Month: March 2015

Podcast of Romantic Novels Discussion on Sean O’Rourke Show

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Yesterday, my dear friends, I was on Irish national radio RTE with novelist Cathy Kelly discussing romantic novels, their readership and critical opinions of same with presenter Keelin Shanley, while discussing our books. We are both passionate people, and let our feelings be known, as you can imagine 🙂 I really enjoyed meeting Cathy Kelly, whose generosity to a newbie in the novelist world really warmed my heart.

Listen to the podcast here

(Listening back, you can tell I was audibly nervous. There’s quite a high listener figure to the show!)

I just learned this morning that the Hennessy Book of Irish Fiction 2005-2015 is out. I got shortlisted three times in that period but didn’t make it on there, alas. Don’t worry, I’m not about to put on a tinfoil hat and start conspiracy theories 🙂 but I might link to a Hennessy-shortlisted story I’m rather proud of as a supplement. And have a read of the rest of the great stories!

Podcast of Romantic Novels Discussion on Sean O’Rourke Show

Welcome

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susan dubray cropped
Photograph taken by Noelle Grace, Dubray Books Kilkenny

Hello! I’m Susan Lanigan, author of WWI novel White Feathers. This story of passion, betrayal and war has been shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2015, and is published by O’Brien Press Brandon imprint. It has also received many favourable reviews. I am represented by Svetlana Pironko of the Author Rights Agency.

Thank you for dropping in and happy browsing!

Welcome

Lisa Fischer Sings Samuel Barber’s “Sure on this Shining Night”

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I am supposed to be working on a redraft of a short story and it’s going well. But a few days ago, a certain member of the household brought to my attention the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, which is about backing vocalists, their talent and harmony, and the power they brought to the rock songs we hear so often. I have become obsessed with this film, and with the songs in it – so I cannot push it from the front of my brain down to the back and am utterly distracted. Just download it and watch. If it doesn’t stay in your heart, you are surely made of stone.

There were so many moving moments – I will never listen to “Gimme Shelter” in the same way again now that I have heard Merry Clayton’s raw and powerful vocal – but one that really stayed in my heart was one of the singer Lisa Fischer multitracked on Samuel Barber’s “Sure on this Shining Night”. Each time a new line occurred, the film “cloned” another Lisa singing into a mike in the studio, until the room was full of Lisas, all singing.

I tracked down the song on Spotify and when I heard the purity of the words and melody, its beauty and pathos, its sublime and ineluctible sadness, I thought: that’s what I’ve always wanted to write. If White Feathers could be a song, and if it could be one like this, I would be very happy indeed.

Lisa Fischer Sings Samuel Barber’s “Sure on this Shining Night”

Romantic Novel Awards Update

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No cigar for me this time, alas. The winner in my category was Hazel Gaynor, for her Titanic novel, The Girl Who Came Home. Strong Irish contingent for this one as she was in this category along with me and Stephen Burke (far right) while Ciara Geraghty was also shortlisted in the Contemporary category. Hazel and I are in the centre, she looking resplendent in green.

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Romantic Novel Awards Update

A World War I Evening in Carlow, 11 March

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My weekend in Donegal was lovely in spite of Biblical rain. Thanks to Maureen Curran who hosted me, bought me lunch, and conducted a wonderful interview in Cafe Blend in Letterkenny. Her questions were the kind you always love answering because they really engage with the book. The following day I ran a writer’s workshop in a garden terrace in a beautiful house on the River Swilly. Authors, if you are looking for a great place to talk about your book and meet like-minded people, I cannot recommend North West Words highly enough and I hope I will get to come back sometime soon – I’ve left with really happy memories. See the last post for links to their site.

And no sooner am I back than I’m off again – this time to my hometown, Carlow, where I’m joining Paul Maguire of the Carlow Military Museum and other historians, giving a talk on the real life influences and events behind White Feathers. This is taking place in the Seven Oaks Hotel at 8pm and copies of the book will be on sale. Many thanks to Mona McGarry for organising this event. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to Paul on the phone and I can tell he is a kindred spirit  – and what he doesn’t know about the period isn’t worth writing on the back of a postage stamp.

Then on the Friday morning, I will be on Today with Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio 1, discussing all things romantic novel. This is in preparation for the gala night in London next Monday where the winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year 2015 will be announced – I’m really looking forward to meeting Hazel Gaynor and the other Irish shortlistees. Happy to meet non-Irish shortlistees too, of course 🙂

A World War I Evening in Carlow, 11 March