I like to go grocery shopping early, but today I waited until 9 a.m. because I saw the notice that the hour between 8 and 9 was reserved for the vulnerable. That was easy. I can wait. I went in to do my weekly shopping and saw empty shelves – a sight I never see […]
In 1918 the influenza pandemic (also known as the Spanish Influenza) affected every part of the globe. Reports vary as to its mortality rate, ranging between 17 million and 50 million. It affected 500 million people around the world.[1] As an author of Historical Fiction, it’s necessary to make mention of this world event when […]
“Ireland should belong to the Irish.” Was that such a difficult concept to understand? It seemed rather simple to the men in the Ryan family. Emmet Ryan was determined to follow in the footsteps of his father and his elder brothers and join the Fingal Volunteers despite what his mother might say on the subject. […]
Both trace a story of Irish tenacity and a belief in freedom and unity. In 2016 Joe Biden, whose ancestry traces back to Ireland, was made a free man of County Louth and at a celebration held in Carlingford he was presented with a hand carved bull made by local craftsman Joe Lawler to mark the […]
Review by Bill Arnott When it comes to historical fiction, I’m choosy. I want to see you’ve put your back into your work. Stimulate me. Make me set your book on my chest mid-paragraph and go ahhh… that’s good writing! And I’m cautious when it comes to reviewing work I’m unfamiliar with. People I like […]
Going out for a meal is a wonderful treat. Often, we choose something from the menu that we wouldn’t otherwise have, using the experience to explore foods from other cultures and so, in a way, we enjoy a short visit to another place through the tastes, aromas and colours of those exotic lands. Going out […]
I’d love to have you join me for the launch of my new book: Torn Asunder. Torn Asunder – a story about a conflicted man; opening in 1916 and set during one of Ireland’s most turbulent eras. When: 8 February 2020 (3pm to 5 pm) Where: P.J. O’Brien Irish Pub & Restaurant, 39 Colborne St. […]
One of my favourite books is Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. In a nutshell, set in London after World War 1, the main character, Clarissa Dalloway sees her job as creating connections between people and to that end the story focuses on a party she is throwing. During her preparations for the party, Mrs. Dalloway’s mind […]
Round Two submission for the NYC Midnight Short Story Contest Heat 17 Genre: ThrillerSubject: TerritorialityCharacter: A bus driver Ajay Bell decided to saunter over to the three men huddled over a map spread on the hood of their red Chevy Suburban, unaware that for the rest of his days, he’d regret this as the worst […]
My Round 1 Submission for the NYC Midnight Short Story Contest Update April 3, 2019: My story was selected #1 in my heat. Now I’m on to Round 2! The assignment was: 1. Genre: Action/Adventure 2. Subject: A Harvest 3. Character: A Truck Driver Emmet Ryan woke with a start. He lay still for a […]