Pam Lecky's Blog, page 28
April 5, 2018
An Interview with … Pam Lecky
Thank you Emma for hosting me today
Today’s guest is Pam Lecky, author of The Bowes Inheritance. 
Her latest novel, No Stone Unturned, is published later this year. Pam has recently been signed by literary agents Herdman & Swainson, and her anthology of short stories, Past Imperfect, will be published on the 6th April. These stories feature settings as diverse as WW1-era Dublin, the sinking of the Luisitania, and a lonely haunted lighthouse.
Hi Pam. Tell us a little about your writing to date.
My father bought me the complete works of Jane Austen when I was eleven, which sparked a lifetime love of period literature. When the urge to write more than angst-ridden teenage poetry (yep – it was bad!), it’s not surprising that I plumbed for historical fiction. My debut novel, The Bowes Inheritance, was published in 2015. It is a Victorian romance and mystery.
The original premise was a…
View original post 1,065 more words
March 29, 2018
Cover Reveal – Past Imperfect: A Collection of Short Stories by Pam Lecky – (@pamlecky )
A huge thank you to David for getting the word out on my new release.
Today I bring to you a cover reveal for Past Imperfect a series of short stories by author Pam Lecky.
You should know the name if you follow my blog as she Is the author of The Bowes Inheritance and In Three-Quarter Time both of which earned 5* ratings from me.
Whats the new book about I hear you ask..here’s the blurb –
You can never escape the past …
Included in this anthology, by Irish historical fiction author, Pam Lecky, are short stories, a childhood memoir and a Victorian novelette.
With settings as diverse as WW1 era Dublin, the sinking of the Luisitania, and a lonely haunted lighthouse, romance, tragedy and the supernatural await you.
Now to the cover…
My thoughts.. I like it. I feel it fits Pam’s style of writing and gives the reader an easy indication of the type of story you will be reading.
I’d love…
View original post 31 more words
March 25, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner March 2018
What draws you to a historical fiction book cover?
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the link to learn more about the book.
My March winner is:
Lamplight by Olga Swan
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I love the moodiness of this cover and the subtle way it draws you into the atmosphere of a pre WW2 story. Congratulations Olga!
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1912. David Klein is eighteen when he runs away from the poverty and orthodoxy of his Jewish home in Birmingham, England, for the bright lights and opportunities of New York. But trouble is in store. From the anguish and terror of nearly drowning at sea, the story moves between New York, Birmingham and eventually to Breslau in Germany where, when working as a war reporter, he meets Karin. Together, they live through the burgeoning terror of Nazi Germany in 1938. Book #1 of the David Klein War Reporter series.
To find out more, please click here
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As ever, there was stiff competition for the top spot. Take a look at these wonderful covers.
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From country girl to actress of the stage, one woman dares to live her dreams—but is she brave enough to open her heart. . .?
Monica Danes always wanted more than the village of Biddlestone had to offer. After a failed courtship to a man of her parents’ choosing, she fled for the city of Bath and never looked back. Today, Monica is the undisputed queen of the theater—a wealthy, independent woman. But when she is called home in the wake of tragedy, Monica returns—intending to leave again as soon as possible.
Thomas Ashby has been a groom at the Danes estate since he was a boy—and has been enamored with Monica for almost as long. He knows he isn’t a suitable match for his master’s daughter, despite the special bond he and Monica have always shared—and their undeniable attraction. But now that she’s returned, Thomas has one last chance to prove himself worthy—and to sh
To find out more, please click here
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South Boston-native Ned Tobin has all the luck. Alive after the Somme, now an officer, he meets, beds and falls in love with the alluring Adèle Chéreaux, a half-English lycée teacher who gives herself fully to Ned. Their love affair is suddenly upended in 1917 when Ned is called home and Adèle flees the last German advance of the First World War.
Harlem lawyer Chester Dawkins is a fine young man and a devoted brother. He dutifully joins a new regiment anxious to fight for their chance at valor in the face of deep-rooted racism. Meanwhile, his sister, Lena, is left at home to shoulder a crippling legacy of family debt.
Ned finds himself back in France with Chester’s regiment. Can these soldiers from very different backgrounds overcome long-held prejudices and find common cause in the bloody trenches? Will Ned ever find Adèle again? And what will become of Lena?
