Byddi Lee's Blog, page 6

Rejuvenation 3 – The Grand Finale

Writing is a lot like gardening – you plant your bulbs in the dark days of winter and then they surprise you by actually growing and coming up all at once!

Castrum Press celebrate their release of Rejuvenation Book 3 with FREE Kindle copies of Rejuvenation Book 1.

The clocks went back today here in Ireland. Winter is on its way and we’re in lockdown again. There isn’t much to do other than read a good book. Or if you’re feeling like sitting back and relaxing, why not take advantage of the globalization of entertainment due to COVID 19 and watch an original Irish play on YouTube?

I’m delighted to say that the final instalment of the Rejuvenation Trilogy is now out on Kindle and in paperback.

Thank you to the Arts Council NI and for awarding me SIAP National Lottery funding last year which allowed me to finish Rejuvenation Book 3 and wrap up the Rejuvenation Trilogy so that it could be published by Castrum Press this year.

Out of a clear, blue sky a mysterious alien race wreaked havoc on planet Earth, thus beginning the Melter War. Alien energy weapons struck the Polar ice caps. Oceans rose, drowned huge swathes of land, swallowed up great cities and left much of the earth as an irradiated wasteland. Millions of people died.

But a saviour emerged; Lisette Fox and her Belus Corporation supplied the weapons and technology to defeat the Melters and brought peace back to the world.

Some two decades later Bobbie Chan, a child at the outbreak of war, now works as a doctor caring for the ultra-elderly. Bobbie encounters a previously unidentified disease; ‘Rejuvenation’ which makes the old young but has homicidal side effects.

In this gripping final instalment of Byddi Lee’s Rejuvenation trilogy Bobbie discovers the shocking truth behind the Melters’ attack and Rejuvenation. Bobbie faces a decision with untold consequences, not only for Bobbie, but for the entire human race.

I’m even more thrilled to be able to tell you that you can grab a FREE copy of Rejuvenation Book 1 on Kindle until the 27th October 2020. So if you haven’t read it, now’s a great time to see what all the buzz is about. If you have already read it, why not surprise a friend and gift them a Kindle book? They’ll be happy that you thought of them.

And if you enjoyed that, Rejuvenation Book 2 is on special offer for 99p/99c until 29th October.

With these fabulous offers from Castrum Press, you can read the entire Rejuvenation Trilogy for less than five bucks!

Now, what was I saying about an original Irish Play?

Oh yeah – During the first lockdown, I teamed up with local writers Malachi Kelly and Tim Hanna and we wrote Zoomeo & Juliet, a play for live staging through the medium of Zoom and produced by the amazingly talented Margery Quinn. It was wonderful to watch her bring our words, characters and plot to life with the cast from the Armagh Theatre Group. People tuned in from all over the world to enjoy the ticketed live performances. You can catch a recording of the performance, free on YouTube, complete with bloopers at the end!

By the end of the summer, it was clear that the theatres were not going to open this side of Christmas, so we three met again and wrote a sequel to Zoomeo & Juliet  called Social Bubble, Toil & Trouble.

Expertly produced by Margery Quinn, it unveils the further antics of our favourite Am Dram Afficionados battling the infuriating constraints of living with coronavirus whilst endeavouring to bring “quality” drama to their long-suffering supporters.

Is Dan still hooked on the Bard?
Has Jill found her pussy?
Is Ray really in Donegal?
Has Pat been whisked away by talent spotters?
Could they all be “replaced” by some “new kids” on the block?

Find out by joining one of our three live Zoom performances this November…

If you wish to book a place for Thursday 19th November click go
https://tinyurl.com/SocialBubbleNov19
If you wish to book a place for Friday 20th November go to
https://tinyurl.com/SocialBubbleNov20
If you wish to book a place for Saturday 21st November go to
https://tinyurl.com/SocialBubbleNov21

Hopefully this helps provide some light relief and entertains you despite the times we are in right now.

If you are a member of a book club and would like to book me in for an Author Q&A zoom session, please feel free to contact me by email. I love discussing any of my books and look forward to meeting you online.

