Jackie Kay's first collection, The Adoption Papers tells the story — her story — of a black girl's adoption by a white Scottish couple. It received a Scottish Arts Council Book Award, a Saltire First Book of the Year Award and a Forward Prize. She won the Signal Poetry Award for Two's Company. Her book of poetry for children, and a Somerset Maugham Award for her second collection, Other Lovers. Her first novel, Trumpet, has just been published by Picador.

About Life Mask:

"Warm, tough, painful and often very funny poems."
—Fleur Adcock, Sunday Times

"Witty, risky, lyrical, teasing; rich, strong, socially questioning"
—Ruth Padel, Independent

"Brave and honest, full of pain and rage, but also a tenderness which is not sentimental, but deeply moving"
—Elizabeth Bartlett, Poetry Review

"An outstanding young talent in British poetry and playwriting...a wonderfully spirited, tender and crafted contribution to Scottish writing, to black writing, and to the poetry of our time…a work of the utmost generosity and truth"
—Alistair Niven, Poetry Review