Nuala Ní Chonchúir's Blog, page 45

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.'

Thanks to Five Dials for pointing me towards the interview. Read more here at Kill Your Darlings.
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. - See more at: http://www.killyourdarlingsjournal.co... 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. - See more at: http://www.killyourdarlingsjournal.co... 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. - See more at: http://www.killyourdarlingsjournal.co...

DAN POWELL REVIEWS *OF DUBLIN*

Writer Dan Powell reviews the chapbook today on his blog: 'Ní Chonchúir...is a writer who is the exact opposite of faint hearted, a writer capable of producing small stories far stronger than, from their size at least, they might appear. It is said that the best things come in small packages. Of Dublin and Other Fictions certainly proves the idiom has truth in it.' Aw :)

*OF DUBLIN* GALWAY LAUNCH PICS

Thanks to everyone who turned up on Saturday at Tosnú Art Gallery for the launch of Of Dublin and Other Fictions - it was a blast. In nice timing, my piece about the beauty of chapbooks appeared in The Irish Times on Saturday. You can read it here.

Special thanks goes to Group 8 and the gallery for hosting; to Maureen Gallagher for doing such a fine job of launching the chapbook; thanks to the cake and crumble, salad and sandwich makers. Thanks for the cards, the pressies, the flowers. Thanks to my sis Úna for taking pics. And thanks to Lucy for selling the book on the night. Thanks to Tommy who, Jesus-style, produced more wine when all the launch wine was guzzled.

It looks like we'll be doing it all again in Dublin in December...watch this space! In the meantime, a few pics from Saturday's do:

Signing Writers Tony O'Dwyer, Sara Mullen, Shauna Gilligan and Alan McMonagle John Dillon and Finn Dillon - with John Walsh of Doire Press lurking behind :) Writer Maureen Gallagher launching the book Lyra and Juno enjoying tortilla chips Nuala and gallery owner, Joyce Little

VIRTUAL TOUR - *OF DUBLIN* - STOP 3

My virtual tour for the chapbook takes me to San Francisco today for an interview at the blog-home of writer Ethel Rohan. We talk personification, voyeurism and my new novel. See here.

LAUNCH TONIGHT!!

Group 8 presents the launch of my chapbook of flash fiction from Tower Press, Of Dublin and Other Fictions, by writer Maureen Gallagher.

Saturday 9th November, 6pm, Tosnú Art Gallery, Brackernagh

I will read. Food and wine will be served. The chapbook will be for sale and I will sign.

Facebook event page here.

All welcome - free admission!

8 QUESTIONS WRITERS SHOULD ASK THEMSELVES

This is a good list of questions for writers from Roxane Gay. Question one: Are you a good literary citizen? Why, yes, Roxane, I do believe I am. Are you?

VIRTUAL TOUR *OF DUBLIN* - STOP #2

'Lusty, vibrant and irreverent' - review and interview of my new chapbook by/with Wicklow-based writer Alison Wells. Read here.

VIRTUAL TOUR - *OF DUBLIN* - STOP #1

I kick off my virtual tour of lit blogs at Rich Rennicks' A Trip to Ireland site today. Rich is an Irish writer based in North Carolina.

A sampler from the interview: 'People/critics always seem to want all fiction to be the novel, or to aspire to be the novel. This is messed up thinking. We need to accept that short can be good. Short is good! Comparing novels to short fiction is like comparing eggs to bacon. They go well, side by side, but they are not each other.'

Read the interview here and see Rich's review of the chapbook from yesterday here.

Rich says, 'I'm happy to do what I can to spread the word about good Irish writers.' So, if you are an Irish writer with a recent publication contact Rich via his site here.

*
Launch is this Saturday, btw. 9th November, 6pm, Tosnú Art Gallery, Brackernagh, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. Launch speech by writer Maureen Gallagher. Food and wine will be served. The chapbook will be for sale and I will sign. All welcome!

1st REVIEW OF *OF DUBLIN & OTHER FICTIONS*

The first review of Of Dublin and Other Fictions is in, big thanks to Irish ex-pat Rich Rennicks of the A Trip to Ireland blog. Read it here.

STINGING FLY - October issue & The Book Show

The new issue of The Stinging Fly dropped through my letterbox today. New stories from Seán O'Reilly, Hugo Kelly, Cathy Sweeney and myself, among others. New poems from Eamon Grennan, Rita Ann Higgins, Geraldine Mitchell and Afric McGlinchey, among many more. Also an essay from Dave Lordan on meeting Dennis O'Driscoll in New York.

My story is called The Boy from Petrópolis and is about Elizabeth Bishop; it was inspired by my trip to Brazil last year.

*
By the way, if you haven't already, you could do worse than listen to the playback of RTÉ Radio 1's new book programme, The Book Show, presented by Sinéad Gleeson. A special hour-long inaugural episode aired on Saturday, including features on Maeve Brennan and George Saunders. It's very good.