INTL SHORT STORY DAY GIVEAWAY & DALKEY PICS

In honour of International Short Story Day, I am giving away a copy of Mother America to one reader of this blog. To win, all you have to do is tell me the name of your favourite short story writer, or short story, in a comment. Easy peasy!

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I have been too snowed under to report on the Dalkey Book Festival. Let it suffice to say it's a gorgeous festival in a gorgeous place. If I were a millionaire (har har) I'd live there - the cute village, the beautiful bay, the warm locals...

Bono showed up to hear Heaney; and Helena Nolan and Carlo Gébler showed up to hear Mary Costello and me ;) We were delighted with our large, attentive, literary audience in The Magpie Inn, a truly friendly and lovely venue with great food, organic wine and a variety of good beers. All thanks to Declan Meade of The Stinging Fly and Rachel of the Inn who organised the reading and hosted us so well.

Earlier in the day Yvonne Cassidy read beautifully from her new novel, set in Manhattan and Dublin,  What Might Have Been Me. She is already in the thick of her next New York novel, whose main character she told us is 'a bit OCD, a bit spunky'.

Mary Costello read a gorgeous, moving story from her acclaimed collection The China Factory. The story - 'This Falling Sickness'- is about a woman attending her ex-husband's funeral in Mayo, but also has the death of a child in an accident. The story I read, 'Cri de Coeur' was as jolly - death by suicide of a mother and her daughter - it isn't all about that, of course, but we were well matched. Q&A and signing afterwards.

Here are a couple of my pics of the day. See the festival's Facebook page for the ones of Heaney and Bono.

Writers rocking stripes: Myself and Helena Nolan before Yvonne Cassidy's reading (Juno in the back)

Yvonne Cassidy signing after her reading

Mary Costello reading from The China Factory

BLOOMSDAY READING IN DALKEY

 
Mary Costello and I are reading on Bloomsday in the lovely village of Dalkey in Dublin at their annual Book Festival. 7.30pm in The Magpie Inn. Uncle Jimmy would be proud ;)

I'm advised by the festival people in Dalkey that it's best to book tickets ahead, apparently events sell out. You can book here. Admission: €5.

LAUNCH & LONDON AFTERS

I feel like I am on very fast train with just occasional pitstops in Ballinasloe. When I get to Ballinasloe I either a) do housework and mind kids, or b) sit at my laptop and mind kids. Conclusion? The glamour never ends...

So, the launch in The Winding Stair went off beautifully - lots of people, book sold out, warm atmosphere. Among many others, my dear little Auntie Eta came - she has been such a stalwart supporter. Thanks to all who came - it was a lovely night.

These are some of my friend Karen O'Neill's pics (she is available for weddings!).

Me reading - with rather a funny stance :)

Eoin Purcell launching Mother America

Signing with my mushroom pen - a gift from writer and blogger Rachel Fenton

Signing for writer Monica McInerney (who ran to Easons to buy 3 copies when the Winding Stair sold out - sshhh!)

And then it was a hop, skip and a jump to London, to the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith where I received a warm welcome from the Centre's manager, Catherina Casey and assistant manager, Kelly. I read and was interviewed by Catherina, and it was a relaxed, friendly event.

Art work by Fion Gunn at the Cultural Centre, London

After lunch in the Centre, Bernard O'Donoghue and Claire Keegan did the same - they were interviewed by Dorothy Allen, an Irish journalist who lives in London. Both read beautifully and talked very interestingly about their respective childhoods and how that affects their work. Claire talked about being lucky - she got several good breaks early on, meeting David Marcus for example.

Bernard O'Donoghue, me and Claire Keegan by Hammersmith Bridge

After the readings Catherina brought us for food and drinks to a riverside pub near Hammersmith Bridge - it was buzzy and beautiful and we were joined by an Irish couple, based in Oxford, who had attended the readings. All very jolly!

Barges on the Thames at dusk

Next stop Dalkey Book Festival on Saturday where I am reading at The Magpie Inn, Coliemore Road, with Mary Costello, at 7.30pm.