Journey through avant-garde Paris, Prohibition-era Harlem and newly independent Ireland in this heart-wrenching yet hopeful story of love and loss. Has Ned’s luck finally run out?
To find out more, please click here
And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
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Watch out every month for the next featured selection of great covers, and don’t forget, if you read a book and love it, post a review and make an author happy.
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February 25, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner February 2018
What draws you to a historical fiction book cover?
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the link to learn more about the book.
My February winner is:
Tuscan Roots by Anglea Petch
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This cover caught my eye, not least because it features a Tuscan landscape, and I love Italy, but it also intrigued me. Reading the book’s description has intrigued me more. I recently watched some documentaries on this very topic. Congratulations to Angela. Note to Angela – if you ever need some research done in Italy, I’m available!
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1943, Occupied Italy
Ines Santini lived an idyllic and sheltered existence in the Tuscan hills until WWII reached her quiet town. She meets Norman, an escaped British POW, and their lives become entangled in a struggle against the larger forces of the war.
Years later, Anna, their daughter, sets out to unravel the mystery of her parents’ fate. All she has to go on are a handful of old letters and photographs left to her after her mother’s death. Anna travels to the beautiful Tuscan Apennines, where the story unfolds. In researching her parents’ past, she will discover secrets about them, the war, and herself, which will change her life forever…
To find out more, please click here.
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As ever, there was stiff competition for the top spot. Take a look at these wonderful covers.
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While visiting his friend Mr. Charles Bingley, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy makes the acquaintance of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, a lively and intelligent young lady sitting in the corner at a local assembly. Darcy discovers that Elizabeth has a secret. Will this secret drive them apart, or will Darcy be able to overcome Elizabeth’s secret and find the love he’s dreamed of.
To find out more, please click here.
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*For Readers 10 and above*
How well do you know the story of King Richard III? Not as well as Matthew Wansford.
Matthew, a 12-year-old merchant’s son, has always longed to be a knight. And his chance comes in the golden summer of 1482 when he arrives at Middleham Castle, home of King Edward IV’s brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester – valiant warrior, loyal brother, loving father, good master.
Soon Matt encounters a dangerous enemy. Hugh, a fellow page, is a better swordsman, horseman, more skilled in all the knightly arts – and the son of an executed traitor. A vicious bully, he aims to make Matt’s life hell.
Yet Matt also finds the most steadfast of friends – Alys, Roger and Edward, the Duke’s only son. Together they forge a secret knightly fellowship, the Order of the White Boar, and swear an oath of lifelong loyalty – to each other and to their good lord, Duke Richard.
But these are not times to play at war. Soon Matt and his friends will be plunged into the deadly games of the Wars of the Roses. Will their loyalty be tested as the storm looms on the horizon?
To find out more, please click here.
And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
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Watch out every month for the next featured selection of great covers, and don’t forget, if you read a book and love it, post a review and make an author happy.
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February 18, 2018
A Conversation in the Library with Carol Warham
Today in the Library we have Carol Warham, who has dropped in to say hello and to share some insights into her life as an author.
Many thanks for having me along, Pam.
You are very welcome, Carol, please introduce yourself:
[image error]I’m a Manchester girl, born and bred, who moved to Yorkshire over thirty years ago and now you’d have to drag me kicking and screaming to leave here. We live in a lovely village on the edge of the Pennines, close to Holmfirth (Last of the Summer Wine). I’ve always loved writing, and as with so many writers, it’s something I did as a small child. This year I published my first novel. This came after a few years of publishing some short stories, poems and travel articles. My husband and I have two daughters and two grandchildren who live close by and keep us very busy.
Did you read much as a child? Are you an avid reader now? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?
I was brought up in a family of avid readers. My mother, sister and I would often swap around the books we were currently reading. I’m still an avid reader but time isn’t always on my side. I belong to the village book group, and this has opened up my horizons to all sorts of genre, many which I would never have read if left to myself.
Are you self-published or traditionally published?
Resolutions is an ebook, published by the independent publisher Tirgearr in Ireland.
Which genre do you write in and why?
