A day off, a day out

Photo Moments, Uncategorized

We were back in Marlay Park yesterday in search of the fairy tree. Spring has well and truly arrived and the fairies appear to have been hard at work expanding their treetop fortress. Last week I finished the first draft on a new WIP, a timeslip story which is making me squee quite a bit (it also accounts for my uncharacteristic quietness). So I needed some down time and a day in the park is the perfect thing. I recently came across a new word (new to me) – a Nemophilist – One who is fond of forest or forest scenery; a haunter of the woods. So I have a word for me now! I’m hoping this down time will last for a short while. I have lots of books to read, some things to crit and some crits to wait for. In the meantime, here are some photos from yesterday.

 

Another lovely video review & what I did at the weekend…

reviews

Can you tell I’m liking the video reviews? You guys are awesome!

Thanks you so much and I’m so glad you both enjoyed, and “got” the story I wanted to tell.

In other news Epic Con 5, which I attended this weekend as a guest was wonderful fun. Myself, Celine Kiernan, Peadar Ó Guilín and Deirdre Thornton talked about all sorts of things — from editors to superheroes, from getting published in/from Ireland to Irish mythology. And we mostly stuck to the topics. Mostly…

Hope everyone had as much fun as I did. Thanks to all the organizers and attendees.

And on Friday night was the Pen Ireland dinner, which was fabulous in so many ways. I got to meet lovely people and hang out in swish surroundings wearing a posh frock. What more could I want?

So now it’s back to life, back to reality, and back to the writer’s cave…

Breaking cover

EpicCon, Octocon, reviews

Shhh, I am not really here. I am working very hard. I promise.

But I had to post about this super review for The Treachery of Beautiful Things which I came across this morning from Beauty, Books & Ramblings. It comes in both Spoiler free and Spoiler-ific varieties so you can take you pick, but go and look. I particularly like

The pros: Beautifully written, incredibly
imaginative storyline, flawless world building
The cons: Honestly cannot think of any!
Rating: 5/5
Recommend? Oh my goodness yes!

and of course

With beautiful world-building, fascinating characters, and ancient lore intricately and flawlessly woven into the story, The Treachery of Beautiful Things is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read

I will look at it sparkle all day and smile.

In other news – I will be at Epic-Con in Maynooth on the 23rd & 24th of February, and of course at Octocon in October. I hope to be in some other places too.

I have no other news. The Ninja puppy and the Patchwork Cat continue their covert war of attrition.

And I am writing. Something new. I think. Look, there was this plot bunny, sitting there all on its own. It was so pretty. So I went over to it. AND A WHOLE MOB OF PLOT BUNNIES ATTACKED ME!

It’s so shiny and new though. SO SHINY.

Back under cover I go. Talk soon.

Off with the Mummers

Out and About, Photo Moments, , ,

So… on Sunday, the last day of our Christmas Holidays, which was also Nollaig na mBan, as a treat primarily for me I think, we went to Collin’s Barracks, part of the National Museum of Ireland to see The Armagh Rhymers perform a Mummer’s Play.
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Mumming is a traditional part of the winter holidays which, it is believed, dates back thousands of years in Ireland. There’s music and story telling, and people in masks. Amazing basketwork masks in this case.

Photobucket Continue reading Off with the Mummers →

In the editing cave

Interviews, links and stuff, reviews, ,

I’ve been very quiet of late which is usually ominous. But in this case it’s been a mixture of being not terribly well, and having some edits on the Space Opera.* Which might not actually be a Space Opera anymore (Planetary romance? Science Fantasy? Scientific Romance?).

So here is the podcast of an interview I did with the awesome Leeds Book Club (@AvidReader)

in which we talk about a lot of things. A LOT OF THINGS! LOTS!

Enjoy. 45 minutes or so of it. Just to warn you in advance. Also we had some sound problems. And my voice sounds weird!!!

I also read a wonderful review of The Treachery of Beautiful Things from Writer of Wrongs.

“Exquisite, enchanting, magical… this folktale world is truly worth submerging in.”

Enter to win it and others on the site, but do it quickly. 😀

Back into the writer cave/sick bed I go.

———-

*Oh, and I might be overdosing on box sets of The West Wing. Not that overdosing on it is possible, of course.

Bookplates

Uncategorized

One of the niggly things about being in Ireland is that I can’t magically sign books far away. But now I have some lovely little bookplate stickers for The Treachery of Beautiful Things, so I sort of can. There are three designs.

Aren’t they pretty? (They are bigger than this. I’m just having problems making them fit on the page at the mo.)

If you’d like one, send me a message using the contact form at the bottom of my Out & About page. And let me know.