Alistair Mackay (writer) explained

Birth Date:	18 April 1984
Birth Place:	Johannesburg, South Africa
Occupation:	Author
Years Active:	2017–present
Notable Works:	It Doesn't Have to Be This Way (Kwela Books, 2022)
Alma Mater:	University of Edinburgh Columbia University
Mother:	Brigid May Mackay
Father:	Graham Mackay

Alistair Mackay (born 1984) is a South African novelist, short story writer and columnist. His debut novel It Doesn't Have To Be This Way was chosen by Brittle Paper as one of the 100 Notable African Books of 2022,^[1] and was long-listed for both the 2023 British Science Fiction Association Awards (for best novel)^[2] and the 2023 Sunday Times Literary Awards (for best fiction).^[3]

Education

Mackay studied Politics at Edinburgh University, Scotland, and later completed an MFA in Creative Writing at Columbia University in New York City.^[4]

Writing

Mackay's short stories have been published in Brittle Paper,^[5] New Contrast, The Kalahari Review and in the anthologies Queer Africa 2 (MaThoko's Books, 2017), which was shortlisted for a Lambda Award for best anthology in 2018^[6] and Queer Africa: Selected Stories (New Internationalist, 2018).

His first novel, It Doesn't Have To Be This Way, was published in South Africa by Kwela in 2022.^[7]

Bibliography

Novels

• The Child. Kwela Books. 2024.
• It Doesn't Have to Be This Way. Kwela Books. 2022.

Short stories

• "Going Home" in Queer Africa 2: New Stories. MaThoko’s Books. 2017. ISBN 9781928215424.^[8]
• "The King of the Jungle". Penny. Sixpenny & Co Publishing LLC. Vol 3. 2017.^[9]
• "Going Home" in Queer Africa: Selected Stories. New Internationalist. 2018. ISBN 9781780264639.^[10]
• “Why Don’t South Africans Read Fiction?” Kalahari Review. 28 June 2018.^[11]
• “Quiet as Ants”. New Contrast. Issue 184. Vol 46. Summer 2018.^[12]
• “From the List of Options”. Kabaka Magazine. 2019.
• “Fever Tree”. New Contrast. Issue 186. Vol 47. Winter 2019.^[13]
• “The Lucky Ones”. Brittle Paper. Brittle Paper. 2 March 2020.^[14]
• “Young People Problems”. adda. Commonwealth Foundation. 15 October 2020.^[15]
• “The Chair”. New Contrast. Issue 189. Vol. 50. Winter 2022. pp. 55–59.^[16]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Brittle Paper’s Notable African Books of 2022. Ainehi. Edoro-Glines. Ainehi Edoro. 18 December 2022. Mail & Guardian. 3 January 2023.
2. Web site: British Science Fiction Association Awards Longlist. 12 February 2023. British Science Fiction Association. 4 May 2023.
3. News: Staff reporter . 16 July 2023 . 2023 Sunday Times Literary Awards Longlist . Sunday Times . Times Live . 16 July 2023.
4. Web site: Columbia University School of the Arts Alumnus Alistair Mackay '18 to publish debut novel with Kwela. 5 April 2021. Columbia University. 4 May 2023.
5. Web site: The Lucky Ones. Alistair. Mackay. Alistair Mackay. 2 March 2020. Brittle Paper. 4 May 2023.
6. Web site: Queer Africa 2 announced as a 2018 Lambda Literary Awards finalist . Jennifer. Malec. Jennifer Malec. 7 March 2018. Johannesburg Review of Books. 4 May 2023.
7. Web site: NB Publishers Catalogue. February 2022. Kwela. 4 May 2023.
8. Book: Xaba . Makhosazana . Martin . Karen . Queer Africa 2: New Stories . 2017 . MaThoko's Books . 9781928215424 . 10 July 2023.
9. Web site: Mackay . Alistair . King of the Jungle . Penny . Sixpenny & Co, LLC . 10 July 2023.
10. Book: Xaba . Makhosazana . Martin . Karen . Queer Africa:Selected Stories . 2018 . New Internationalist . 9781780264639 . 10 July 2023.
11. Web site: Mackay . Alistair . Why Don't South Africans Read Fiction? . Kalahari Review . Kalahari Review . 10 July 2023.
12. Mackay . Alistair . Quiet as Ants . New Contrast . 2018 . 46 . 184 . 10 July 2023.
13. Mackay . Alistair . Fever Tree . New Contrast . 2019 . 47 . 186 . 10 July 2023.
14. Web site: Mackay . Alistair . The Lucky Ones . Brittle Paper . Brittle Paper . 10 July 2023.
15. Web site: Mackay . Alistair . Young People Problems . adda . Commonwealth Foundation . 10 July 2023.
16. Mackay . Alistair . The Chair . New Contrast . 2022 . 50 . 189 . 10 July 2023.