Resolutions, my debut novel is a romance/relationship story. I will admit it wasn’t a genre I usually read when I started writing it, so why did I write in this genre? To be honest it was the idea that came to me and it could only have been a romance. I started reading in the genre pretty quickly then!
Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?
The biggest influence on my writing has been the wonderful author Paula Martin. She’s been my beta-reader, my editor and my greatest advisor. I doubt that I could have managed without her.
Has your country of origin/culture influenced your writing?
It did eventually! I originally wanted to place the story in America. Once I accepted the advice that it wouldn’t work and re-located the plot to England and Yorkshire, it had an huge influence both on the story and the characters.
What part of the writing process do you find most difficult? How do you overcome it?
I find editing difficult. I know some writers love the process but just now it’s a bit of a deep learning curve for me.
Do you have a favourite time of day to write?
I just need peace and quiet, so any time during the day will do. However I’ve not much good in an evening, I’m definitely a lark.
What is the best thing about being an author? And the flipside – what is the worst?
Besides seeing your work in print, the most wonderful thing about being an author is the community you join. I have made wonderful friends, some of whom I’ve now met ‘in the flesh’. This community are so generous with their advice, friendship and support. I think the worst thing for me , and I know it’s for others, is self- doubt and lack of confidence in my writing.
Is social media an essential chore or something you enjoy? Which forum do you prefer?
I’ve only come to social media in the last few years and now I’m hooked. It’s mainly facebook I use to connect with my friends and other writers. I try to use twitter but I’ve not really got to grips with it at all. I’ve ‘looked’ at Instagram and pinterest, but that’s as far as I’ve got with them. That’s probably for the best as I’m distracted by facebook enough as it is!
If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?
I keep very busy with volunteering in the village and belong to several groups, for example the local naturalist (walking) group. If I wasn’t writing I would be reading a lot, lot more.
It’s the last day and the earth is facing oblivion – what book would you read?
I’d probably try to rush through whichever book I was reading so that I could get to the end!
Please tell us about your latest published work.
[image error]A few days before the New Year, Carly Mitchell returns home to the small town on the Yorkshire moors. Her intention for the short visit is to make her apologies and offer an explanation for her action. A year earlier, she fled, leaving her bridegroom and friends bewildered.
She’s met with mixed reactions, ranging from curiosity to open hostility. However, when an emergency arises, Carly agrees to change her plans and stay a little longer. Falling in love with the new local doctor, Ben Thornton, was not part of her original plan either. Especially when it appears his past is shrouded in mystery.
Complications and tensions increase during the town’s New Year celebrations and she begins to doubt whether she has done the right thing by coming home.
Can she find the resolution she needs to overcome the challenges facing her, or will she run away again?
Buy Link for Resolutions: Amazon
If you would like to know more about Carol and her work, please follow the links below:
https://www.facebook.com/carolwarhamauthor/
https://carolwarham.blogspot.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/carol_warham
http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Warham_Carol/resolutions.htm
January 28, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner January 2018
What draws you to a historical fiction book cover?
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the link to learn more about the book.
My January winner is:
A Splendid Defiance by Stella Riley
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I fell in love with this cover as soon as I set eyes on it. Not only do I like the image itself but even the font used is perfect – a very professional cover design. Delighted to see this book was awarded the BRAG Medallion. Looks like an intriguing read. Congratulations Stella, my first winner for 2018!
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For two years, England has been in the grip of Civil War. In Banbury, Oxfordshire, the Cavaliers hold the Castle, the Roundheads want it back and the town is full of zealous Puritans. Consequently, the gulf between Captain Justin Ambrose and Abigail Radford, the sister of a fanatically religious shopkeeper, ought to be unbridgeable. The key to both the fate of the Castle and that of Justin and Abigail lies in defiance … but will it be enough? A Splendid Defiance is a dramatic and enchanting story of forbidden love, set against the turmoil and anguish of the first English Civil War.
To find out more, please click here.
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As ever, there was stiff competition for the top spot. Take a look at these wonderful covers.
