Holiday Read No. 1: another strange delight from Iain Reid! I loved his fiction debut, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, which is now being made into a movie by Charlie Kaufman (PERFECT!), so I was delighted to get my hands on an advanced copy of Foe. The opening scenes definitely had a opening-scenes-of-Interstallar vibe off them but, as ever, Reid was taking the reader somewhere completely unexpected. For me, his novels are like Black Mirror episodes only more complex, more nuanced and with more interesting things to say. I also love how assured the writing is. A big thumbs up for this one. Pic taken at Le Pirate restaurant at Port Saint Jean on Cap Ferrat. #book #books #bookstagram #holidayread #summerreads #france #cotedazur #vacationreading
In recent years, as life has got busier, my packing has got messier. I usually do it the morning of and forget half the stuff I need to bring. But for this trip - three weeks away, two on the Côte d’Azur and one in Paris, plus a night in London on the way back - I was determined to be organized. I squeezed everything I needed including a stack of books and all my writing stuff (computer, cables, travel kettle for keeping me in coffee...) into my relatively small suitcase and arranged it all so beautifully that I almost didn’t want to disturb it when I got to the other end. But as soon as I did, I realized I’d forgotten something: my bloody phone charger! Which I NEVER forget. I’ve picked up a replacement cable but I spent all last night and today with no phone or, by extension, a camera, so here’s a pic of the David Niven Villa on Cap Ferrat which is all I managed to snap yesterday evening before my phone went dead. #France #frenchriviera #capferrat #davidnivenhouse #villa #flowers #southoffrance #cotedazur #travel #holiday #summerholiday #summer #vacation
Four years ago, I decided constantly refreshing my Gmail in the hope that next time would be the time I FINALLY saw an email from an agent saying, “Yes! You! Sign here...” wasn’t a good way to live your life. I only spent 3 weeks at college first time around (1 of which was Freshers so *technically* it was 2) and had been totally studying the wrong thing, ie. science. I decided, at age 32, to apply to Trinity College Dublin, a campus that would’ve barely admitted me as a tourist what with my abysmal Leaving Cert results. Luckily, mature students aren’t judged on them! I got in, I moved to Dublin, I started my four-year degree in English Studies and all was well with the world. Except... 6 weeks in, I got that email. And 6 months in, I got my book deal. Everything went tits up, even if it was all very #firstworldproblems. I missed classes. I wrote all my assignments the night before the deadline in a caffeine-fueled fever dream. (My greatest achievement was 3 of them between 7:00am one day and 10:00am the next. Coffee is AWESOME.) My first thriller came out the day before my second year exams started; I sat Post-Colonialism while dangerously hungover and armed with only a vague recollection of the lectures. (And still, somehow, passed.) I took a class in non-fiction that I’ll never forget. And meanwhile I edited a novel, wrote another one from scratch and saw two publication dates. Today I got my final results: I have my degree. 👍🏻 #university #college #student #celebration #dublin #dublinireland #trinitycollege #trinitycollegedublin #writersofinstagram #writersoninstagram #writer #bubbly #bubbles
Inspired by @melissahillbooks... 25 years ago today, my favourite movie of all time came out. A few weeks before it hit cinemas, I convinced my mum to buy me the movie tie-in version of Crichton’s novel, en route to our, ahem, summer home, ie. a 4-berth caravan in Garryvoe. (There were 5 of us.) My bed was a hammock style thing that clipped into position over the dining table and I distinctly remember lying in it on my stomach, trying to get through all the genetics stuff at the beginning. (I was 11.) Today, it’s still my favourite novel. I have some highbrow faves too, but this wins for pure enjoyment and it’s the only book I’ve re-read every year for the past 25. Held together now with only sellotape and hope, the re-reads happen with a beautiful hardback special edition I picked up in Barnes & Noble a few years back, or the new paperback I bought for travel. Age 11, I just couldn’t believe this amazing world had come from one man’s imagination. At 35, I still can’t. #jurassicpark #jurassicpark25 #jurassicpark25thanniversary #book #books #bookstagram #reading #amreading #michaelcrichton #favouritebook
Many a wet, cold, dark and wintry Monday morning did I pull on my fluffy socks, make a big cup of coffee and thank the universe for my commute of less than ten steps. For nearly all of the time, writing for a living is the BEST. But these last three weeks have brought exceptionally sunny and warm weather - VERY unusual for Ireland, where “summer” is a few nice days in late April and then rain - and I’ve been stuck inside because Book 3 needs finishing ASAP. WhatEVS! #writersofinstagram #writersoninstagram #writing #amwriting #notebook #stationery #stationeryaddict #stationerylover #notebooks #journals
