Kirkcaldy-born crime novelist Val McDermid has declared herself “gobsmacked” to receive an honorary degree from Oxford University.
The best-selling author returned to her alma mater today where she became an honorary Doctor of Letters.
And she said she could not be more pleased to be recognised for her achievements.
She added: “Nobody is more amazed than me. I’m frankly gobsmacked.”
McDermid began reading English at St Hilda’s College in 1972.
At just 16, she was one of the youngest in her class and was also the first student in the college to come from a Scottish state school.
And today she was among just eight people to be granted an honorary degree.
Other well-known names included historian Professor Sir Simon Schama, BBC international correspondent Lyce Doucet and former president of Chile Michelle Bachelet.
Already an honorary fellow
McDermid was accompanied to the ceremony by wife Professor Jo Sharpe, whom she married in 2016.
And she joined fellow-graduates in a parade through the city wearing full ceremonial dress – a scarlet robe with bronze trimmings and, despite some slight misgiving, a mortar board.
She said: “I’m already an honorary fellow of the college, which I thought was amazing.
“I thought that’s as high as it would get – Me! From a cooncil hoose!
“It still seems a bit surprising but it’s in recognition of what I’ve achieved in my work and role as a public person.”
Val McDermid honorary degree follows best-sellers, singing and football
That work includes an award-winning career in journalism followed by 38 best-selling novels, some of which have been adapted for TV.
Her books have been translated into 40 languages and sold 18 million copies.
And she has a new novel, Past Lying, due out this year.
The author is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
And she is patron of the Scottish Book Trust.
In her spare time, she sings in the band Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers.
She hit the headlines last year when she severed ties with her beloved Raith Rovers football club in protest at their signing of David Goodwillie.
The striker was branded a rapist in a 2017 civil court case.
McDermid, a former Raith board member, has since started her own team – McDermid Ladies.
Oxford snobbery fears were unfounded
A former pupil of Kirkcaldy High School, McDermid feared she might face snobbery as she embarked on her Oxford degree.
She said previously: “I was told by my teachers people like us didn’t go to Oxford.
“Luckily I grew up in a family where I had been trained to think I was as good as anyone else, so I stuck my neck out.”
Her fears she would be looked down on were unfounded however, and she added: “The only social problem I had was that nobody could understand my accent.
“Once I’d learned to speak English, I was fine.”
The author has since said going to Oxford changed her life and contributed to her later success.
