Ethel Rohan's Blog, page 14

Dancing At The Gold Monkey

My review of Allen Learst’s debut story collection, Dancing at the Gold Monkey, winner of the Leapfrog Fiction Contest, 2011, is live at New York Journal of Books.

Excerpt:

Yet this isn’t a collection about promise and rebirth. Nor is this a collection about childlike anticipation or the gratification of the wonderful arrived. These 12 honest, brutal stories depict the ravages of war on the individual and ultimately on the collective whole and are more fitting to an opening line about gore and dismemberment and demons—images that go off throughout this book like grenades.

Louise Phillips: Bestselling Crime Writer

My interview with Louise Phillips, bestselling crime writer and author of the debut novel, Red Ribbons,  is live at PANK.

Go, read, enjoy. Thank you.

I Love You!

is the title of my short-short story published today at Hobart. Thank you, Aaron Burch.

Excerpt:

The monkey breeder takes her credit card details. Through the telephone there’s rain. Rain! From her window, the Beverley Hills shimmer and seem to melt. Perhaps the toll free number has taken her straight to the Plains of Africa and a monsoon. The breeder lists the available monkeys and she selects one of the Golden Lion Tamarins, a female, six weeks old. “A good choice,” the breeder tells her. “She’s a beautiful fiery orange.” He confirms the flight details and rings off. In just five days, she will hold her very own baby monkey.

 

 

On Your Mark, Get Set, GOLD!

Mark Rohan competed in two hand-cycling races at the 2012 London Paralympics and he won two Gold Medals. He completed his second race this past Friday in just under two hours and won by a two second lead.

Mark and his fellow Paralympians have not let tragedy and ‘lacks’ define them. Rather, Mark and his fellow Paralympians have redefined what it is to be disabled. They have let go of who they were or who they might have been and have embraced who they are. That is true grace.

Mark Rohan Wins Gold

Mark greets his mother for first time after receiving gold medal

My husband, daughters, and I could not be prouder of and happier for Mark Rohan. Mark is now a Gold Medal winner in the 2012 London Paralympics.

Eleven years ago, at age 20, Mark should not have survived his 2001 motorcycle crash into a tree (severed spinal cord, torn aorta, and multiple injuries), but he did. Mark, paralyzed from the chest down and a World Hand-cycling Champion, was seeded No. 1 to win today’s Time Trials Race (16 kms), and HE DID (in under 36 minutes and by under 12 seconds).

Our daughters have seen so much heartbreaking loss in the Rohan family in recent years: their Granny Betty, Uncle Mike, Cousin Gordon, and beloved family friends gone much too soon.

I am glad they also get to see the power of the human spirit and tragedy turned into joy.

Mark, you are our hero, thank you.

Go, Mark!

There’s great excitement in the Rohan household, San Francisco, as we cheer on Mark Rohan (my husband’s nephew).

Mark will represent Ireland and compete in two races in the London Paralymics 2012. Tomorrow, September 5th, Mark will compete in the hand-cycling Time Trial event and on Friday, September 7th, in the Road Race. Mark is the only athlete to win six World Cup hand-cycling events in a row and he’s a strong contender for a medal in this Paralympics.

We’ve already arranged our party for Friday night with friends to celebrate Mark’s great accomplishments, because regardless of how he does over the next few days, he’s already a champion in heart and in spirit.

Fierce

I am thrilled that Irish artist, Elena Duff, will create the cover image for my forthcoming collection, Goodnight Nobody (Queen’s Ferry Press).

I am equally thrilled that Steven Seighman will design the book’s cover text and interior.

Thank you, Elena and Steven. Thanks also to my publisher, Erin McKnight, who is fabulous.

Yes, forgive me. I know the book won’t be published for an entire year yet (September 3, 2013), but my excitement is fierce.

When I Think About It

I used to believe that I would change so much about my life if I could. Now I realize that of course I wouldn’t. To change any of my life would be to change it all. To change it all would mess with my now. My now includes my daughters, my writing, my reading, the certain knowledge that I can overcome things I never thought I could, and so much more. A now without any of that is unthinkable.

What a journey my life is turning out to be, not because of anything tangible I gain, but because of whom and what I love.

 

News

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Writing Advice for Real Writers Episode 9