In the meantime, I need to get out into my real garden and get some crocus bulbs planted for the spring because although winter is upon us, Spring is sure to follow…

Byddi Lee

An Evening of Real, Live, Face-to-Face People

There have been so many challenges during the pandemic that a lack of literary events seems to be very low down on the list of priorities. Still, when the Armagh City, Banbridge and Criagavon Borough Council (ACBC council – the organisers of the Armagh Food and Cider Festival) came to me and said that that they would continue to plan for Flash Fiction in the Orchard, I felt something like how Cinders must have felt when her Fairy Godmother said, “You shall go to the ball!”

In the days leading up to the event, every email I received from the ACBC Council induced an increased heart rate. Was this the one that was going to cancel everything? Other emails to me often began with – “Is it still happening?”

With great delight, I’d answer, ‘Yes!”

Long Meadow Cider were our wonderful hosts. and huge a thank you goes to them. We got to sample their fabulous cider – my favourite is the rhubarb and honey cider – it’s to die for! To allow us to physically distance to meet COVID regulations, they gave us a bigger venue and moved us into their newly built cidery. We were advised to dress up warm – no problem! In the face of the pandemic, people were willing to give it a go – anything to get out and see people in the flesh – though that flesh was well covered up!

Photo by Réamonn Ó Ciaráin

The festival organisers went to great trouble to decorate the space. Bistro tables and chairs were sited two metres apart. Our food was delivered to the tables in personal lunch boxes so we didn’t have to share ‘family style’. They used orange and red lighting to give the space a warmer feel and to augment the big air heaters they were using. We had a stage and a “no-touch” mic. The sound was superb. And the stage lights – very very bright! So much so that when on stage, you couldn’t see the audience. It seemed to catch every reader by surprise with many commenting on it!

And the readings were top notch – most of which are at this link

Flash Fiction in the Orchard 2020

We are so grateful to everyone who made this night happen:

to the audience who put up with a chill in the air to sit and listen to the readers (the previous night’s temperature was the coldest September night in two decades!)to the ABCB council festival staff who made this happen and who ensured we were socialising safely.to the readers for sharing their hard work and creativity with us. Many have found this time a difficult period in which to be creative. to Long Meadow Cider – we can totally see why you are winning awards for your delicious produceto the sound guys – you rocked!to the video guy (My Husband) – you are awesome!to Réamonn Ó Ciaráin – the other half of Flash Fiction Armagh (the sensible half!) Your MCing was electric, as usual, despite the massive hailstone storm that competed with you.and to our social media followers for reading, watching, liking, sharing and commenting – your support helps our writers develop their platforms and carries Flash Fiction Armagh beyond the boundaries of the night that’s in it.

It might be a while before we have another event, but rest assured, better days are coming, and when they do, we’ll be ready.

Byddi Lee

Flash Fiction in the Orchard Line-up

I’m finding it hard to believe it’s happening, really happening; that we’ll be gathering in person to hear wonderful stories read aloud in front of a mic (note to self: antiseptic wipes!) at the Flash Fiction in the Orchard.

A year ago, this kind of thing was, dare I say, run of the mill. Not perhaps for those who had to actually stand and read. There were nerves to contend with, and possible equipment failures, but that all pales into insignificance with the onslaught of the pandemic. Suddenly everything has been shoved into perspective – so you fluff a line, so the mic crackles for a moment – or worse still stops working and you have to shout, so the lighting is bad and the footage for YouTube is grainy, so my hair frizzes (wait scratch that – that’s a given!)

None of it will matter so long as we can get together and celebrate! And despite the tragedies of the past six months, the sad loss of life and the stress and strains of lockdown, let’s rejoice in being here – being here together – even if we still need to physically distance and can’t hug with abandon… we can just be here and that’s wonderful.

The Armagh Food and Cider festival is really a harvest festival, a time to celebrate the summer’s bounty in the fruit and veg we worked hard to plant and tend to and can now harvest. Similarly, Flash Fiction Armagh is an accolade to the finish products of our creativity.

At Flash Fiction Armagh, we always find it hard to make our final selection of readers. We had far more submissions than we could accommodate and sadly had to turn away great stories. If you were one of those please don’t be disappointed. It is not a reflection of your writing. It’s been a good exercise for me as a writer to see this side of things. It has taught me to not be despondent when I get that reply that says they can’t use my work because I know that a lot of what we can’t use in Flash Fiction Armagh is brilliant. And remember, it’s always subjective too. To every writer, I say that the act of completing a story and submitting it is a success and everything else is a bonus.

