Louise Phillips's Blog, page 47
June 5, 2015
Wexford Literary Festival 2015
Lots of great events happening as part of this year's Wexford Literary Festival, and I'm delighted to be sharing a panel about 'WRITING COMPELLING FICTION' with Rachael English, Carmel Harrington and Claudia Carroll.
It will take place between 9.45 – 11.15 on Saturday the 27th June. but for full line up of events over the weekend, check out details here
Following the above event, Paul O'Brien, Denise Deegan and Lorna Sixsmith will discuss 'SUCCESSFUL SELF PUBLISHING'.
June 3, 2015
Neuropsychology.....
I don't normally post the reviews I get via email but as this one came from a specialist in neuropsychology in relation to LAST KISS...I'm making an exception!
"I finished your book, Last Kiss, yesterday. I could not put it down! What a fascinating story you created. I enjoyed the intricate plot, the development of the characters, the multiple layers of the story, and the development of the relationships between the protagonists. I also enjoyed having Dublin and Paris as relevant contexts, playing a role as well as you read; the different narrator voices between chapters (and characters), and particularly the "I" talking to the reader ("would you warn her if you could?"). As a psychologist I can tell you I enjoyed very much the way you presented the forensic role of Kate, her constant question of ethical boundaries, her psychopathology knowledge and empathic ability to connect to the vulnerable. She is displayed as having a virtuous listening skill, and great questioning/interviewing skills which are primary ones in psychologists. The references to Freud's id - super ego - ego dynamics and the examples Kate gives to Adam during the flight to Paris were excellent! Not only accurate but very cleverly illustrated. As a specialist in neuropsychology, I generally tend to have more reservations, as the brain is my territory. The references to the frontal lobes were great, and I got excited as this is the precise part of the brain I study the most, as I am interested in self-regulation of behaviour. I enjoyed very much the sensibility of your writing. Despite the gruesome topics that this type of literature treats, I noted the many places you were poetic, or very aware of human feelings and thoughts. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this great thriller (and thrilling) novel. I will dance in the woods thinking of the children's laughter, even those who did not have the loving and cared for opportunities many of us had."
"I finished your book, Last Kiss, yesterday. I could not put it down! What a fascinating story you created. I enjoyed the intricate plot, the development of the characters, the multiple layers of the story, and the development of the relationships between the protagonists. I also enjoyed having Dublin and Paris as relevant contexts, playing a role as well as you read; the different narrator voices between chapters (and characters), and particularly the "I" talking to the reader ("would you warn her if you could?"). As a psychologist I can tell you I enjoyed very much the way you presented the forensic role of Kate, her constant question of ethical boundaries, her psychopathology knowledge and empathic ability to connect to the vulnerable. She is displayed as having a virtuous listening skill, and great questioning/interviewing skills which are primary ones in psychologists. The references to Freud's id - super ego - ego dynamics and the examples Kate gives to Adam during the flight to Paris were excellent! Not only accurate but very cleverly illustrated. As a specialist in neuropsychology, I generally tend to have more reservations, as the brain is my territory. The references to the frontal lobes were great, and I got excited as this is the precise part of the brain I study the most, as I am interested in self-regulation of behaviour. I enjoyed very much the sensibility of your writing. Despite the gruesome topics that this type of literature treats, I noted the many places you were poetic, or very aware of human feelings and thoughts. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this great thriller (and thrilling) novel. I will dance in the woods thinking of the children's laughter, even those who did not have the loving and cared for opportunities many of us had."
Steeped in History!!
You gotta love living in a house of 3 convicted killers, especially when it all happened a couple of hundred years ago!!
May 20, 2015
Dennis Lehane in conversation with Declan Hughes!
Date: Thursday 28 MayTime: 7.30pmVenue: Irish Writers Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1Fee: €18 / €15 IWC MembersBooking via EventbriteDennis Lehane, novelist, screenwriter and writer-producer, is set to release his latest novel World Gone By (Little, Brown) and will be joining us at the Centre to talk about this latest endeavour, writing for print and screen and will reveal all about the much discussed Love/Hate US adaptation. Dennis Lehane grew up in Boston. His novels have been translated into more than 30 languages and have become international bestsellers and include Mystic River , Gone Baby Gone , Darkness Take My Hand and Moonlight Mile . His most recent work World Gone By, a psychologically and morally complex novel set in World War II was published March 2015. Three of his novels - Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone and Shutter Island - have been adapted into award-winning films.Lehane was a staff writer on the acclaimed HBO series The Wire and is a writer-producer on the fourth season of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire . His filmThe Drop features James Gandolfini in his last movie role. It has recently been reported in the press that Dennis has been approached to adapt the Irish crime drama Love/Hate for a US cable television network.
