Category: Books and Authors
-
Head Above Water Blog: My Debut short story collection Random Acts of Optimism released September 2023!
Fantastic news: September publication of my debut short story collection! Readers of the Head above Water blog will have followed my story since 2009 of writing endeavours, resilience and persistence, shortlists and near misses. I have written alongside raising a family, challenging circumstances, a new job in public libraries and a Masters by night in…
-
Why read a book? (Competition)
Several years ago I attended the wedding of a friend. At the table I was chatting to one of the guests and the topic of reading came up. I was flabbergasted when she asked ‘why would you read a book?’ She simply did not see the point. For someone for whom books have been central…
-
Of Dublin and Other Fictions by Nuala Ni Chonchuir Review and Interview
Being a flash fiction aficionado it was my pleasure to be able to review Nuala Ní Chonchúir’s chapbook of tiny fictions Of Dublin and other fictions. Published by Tower Press in the USA it consists of eleven flash fiction gems. What I particularly love about Ní Chonchúir’s writing in general and this collection in particular…
-
Housewife with a Half-Life summer read winners
Thanks to those who entered the giveaway for a signed copy of Housewife with a Half-Life and those who shared and tweeted on social media. I can’t believe the book is a year old already. I’ve drawn for the paperback copies and the winners are Lisa Damian and Natalia Widdrington, please email alison at brierwell…
alisonwells
-
Housewife with a Half-Life summer read giveaway
Housewife with a Half-Life is a year old and I’m celebrating by giving away two signed paperback copies. Housewife is the lively adventure of mother of twins Susan Strong and travelling spaceman Fairly Dave through other dimensions to find Susan’s other lost selves and save the universe. With a light sprinkling of science, a lot…
-
Great news from author Hazel Gaynor
I am just thrilled to hear this wonderful news. Fellow Irish mother writer has just announced a two book deal, the first book to be released is the fantastic The Girl Who Came Home, a Titanic story that Hazel previously self-published. An excellent writer and lovely person, Hazel Gaynor deserves this so much. I interviewed…
-
Niamh Boyce’s Debut Novel The Herbalist
Niamh Boyce is from Athy, Co Kildare. She won Hennessy XO Writer of the Year 2012 for her poem Kitty. She’s currently editing her short story collection Wild Cat’s Buffet and writing her next novel. I met Niamh first at the Hennessy Awards 2009, where we were both finalists and again at a book launch…
-
Review of Bloodmining by Laura Wilkinson
With the emotional resonance of a Maggie O’ Farrell and hints of Ishiguro’s Never let me go, Bloodmining is a vivid and believable rendering of a familiar but crucially altered near future. A compelling debut novel from Laura Wilkinson that I read in one sitting, this is well worth the read. Over the course of…
-
Are you looking for something in our Fiction store? (YES! YES I AM!)
Are you looking for something in our Fiction store? the email asks. Actually I’m doing everything I can to stop looking in your fiction store because there are so many books I want to read that I’ll soon own enough books to build a house of books and the walls will hold me up and…
Alison Wells Author 