Blog Archives
Events in Dublin
There’s plenty of events to keep all avid readers and aspiring writers busy over the next few weeks and plenty more to come. Check out a selection below.
Hope to see you there!
Irish Crime Fiction: A Festival
Trinity College Dublin and Glucksman Ireland House, New York University are holding a festival devoted to Irish crime fiction, featuring more than a dozen of the most exciting Irish crime novelists. This will be a memorable weekend, devoted to a key genre of contemporary Irish writing, so please make plans to join us.
Among the confirmed participants are Conor Brady, Declan Burke, Jane Casey, Paul Charles, Michael Connelly, John Connolly, Conor Fitzgerald, Alan Glynn, Declan Hughes, Arlene Hunt, Gene Kerrigan, Kevin McCarthy, Brian McGilloway, Eoin McNamee, Stuart Neville, Niamh O’Connor, Louise Phillips, and Michael Russell.
We’re particularly pleased to announce that our weekend will conclude with a major event: for the Irish launch of his newest novel, The Gods of Guilt (Orion Books, November 2013), Michael Connelly will be interviewed by John Connolly. After the interview, and questions from the audience, Michael will be signing books, which will be for sale on the evening. Tickets are required for this final event, and they are €6 (inc. fees) from eventbrite.com.
Date: Friday, 22 – Saturday, 23 November 2013
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: Trinity College Dublin
Admission: Free events (€6 for Closing Event)
Admission: Free
Book Launch: The Outsider by Arlene Hunt
From the time she was born, Emma Byrne was different from other children. Shy and reclusive, her world revolved around animals, so much so that by the time she was 15, Emma was a much sought after horse trainer.
So who would try to harm this gifted young woman? Who was shooting in Crilly Woods on that fateful August day?
Emma’s twin brother, Anthony, is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to his sister, and in the course of his investigations makes a terrible mistake, one that will change all their lives forever.
The Outsider: sometimes those who love us most hardly know us at all.
Date: Thursday, 7 November 2013
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: The Gutter Bookshop
Admission: Free
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Crime Pays: Writing Crime Fiction
Crime Pays: Writing Crime Fiction
presented by WritersWebTV
“A forensic examination of the essential elements of writing crime,” is what Vanessa O’Loughlin promises to deliver to crime fiction fans of everything from psychological thrillers to detective fiction.
But whatever your genre, the key secrets, tips and techniques unveiled by a panel of writers at the top of their game – Ken Bruen, Declan Hughes, Jane Casey and Niamh O’Connor – will furnish you with the tools to pace your plot and keep your reader hooked.
Questions will be answered:
- Should you plot and plan in detail, and know the ending before you start, or can you write crime organically?
- How many characters should there be and how do you reveal backstory without losing the forward movement of the plot?
- What is foreshadowing and why does it play such a vital part in this genre?
- Research is crucial, but how much should you include in your story?
And best of all, you can watch it live for FREE, from anywhere in the world – but only on Wednesday, 30 October, from 10.00am – 4.00pm.
All you need to do is enrol now on www.writerswebtv.com or, if you want to download the workshop and watch it later, you have the option to pay to keep the course.
Wherever you are, and whatever your lifestyle, you’ll be able to tune in and out throughout the day:
10:00 – 11.30 Ken Bruen
11.30 – 11.45 Break/Online Audience – a chance for viewers to interact via Twitter @WritersWebTV
11.45 – 01:00 Jane Casey
01:00 – 01:30 Break/Online Audience – a chance for viewers to interact via Twitter @WritersWebTV
01:30 – 02:30 Declan Hughes
02:30 – 02:45 Break/Online Audience – a chance for viewers to interact via Twitter @WritersWebTV
02:45 – 04:00 Niamh O’Connor
This one-day workshop will be streamed live from a multi-camera broadcast studio in Dublin. Bestselling authors interact with an in-studio audience of aspiring writers, who present their work for critique. Online viewers can communicate with those in the studio using Twitter, Facebook or email. They can ask a question, take part in a workshop exercise, comment online and benefit from on-screen feedback from the authors in-studio.
Led by experienced workshop facilitator, Vanessa O’Loughlin, founder of writing.ie, the panel will consider the key elements of fiction writing and furnish viewers with tips, advice and actionable insights to help them improve their writing and get it on the path to publication.
I’ll be there – as part of the studio audience – hope you’ll join me!
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Guest Blog: Louise Phillips
THE DOLL’S HOUSE BLOG TOUR
I am delighted to welcome friend and crime fiction author, Louise Phillips, as a guest as she continues on The Doll’s House Blog Tour.
