Matthew Fitt has lived all over the world: Prague, New York and Sydney but now lives in Lanarkshire. He is a writer and teacher who goes to schools encouraging pupils and teachers to feel more confident in their use of the Scots language. His passion for the Scots language led him, in 2001, to co-found, with James Robertson and Black & White Publishing, the imprint Itchy-Coo; which is a press for children's books in Scots. The company describes itself as offering 'braw books for bairns o aw ages'. Fitt fills the role of Education Officer at Itchy-Coo as well as continuing to write. He has been a writer in residence at Greater Pollok and a Brownsbank Fellow (Brownsbank Cottage being the former home of poet Hugh MacDiarmid). He has visited Holland and the Czech Republic through the British Council in a bid to introduce Scots language and culture to young people; a help in times of Europe-wide migration. Fitt has published many works, but is best known for But N Ben A-Go-Go, a cyberpunk novel set in a futuristic Scotland; Kate O Shanter's Tale: And Other Poems and the latest Itchy-Coo publication aimed at babies and toddlers, Katie's Moose. He also translates books into Scots, including a retelling of Hercules and a translation of Roald Dahl's The Twits, The Eejits.