I am really looking forward to hearing the stories we selected… some exciting new (to Flash Fiction Armagh) faces and some familiar ones too.

Without further ado, Flash Fiction Armagh proudly present to read in the Orchard :

Cathy Cole, One For Sorrow
Claire Shevlin, Don’t Forget To Genuflect
David Braziel, Remnants in Ruins
Gaynor Kane, Restoration
Jay Faulkner, Playing Both Sides
Jillian Mc Frederick, The Perfect Story
Lynda Mc Knight, Closing Time
Rachel Toner, Not a Child of the Troubles
Rosemary Tumilty, Mc Larnon Portrait
Tim Hanna, Shooting the Breeze

I’ll also be reading a short extract from Rejuvenation Book 1.

Flash Fiction in The Orchard is on 24th September at 8.30 pm at Long Meadow Cider Farm.

Tickets are £10 each, includes cider and nibbles and are available online only – click here.

We hope to see you there and in the meantime, wash your hands, wear your mask and stay safe.

Byddi Lee

Where Do Flutterbies Go in the Rain?

Yesterday I captured a photograph of a beautiful Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on a marigold in my garden. He was very ‘tame’ (sluggish,) so I was able to get really close to take the shot. This is it straight out of the camera, no cropping or twiddling with the colour saturation levels and ‘pop’ function – just as it was taken. I’m very proud of it

.

It sat there quite a while and I chatted to it as I weeded nearby. I often converse with the creatures in my garden, scolding those that startle me (like frogs hopping out from under chard leaves) or that eat my veggies (like the slugs and snails – before I crush them and offer them up to the birds.) I’ll croon lovingly to the robin who follows me around the garden and praise the bees for the great job they’re doing pollinating my flowers, but butterflies are my absolute favourite – or Flutterbies as I used to call them when I was a little girl – arguing obstinately with My Mum that the name ‘flutterby’ makes more sense as they do actually flutter by.

So today, I was sad to see another Small Tortoiseshell in my garage all caught up in a spiders web. Its wings were closed and I reckoned it was dead, but on closer inspection, it was moving. I went straight into flutterby rescue mode. Spider stayed away – I don’t want to clear it out or kill it because they have their job to do too, keeping flies and mosquitoes at bay. I suppose you could say the flutterby was collateral damage. It happens also with my carnivorous plant. Here you see it’s caught a mosquito, but the next leaf over has snagged a little ladybug…and that’s a real shame.

But it wasn’t too late for the flutterby, I hoped. I took it out to the marigold and set it on the same flower I’d photographed the day before. It opened and closed its wings, but it looked quite forlorn having lost two of its legs and one of its antennae. And then the rain came on…

My flutterby was quivering (was he shivering?) and I thought I should lift him to somewhere dry. If only I knew where to set him. Where do flutterbies go in the rain? I couldn’t ever recall seeing any flying around during a rain shower. When I did the butterfly project in San Jose, we didn’t even do out if it was cloudy never mind raining (not that it rained much!) and that was just looking for caterpillars…

It was raining hard and I figured the flutterby needed to drink some nectar, fuel up and fly to wherever flutterbies go in the rain, but in the meantime maybe I should help. So I went looking for an umbrella, but just as I was about to I step into the house the sun broke from behind a cloud. It was the precise conditions needed for a rainbow, so I ran back outside to see if I could see a rainbow and sure enough there it was.

My Husband – a sucker for rainbows too – had joined me and I started to tell him the saga of the poor one-antennaed-four-legged flutterby sitting on the marigold … except when I went to look he was gone (the flutterby, not My Husband!)

Maybe he’d died and dropped off. But thankfully no dead bodies were found on the scene at all! My Husband helpfully suggested I check the sole of my wellie boots – nope not there either (phew!)

So it seems that when I wasn’t looking my flutterby flew off to where ever it is flutterbies go in the rain leaving me scratching my damp head and soggily wondering – where do flutterbies go in the rain?