Let me introduce you to the trailer:
When it went live, The Doll’s House book trailer, caused quite a stir.
You can be view it here, but be warned – it’s not for the faint-hearted!
Survived that? Check out the latest reviews:
THE DOLL’S HOUSE has been described by crime writer, Niamh O’ Connor, as ‘chilling, mesmerising. Gets under your skin and stays with you,’ and by Myles Mc Weeney of the Irish Independent, as, ‘A gripping, suspenseful story, peopled with well-drawn characters…’
And now, at last, the book itself:
The Doll’s House
“Middle-aged male, multiple stab wounds, found drowned in the canal. You have my number. Call me.”
This is the message criminal psychologist Dr Kate Pearson receives one cold Saturday morning from Detective Inspector O’Connor, spoken in his usual curt manner. The middle-aged male in question is Keith Jenkins, the host of a popular TV programme, and as Kate and O’Connor begin their investigation, they find themselves faced with more questions than answers.
The past . . .
Following her mother’s recent death, Clodagh has begun to explore her past – her memories of her father, who died in a mysterious accident, and the dark tragedy that seeped through the cracks of her childhood home. When she begins to visit a hypnotherapist, scenes from her childhood begin to take shape, with interjections from a sometimes sinister cast of dolls.
. . . is waiting . . .
As Kate continues to investigate the disturbing details of the vicious murder, she is drawn closer to Clodagh’s unsettling family history. What terrible events took place in the Hamilton house all those years ago? And what connects them to the recent murder?
Time is running out for Clodagh and Kate. And the killer has already chosen his next victim…
Now over to Louise for some questions:
What do you feel makes for a great character – one that the reader will remember a long time after the final page?
Creating characters can be a bit like life, sometimes they can surprise you! And by that I mean that on occasions they can arrive practically fully developed on the page, and at other times, you have to dig quite deep. I think for the most part I know I have a strong character when their voice is constantly in my ear, so that when I go to write, it’s almost like you’re not the one doing the writing. We all have our favourite memorable characters from novels, but by and large the ones that stay with you are the ones that strike a strong emotional cord. I like a character that runs through your bloodstream the deeper into the novel you get. If at the end of a book, a part of you is already missing that character, then it is undoubtedly a memorable one.
There was quite an amount of research involved in The Doll’s House and part of it involved hypnosis and regression. Knowing what your character, Clodagh, uncovered, how did you feel while you were awaiting the countdown for your hypnosis session?
I think researching hypnotic regression for The Doll’s House reminded me how complicated our minds are. I was fully committed to the idea, and really believed it would happen. I had no idea that my conscious mind would block me from being regressed. Perhaps with the research I had learnt too much. The whole area fascinated me, which is why I chose to write about it in the first place. We all think we remember things as they happened, but we don’t. We constantly compromise our memory, as each time we recall an event, instead of going back to the original memory, we shortcut back to our last recall. So, getting back to your question, I was both nervous and excited. I hope to make further efforts to regress, and when I do, I’ll let you know how I got on.
It looks like The Doll’s House was a sell-out at its recent launch in the Gutter Bookshop. Were you surprised to find an even bigger turnout than at your debut novel, Red Ribbons?
Surprised and delighted. I was thrilled to see so many people there, and I think in part it was a testament to RED RIBBONS that so many people were keen to pick up a copy of THE DOLL’S HOUSE. I was amazed that whilst signing copies, on a number of occasions I looked up and saw that people were starting to read the novel on the queue! So far it’s got some fantastic reviews, so fingers crossed. The story seems to have really struck a nerve with people, and as a writer, you can’t ask for more than that.
About The Author:
Born in Dublin, Louise Phillips returned to writing in 2006, after raising her family. That year, she was selected by Dermot Bolger as an emerging talent.
Her work has been published as part of many anthologies, including County Lines from New Island, and various literary journals. In 2009, she won
the Jonathan Swift Award for her short story Last Kiss, and in 2011 she was a winner in the Irish Writers’ Centre Lonely Voice platform. She has also been short-listed for the Molly Keane Memorial Award, Bridport UK, and long-listed twice for the RTE Guide/Penguin Short Story Competition.
Her bestselling debut novel, Red Ribbons, was shortlisted for Best Irish Crime Novel of the Year (2012) in the Irish Book Awards. The Doll’s House is her second novel and has recently hit the book shelves with a vengeance!
I can promise, an enjoyable read awaits you . . .
The Doll’s House and Red Ribbons are available from Louise’s site here.
Available directly from Amazon: The Doll’s House and Red Ribbons.
