Roisin Meaney's Blog, page 10
October 2, 2012
Finito!
[image error]Good news - handed over first draft of my new book last week, big phew after months of work. Waiting now to hear what my editor thinks of it - fingers crossed everyone! All going well, it'll hit the shelves next spring (title under negotiation - I'll give it out when it's been decided) so between this and then I'll be editing and fine tuning it, and of course making a start on the next fairly soon too. No rest for the wicked writer!
September 4, 2012
Still in the Italian charts....
[image error]Good news - Cupcake Club, my Italian translation, is number six in the Italian bestseller list of foreign titles this week, still hanging in there! Did I mention how much I love Italy? I got four copies in the post today - first time I'd seen it in the flesh - and it's just gorgeous, all hard cover and chunky and just fab. Now all I need is to find three Italians living in Ireland who'd each like a copy, because I only need one for myself....tell you what - first three Italian immigrants to get in touch can have 'em!
August 22, 2012
Into the Italian charts!!
[image error]Newsflash - I just heard that Cupcake Club, the Italian translation of The Things We Do for Love (see two entries below) has gone into the Italian bestselling foreign titles list at number five! LOVE being in a bestseller list - the excitement of waiting to see which way it will go the following week is killing, but in a good way! Watch this space (and please cross your fingers while you're at it!)
In other news, the book I'm working on (working title Helen and Sarah) is almost there, another few weeks should do it - well, the first draft at least. This one has been challenging, not least because it spans over thirty years, and involves two separate main storylines....but hopefully the effort will be worth it. I will breathe a huge sigh of relief when I hand it over to Ciara, my trusty editor at Hachette - and take at least a week off!
August 9, 2012
Olympic gold for Ireland!
[image error]Oops, just realised it's been a while since I wrote; am I allowed to blame pressure of enjoying myself - I mean work??? I HAVE been busy, honest! In between a trip to Italy and a few weekends in County Clare, I've been working on my next book - working title Helen and Sarah - and I'd say I'm on the final third now. Briefly, it concerns two women who meet in dramatic circumstances, and whose lives collide again a few years later...Better not say any more, or none of you will buy it when it comes out next May!
June 29, 2012
Italy etc
[image error] Here it is - my first Italian translation! Isn't the cover cute? It's titled Cupcake Cafe (originally Love in the Making) and it hits the shelves there in July. I'm just back from a wonderful holiday on Italy's west coast; a few weeks too early to see it in the shops, just bad timing, but it means I'll have to go back, doesn't it???
In other news I've just signed with Hachette for two more books, so it's all systems go for the next few months....I don't want to give too much away about the next book, but I will say that it's going to be more ambitious in terms of structure than the rest, and I'm also attempting to reduce my characters - usually I'm tearing my hair out trying to keep track of them all, so hopefully I'll have an easier time of it with this one! Watch this space.
Right, it's back to work for me - my deadline is looming and that word count won't grow itself!
Roisin xx
June 7, 2012
Hello Lixnaw girls!
[image error]A big hello to all the 5th and 6th class girls of Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, Lixnaw, County Kerry, who highly entertained me for a couple of hours during my Writer's Week wanderings last week! Such a lovely chat we had, lots of questions and ideas flying around, and I would say more than a few future writers in there......thanks girls, you're a great bunch! xx
Kerry madness...
[image error] Well, I've survived another wonderful Writers' Week festival in my lovely home town of Listowel in County Kerry! It was more hectic than usual this year, thanks to a full programme of events that the committee had lined up for me - I visited schools in Ballyduff, Ballylongford, Lixnaw and Listowel town itself, and was warmly welcomed everywhere I went. I also told stories in Listowel library and on the pavement outside Super Valu (interesting!), and I gave a creative writing workshop to a lovely bunch of 9 to 14 year olds in the Listowel Arms Hotel. The festival was full of the usual readings and book launches and plays and music events...top marks to the organisers, all unpaid volunteers, who make the magic happen each year. Roll on Writers' Week 2013 - I've already booked my B&B!
April 19, 2012
Launched - and made the list!
[image error]Well, the last week or so has passed in a blur - One Summer hit the shelves around the beginning of the month, and since then I've been dashing here, there and everywhere promoting it. It was officially launched in Limerick last Thursday, and just two days ago I heard from my editor that it's entered the Irish bestseller list at number 7! I'm so delighted, and of course hoping it climbs a bit higher....fingers crossed, everyone!
The launch was a major success, couldn't have gone better - everyone I asked was there, and then some. The place was heaving, lots of chat and buzz, my friend and super jazz singer Judy O'Connor sang for over an hour, accompanied by one of Limerick's most respected musicians, Austin Durack. The finger food was top class, and another pal, Veronica, made an incredible cake, with the bouquet from One Summer's cover recreated in fondant! I hated cutting it, but I was also dying to have a slice, so I got over my reluctance...a night to remember, and no mistake. I may have to have another next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, etc!
April 8, 2012
Happy Easter
[image error]Just a little note to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful Easter. Easy on those chocolate eggs now! xxx
March 31, 2012
It's here!!!
[image error]One Summer has arrived! Today I saw it on the shelves of O'Mahony's bookshop on Limerick's O'Connell Street - and seeing your book for the first time in a bookshop is a thrill that never fades. I was as excited seeing it on the shelf today as I was eight years ago, when I walked into a bookshop and saw The Daisy Picker, my very first book, sitting there! I remember skulking around the shop for ages, waiting to see if anyone would choose it. I'm sure the staff thought I was a shoplifter, waiting for my chance to grab a few books and run!
In other news, I've made a start on a new book, and I'm about 50 pages in. Very different. Very, very different. That's all I'm saying right now! (I know, I'm such a tease.) But I also have an idea for a book that's quite similar in style to what's gone before, so hopefully I'll eventually manage to please all of the people all of the time!
