Tell us about your new novel, A Merry Little Irish Christmas
It’s a wholesome Christmas story that’s wrapped up in pirouetting snowflakes and crackling log fires. But central to the narrative is a nuanced love story that examines the complexities of finding love in unexpected circumstances and the importance of vulnerability in forming genuine connections. I’m a big fan of the Hallmark Christmas movie, so hopefully we’ll see it in 2027. There are talks!
Maggie is a very complex character in a feel-good, romantic novel. Why did you write her into this type of story?
It was intriguing to place her in such a secure environment and observe her reactions. Maggie’s a lost soul, grappling with a lot of emotional baggage, embarking on a quest for happiness she believes is unattainable. But ultimately she finds it in an unexpected location, which adds a layer of hope to the narrative.
The book is set in both New York and rural Ireland. How do the settings influence character development and the overall atmosphere?
New York presents a bustling, fast-paced environment. Rural Ireland offers a sense of calm. Maggie’s claustrophobic in her shoebox apartment amid the frenetic energy of Manhattan. In contrast, the slower pace of rural Ireland invites her to reflect on her life. It’s the close-knit community that impacts her development the most.
Fate plays a big hand in the book. Do you believe in fate?
I do! Did you see Troy Parrott’s five goals for Ireland in four days? Enough said. Let’s all believe that our World Cup place is meant to be.
RM Block
A Christmas setting, a 16th-century crumbling Irish castle, enemies to lovers – romantic fiction allows you to explore themes such as connection, vulnerability and personal growth but do you think there is still a snobbery around these books?
I think perceptions are evolving. The notion that works aimed at pure escapism lack depth or complexity simply isn’t true. Ultimately the most important factor is that people are reading books.
Tell us about Book Birds, your podcast with Ciara Geraghty
So an insane thing happened to us from Book Birds. The concept revolves around re-reading beloved books and exploring their relevance in contemporary society. Our most notable episode was City Girl by Patricia Scanlan, where we examined how she’d addressed themes of coercive control and grooming years before those terms were recognised. Patrica listened to the pod and it inspired her to write the sequel, City Girls Forever, after 30 years. As her biggest fan, I’m still mind-blown by that!
You’re also a film-maker. Tell us about that
I’ve written and directed several short films and have TV and film projects in development with Screen Ireland. Right now I’m in production in west Cork on Forget Me Not, with the mighty Stephen Rea. It’s produced through Document Films, a company I run with my husband, Kevin, and it’s written/directed by Róisín Kearney. I’m very excited for this one!
Which projects are you working on?
I’ve just delivered a first draft of my summer novel, Four Weddings & The One I Didn’t See Coming, to Bonnier Books for publication next May. It’s a busy time for Document Films and I’m working with Lisa C Carey on the film adaptation of our novel, Bride Squad.
Have you ever made a literary pilgrimage?
Not purposely but I did pick up Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier while I was in the city.
What is the best writing advice you have heard?
I’ll give this one to Catherine Ryan Howard as she always says it: write the book you want to read.
Who do you admire the most?
Within my industry, Sharon Horgan. I think she makes brilliant work and I admire the control she’s always kept. Creative control is a huge part of this business. She’s a very savvy businesswoman.
You are supreme ruler for a day. Which law do you pass or abolish?
TDWW! I’d pass a law instituting a three-day work week.
Which current book, film and podcast would you recommend?
The Silent Ones by Anna McPartlin, harrowing, suspenseful and authentic. Sunphlowers written/directed by Dave Byrne is a gorgeous Irish film that explores love and loss. Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast always gets me through the week.
The most remarkable place you have visited?
I’ve been fortunate to travel a lot but I think the architecture in Lisbon is out of this world. It’s a unique vibe.
Your most treasured possession?
My family.
What is the most beautiful book that you own?
A copy of the screenplay of Sense & Sensibility signed by Emma Thompson.
Which writers, living or dead, would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Maeve Binchy, Patricia Scanlan, William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Elizabth Gilbert, Samuel Beckett. I’d just order in, sit back and drink the wine.
The best and worst things about where you live?
Best thing about living in Knocklyon is that I’m 10 minutes from the Dublin Mountains and can escape the increasingly frustrating lack of planning in the community.
What is your favourite quotation?
‘Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.’ Oscar Wilde.
Who is your favourite fictional character?
Scarlett O’Hara.
A book to make me laugh?
The Snapper by Roddy Doyle. Through the absolute dark of Dessie Curley’s life there are total belly laughs.
A book that might move me to tears?
The Champ, from The Last of the High Kings by John McGahern.
A Merry Little Irish Christmas is published by Embla Books