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Author Interviews
Crime Scene Interviews on www.writing.ie
Writing.ie is an online magazine for writers and readers of all ages. Developed and run by Vanessa O’Loughlin, a lady with many hats; publishing consultant, literary scout, writer and Vice Chair of the Irish PEN to name but a few; it is a haven for book lovers of every genre, who will find plenty to keep them coming back for more.
As part of the Crime Scene Team – the brainchild of writer, Louise Phillips – I have had the opportunity to interview a few of the many crime fiction writers I admire. Just in case you’ve missed one of your favourites, I’ve compiled them here:
- Niamh O’Connor – author of BLINK
- Louise Phillips – author of The Doll’s House
- Alan Glynn – author of Graveland
- Mark O’Sullivan – author of Crocodile Tears
- Claire McGowan – author of The Lost
Hope you enjoy getting an insight into how and where each of them write to deliver such fabulous crime fiction that we get to devour in a matter of days!
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November Events
November is a jam-packed month full of events to keep all avid readers and aspiring writers busy!
And I am delighted to have my short story, Secret Librarian, included, along with pieces from fellow Platform One Writers – Michael Whelan and Doreen Duffy in the:
Red Line Book Festival 2012 – RE(A)D LINE WRITING
Venue: RUA RED, Tallaght
Time: 6-7pm
Tickets: Free but booking essential on 01-451 5860 or boxoffice@ruared.ie
South Dublin County Library’s Red Line Books Festival proudly presents an evening of new work by emerging and recently published writers from South County Dublin.
New work by emerging writers based in and around RUA RED, read and performed by actors from South Dublin theatre and film groups in a collaborative and inter-generational showcase event.
Writers, artists, theatre and film groups from a wide range of backgrounds and age groups are based in RUA RED South Dublin Arts Centre. Individuals and groups based in the building are producing diverse creative projects from poetry, novels, audiobooks, songs and digital media installations to short films.
The first ever Re(a)d Line Writing event introduces a collaborative production of this work to you, the audience.
Led by writer Sue Hassett and actress Rachael Dowling, Red Line presents a one-hour reading and performance of new work.
This event will be recorded for podcast by Curious Broadcast –
Curious Broadcast is a broadcasting space where communities and individuals can exchange and generate new ideas and imaginings for social change www.curiousbroadcast.com
These events are part of South Dublin County Libraries 4-day Red Line Books Festival.
15% discount at Rua Red Café from 7 to 8pm
An evening with writers Eileen Casey, Louise Phillips and Colm Keegan
Venue: Civic Theatre, Tallaght
Time: 8.15pm
Tickets: €5
Niamh O’Connor, Conor Brady and Sam Millar. Chaired by Louise Phillips.
Venue: Smock Alley Theatre
Time: 6.30pm
Tickets: Free but as seats are limited it is advisable to arrive by 6.15pm
Sam Millar is author of highly acclaimed crime novels, the most recent of which, Dead of Winter, is the third Karl Kane novel and Conor Brady, former editor of The Irish Timesand author of crime novel A June of Ordinary Murders.
Louise Phillips is the author of Red Ribbons and her second novel, The Doll’s House, is due out in 2013.
with John Connolly, Niamh O’Connor, Declan Hughes, Declan Burke and Mark Billingham
Venue: Civic Theatre, Tallaght
Time: 8-10pm
Tickets: €10/€8 concession
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Book Reviews: Red Ribbons
Red Ribbons
by Louise Phillips
Not a review – yet – but I guarantee that from the snippets I have had the pleasure to read, this book will be one, that like me, you’ll be rushing out to buy.
If you don’t believe me, then let me whet your appetite with not one, but two fabulous trailers . . .
RED RIBBONS Trailer No 1 – Click Here!
RED RIBBONS Trailer No 2 – Click Here!
Hughes & Hughes, St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.
THE SERIAL KILLER:
A missing schoolgirl is found buried in the Dublin Mountains, hands clasped together in prayer, two red ribbons in her hair. Twenty-four hours later, a second schoolgirl is found in a shallow grave … her body identically arranged.
THE CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGIST:
The police call in profiler Dr Kate Pearson to get inside the mind of the murderer before he strikes again. But the more Kate discovers about the killings, the more it all feels terrifyingly familiar . . .
As the pressure to find the killer intensifies there’s one vital connection to be made. . . Ellie Brady, a mother institutionalised fifteen years earlier for the murder of her twelve-year-old daughter. She stopped talking when everyone stopped listening.
Susan Condon
SUSAN CONDON - Writer 
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