Nuala Ní Chonchúir's Blog, page 44

NEW PLANET LAUNCH PICS

The New Planet Cabaret anthology launch in The Gutter Book Shop, on Friday, was a blast - lots of energy in the room, lots of people there. It was a live broadcast of RTE's arts show Arena, and the really cool thing is you can listen back to the proceedings here. A lot of credit must go to Dave Lordan, the editor of the anthology, who brings a unique energy to everything he does. A great night of readings and banter.
Eoin Purcell, publisher, New Island and Bob Johnston of The Gutter Book Shop Jim Jennings, MD of RTÉ Radio Dave Lordan Seán Rocks, Arena presenter Dave Lordan and Colm Keegan, writers Kalle Ryan (right) and friend Brian ? (someone let me know his surname)
Writer Sarah Clancy The one and only Jinx Lennon Cover designer Julianna O'Callaghan Wrtier Maighréad Medhbh Writer Cathal Holden Stephen Murray, writer, and Eoin P Eoin and Seán Rocks

INTERVIEW & A LAUNCH & AN ENDING-BEGINNING

My friend and fellow writer Shauna Gilligan interviews me at her blog today about the chapbook. Here.

I am off to Dublin for the New Planet Cabaret anthology launch (ed. Dave Lordan) in The Gutter Book Shop. It will be broadcast on Arena, so if you can't make it, tune in to RTÉ Radio 1.

I sent my American novel (Novel #3) to my agent last night. It feels good to have it finished but, no doubt, the slump will hit soon. Back to short stories now!

VIRTUAL TOUR - STOP #6 - ELIZABETH BAINES HOSTS

Writer Elizabeth Baines hosts me and my little chapbook today at her bloghome in England. We talk research and the surreal.

Elizabeth is one of the hardest working writers I know and I am a huge fan of her writing and also her blogs, which include the incomparable Fiction Bitch.

Interview here.

THE UNSINKABLE BRIDIE

Bridie, the main character from 'Letters' in my book Mother America has been proclaimed unsinkable by Anakana Schofield in The Guardian. See the Top 10 Unsinkable characters in literature here.Extract from 'Letters' here on YouTube:

*OF DUBLIN* LAUNCH WITH ARLEN HOUSE

I am delighted to be hosted by Arlen House for my Dublin launch for Of Dublin and Other Fictions. Areln House are launching four books (two by members of my own writing group, The Peers - Patrick Chapman and Alan McMonagle) and are very generously letting me tag along. The other books are by two women writers I hugely admire: Geraldine Mitchell and Máighréad Medbh. All welcome!

Date: 12th December
Time: 6pm
Venue: Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2

VIRTUAL TOUR - STOP #5

I am nearly done with all the me, me, me...in the meantime the lovely and talented Dan Powell has interviewed me at his blog home in England about Of Dublin and Other Fictions. We talk points of excitement (in writing) and annoying the shite out of critics. 'Tis here.

And there will be a Dublin launch for the chapbook. 12th December - watch this space!

DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL - AFTERTHOUGHTS

Anti-Room panel at Dublin Book Festival I've been tearing around the place the last few days and there's no rest for me yet - I'm back up to Dublin today to meet my new TCD writing mentee - always a joy. I ran a flash fiction workshop with the Lit and Deb Soc in NUI Galway on Thursday; then went up to meet the lovely MA and MPhils in Writing at UCD on Friday. And this Friday sees the New Planet Cabaret launch in the Gutter Book Shop.
The Dublin Book Festival on Saturday saw the Anti-Room discussing women's literature and women's place in the literary world with the charming and wonderful Sinéad Gleeson, Anna Carey, Christine Dwyer-Hickey and Jennie Ridyard. We talked VIDA stats, Brontës and Austens, women-only lit prizes and the branding of female writers. Both Christine and Jennie have brand new books out - so look out for them: short stories and a novel, respectively.
Anna Carey and Christine Dwyer-Hickey listening to Jennie Ridyard give the VIDA statsYesterday I took part in Mindshift at the Festival, an excellent day of professional development for published writers. Authors have been crying out for just such a forum for ages and kudos to Valerie Bistany at the Irish Writers' Centre for providing it. The two speakers - Margaret E. Ward and Eoin Purcell - were excellent. I learnt so much about how the publishing business works and where all the money goes. It was both humbling and mildly depressing but, ultimately, knowledge is power.
In the afternoon, Audrey Carville chaired a discussion about what development needs published writers have and asked how the IWC can help in providing them. Very valuable for mid-career writers who find themselves isolated and, often, feeling a little neglected when all opportunities appear to be for either the début writer or those who are famous.
There will be more Mindshift events and I urge published writers to attend, to meet their peers and help to get some new supports in place. I met loads of great writers who were new to me and/or whose names I know but had never met. An excellent day out, hugely informative - thanks to all involved.

The Anti Room @ Dublin Book Festival - Saturday

I'm taking part in The Anti Room @ DBF with Sinéad Gleeson, Anna Carey, Christine Dwyer-Hickey, and Jennifer Ridyard on Saturday 16th November at 4.30pm in The Main Space at Smock Alley Theatre.
Things we will examine: Is women’s writing treated differently than men’s? Does gender define a writer? And what place does feminism have in contemporary women’s writing? Basically, we will discuss what it means to be both a woman and a writer.

More info here. This is a FREE event. And it will be available as a podcast afterwards.

VIRTUAL TOUR - STOP 4

Stop 4 on my virtual tour for Of Dublin and Other Fictions and I guest post at the lovely Sandra Jensen's blog about my short-short story 'Fish'. It's here.

QUOTABLE QUOTE

I love this quote from Argentinian writer César Aira; it's exactly how I feel:

'For serious deliberation and sensible decision-making there’s real life, where I conduct myself like the most proper middle-class family man. Writing is my freedom, where I receive orders from no one, not even from myself.'
(I can't put in the link as it is messing with my blog but you can read the full interview at Kill Your Darlings.)