It’s not that I haven’t been writing. It’s that I haven’t been writing as often here. This is a problem for me, until I look at where that writing is. I wrote a book! (Holy Crap) The paperback version is now available on most international Amazon markets. You can order it from Barnes & Noble bookstores and nearly any other bookstore too. It’s pretty damn exciting I must say – but trying to keep up with the promotion stuff is hard work. I now understand why people wait for that elusive ‘contract’ and a real publishing house.
I did have time to write a tiny little something about the famine and Rowan Gillespie’s horrifying and beautiful famine sculptures on the banks of the Liffey this week. It was for the good folk at Posy-Filled Pockets and was a fun little tidbit to write. I think the pictures I took of them in Dublin are some of the creepiest things ever and I look forward to seeing them again in a few months.
Speaking of which, I’ll be in the North March 5-13th with 4 nights in Belfast and 4 in Derry. If there’s anything in those areas that you would recommend, please feel free. I have a long list in both cities already, but there’s always room for more. The last week of March is Dublin for Easter Commemorations and in between, who knows? I have an unplanned adventure thus far. If there’s anything I simply MUST do, let me know.
Check out the all-too-brief chapter on An Gorta Mor and Rowan Gillespie here.
Choosing the Green 
I may have already mentioned this to you; I don’t know very many people in Belfast, but there’s an excellent little book (An Treoir do Mhúrphictúir Bhéal Feirste, Le Treoracha Iomlána Tagairt, GPS) , MSF Press, http://www.belfastmuralguide.com. These murals are a must see. (I’m biased; I prefer the murals in Derry. 🙂
I saw many of the murals in Belfast on my last trip, but I am looking forward to seeing how they’ve changed over the last couple of years – and to seeing those that I missed the first time around. I’ve never been to Derry though and am super excited to see the city and what it has to offer
Plenty to offer, and I haven’t forgotten about finding you a place to stay. No guarantees, but I’m working on it. Derry may not look so pretty from the outside, but the people make it beautiful. To me, at least. You’ll love it.
I got a hotel like a grown up 😏 still need tour guides or pint company though
That shouldn’t be a problem. Who wants to grow up? 🙂 Hope you like Pennyburn. (You’ll like it.)
Publishing contracts take years (most often) Definitely not a quick answer to success. Besides that they usually don’t do your promotion for you unless you are Steven King! Anything worthwhile takes a bit of time to learn how to do well. The book is very good. I read it, myself. I recommend it highly for anyone wishing for more well researched Irish history.