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Each had their own reason to leave everything they knew. The land was free – the true price – was often high, where opportunities and tragedies were in equal abundance. Those who were strong didn’t waste their tears, but used them wisely to help wash away their grief. Joined together through friendship and family relations, Rebecca, Nathan, Hannah, Carl and Sarah tell one story; each in their own voice. Never Waste Tears travels with them on their trek to homestead on the lonely Kansas prairie, where they pave the way for generations to come. They share their own dreams, challenges, heartaches and guilt.
To find out more, please click here.
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John d’Ibelin, son of the legendary Balian, will one day defy the most powerful monarch on earth. But first he must survive his apprenticeship as squire to a man determined to build a kingdom on an island ravaged by rebellion. The Greek insurgents have already driven the Knights Templar from the island, and now stand poised to destroy Richard the Lionheart’s legacy to the Holy Land: a crusader foothold on the island of Cyprus.
To find out more, please click here.
And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
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Watch out every month for the next featured selection of great covers, and don’t forget, if you read a book and love it, post a review and make an author happy.
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January 3, 2018
The Lady Mourns
My [image error]latest heroine, Lucy Lawrence, is newly widowed and resisting some of the more stringent customs imposed upon her. Unsurprisingly, mourning rules and customs affected women more than men and an entire industry grew up around it. Many made their fortunes due to regulations and superstitions we would now laugh at. These specialist shops or warehouses popped up everywhere, and all because Queen Victoria (the ‘Widow of Windsor’) took to black on Prince Albert’s death and never took it off again.
These Magasins de Deuil, such as Jay’s London General Mourning Warehouse and Peter Robinson’s Court and General Mourning Warehouse on Regent Street, did brisk business. Not least because of the popular notion that mourning clothes should be destroyed once the appropriate period of mourning was over – otherwise it was considered to be tempting fate. What a winning notion at a time of high mortality rates! It was only in the 1880s that Jay’s diversified as demand for huge quantities of crape began to ease.
The range of mourning items was vast, from clothes and undergarments to h[image error]andkerchiefs and parasols. No self-respecting widow would go without these essentials. My Lucy, on finding herself in Jay’s on Regent Street, decides to buy a mourning handkerchief. On taken to a display, she sees a fine array of every conceivable style.
Mourning handkerchiefs were made from cambric, a plain, soft linen fabric, sometimes also woven in cotton, with a slight lustrous finish on the face of the cloth. Originally from the French commune of Cambrai, it was woven in many grades from fine to coarse.
Initially, these handkerchiefs were white with a plain black border with a minimum depth of one and a half inches during the first period of mourning (a year and a day).
[image error]Sylvia’s Home Journal advised the need for ‘Twelve handkerchiefs with black borders, for ordinary use, cambric’ and ‘Twelve of finer cambric for better occasions’. Decoration, in the form of black edging, took a number of forms from plain printed or woven borders to black embroidery. But advice varied, with some sources insisting on plain black handkerchiefs, particularly in the first year.
As the period of mourning progressed, the border became shallower. There is a beautiful example of a Queen Victoria mourning handkerchief in the V&A with a beautiful scalloped edge of black. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78868/handkerchief-unknown/
Some examples of these items are quite pretty with delicate lace edging, embroidery or netting.
The handkerchiefs were often monogrammed In Loving Memory with the deceased’s name or initials.
With the endless reminders of your loved one, it must have been difficult to get through the various stages of mourning. Victorian society’s celebration of death was a heavy burden for the widows of the time.
You can follow Lucy’s adventure later this year when No Stone Unturned will be published.
Note: The featured image – Empress Eugénie in mourning for her son, 1880 – was sourced from Wikipedia and is in the Public Domain.
January 1, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner December 2017
Do you love historical fiction? What makes you choose one book over another? For most of us, the cover is the first thing that attracts our attention.
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the image to learn more about the book and buy if you wish.
And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
My December winner is:
A Scarlet Woman by Lorna Peel
These haunting images combine to make a really great cover and one that would attract my eye in a bookshop. Of course there is the added appeal of the book being based in my home town of Dublin and in my favourite era. Well done, Lorna!
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Is Will and Isobel’s love strong enough to flout convention and challenge the expectations of Victorian society?
