In 2009, I started a story about a girl called Ebony Smart. Today, that story, The Book of Learning, hits the bookshops – and I can hardly believe it’s real.

I didn’t work on The Book of Learning every day of those six years. It took around one year to write and another to perfect, but that’s how long it’s taken to see the book in print.

So a huge thank you to everyone at Mercier Press for making it happen, and to everyone who has supported me along the way.

For me, this is such a huge day.

Share it with me by taking an extra hour for yourself, to do something you love.

Win a Limited Edition Copy of The Book of Learning

August 28, 2015Leave a comment

I have some very exciting news for readers in Ireland…

A few days ahead of publication day (Sept 2nd), you have the chance to win a special Limited Edition version of The Book of Learning over at Eason’s!

These Limited Edition covers are SILVER, they’re SHINY, and they’re just GORGEOUS (see below)!

To be in with a chance to win, read my blog post over on Eason’s and then answer the question – good luck everyone!

An update – this is getting real!

August 21, 2015August 21, 2015Leave a comment

They’re real!

I’ve been a little slow updating this blog lately, and for that, I apologise. This debut author thing seems to be taking up rather a lot of time! As soon as I signed my first deal with Mercier Press, I knew the hard work would begin. And when I signed my second deal with Alma Books, I knew I’d just upped the stakes somewhat. But the truth is, it’s incredible and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Yesterday, was the moment every aspiring author dreams of; I saw the first ever physical book with my name on it. Well, piles upon piles of them, if truth be told, as I signed several hundred to be unleashed on the world. It was one of the most exciting days of my life. Imagine… I’ve always loved books. They’ve been a part of my life forever, and now, there are some emblazoned with my name. It’s incredible, but I’m still soaking it all in.

Adding personal notes to review copies

Other little things that mean a lot are happening. Such as my first newspaper interview in The Southern Star. My first review from a 13 year old boy who loved the book. Congratulations from my neighbours in the village. Email requests and PMs asking where the book is available. Radio interviews are starting to roll in, and the review copies have left the building. I’ve got my launch lists underway and a little surprise for readers too (to be revealed shortly).

Meanwhile, I’m at my computer like clockwork, completing the edits for my next book (due out in March) and writing the second book of my trilogy. And all the while I’m pinching myself. Seriously – is this real?

This is what the five years of hard work has been for. And now, with review copies arriving on people’s doormats, and publication day (Sept 2^nd) just around the corner, it’s about to get very real indeed. It is the most exciting yet most terrifying bit – hearing what people think. There’s no going back – it’s out there. Thankfully, I can bury my head in my future books and hope for the best.

For those of you aspiring to be in this position, remember – it’s a fine line between wanting a book deal and signing a book deal. You can be teetering on that line for a long time and it’s frustrating and terrifying and exciting all at once – but you have to just keep going. For what it’s worth, here’s a post I wrote on not giving up.

#MGiechat: Let’s talk middle grade books & authors!

August 11, 2015August 11, 2015Leave a comment

One of my own personal favourites of 2015

If you love reading or writing middle grade books (books for a readership aged 8-12), and you’re also a twitter user, then there’s a new twitter chat starting tonight at 7pm – 8pm that may well be of interest to you – #MGiechat.

Now, I’m a staunch believer that children’s books aren’t just for children, and seeing as you need to be 13 to have a twitter account, this chat is aimed at the adults among us who still believe in the magic of storytelling and recognise the value of middle grade books.

The initial #MGiechat tonight is a meet and greet, so people can say hi, introduce themselves, talk about their favourite middle grade books and authors, and set some parameters for future chats – How often? What time? What topic? Does the chat need it’s own blog or can I wedge it onto my website?

This all came about because I recently realised that most of my chats on twitter about middle grade books were on #ukmgchat – a wonderful chat (don’t worry, I’m not abandoning you guys), but where was the equivalent in Ireland?

It wasn’t until the wonderful Michelle Moloney King (of #YAie brilliance) pointed out that I could start a chat here in Ireland, that I even considered it. So, consider the gap filled! Hopefully tonight will be the first of many, so do come along and say hi. We’re a friendly bunch.

If you’re new to twitter chats, here’s how: open twitter, search for the hashtag #MGiechat in the search bar, and click on the All option to see all the chats. Keep refreshing the page to stay up to date. You’ll see all tweets that include that hashtag – just RT, reply & tweet as usual.

Hope to see you there!

Full Cover: The Book of Learning

July 19, 2015July 19, 20153 Comments

I’m currently visiting London on book business but here’s a very short post to update you all… this is the full cover for The Book of Learning 🙂 I hope you like it!

