And we're off............

I'm blogging this at 3pm because I intend to be somewhat inebriated this evening. My book launch (book available here The Heron's Flood ) kicks off in three hours. All the books and wine and soft drinks have been delivered to the venue. I had a few calls from people unable to attend but I haven't let it phase me too much. I'll be there, my lovely boys will be there as will the Jemser. My colleagues from the Council will be there as will my neighbours. some friends are even driving over from the southside. Imagine! They have their passports so they'll be okay.

I have the hair and make-up done. I look quite nice. I even got the nails done and can't text anyone now! The guna is hanging on the outside of the wardrobe winking balefully at me. Still not 100% about it. Hope I pull it off. If I don't you can see evidence of my faux-pas on my Facebook page tomorrow, when I eventually surface.

I'm quite relaxed now - everything is done and if anything goes wrong it won't be my fault - it will be something outside of my control. Son#1 and pal are going to sing the song they wrote after I read from the novel - they are the real stars of the night. Seventeen, handsome talented and intelligent, they have it made. I have it made having them do this for me. Even the dog has picked up on my mood and is cuddled in against me here sleeping peacefully.Son #2 is going for a sleepover in his cousin's house so I don't have to worry about him (thanks Ais!) So now I'm just going to chill, practice reading SLOWLY and enjoy one of the biggest days of my life.

'Twas a big night

I love that phrase and it is the correct one to use about the launch of Rebecca De Havalland’s book ‘His Name Is Rebecca’. It was my privilege to work with Rebecca on her book and we have become firm friends, friends for life.

The book launch was in the lovely Bellini Bar in the Burlington and Rebecca’s family and friends, my family, neighbours and friends and the odd aul’ celeb stuck their heads in over the night. The extraordinary Maria Tecce sang ‘Amazing Grace’ and brought the house down. What a voice! Then Rebecca took to the stage and although she didn’t ‘do the norm’-she never does- and read from the book, she gave a beautiful speech and touched the hearts and quite probably souls of every person in that room. I felt incredibly proud of her, she has come so far and in such an intense cathartic way over the last year and I was honoured to be part of that process. It was like witnessing a birth – a moment of magic after all the hard grind.

Later in the night some of the gang were heading to Lillie’s Bordello to continue the celebrations. It’s not my scene and was way past my leaba time but Jemser decided he would like to have a look at it. He arrived home at two a.m. and I was drinking tay and writing to beat the band.
‘Well’ sez I. ‘D’ye enjoy your night?’
‘I did’ sez he , falling onto the bed, ‘Jesus, Bolly in Guinness is lovely’
‘What’s Bolly?’
‘Bollinger, woman!! Champagne .’

Champagne in Guinness! Well Holy God - what is the country coming to, he used to kill me for putting a drop of blackcurrant in a glass of Guinness many moons ago.
‘Tis no wonder the country’s in the state it’s in – aul’ fellas in nightclubs drinking quare drinks and ogling young wans. It’ll draw the rain on us so ‘twill.

Now, onto my next project…..

It's all go...........

Life has become a little frenetic and will be over the next fortnight or so. I'm helping out in Fighting Words this week , running around getting school books, uniforms (free education me eye!) and then getting all pepped up for the launch of 'His Name Is Rebecca' next week. The launch is in the Bellini Bar of the Burlington at 6.30pm, Sept 2nd - pop in if you're in town, it should be a good night - lots of little surprises lined up. I really hope this book goes well for Rebecca - she deserves huge credit for being brave enough to tell her story and then coping with all the publicity and media stuff that will go with it. Rebecca rocks!

Then I was longlisted for two comps for two of my stories - that's always nice, that little boost telling you you're on the right path.`I spent a delightful hour or two in Charlie Byrnes bookshop in Galway when we drove down to read the longlist for one competition. What a find! I could happily spend hours in it - except I'd bankrupt the family!

