She was appointed as chancellor of the University of Salford in Salford, Greater Manchester, England (2015).
She is currently professor of creative writing at Newcastle University and cultural fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University.
She was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to literature.
She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2020 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to Literature in Greater Manchester, England. She is a poet and novelist.