Dublin, Ireland, 1880. Tired of treating rich hypochondriacs, Dr Will Fitzgerald left his father’s medical practice and his home on Merrion Square to live and practice medicine in the Liberties. His parents were appalled and his fiancée broke off their engagement. But when Will spends a night in a brothel on the eve of his best friend’s wedding, little does he know that the scarred and disgraced young woman he meets there will alter the course of his life.
Isobel Stevens was schooled to be a lady, but a seduction put an end to all her father’s hopes for her. Disowned, she left Co Galway for Dublin and fell into prostitution. On the advice of a handsome young doctor, she leaves the brothel and enters domestic service. But can Isobel escape her past and adapt to life and the chance of love on Merrion Square? Or will she always be seen as a scarlet woman?
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As ever, there was stiff competition this month for the top spot. Here are the runners up in no particular order.
During the oppressive heat wave of 1976 a young journalist, Ed Peters, finds an Edwardian photograph in a junk shop in the seaside town of Brightland. It shows an alluring, dark-haired girl, an actress whose name was Leda Grey. Enchanted by the image, Ed learns Leda Grey is still living – now a recluse in a decaying cliff-top house she once shared with a man named Charles Beauvois, a director of early silent film. As Beauvois’s muse and lover, Leda often starred in scenes where stage magic and trick photography were used to astonishing effect. But, while playing a cursed Egyptian queen, the fantasies captured on celluloid were echoed in reality, leaving Leda abandoned and alone for more than half a century – until the secrets of her past result in a shocking climax, more haunting than any to be in found in the silent films of Charles Beauvois.
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May, 1914. Nestled in Sussex, the Summerhayes mansion seems the perfect country idyll. But with a long-running feud in the Summers family and tensions in Europe deepening, Summerhayes’ peaceful days are numbered.
For Elizabeth Summer, the lazy quiet of her home has become stifling. A chance meeting with Aiden Kellaway, an architect’s assistant, offers the secret promise of escape. But to secure her family’s future, Elizabeth must marry well. A man of trade falls far from her father’s uncompromising standards.
As the sweltering heat of 1914 builds to a storm, Elizabeth faces a choice between family loyalty and an uncertain future with the man she loves.
One thing is definite: this summer will change everything
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This competition will run again during 2018
Watch out every month for the next featured selection of great covers, and don’t forget, if you read a book and love it, post a review and make an author happy.
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December 15, 2017
The O’Donovan Saga: Tales of 19th Century Ireland & America
One of the greatest joys for me since stepping into the publishing world, has been the opportunity to meet and befriend fellow authors, particularly those who write historical fiction. So I am delighted this evening to host Irish-American author, Patricia Hopper Patteson. Earlier this year, Patricia and I met for the first time, face-to-face, on one of her trips home to Dublin. I also had the opportunity to attend Patricia’s Irish book launch for Corrib Red.
[image error]Patricia is originally from Dublin and now resides in West Virginia. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. from West Virginia University (WVU) and has received honors from WVU such as the Waitman Barbe Creative Writing Award and the Virginia Butts Sturm Award. She received numerous awards from the West Virginia Writers’ competition. Her fiction and non-fiction have been published in numerous magazines, newspapers, reviews, and anthologies. Her debut historical novel Kilpara was published in May 2015. Corrib Red, a sequel in the family saga was released in March 2017.
Patricia, I’d love to hear more about your inspiration for the O’Donovan Saga.
I first started the nineteenth century O’Donovan saga expecting only to write one novel and pour all my energy about emigration, family, and history, both Irish and American, into that novel. Instead of just one novel, the story turned into a family saga and a trilogy. I have finished and published the first two novels in the series, Kilpara and Corrib Red, and I’m working on the third. Kilpara, the first in the trilogy, begins in Maryland in 1866 right after the American Civil War. It’s a story about a returning emigrant. The premise of the story is to give those forgotten emigrants a voice. Many Irish immigrants faced situations in America that were no better, and sometimes worse, than the ones they left behind. Their disappointment left them homesick for the family and country they were forced to leave.
Kil[image error]para is a complete story in itself. But somehow I couldn’t leave it there and Corrib Red, the second novel in the series, takes place a generation later. While Kilpara embodies both the US and Ireland, Corrib Red takes place in Ireland. However, in Corrib Red, one of the characters must make the choice if his/her future belongs in the US. The story is told from the point of view of Grace; the youngest of two sisters. Even though Kilpara is located in the West of Ireland, one of the hardest hit places by poverty in the nineteenth century, Kilpara is a bit of an oasis in those troubled times. Mostly due to Ellis O’Donovan’s efficient handling of the estate.
