A different point of view.
I love this time of year. These days are sunshine long and the morning begins with birdsong. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I consider the oasis that this corner of Ireland is - mostly quiet, bar the occasional tractor and bursting with wildlife (red linnets, blackcaps and gold crests aplenty). It is a gift to be able to walk down an apple green, leafy rural lane and although Rocco is a tad slower (aren’t we all!) and my joints have the consistency of a rice krispie square, I know that the fresh air and sunshine are a vitamin D infused tonic these days.
Its been a busy time for my family and me - we are up to Dublin hospitals most weeks now. Thomas has been on the transplant list for 47 days so far, and is on a very restricted diet combined with lots of pills and weekly EPO shots. But this change in medications has given him a boost to his energy that I hadn’t realised he was missing. It's great to see him running around the garden, kicking the ball around and being a general teenage menace. Long may it last 😊. Beaumont Hospital have started tests to see if I might be a match - watch this space. Everything feels very busy, very full on, while still moving in slow motion, but I am hoping May will be a positive month for us all. I think mentally I’ve only prepared for the scenario where I am a match for him. I'm not sure if I'm ready yet to admit what the alternative might be if I'm not a match, how long he might have to wait for a kidney, and all that might entail. I guess the point of this is me reminding people to talk about organ donation with your loved ones. We all like to hope that if we needed an organ there might be one available, but it's also good to let people know what your wishes are should the unimaginable happen.
I'm happy to report that I have two author visits to Dublin this May in conjunction with the International Literature Festival Dublin.
The first on May 17th - an art, crafts and interactive event based on Little Lion Girl
The second on May 23rd - The Insiders' Guide to Publishing for Children & YA, where I’ll be on a panel with the supersonic Clara Kumagai and debut extraordinaire Kevin Moran.
In writing news, I'm hoping to be able to reveal the cover from my next picture book with Gill Publishing in the coming weeks. This has been such a fun, collaborative and interesting experience for me. It might be because the story itself has its origins in something that not many Irish people may know - but once they find out I think there will be lots of roaring (subtle hint) with delight.
Writing hasn’t been a priority of late, but I wonder if it's possible to completely step away from thinking about stories? They are everywhere. In songs, films, pictures and of course, books. I found an old picture book from a few years ago and although time has made me have a different point of view of the story now, I still liked the kernel of the idea, so we’ll see what happens when it goes on submission. A remark by a writer about stories that they liked when they were younger made me rethink a character that had been floundering in one picture book story - a new setting, a larger cast and it’s as if I have a new story idea. Now the graft begins!
Other secret story things are happening in the background which I can hopefully share by the end of the Summer. It's funny the way this year has gone. I anticipated it being very quiet and insular book-wise, due the nature of what our family has been going through, but it’s as if the universe/fate/the goddess Anú have taken over. The stories keep finding me, and I have found the space to keep writing. That has helped. (*tiny sigh of relief*)
LISTEN
Dara O Briain and Isy Suttie discover strange-but-true tales as they’re drip-fed nuggets of narrative by a special guest expert with an often surprising link to the story.
WATCH
I was obsessed with this when it came out originally and I've only recently realised that it was filmed in Dublin.
Twisty plot, evocative era, such a class cast. Out on Netflix.
READ
My boys read all the Alex Rider books but I never realised that Anthony Horowitz wrote such great fourth-wall-breaking crime stories. (Hawthorne and Horowitz - a great series)
I especially like the nod to Mads Mikkelsen in this book. An editor protagonist that I love. Perhaps publishing needs more murders - it might make things move a little bit quicker 😂
EAT
Utterly delicious but do beware this egg is not to be smashed against your head to break into it!
(*applies icepack*)
That’s all from me at the moment.
I did have great intentions of putting out a monthly blog but considering that my first one came out at the end of January this year and we are now at the end of April, perhaps I should just aim for quarterly updates.
Chat in July?
