AN INVERCLYDE author has missed out on a prestigious Scottish book prize — but is now in the running for a British award for the same novel.

Paul Bristow’s The Superpower Project reached the final three of the Kelpies Prize for the best new children’s writing in Scotland.

Now it has been announced he has beaten off competition from around a thousand entries to be named in the shortlist of six for the Montegrappa Scholastic Prize for New Children’s Writing.

Paul, 39, said today: “It was really great to be shortlisted for the Kelpies, especially on my first attempt.

“It was a tremendous experience to go to the award ceremony at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, meet the publishers and get an idea of how it all works and get some insight into the industry.

“It’s certainly given me a bit more confidence in what I’m doing, thinking that I’m not totally barking up the wrong tree.

“Now I’m really pleased to hear I’m in the final six for the Scholastic award.

“The prize is once again, publication of the book.

“I’ll find out about this one in October, so, I’ll just keep plugging away.” He added: “I suppose I must be doing something right, and, if I can figure out whatever that is, I’ll do more of it!” Paul’s book is set in Greenock and is the first the father-of-three has written, although he has previously collaborated in producing local folklore, urban legends, comics and ghost stories celebrating the history of the West of Scotland and beyond as part of Inverclyde arts heritage group Magic Torch.

He works in Port Glasgow and Greenock, managing several projects for Inverclyde Community Development Trust.

He started his book last summer and spent about two months writing it.

Paul said it was partly inspired by seeing the world through the eyes of his children, Connor, 11, Ben, eight, and four-year-old Molly.

He said: “It’s aimed at eight to 12-year-olds, but I hope that it will be enjoyed by all sorts of people.

“I enjoy writing to relax and have loads of other ideas and I hope to write other books.” The book is set in and around Inverclyde, using a backdrop of the sorts of folklore and legends of the area that are frequently found on a blog he contributes to, Tales of the Oak.

It is about a girl called Megan, who has a big secret that only her recently ‘exploded’ grandmother knows.

The winner of the Kelpies was The Mixed-Up Summer of Lily McLean by Lindsay Littleson.

This time Paul is up against tales of circus troupes, young space pilots, lost monsters, dethroned princesses and trainee evil geniuses.