN LEITCH

Developing literary aesthetic for the fun-loving reader.

ABOUT

BIOGRAPHY: An author of YA, Mysteries and Satirical Adventures, K. Alan Leitch sees words in the eyes of others, just like one of his protagonists. His novel awards include Textnovel, Serena McDonald Kennedy, The Write Launch and Book Pipeline. Through short fiction, he’s loved soap operas with Writer Advice; lived loudly in Gathering Storm Magazine; written in seven different voices for Women on Writing; and protected other worlds in Stringybark Stories. His satirical adventure, Crimes of Convenience, has placed in the 2017 International 3-day Novel Contest, and his YA Mystery, Too Much Information, has placed in the top ten of the 2017 Book Pipeline Contest, surpassing 1,974 other published and unpublished novels.  ‘Gram, Tweet or Tumble him @KAlanAuthor.

HOME: Surfers Paradise, QLD

PREFERRED NAME: Keith

GENDER: Male

AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS:

  

Finalist	Crimes of Convenience	2017 3-Day Novel contest
Semi-finals	Too Much Information	2017 Book Pipeline novel competition
Feature	Too Much Information, ch. 3	The Write Launch
Second Place	The Cold and the Dutiful	Writer Advice, Volume 20, Issue 4
Print/ eBook	The Last Page	Gathering Storm Magazine, Issue 3
Runner Up	No Chocolate for Gerald	Spring, 2017 Fiction Competition
	The Malicious Mist of Misery Sound	Fall, 2016 Fiction Competition
	Mixed Colors	Spring, 2016 Fiction Competition
	Ease	Fall, 2015 Fiction Competition
	Starlite Lanes: We Bowl for Democracy	Recipient:Textnovel Award Final Reading: Serena McDonald Kennedy award
Honorable Mention	Passings	Winter, 2018 Fiction Competition
Honorable Mention	Damp Courtship	Winter, 2017 Fiction Competition
Final Judging	Last Gift of the Coltray	2017 Parsec Short Story Contest
Final Reading	My Father’s Voice	Winter, 2016 Fiction Competition
Final Reading	The Colorful Cargo of Captain Jimmy	Summer, 2016 Fiction Competition
Second Place	The Hug	Independent Education Union’s open category fiction award
Honorable Mention	Enduring Entropy	Published in “A Visit to the Duchess,” by Stringybark Stories.

SOCIAL MEDIA: See other samples of my writing, along with my blog, Words from K. Alan . Follow me on Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr @KAlanAuthor .

ORGANIZATIONS: Member: English-Speaking Union; Member: English Teachers Association of Queensland; Organizer: South-East Queenland Public Speaking Adjudicator: Rostrum Voice of Youth Adjudicator: Lions Youth of the Year Public Speaking Adjudicator: GC Debate

SPEECHES PER YEAR: 1-3

SAMPLE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS: Saint Stephen’s College; A.B. Paterson College; APS Schools’ Association

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

SCHOOL:James Cook University/Oxford University

DEGREE:Master’s Degree

GENERAL FIELD OF STUDY:Education

SPECIFIC FIELD OF STUDY:English Literature (particularly at Oxford)

ACTIVITIES AND SOCIETIES:Member of the English Speaking Union and the English Teachers’ Association of Queensland

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Not only has my postgraduate academic writing earned me Distinctions, but my studies of literary style and perspective have opened new avenues toward constructing reader-centered narratives. The accessible plots that I love to write are enhanced by a perfect balance of influence from literary masters.

 

CURRENT FIELD: Education

RELATED EXPERIENCE: English Literature and Advanced Placement English Extension teacher.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE:Finding new ways of teaching and motivating students to learn about literature keeps my literary toolbox continuously refreshed. Furthermore, familiarity with the attitudes and styles of teenagers informs the voices of my Young Adult fiction.

PERSONALITY

MY WRITING STYLE: Emotions symbolized are a powerful narrative tool. Spiderwebs of anger crawl from the bellies of my characters to twist their faces; flightless joy grounds them to a family they did not know they loved. Any object in the setting can link to feelings.

MY DISTINCTIVENESS AS A WRITER: A range of life-experiences creates a rich field of sources for a writer, and I have worked in I.T., Secondary and Post-Secondary Education and retail, in three countries 9,000 miles apart. My extensive world travel and time with many socioeconomic classes have exposed me to a patchwork of voices that stitch together into my own unique narrative.

 

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