A number of very exciting recent successes. First of all a real win for me with my novel A Recipe of You getting an honorary mention in the Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair competition. Some very positive words from the judges:

“The voice and tone of this story make for a highly engaging read. The underlying humour allows for a fresh, yet compassionate take on tragedy. THE RECIPE OF YOU is also a vivid depiction of family life, and maintains colour despite the circumstances – this is one of the strengths of the story: that it injects the sombre with lightness. The apparition of Orla, sometimes bloody, sometimes funny, is an excellent device for showing Claire’s state of mind, and her development through the story. Their conversations are both funny and sad, and these work very well.
            Claire is a nuanced character – she’s tough but broken-hearted and frazzled. The secondary characters are well-drawn too and there is an underlying warmth to this story. It’s good to see development like Declan buying the olives for Claire when they were younger contrasted to his reaction to the omelette. Claire and Orla then joking about pickling olives is a lovely touch. A lot of information is revealed through a few simple moments.”

The same novel also short listed in the Flash 500 novel competition, and as an extra bonus my short story The Parting Glass is currently on the long list for the Flash 500 short story competition, fingers crossed!