NOVEL GIVEAWAY *YOU*

In honour of Cathy Brown of 746 Books including my first novel YOU (2010, New Island) in her list of 100 Irish novels for Ireland Month, I'm giving away a copy of that book.

Just leave a comment to say you want to be in the draw. Simples!

I will post to anywhere but please do NOT comment as ANON. And check back in a week or so to see if you've won. (If the winner can't be contacted by St Patrick's Day, I'll draw another name.)

☘ Good luck! ☘

DESNUDO GIVEAWAY

Book giveaway on my Facebook page! One copy of Desnudo (Spanish edition of my short fiction collection Nude) up for grabs. It's a compact hardback with a bronze ribbon bookmark. Very lovely. It is translated by Maximo Alaez, who also did the drawing of the nude for the cover. Multi-talented Max, we call him.

Go here to enter!

VIRGINIA WOOLF, HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Today's Google doodle is in honour of VW's birthday

People always moan about January but, being my birth-month, it's a month I like (despite dire post-Christmas broke-ness). I turned 48 this month, so was happy to find, on the Monk's House Insta today, an extract from Virginia Woolf's diary from 25th January 1930, the day she turned 48.

‘I am 48: we have been at Rodmell—a wet, windy day again; but on my birthday we walked among the downs, like the folded wings of grey birds and saw first one fox, very long with his brush stretched; then a second; which had been barking, for the sun was hot over us; it leapt lightly over a fence and entered the furze—a very rare sight. How many foxes are there in England? At night I read Lord Chaplin’s life. I cannot yet write naturally in my new room, because the table is not the right height, and I must stoop to warm my hands. Everything must be absolutely what I am used to.’

It has been wet and windy in Galway today, with little spots of sun, and apparently it's been the same at Monk's House too. I spent one of the happiest days of 2016 there. Blogpost about that here. (And for those who have asked, no I am not writing a novel about VW, I just love her!)

A VW silhouette I bought at Monk's House

BECOMING BELLE - COVER REVEAL GIVEAWAY

UPDATE - The winner of the proof copy of Becoming Belle is Mary T. Bradford. Congrats, Mary!

*

Writing  - and life - busy-ness has kept me from here but I'm back with a cover reveal and a giveaway. These beauties arrived today  - proof copies of Becoming Belle, out August with GP Putnam in NY and Penguin Canada. Aren't they gorgeous?!?

Becoming Belle is described as 'a witty and inherently feminist novel about passion and marriage, based on a true story of an unstoppable woman ahead of her time in Victorian London.'

So, dear readers, if you like the sound of that, I want you to read it asap. Leave a comment to be in the draw - saying that you want to be in the hat - and I will pick one name this day next week, Friday the 12th. Please DO NOT leave comment as 'unknown' - I can't contact an unknown!

Worldwide giveaway. Good luck!

*PLEASE CHECK BACK NEXT FRIDAY FOR WINNER! I WILL DRAW A NEW WINNER IF PRIZE IS NOT CLAIMED BY FRIDAY 19th JAN.*

Short Story of the Year longlist

I am very happy that one of my stories has made the Writing.ie Short Story of the Year longlist. More here. Crossing fingers for shortlist luck, now.

If my story does make the shortlist, there will be public voting anon, so I'll be counting on you, my ONE reader, to vote ;) And there'd be a lovely night out at the Irish Book Awards to boot. Glamour!!

Come on, Jupiter, arrange that joyride!!

BEAUTIFUL STROKESTOWN

Strokestown, and the Women in Literature Event, was so beautiful in so many ways: that gorgeous Georgian town (sadly now like so many Irish towns a shadow of its former lively self); the house itself; the famine museum; the conference and its many speakers - Christine Kinealy, Marita Conlon-McKenna, Jessamine O'Connor, Luke Gibbons et cetera. The fresh food in the Strokestown Park cafe! The sambuca...(enough said.)

Thanks to Jason King of the Irish Heritage Trust for the opportunity to take part. I fell in love with the place and am going back with my husb and youngest at Christmas for their Victorian Experience.

A few pics to give a flavour of the event and surrounds:

Jessamine

Luke

View behind the house

In through the window

Town doorway

Marita

Christine

Orla, chairperson of Roscommon Co Co, gave a rousing, feminist speech

Famine museum

Irish Women in Literature event

I'm reading at this free 2 day Irish Women in Literature event at Strokestown Park, Thursday 5th October. All welcome!