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Corrib Red begins when Deirdre arrives home after a year abroad at art school in Switzerland. Sixteen year old Grace is befuddled when her sister returns listless and despondent instead of brimming with adventurous stories, newfound friends, and handsome men. At the same time Grace is becoming an attractive young woman and would-be suitors begin to occupy her thoughts and color her dreams. Romantic intrigue and convoluted relationships begin to evolve, and a tangled web of conspiracy and manipulation wraps itself around Grace and Deirdre as difficult choices loom ahead.
One of the features I added for Corrib Red was a book trailer, now on YouTube https://youtu.be/AdlBm0mGhRg Depending on your budget, and if you’re lucky like me to have talented family to help, you can produce a trailer that gives readers a glimpse of what your story is about. Corrib Red was a family effort. My son-in-law, Andrew, likes to dabble in electronics and has the equipment to put the video together. My gran-niece took the part of Grace and my daughter took the part of Deirdre, the two main characters in the novel. Even though Kilpara is meant to be on Lough Corrib in Galway, we videotaped around Howth castle and Howth Head, and down around Portmarnack. We rented the costumes from the Abbey Theatre and were very fortunate the weather cooperated. That can be a bit of a disadvantage too because everyone was out enjoying the good weather and we had to be careful not to get other people in our shots. And we had to move our caravan of brothers, sisters, sister-in-law, parents and the main players between locations. Everyone played a role in quickly setting up for the scenes and moving on to the next location, so it was a cumulative sense of pride when the footage met our requirements to do the trailer. When we returned to the States my son-in-law sifted through musical themes until he found the right atmospheric music. He added this to narrative I provided and we had a book trailer. I’ve mostly promoted the trailer on my website http://www.patriciahopperpatteson.com It’s a nice feature to have at book-signings and book launches. I showed it at my book launch in Dublin, and it helped sell the book. It’s also nice to have at book festivals and any place you can set up your laptop. It gets people curious. My costs were minimal and I enjoyed doing it for the fun of making it a family event.
Patricia, thanks so much for telling us about your work. If anyone would like to find out more about Patricia and her books, please check out the links below.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/patriciahopper
Publisher: http://cactusrainpublishing.com
Website: http://www.patriciahopperpatteson.com
You Tube: https://youtu.be/AdlBm0mGhRg
December 1, 2017
A Conversation in the Library with Author Nicola Cassidy
[image error]Only a few weeks’ ago, I had the pleasure of attending the launch of December Girl, the debut novel of fellow Irish historical fiction author, Nicola Cassidy. I’m a few chapters in and really loving this story. It grabs your attention straight away – I read the first chapter with my heart pounding!
Nicola has found some time in her very busy life to come along and join me in the library this evening to share some insights into her life as an author.
You are very welcome, Nicola, please introduce yourself:
[image error]My name is Nicola Cassidy, I’m a writer and blogger and I work as a marketing manager. I’m Mum to two small girls and when I’m not cleaning the house, writing or fussing over my daughters, I’m out singing or rehearsing with a pop and funk band I’ve recently joined. It’s a busy life.
Did you read much as a child? Are you an avid reader now? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?
Yes, I loved books. It took a bit of persuasion mind – I wasn’t too keen on moving on from picture books to novels, but after being forced to read Sweet Valley Twins by my best friend around the age of eight, I was hooked. I read a huge amount in my teenage years, usually historical fiction. I’m pretty sure that’s where my love of the genre was born. I devoured Catherine Cookson and Helen Forrester. As an adult I found it difficult to find books I loved, it’s only recently, since I’ve made forays into the publishing world myself that I’ve discovered a whole new raft of authors. I choose books by their style – their language, their prose – the setting or genre isn’t important, it’s the writing that attracts me.
Are you self-published or traditionally published?
I’m published by Bombshell Books, which is a new digital imprint of Bloodhound Books.
Which genre do you write in and why?