Byddi Lee

Travel to 1978 Chicago with “Winter Light”

I have had the great privilege to be an Advanced Copy Reviewer for Winter Light by Martha Engber (published by Vine Leaves Press). I’m proud to say that I met Martha Engber at the beginning of my writing career and learned a lot from her about building characters and that big one – show don’t tell! Over the years, we’ve become firm friends, and it is with great delight that I can proclaim honestly that my writing coach and buddy is releasing a brilliant book in October (preorder click here)

Right from the start, we know that 15-year-old Mary Donahue has a tough life. Her mother died when Mary was a small child. Her father is a violent alcoholic, and only one of her three older brothers is on Mary’s team. Mary hangs out with the burnouts in her school, spending more time partying than on homework, but when Mary strikes up an unusual friendship with one of the Preppy girls in her class, Mary glimpses a better life… and wants it.

Martha Engber pulls no punches as she depicts the obstacles that Mary slams into as she tries to change her life. This story is stomach-clenchingly gritty but so beautifully written that it tempers the harsh reality the story portrays. Details are exquisitely observed, and Engber has a way of dropping you directly into the Chicago winter so you feel the bite of the cold as you read, for example with descriptions such as “…the wind a zipper catching your skin.”

Engber is a master of characterization. I fell in love with Mary right away, and the people in the story feel real and multidimensional. While Mary’s world and life experiences are (thankfully) not very familiar to me, I could totally relate to this story, could comprehend fully the concept of the knock-on effect of one event going awry and pulling everything else down with it. Well-paced story plotting, combined with an artful depiction of a time and a place – 1978 Chicago – makes this read a fully immersive experience. When you must (reluctantly) set the book down to re-enter your own day, your mind will continue to ponder Mary’s trials and tribulations.

I’ll avoid spoilers, of course, but one thing I would say is that Winter Light is a tightly written story that packs a punch. Nothing is mentioned that doesn’t have a part to play in the plot. It’s the kind of story with “aha!” moments that make you want to start at the beginning again as you read the final words. Readers, pay attention…

Engber has truly conjured up a living breathing person in the characters she sets out on the page – although this is no surprise to me. I’ve also read her non-fiction book,  Growing Great Characters From the Ground Up: A Thorough Primer for the Writers of Fiction and Nonfiction and would recommend it to any writer. Engber has fully implemented her own advice in the writing of Winter Light. I’d also highly recommend taking her upcoming course on at the Savvy Writers Con 2020 – for more details click here.

Also do consider tuning into a reading and Q&A event on 17th September with Martha Engber and other women writers published by Vine Leaves Press.

Byddi Lee

Win a Free Copy of the “Rejuvenation Book One” Audiobook

I’m thrilled to have the Rejuvenation Book 1 audiobook read by the wonderful Savy Des-Etages. There’s something special about hearing my words read back to me, especially by a reader with such expertise. It gives me the opportunity to relax and enjoy the story to its full degree without being tempted to tweak – it’s what we writers do!

If you’d like to hear more here’s the link to listen on Audible. You may be eligible for Audible’s free 30-day trial and you can also enter my prize draw giveaway to receive a free review copy of the Rejuvenation Book 1 audiobook.

Simply email me – byddi@hotmail.com- a link to your Amazon or Goodreads review of either Rejuvenation Book 1 or Rejuvenation Book 2 with “Free Audiobook Giveaway” as the subject title to be entered into a free draw by 28th August 2020. And if you have reviewed both books you get two chances to win!

Winners will be notified by the 6th of September 2020.

Good luck and thanks for the reviews!

Byddi Lee

Presenting Rejuvenation Book 2 The Second Book in The Rejuvenation Trilogy

I hope this finds you well during these strange times. 2020 has been a notable period in history and between the COVID 19 pandemic and murder hornets, it proves that real life is stranger than fiction! Not to be outdone, The Rejuvenation Trilogy is proving to pack quite the punch, while still giving readers an enjoyable, and at times, a heart-stopping break from reality.

Reviewers of Rejuvenation Book 1, published by Castrum Press at the beginning of lockdown, describe the book as “a gripping read” with a “world of biotech and environmental collapse that is both engaging and unsettlingly familiar.” If you’ve already read it and would like to add a review here’s the link http://smarturl.it/Rejuvenation1-Review

Despite being categorized as Science Fiction, the book has pulled in readers who would not normally be fans of the genre with its solid character building, creativity and imagination. The book set in a not-too-distant future, tells the story of Bobbie Chan, a doctor caring for the ultra-elderly who notices a new disease afflicting her patients showing signs of age reversal. As the ‘Rejuvenees’ get younger, they also become uncontrollably aggressive. Bobbie races against time to rescue the Rejuvenees and uncover the true enemy.