I had to go shopping for a guna and girly shoes for the launch - I dread shopping because I'm such a big heap and I refuse to spend what my female friends call 'real money' on something I will only wear once. So I got two outfits from which I will choose on the night plus the shoes for the grand total of €89 - low maintenance woman, me!The Late Late show has been confirmed so I can wear the second guna to that. Hope they have good prizes for the audience that night!

A book with words in it by me!!!!!!!!

Just got word that 'His Name Is Rebecca' will hit the shops August 27th-28th. I almost cried when I got the news. I feel like my 'labour' is nearly over, my baby is on the way and it'll all be over soon. All my anxieties, fears etcetera over and it wasn't half as painful as I thought it would be. Or maybe I've already forgotten the tearing my hair out, throwing the laptop at the window phase - as I forgot labour No. 1 until labour No. 2 started. I reckon we would all be only children only Nature does us a favour and blocks out the memory of the pain until it starts all over again!

Like pregnancy the book started with excitement, enthusiasm and pleasure and like labour it comes to an end with a wearier pleasure that becomes a great joy.

My job is done. Now all I have to do is rear the baby/flog the book!

Cyber skating

My day has been surreal, and now I'm making it surrealer by doing something I swore I wouldn't.

Blogging.

I'll give in and buy a big telly one of these days as well. Anyway - back to my surreal day. Work was fairly normal and horribly real, then home to retired beloved sitting around making the place look untidy, waiting for rain to stop so he can go to Corballis Golf Course.

'Tis far from golf courses he was reared.

So I made dinner and cleaned up - as you do when you're the only female in a house of smelly males. Then I toddled off to Temple Bar, the sophisticated urbanite that I am, and attended the launch of Nuala Ni Conchuir's book of short stories 'Nude'. Lots of lovely short stories to read.

My pal and Listowel partner in crime - Karen O'Neill - was there, and she bullied me (yes, you did Karen) into starting a blog. Karen can be very forceful, a can-do type gal; I think Barack is headhunting her to sort out the American economy .She must be bored in work and needs something to read so it looks like she's working ( I am a clerk - I know all the dodges.) At the moment Karen is busy bringing the Luas to Swords and she's wrecked from laying all that track, but she still found time to be head chef and bottlewasher at Nuala's Dublin launch. I think I'll hire her for the book launch I may never have. So Karen, here I am - you better follow me now!

I couldn't stay to hear Nuala read because I had to lollop across town to the Irish Writer's Centre for the Davy Byrnes/Stinging Fly book launch of the six shortlisted stories in this year's fabulous competition - I can say fabulous because I wasn't on the short-list. If I ever get on a short list that merits a book launch I will of course be my usual modest self and just call it an almost good book launch.

The Irish Writers Centre was swarming with people, writerly people doing writerly things, someone said Richard Ford was there but the only famous people I saw were Bairbre Smith, Kate Dempsey (Poetry Divas) and Declan Meade (ah c'mon Declan, you're near to famous). There was a very nice small child there too. Perhaps he will grow up and write. Get 'em young. But the speeches weren't started by half seven and I had to come home to see my men and write a little before I settle into the leaba with both lovely books of short stories.

I cannot understand why publishers don't like short stories. If their marketing departmentsput even half the resources that they appear to put into some of the more garish forms of pink/misery fiction/fact I am convinced these two books would walk off the shelves. All the writers involved are so talented. After dashing about introducing myself to cyber pals I then I got into the car and switched on the radio and whowasis waffling away with great good sense but Colm Keegan! Uiscebot himself! Another famous person, there was no one in cyber space tonight. Check out Colm's blog - lots of his lovely writing there.

Colm is never off the bleedin' radio these days, he'll be after Tubridy's job next. Oh! There's a thought - a 'Late Late' devoted to a night of poetry and story-telling, hmmmmmmmm anyone got RTE's phone no?

There ye go. That's me first blog (are ye happy Karen?). Next one will be about my theory of Evolution. I think I may have discovered the Missing Link.