I write historical fiction because I like disappearing into the past and imagining what it was like. I’m not opposed to writing in contemporary styles, however, and my short stories and a stage play I recently wrote were set in the present. I like trying everything and challenging myself. My novels, for the foreseeable, however, will be historical fiction.
Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?
I’ve had many influencers. My English teacher Mrs McCartan in secondary school was a huge influence on me – she spotted my talent early on and encouraged it. She made me feel that I could do things with my writing, which I have. My writing tutor Greg Baxter, who taught me advanced creative writing in the Irish Writer’s Centre was also a big influence. He introduced me to so many fabulous literary writers and showed us how to try and attain that standard. We were encouraged to never settle for less. And then all the books I’ve read of course, the writers I’ve loved – the prose that I wish I could copy. Writing is an ongoing craft – I’m always learning, always striving to do better.
Has your country of origin/culture influenced your writing?
Very much so. I didn’t find my ‘flow’ until I decided to set my book locally. I’d been searching for something to write about, but I didn’t know what. As soon as I decided I’d set a novel in the Boyne Valley at the end of the 19th century, everything fell into place. It was very important to me that I wrote about the area and tried to put across to readers what a spiritual, beautiful place it is. There’s a reason our ancestors came here thousands of years ago to build their temples.
What part of the writing process do you find most difficult? How do you overcome it?
Lots of the writing process is difficult. None of it’s easy. Actually sitting down to write. Trying to come up with a good, believable plot. Weaving it all together. Pace. Structure. I’ve had to learn a lot and as I’ve only written one (proper) book I think I have a lifetime of difficulty ahead! That said, when I get into it and it’s just me and the laptop and my story and I write and finish a chapter that I’m happy with, there’s nothing like the high I feel. It’s probably addictive.
Do you have a favourite time of day to write?
It used to be the night time from 9pm onwards, and I’d have a glass of wine and just type. Now with two children under the age of three it’s difficult and bedtimes are erratic, so I grab my writing time whenever I can. Now I quite enjoy writing in the morning hours, during nap time, during daylight. I feel fresher.
What is the best thing about being an author? And the flipside – what is the worst?
The best thing is being able to be creative for a living. Getting recognition or a wage for using your talent, creating art and in some way influencing people is a most satisfying way to exist. The worst thing about being an author is being creative for a living. It’s so precarious and worrisome, especially when you have a family to support and a high cost of living in Ireland. That’s why I try to find the balance – working towards supporting myself with my writing, while keeping my feet firmly on the ground. No lofty notions now.
Is social media an essential chore or something you enjoy? Which forum do you prefer?
I wouldn’t call it a chore. As a marketer I think that’s a terrible thought to have about social media! But I do understand that it’s time consuming and can zap away precious writing and especially, reading time. I enjoy it though – I always have – I love interacting with others, and I learn so much from it. I have platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and would interact with those the most. I have Pinterest and Snapchat accounts but barely use them. I think you should find the medium you enjoy the most and get involved. Then it doesn’t feel like a chore!
If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?
I don’t think my life would be that different in that I’d still be working in marketing or a marketing related discipline. I enjoy marketing and PR roles because they are so creative and you’re always trying to communicate in the best way to your target audience. The same as creative writing really.
It’s the last day and the earth is facing oblivion – what book would you read?
I’d probably take out my battered copy of Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor and have a read and a bit of a cry. Though in fairness, if it was the last day on earth, I’d more likely be watching events on Twitter than curled up in my bed reading!
Please tell us about December Girl
[image error]My debut novel December Girl has just been published by Bombshell Books. It’s available on Amazon as a paperback and digital download. It’s a historical fiction novel, inspired by true events and follows the tale of Molly Thomas who is evicted from her home at the end of the 19th century in the Boyne Valley, Ireland. She faces a life of turmoil as she tries to overcome the challenges thrown at her, one of which is the kidnapping of her young baby, Oliver. (Click here to find out more about this book on Amazon).
Nicola’s book is on sale from 1st to 7th December, so don’t miss this opportunity to check out some wonderful writing.
Thanks, Nicola. It was lovely to have you as a guest in the library this evening. I wish you all the best with December Girl and your writing career.
If you’d like to know more about Nicola, please follow her links below.