Rejuvenation Book 1 is a white knuckle ride that leaves readers calling for more.

That “more” is now available both on Kindle and in paperback as Rejuvenation Book 2, (Castrum Press).

Fans of the trilogy are not disappointed, with reviewers saying, “This second instalment of Rejuvenation is as thrilling as the first.”

“It begins in the middle of the action and maintains pace through each chapter.”

“As the drama develops, Byddi’s ability to make us experience the journey of the character will give you goosebumps and have you holding your breath. Builds to a mind-blowing cliff hanger at the end …” High praise indeed from amazing local writer, Cathy Carson.

Usually, I would offer a free first chapter, but I am afraid of giving away anything and spoiling Rejuvenation Book One for anyone who hasn’t yet read that. However, if you have read the first book (thanks for reading) and would to check out the beginning of  Rejuvenation Book 2, please feel free to peruse the ‘Look Inside’ feature on Amazon. I always recommend this as a way of determining if a book is for you. It’s like the cyber equivalent of browsing in a bookstore, but without the hushed tones and the lovely smell of books. Still, you can download samples to your kindle and read them at your leisure for free.

For those of you without Kindles readers, you can read on your computer and order the paperback if you enjoy the free sample. 

In Other News…

Rejuvenation Book 2 is the fourth book I have been involved in that has been published during the pandemic. In June 2020, I had a short story published in the Women Aloud NI anthology North Star.

And of course there was The Bramley Volume 2 – An Anthology of Flash Fiction Armagh which was released in May 2020.

And Finally…

The pandemic has been a strange time for all of us, but I’ve been lucky to have had creative ways to distract myself. It’s been disappointing to have had to cancel the launches and books signings for the first two books in the Rejuvenation Trilogy, but hopefully, when the third book is published, we can have a big celebration.

Thankfully, Rejuvenation Book 3 is imminent, judging by the reviews so far, many “can’t wait” to see what happens to Dr Bobbie Chan and her friends.

I’d be extremely grateful if you’d leave a review for Rejuvenation Book Two when you’ve read it. Reviews really help to support the author and promote the book – especially in these challenging times.

Thank you

Byddi Lee

An Apple At The End of the Tunnel

I received wonderful news today. Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough (ACBC) Council are going ahead with their award-winning Food and Cider Festival in September 2020 (within guidelines and with social distancing, of course) and have asked us if we still wanted to be part of the programme with Flash Fiction in the Orchard. Réamonn and I were quick to say, “Yes!”

It’s going to be so great to see everyone again and to be standing at the mic (note to self – antiseptic wipes for the mic) reading to a live audience rather than on Zoom. Of course, we all know by now that nothing can be written in stone nor taken for granted, but hopefully, hopefully, we’ll be able to have a wonderful evening of companionship and storytelling soon.

So here’s what’s happening…

ACBC Council are giving us a larger venue – a barn in Long Meadow Farm. It will be heated but dress up warm! (Remember the first Flash Fiction in the Orchard? The heater was so loud we had to turn it off to hear the readers, but we didn’t mind really because the setting was so adorably quaint! )

The next Flash Fiction in the Orchard is on 24th September 2020 from 8.30pm – 10.30pm.

The deadline for submissions is one month before the date of the event, so in this case the deadline is 24th August 2020.

Please email your 200 – 750 word submission within the body of your email (no attachments please) to: byddi@hotmail.com with “Flash Fiction in the Orchard 2020 Submission” in the subject line.

Réamonn Ó Ciaráin, author of Laoch na Laochra: Scéal Chúchulainn, and Chúchulainn: Ulster’s Greatest Hero, will help curate the submissions. 

It is free to enter, but please only submit one piece of work.

You must be available to read at the event on the evening of 24th September 2020. If you are not selected for your chosen date we reserve the right to invite you to read your submission at a subsequent Flash Fiction night.

Entries are encouraged from:

Experienced writersAuthors who can extract a short section from their booksIrish Language writersUlster Scots writersNew writersPoets whose poetry reads like prose

We don’t mind if you submit work that has been submitted elsewhere or that has already been published. Authors are welcome to bring copies of their books to sell.

