LUGHNASA FESTIVAL SHORT STORY EVENT

Donegal today - Glenties - for a short story event tomorrow with me, Mary Costello and Carlo Gébler at the inaugural Lughnasa International Friel Festival. More here.

TWO RADIO INTERVIEWS - ARENA & GLUCKSMAN HSE

Life is kind of bananas at the moment - lots of radio interviews with the USA, off to Glasgow tomorrow for a newspaper interview, trying to pack for the New England trip (book tour! Emily Dickinson Intl Society meeting!), prepping PR stuff for the UK release etc. etc.

I have been wondering whether other writers love this stuff, like really enjoy and relish it? I like it in many ways but the hecticness gets a bit overwhelming at times. I'm normally a Dickinson-like recluse: happy in my own company, at my desk, living a quiet life here in Ballinasloe. So all this running around to airports and festivals, constantly answering questions about myself and about Emily, feels frenetic. (My husband reckons other writers leave five years between books in order to avoid it all for a nice chunk of time. I should try that, maybe.)

Anyway, the PR whirl continues: Catherine Dunne and I will be on Arena on RTÉ Radio 1 tonight to discuss the Italo-Irish Literature Exchange English language anthology, Lost Between (New Island). Tune in here or listen to the podcast from tomorrow.

And my interview with of Dr. Miriam Nyhan of Glucksman Ireland House NYU Radio Hour is now online here. If you're a Mary Costello fan she was interviewed by Miriam earlier in July here.

*GALWAY STORIES* - DUBLIN LAUNCH

Tomorrow, Wednesday 26th June at 7pm, in the IWC, Dublin, sees the Dublin launch of Doire Press's latest anthology Galway Stories. There will be Galwegians who are now Dubs. Dubs who are now Galwegians. Longfordians who are from everywhere but live in Galway. There will even be Galwegian Californians. There will also be books, readings, wine and chat.

DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL - s/s discussion

I will take part in a discussion on the short story, 'Inspiring Short Stories' at the Dublin Book Festival. With writers Mary Costello and Eilís Ní Dhuibhne, chaired by Eithne Shortall of the Sunday Times.

Sunday 18th November at 4pm.

Venue: Main Theatre, Smock Alley, Temple Bar.

See here for full details.

ARKANSAS BOUND

Irish writer Jamie O'Connell who will feature at the International Conference on the Short Story in Arkansas this week

Well, I'm off to Amerikay. Arkansas to be precise. To the International Conference on the Short Story to be even more precise. This will be my fourth time at the conference which takes place in a different city every second year. So far I've been to Lisbon in 2006, then Cork and in 2010, Toronto. I am stoked to be going to Arkansas. I am reliably informed by Dr Maurice Lee, the conference director, that the temps are 'hot, hot, hot' just now.

I am on two panels while there: one on flash fiction, the other on the Irish short story (oh what a vast and sticky subject). I am also reading with the delightful Katie Singer. Can't wait! And I can't wait to see my pals Tania Hershman, Sylvia Petter, Paddy O'Reilly, Ann Luttrell and Mary Costello. And to make the proper acquaintance of fellow Irish writers Molly McCloskey, Mary Morrissy and new-kid-on-the-block, Jamie O'Connell.

Early on Tuesday it's bye bye rainy Ballinasloe, hello sunny Little Rock :) I will blog from there if I have the wit and/or the time.

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.

STINGING FLY - SPRING 2012 ISSUE

The newest Stinging Fly arrived this morning, with new fiction from, among others, Mary Costello, whose short story collection The China Factory is due out in April (Cúirt launch 28th April!). There are lots of poems too, including one from Alan Jude Moore.

And there's a stunning review of The Juno Charm by Grace Wells. Huge thanks to Grace. A taster of the review: 'This spirit of audacious rebellion is Ní Chonchúir's defining and most engaging characteristic. Brazen and provocative, she endlessly offers up the unexpected; what unites her disparate work is the mercurial hand of a rare and trustworthy voice.'

I'm looking forward to sitting down with the mag and having a good, long read. Great cover too, as always. I'm loving the daffodil yellow band across the top - very spring-like to match the gorgeous day outside.