By CIARAN SNEDDON

 

 

Acclaimed crime writer Ian Rankin came home to Fife this week to award three talented writers with a financial prize.

 

HND Practical Journalism students Taylor Sneddon, James Cowan and James Jones were each given £600 by the Rebus author.

 

The scholarship has been running for several years, and Rankin gets very involved in deciding the winner each year.

 

The scholarship is open to students from a variety of media courses across Fife. Entrants must write a short story or script which is then submitted to the competition. The winners are then given a cash grant to put towards their studies or helping with their future careers.

 

The winners spent the day with Rankin, and got the opportunity to ask for advice, get feedback and chat with the author over lunch, before carrying out an exclusive interview with him.

 

Lyn Gold, Adam Smith Foundation manager, said she was delighted with how the day went.

 

"The day was a great success. Receiving a scholarship from such a well-known author as Ian Rankin means a great deal to the students and is a fantastic achievement which will help them secure future study, employment opportunities and provide some extra financial support which is always very welcome.

 

"Each year Ian gives up his time to review and judge the students’ creative writing which is a very valuable experience for them. This year he was extremely impressed with the standard of entries which was very high.”