We’re delighted to be able to offer the selected readers a small fee to read this time – we feel it is important that we pay writers for their work and especially now when so many have had sources of revenue cut off.

And by sweet coincidence, today, I ate the very first of the apples from my Beauty of Bath apple tree. They drop when they are ripe. Even though I know they are an early season variety, I was surprised that they tasted so good. My Mum talked me into getting this variety,and I’m glad I followed her advice – as per usual she was right!

My Beauty of Bath Apples

To see the type of thing we choose for our Flash Fiction events have a look at our Journal – The Bramley. Both Volume 1 and Volume 2 are available on Amazon. If you leave a review, we’d really appreciate that.

And in other news… the release of Book 2 in the Rejuvenation Trilogy is close approaching. If you haven’t yet read Rejuvenation Book 1 you can grab a copy here or through The Secret Bookshelf in Carrickfergus or in No Alibis in Belfast. Also, coming soon to a speaker near you is the audiobook for Rejuvenation Book 1… I’ll update with details as I get them.

I’ll leave you with some reviews of Rejuvenation Book 1 to whet your appetite…

Byddi Lee

‘Zoomeo and Juliet’ Opening Night Audience Verdict – A Hit!

I was sick with the nerves all day yesterday. Last night was the opening night of Zoomeo & Juliet and as My Husband (the man behind the Zoom ‘curtain’) and I checked off all the things that could go wrong, my stress levels mounted. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for the people doing all the hard work – the cast!

As one of the three writers (Malachi Kelly and Tim Hanna from Armagh Theatre Group being my partners in ‘comedy crime’), I worried that we’d miss the mark with the craic. Would what we found funny, fall flat on its face? Were the jokes too obvious, or too subtle, or even work at all?

But we were in good hands. Our producer, Margery Quinn, picked up on every beat and coaxed the best from our amazing cast. They played a blinder!

The hour that I’d spend all day both longing for and dreading, came and went in a flash, but thanks to the magic of Zoom, we were able to read and reread the comments left by the audience… and they loved the show!

Audience feedback for ‘Zoomeo and Juliet’ opening night.

You might need to click on the picture to enlarge the text, but if that doesn’t work here is what some of our audience said…

“Really loved the show. Laughed out loud…”

“Super stuff guys. Very witty and relevant…”

“Great way of making the arts and theatre come back…”

That last comment was all the way from Paris, France! The beauty of a Zoom production is being able to reach an international audience. So far we have viewers signing up from California, Stockholm, United Arab Emirates, and even Donegal!

There are still places available for tonight and tomorrow, so follow the instructions below to secure your viewing.

This is also a fundraiser for the Armagh Theatre Group’s building project to extend Abbey Lane so it is £7.99 per “screen”  (your whole family can watch).

If you wish to book a place for Friday 3rdnd July go to

http://hyperurl.co/zoomeojul3rd

If you wish to book a place for Saturday 4th July go to

http://hyperurl.co/zoomeojul4th

We are presenting live performances – which can only be viewed on Zoom… so it is essential you have the zoom app on your computer/tablet (watching is best on a laptop or desktop computer. An ipad/tablet will work however a phone is not recommended.)

We will only have 80 “screen” places available each night and you need to register by clicking on the appropriate link above to secure your place. Please register and pay using a laptop or desktop computer. Using a tablet/ipad/mobile phone will work, but you will either need to already have a PayPal account or else open one. Then a link will be sent to you via email and you just click the link…

For more information, here’s a word from Monique Rennie, chairperson of the Armagh Theatre Group.

http://tinyurl.com/zoomeo

We do hope you enjoy the show!

Byddi Lee

Crossing the Plinth! An Interview with Women Aloud NI Chairperson Angeline King

Angeline King is not only the dynamic Chairperson for Women Aloud NI and a fabulously talented writer, but she also has (I’m delighted to say) over the past few years become a great friend too. We met at the John Hewitt Society Summer School in Armagh. We were both fairly new to Women Aloud NI then and both self-published writers. I happened to be reading her book Snugville Street at the time. I remember feeling a little shy about telling her. Her relief, joy and gratitude when I expressed how much I enjoyed her book touched me. She was gracious and humble, and I immediately liked her.

