*OF DUBLIN & OTHER FICTIONS* REVIEW

My chapbook of flash, Of Dublin and Other Fictions, has been reviewed by Peter Blair in Flash, the International Short-short Story Magazine. Click and zoom to read.

Room 313 visual/audio response

Robbie Gannon, one of the LSAD students I worked with earlier this year, has posted the video response he made to my short story 'Room 313' and it's awesome!

HAPPY FLASH FICTION DAY!!

Happy (International) Flash Fiction Day!

I am delighted that my flash chapbook Of Dublin and Other Fictions has received a good review from Kelly Creighton, in New Zealand based journal Flash Frontier. A sample: 'Each fiction is a fresh one: a balance of truth and the surreal. The author makes us laugh (out loud) when we are not expecting to. Anyone who writes flash fiction should read this book; it should be taught! Ní Chonchúir makes brief look effortless, but this is her expertise.' The full review is here.

From 3pm to 6pm today I will be in Arthur's Pub on Thomas Street in Dublin for the Big Smoke Writing Factory's annual flash event. This year: Flash Fury! I'll be reading along with many others and also announcing the winner of the 99 word flash prize. I would love to catch up with some of you there.

I also have a flash called 'Cider and Simnel' in the NFFD anthology, Eating My Words. Which can be bought in paperback at £6.99 or for Kindle at £1.99. Lots of good stuff in there from writers like Tania Hershman, Eabha Rose, Nik Perring, Nigel McLoughlin, Cathy Bryant, Tim Stevenson and Jonathan Pinnock.

Wales Arts Review reviews *Of Dublin and Other Fictions*

The Wales Arts Review has a fab review of Of Dublin and Other Fictions in their new issue. Big thanks to reviewer John Lavin. '...what is so extremely impressive about Ní Chonchúir’s use of the flash fiction form is that, time and time again, she uses it to deliver the same epiphanic punch that can be found in the best of her short stories and poems.' The rest is here.

ARENA REVIEW OF *OF DUBLIN* CHAPBOOK

Writer Arlene Hunt (also publisher at Portnoy Publishing) reviewed my chapbook Of Dublin and Other Fictions on RTE Radio 1's Arena last Thursday. You can listen to it here, for another few days.

DUBLIN CHAPBOOK LAUNCH - THURSDAY!

I am delighted to be hosted by Arlen House for the Dublin launch of Of Dublin and Other Fictions. Arlen House are launching four books (two by members of my own writing group, The Peers - Patrick Chapman and Alan McMonagle) and are very generously letting me tag along. The other books are by two women writers I hugely admire: Geraldine Mitchell and Máighréad Medbh. All welcome!

Date: 12th December
Time: 6pm
Venue: Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2

CHAPBOOK GIVEAWAY FOR XMAS

Dear lovely readers, commenters and lurkers, I am giving away one copy of my new chapbook Of Dublin and Other Fictions today - a small Xmas prezzie from me to you. I will post to anywhere in the world and I will draw the winner on Wednesday, so it will get to you by Christmas.

I am throwing in a second chapbook, which I picked up in Massachusetts in October - 'Karma' by Rishi Reddi; it is this year's Once City One Story publication in Boston. Very cool.

All you have to do is leave a comment saying you want to be in the draw, with your full name and/or email address.

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AND THE WINNER IS:

 

As chosen from the golden bowl of names:

 

 Congrats, Katja!

LANGUAGE AT AWKWORD, REVIEW AT GEBBIE'S

I have a piece on language and writing at NZ mag Awkword Paper Cut. Michelle Elvy, sailor and writer, asked Robert Vaughan, Tim Heath and myself for our thoughts on language and rhythm. Here.

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The wonderful Vanessa Gebbie has reviewed Of Dublin and Other Fictions on her blog. Blushtastic review. Ta, Vanessa!

VIRTUAL TOUR - STOP #6 - ELIZABETH BAINES HOSTS

Writer Elizabeth Baines hosts me and my little chapbook today at her bloghome in England. We talk research and the surreal.

Elizabeth is one of the hardest working writers I know and I am a huge fan of her writing and also her blogs, which include the incomparable Fiction Bitch.

Interview here.

*OF DUBLIN* LAUNCH WITH ARLEN HOUSE

I am delighted to be hosted by Arlen House for my Dublin launch for Of Dublin and Other Fictions. Arlen House are launching four books (two by members of my own writing group, The Peers - Patrick Chapman and Alan McMonagle) and are very generously letting me tag along. The other books are by two women writers I hugely admire: Geraldine Mitchell and Máighréad Medbh. All welcome!