Dennis will be interviewed by writer and playwright Declan Hughes.
May 18, 2015
May 13, 2015
Where does the time go??
Where does the time go???
9 days editing at the lovely Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Annaghmakerrig.
A full day crime writing workshop at the Irish Writers Centre on Saturday.
Time spent with grandchildren on Sunday.
A visit to the dentist to discuss root canal work scheduled for next week on Monday.
Catching up with work after time away.
A day or two with painkillers and more editing.
Then early flight with Jackie Walsh to go to Crimefest Bristol on Friday morning.
....oh yes, that's where some of it went.....
April 27, 2015
Running Away!
I'll be off to the Tyrone Guthrie Artist Retreat in Annaghmakerrig a couple of days earlier than expected this Wednesday.
Why? Life kept interrupting the editing process on The Game Changer and sometimes running away is a good option!!
Nine days, with me, the script, my laptop, a couple of books, and some yummy food with wonderful surroundings and people has to be good - right??
April 25, 2015
Launch of the Quarryman
Good luck to everyone involved with the launch of Quarryman at the Cork Festival this evening. A great collection and I was delighted to have had the opportunity, along with Donal Ryan, to contribute my sentiments about the work.....
Michelle McAdoo, Madeleine d'Arcy, and Eoghan Walsh, launch the 'Quarryman', Photo: Orla Murphy
EXTRACT CORK INDEPENDENT
The newly-revived UCC literary journal, 'Quarryman' will be launched at the close of The Cork World Book Fest on Saturday April 25, in The Triskel Arts Centre.
"Within the pages of this anthology, we meet diversity, ingenuity, humour, pathos, compassion and a kaleidoscope of emotions which are both individual and universal," said Louise Phillips, author of Red Ribbons, The Doll’s House and Last Kiss.
Booker nominated author Donal Ryan says that, "It’s a perfect reading excursion, its pages inhabited by cyber-stalkers, bereft lovers, dying crows, web less spiders, disillusioned radicals, illicit cadavers, and people treading the uncertain pathways of life, love and loss negotiating the treacherous terrain of existence."
Read full piece from Cork Independent HERE
Michelle McAdoo, Madeleine d'Arcy, and Eoghan Walsh, launch the 'Quarryman', Photo: Orla Murphy EXTRACT CORK INDEPENDENT
The newly-revived UCC literary journal, 'Quarryman' will be launched at the close of The Cork World Book Fest on Saturday April 25, in The Triskel Arts Centre.
"Within the pages of this anthology, we meet diversity, ingenuity, humour, pathos, compassion and a kaleidoscope of emotions which are both individual and universal," said Louise Phillips, author of Red Ribbons, The Doll’s House and Last Kiss.
Booker nominated author Donal Ryan says that, "It’s a perfect reading excursion, its pages inhabited by cyber-stalkers, bereft lovers, dying crows, web less spiders, disillusioned radicals, illicit cadavers, and people treading the uncertain pathways of life, love and loss negotiating the treacherous terrain of existence."
Read full piece from Cork Independent HERE
April 23, 2015
The Bridport Prize!
Closing date: 31 May 2015
Over £16,000 in prize moneyOne of the richest writing competitions in the UK, the Bridport Prize is open to all nationalities aged 16 years and over.The poem and short story categories each have a first prize of £5,000, second prize £1,000 and third prize £500. An additional 10 supplementary prizes (for each category) of £50 each are awarded.A new category for flash fiction with a prize of £1,000 was launched in 2010. There is a second prize of £500, 3rd prize of £250 and 3 supplementary prizes of £50.In 2014 the Peggy Chapman-Andrews first novel award, named after the Prize’s founder, was launched. The first prize is £1,000 plus a up to a year’s mentoring from The Literary Consultancy. A runner-up prize of £500 is also offered. For more details visit HERE
Great Things Happen After Dark!!
I'm really looking forward to this event at Clondalkin Library on Friday.Funding for this event and others, was made via the Carnegie Trust and the project called the 'Library After Dark Writers Café' is aimed at offering a course of creative writing workshops covering a variety of forms and genres, and also, to offer writers a quiet space and some time to actually write.Clondalkin library opens 'after hours' once a month on a Friday to facilitate the café, which is open to new and emerging writers.To reserve your place for future events, please email: libraryafterdark@sdublincoco.ie with a sample of your creative writing. At this month's cafe, I will be looking at how best to create pace in your novel, under the guise of 'Unleashing Your Dark Side: The Best Ways to Commit Fictional Crime'.The Cafe is open from 6.30pm - 9.30pm when the Library is closed to the general public.