As the years have passed, Angeline has been an ardent supporter of local writers and a good friend to me personally. We’ve shared advice and encouragement, and I was overjoyed when she took on the position of Chairperson for Women Aloud NI. Angeline galvanised us all into action at the beginning of lockdown and orchestrated the production of the North Star anthology.

She’s been a busy woman lately, publishing her new book Dusty Bluebells, which I’m excited to read, so I was thrilled when she took the time to do this interview for my blog – Thanks, Angeline…

Congratulations on Dusty Bluebells.

And congratulations on the Rejuvenation trilogy!

What would my readers like about Dusty Bluebells?

Rejuvenation readers would be signing up for a one-night stand away from Dystopia — an old-fashioned courtship, if you like. Dusty Bluebells is feminine, nostalgic and Irish-with-a-northern-twist. (Think Maeve Binchy in Protestant, working-class Ulster with a great deal of Ulster-Scots idiom). Childhood, parentage and family history are all big themes.

Your literature is continually evolving. The first time we met was at the John Hewitt International Summer School in Armagh in 2018, when I was reading your novel, Snugville Street. What impact did the JHISS experience have on you as a writer?

The JHISS formed an integral part of the apprenticeship of writing, and it was important in terms of forging friendships, words and thoughts. Also, I felt rather Parisian being able to meander in and out of the little cafes in Armagh, pulling up a chair beside anyone with a John Hewit badge, speaking of which, I recall you sharing a piece of work with me in a cafe. Who would have thought that little story you let me read about the train crash of 1889 would become part of our shared publication, Women Aloud NI’s North Star?

It was a wonderful experience to be among 45 Women Aloud NI Writers who recently wrote North Star, and the perfect project to take the mind off lockdown. You’re an established writer now with three novels, a children’s book and a history book, not to mention the anthologies. Why did you make the decision to self-publish Dusty Bluebells?

I felt confident about the work, but I was concerned about the Ulster-Scots dialogue, which can be a commercial risk for a publisher. Self-publishing gave me the freedom to push boundaries artistically. Also, as a female writer and mum living in a small, provincial town in Northern Ireland, it can be difficult to fulfil the networking required to attract the eye of a big publisher. I began my career working for an international publisher and then had ten years in Educational Technology, making my way up to senior management, and the commercial voice in my head told me that a well-written and homely book about friendships forged in Larne in the post-war years would not cut it on the circular tables in airport bookshops from which I used to select books on my international travels. However, I was instinctively compelled to tell the story and to take it to print. I knew that the book would resonate with a small niche of people, who rarely see a mirror image of themselves or their ancestors in books.

Does self-publishing pose any disadvantages?

Distribution is an issue, but I have found other ways to be endorsed as a professional writer — being selected as one of Libraries NI emerging writers; having my poetry published; writing essays for the Irish Times; writing a regional museum exhibition; receiving the SIAP from the Arts Council and, most recently, becoming Writer in Residence at Ulster University — I’m due to start in September.

It’s also worth noting that I  have a good relationship with my readers and they keep me right. If self-publishing were an expression of over-confidence, they’d let me know. I enjoy making books as much as I enjoy writing them.

And you’ve made a few books this year.

Yes, two anthologies and a novel and it’s only June. I ran a Peace IV creative writing course in Larne just before lockdown, resulting in a publication called Shaped by the Sea. It came through the door in April when we were only permitted to leave the house for shopping or exercise, and the launch had to be cancelled.

I then moved straight to igniting Women Aloud NI’s North Star project. It was a real team effort, and while North Star was taking social media by storm at the end of May, I turned my hand to publishing Dusty Bluebells.

What ambitions do you have for Dusty Bluebells?

I’d like Dusty Bluebells to be recognised as an honest reflection of Ulster life and an important addition to Ireland’s literary landscape.

Thank you Angeline. After the John Hewitt International Summer School, you wrote your blog that the pair of us were “as two Cathedrals, raised on opposing plinths of old battle lines.” I hope that my Armagh readers and all those from further afield will step out on that old-fashioned courtship with Dusty Bluebells, particularly if it means a journey from one plinth to the other.

Angeline King is the author of novels Snugville Street , A Belfast Tale and Dusty Bluebells ; a history book, Irish Dancing: The Festival Story ; and children’s book, Children of Latharna.