I’m delighted with all the hard work Mercier Press have put into the book; they’ve been so supportive and amazing, and have worked with me closely every step of the way which feels really special. I met a bookseller in London a few days ago that was raving about how wonderful Mercier are, and I have to agree!

Trying something different… what do you think of video?

June 29, 2015June 29, 2015Leave a comment

I’ve been on retreat in the south of France for the last three weeks and it’s drawing to an end. It’s been an invaluable visit (I’ll write about it properly in my next post) and, as well as being productive in my writing, I’ve also increased my headspace and enjoyed some thinking time.

One of the things I’ve been considering is my website and what interests its readers, so I compiled a list of most frequently asked questions. What I found was that they fall into two general categories:

What is it like to be a writer?
What is your writing process?

Both of the above are personal and different for every writer, and that could be why it’s so fascinating. I’m always delighted to hear about other people’s processes, experiences and routines; because you need to respond to your own body and brain to get the best from your day, it’s amazing how differently writers approach their craft.

I remember when I was a child, authors were mystical beings that you never saw or heard about. I love that the internet has helped to bring readers and writers together – but I believe that a writer’s online content should be just as appealing as their books.

So I was trying to come up with ways that give a more personal, rounded, and reachable view of a writer’s life. One of those options was video – and with today’s wonderfully advanced phones, I feel it’s an accessible form to try out. I’m hardly being innovative – just think of all the amazing YouTubers out there – but it’s something new for me.

To do video means overcoming a couple of things:

Getting over seeing yourself on video (I look too pale/short/my hair’s not good enough/what was that face I pulled? etc etc)
Getting over hearing yourself on a recording (oh god, my accent, *cringe*)

This said, I’ve given it a go and I’d like to know what you think. (I kind of cheated on problem 1 above, but hey, baby steps, right?)

What I’d like to know is…

Is there any value in short videos like this one? Does it feel any more accessible than a written post? Does it give more of a glimpse into a writer’s life?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts…

The Book of Learning Book Trailer

June 18, 2015August 28, 20152 Comments

So, here’s my book trailer for The Book of Learning, Book One of my #NineLives trilogy. I’m super excited about this and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Massive thanks go out to author, Alan Early, for making this happen. I only wrote the script; Sarah O’Flaherty at Mercier Press designed the fantastic cover, and Alan did all the rest. Isn’t he amazing?

My Name’s Not Friday by Jon Walter: A Heartbreaking Journey into the Deep South

June 15, 2015June 16, 2015Leave a comment

It’s not often I review books – mainly because of time constraints – but when I read the proof copy of My Name’s Not Friday by Jon Walter, I felt truly compelled to tell people about this wonderful book that’s on its way (published July, 2015).

For those of you familiar with Jon Walter’s debut, Close to the Wind, you’ll already know that he is a skillful writer, capable of tackling important yet unsettling issues with subtlety and humour, evoking such strong emotions that he’ll leave you both hopeful yet heartbroken at the same time. After such a stunning debut, I was intrigued to see what he would do next, and how he would evolve as a writer.

My Name’s Not Friday is set during the American Civil War, told through the eyes of Samuel, an orphan boy who gets sold into slavery and ends up working on a cotton plantation. Estranged from his younger brother, Samuel is intent on surviving the awful trials and challenges that come his way, so that he and his brother can one day be reunited.

The character of Samuel is an absolute delight; his confused and childish view of the world balances perfectly with the strength, determination, and courage that he summons to endure – and overcome – his situation. Walter has you right there in Samuel’s head, drawing on your emotions as the story develops at a lightening pace. It’s refreshing to read a middle grade author who is both brave and completely in control of his material.

In the author’s comments, Walter explains, ‘This book appeared out of the darkness… an unsettling experience, trying to use all of the senses other than sight… and then a voice… clear as day… a boy in the pitch black with me… and he believed he’d been brought there by God.’

And when you read My Name’s Not Friday, you really feel this – the voice is so convincing, it’s almost like the author has channelled Samuel onto the page.

On the back of the proof copy, publisher David Fickling states that ever since he read the story of Samuel, he can’t help measuring every other submission against this standard. I completely understand where he’s coming from; it’s a few weeks now since I read the closing sentence, and still the characters and the story linger.

Although classed as Middle Grade, the story and depth of character will entrance readers of any age. Against an authentic historical backdrop, My Name’s Not Friday is a book of love, survival, belief, loss, loyalty and freedom. I challenge you to read this book and not be in awe.