Date: 12th December
Time: 6pm
Venue: Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2

VIRTUAL TOUR - STOP #5

I am nearly done with all the me, me, me...in the meantime the lovely and talented Dan Powell has interviewed me at his blog home in England about Of Dublin and Other Fictions. We talk points of excitement (in writing) and annoying the shite out of critics. 'Tis here.

And there will be a Dublin launch for the chapbook. 12th December - watch this space!

VIRTUAL TOUR - STOP 4

Stop 4 on my virtual tour for Of Dublin and Other Fictions and I guest post at the lovely Sandra Jensen's blog about my short-short story 'Fish'. It's here.

DAN POWELL REVIEWS *OF DUBLIN*

Writer Dan Powell reviews the chapbook today on his blog: 'Ní Chonchúir...is a writer who is the exact opposite of faint hearted, a writer capable of producing small stories far stronger than, from their size at least, they might appear. It is said that the best things come in small packages. Of Dublin and Other Fictions certainly proves the idiom has truth in it.' Aw :)

VIRTUAL TOUR - *OF DUBLIN* - STOP 3

My virtual tour for the chapbook takes me to San Francisco today for an interview at the blog-home of writer Ethel Rohan. We talk personification, voyeurism and my new novel. See here.

*OF DUBLIN* GALWAY LAUNCH PICS

Thanks to everyone who turned up on Saturday at Tosnú Art Gallery for the launch of Of Dublin and Other Fictions - it was a blast. In nice timing, my piece about the beauty of chapbooks appeared in The Irish Times on Saturday. You can read it here.

Special thanks goes to Group 8 and the gallery for hosting; to Maureen Gallagher for doing such a fine job of launching the chapbook; thanks to the cake and crumble, salad and sandwich makers. Thanks for the cards, the pressies, the flowers. Thanks to my sis Úna for taking pics. And thanks to Lucy for selling the book on the night. Thanks to Tommy who, Jesus-style, produced more wine when all the launch wine was guzzled.

It looks like we'll be doing it all again in Dublin in December...watch this space! In the meantime, a few pics from Saturday's do:

Signing

Writers Tony O'Dwyer, Sara Mullen, Shauna Gilligan and Alan McMonagle

John Dillon and Finn Dillon - with John Walsh of Doire Press lurking behind :)

Writer Maureen Gallagher launching the book

Lyra and Juno enjoying tortilla chips

Nuala and gallery owner, Joyce Little

LAUNCH TONIGHT!!

Group 8 presents the launch of my chapbook of flash fiction from Tower Press, Of Dublin and Other Fictions, by writer Maureen Gallagher.

Saturday 9th November, 6pm, Tosnú Art Gallery, Brackernagh

I will read. Food and wine will be served. The chapbook will be for sale and I will sign.

Facebook event page here.

All welcome - free admission!

VIRTUAL TOUR *OF DUBLIN* - STOP #2

'Lusty, vibrant and irreverent' - review and interview of my new chapbook by/with Wicklow-based writer Alison Wells. Read here.

VIRTUAL TOUR - *OF DUBLIN* - STOP #1

I kick off my virtual tour of lit blogs at Rich Rennicks' A Trip to Ireland site today. Rich is an Irish writer based in North Carolina.

A sampler from the interview: 'People/critics always seem to want all fiction to be the novel, or to aspire to be the novel. This is messed up thinking. We need to accept that short can be good. Short is good! Comparing novels to short fiction is like comparing eggs to bacon. They go well, side by side, but they are not each other.'

Read the interview here and see Rich's review of the chapbook from yesterday here.

Rich says, 'I'm happy to do what I can to spread the word about good Irish writers.' So, if you are an Irish writer with a recent publication contact Rich via his site here.

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Launch is this Saturday, btw. 9th November, 6pm, Tosnú Art Gallery, Brackernagh, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. Launch speech by writer Maureen Gallagher. Food and wine will be served. The chapbook will be for sale and I will sign. All welcome!

1st REVIEW OF *OF DUBLIN & OTHER FICTIONS*

The first review of Of Dublin and Other Fictions is in, big thanks to Irish ex-pat Rich Rennicks of the A Trip to Ireland blog. Read it here.

BOOK TRAILER - OF DUBLIN AND OTHER FICTIONS

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Athlone Literary Festival yesterday. Bill Whelan and Prof. James Flannery were both lovely panel-mates. Good, decent men. We had an interesting discussion on the diaspora and Irishness.

When we got home, myself and my husband finished making a short book trailer we've been working on for Of Dublin and Other Fictions. We had fun putting it together - I hope you enjoy it!