New Books and Titles | Book Launch | Fianna by Susanne Carpenter

Fianna by Susanne Carpenter

– the epic saga continues –

Fianna, the second instalment in the Tuath trilogy by Susanne Carpenter will be launched this coming Thursday, 28 August at Chapters Bookstore, Parnell Street, Dublin starting 7pm.

It is a book that has all of the ingredients to thrill and enthral both new and returning readers.

In the year 2027, with the world facing the rapid onset of volcanic winter, the Tuath Dé Danann must travel through time to halt the effects of the ash cloud strangling the planet. Their hopes rest on deploying the Claíomh Solais (sword of light), a powerful laser designed centuries into the future.

They are aided and abetted in their efforts by the McNamara family, with whom they have banded together under the newly re-constituted Na Fianna. The challenges that they face are significant however, especially when faced with opposition from the most powerful people on Earth (past, present and future) and the prospect of having to defend Ireland in the face of invasion.

This is the scene and the setting for the newly published Fianna by Susanne Carpenter, a fast-paced, action-based adventure novel that blends sci-fi, fantasy, intrigue, themes from Irish mythology, and so much more. It follows up exactly where her debut novel, Tuath, leaves off.

Fianna by Susanne Carpenter is published under the imprint of Aos Sí and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions, along with other books in the Tuath trilogy.

New Books and Titles | Fishing in Irish Waters by Trevor Simpson

Fishing in Irish Waters by Trevor Simpson (a blow-in's tale)

– the third volume in the Cornish Fisherman’s Diaries series –

Yet another brilliant book by Trevor. … I wish more fishermen would put pen to paper! – Simon Neve

So writes one satisfied reader.

Fishing in Irish Waters: A Blow-in's Tale by Trevor Simpson is the third volume in the author's highly popular Cornish Fisherman's Diaries series of memoirs.

When Trevor Simpson arrived in Ireland in 1967, Dunmore East in Co. Waterford was home to just a few trawlers and some lobster boats. All that was about to change, however. More boats, most of them big trawlers, were arriving in Dunmore. The growth in the fishing industry increased and within the next few years, a great number of boats were purchased and added to the local fleet. Great enthusiasm was shown by fishermen from all around the coast. During this period, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) was most helpful. Their loan-and-grant scheme made things possible.

"Everyone connected with the fishing was so upbeat and confident in the industry's future. All of these boats joined the growing fleet at Dunmore East, and they were skippered and crewed mostly by local lads. Now, everything has changed. There are no young men down our harbour now."

In this book, Trevor Simpson offers a candid assessment of what has happened and why, charting both the highs and the lows in the rise and decline of Ireland's sea fishing industry. Even though the picture that he paints of the present state of affairs comes across as bleak, it could also serve as a call to action – a question of what could have been or what has yet to come?

"We do have our memories though. Despite the hardships and the dangers, fishing the way that we did it was the best job in the world."

Trevor Simpson is a retired sea fisherman who continues to reside in Co. Waterford, close to where he fished for many years. Prior to that, he fished out of Newquay in Cornwall. Fishing in Irish Waters: A Blow-in’s Tale is his third volume of memoir in the Cornish Fisherman’s Diaries series. He is also the author of Diary of a Cornish Fisherman: Newquay, 1962-1967, published in 2014 and A Cornish Fisherman's Irish Diary, published in 2017.

Fishing in Irish Waters: A Blow-in’s Tale by Trevor Simpson is published under the imprint of The Manuscript Publisher. It is available to buy online, in print and e-book editions, along with other books in the Cornish Fisherman’s Diaries series.

New Books and Titles | Tuath by Susanne Carpenter

Tuath by Susanne Carpenter

– an epic tale of breath-taking proportions blending sci-fi, fantasy, action/adventure with themes taken from Irish mythology –

Past, present and future must combine forces if they are to avert cataclysm and disaster, which can only signal the demise of civilisation and of the human race.

Sci-fi, fantasy, action and adventure blend with themes taken from Irish mythology (stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Fir Bolg, the Book of Invasions) to produce an epic saga of breathtaking proportions by debut author, Susanne Carpenter.

In a future world, many centuries from now, the last remaining inhabitants of Earth exist in a few isolated enclaves located across northern Europe. They have managed to overcome much of the onslaught through a loose alliance, constituted in a Council of Europe. Friction and discord among them is growing however, as resources dwindle and the struggle for survival intensifies.

The Irish enclave has fared better than others, thanks in the main to decisions made in the 21st century (our time), to invest in certain types of research and development. Even they realise, however, that time is running out and the only hope may be to travel back in time, to before the events triggered by volcanic eruptions of the year 2027, in a bid to offset or mitigate the consequences for the future, by introducing the technology that they have developed to an earlier time.

Along the way, they must also overcome fear, suspicion, jealousies, personal animosities, treachery, betrayal and mishaps.

Susanne Carpenter lives and works in Dublin, Ireland. An engineer by profession, Tuath is her debut novel but it is part of an intended trilogy, the second instalment of which, Fianna, is soon to be published and will be formally launched on Thursday, 28 August. Chapters Bookstore in Dublin is the venue and the evening gets underway at 6.30pm.

Tuath and Fianna by Susanne Carpenter are published under the imprint of Aos Sí and are available to buy online, in print and e-book editions.

Book Launch | Moments with Patrick Gately | Poetry Day Ireland

The Moments Series by Patrick Gately

– poetry that reflects, dwells, marvels in and captures the moment –

Life is just a moment long,
Added to the moments gone.
When we recall back on years gone by,
They are moments together that seem to fly.

Moments in Time by Patrick Gately

The poetry of Patrick Gately not only captures the moment but lives and dwells in it too – momentarily, of course!

Reflections on life and observations drawn from everyday experiences fill the pages, describing events that may only be momentary or fleeting in duration but cast light, nevertheless, on the mundane world and all that is easily overlooked. An air of universality permeates the themes and the impressions that he creates, making one feel as if the moment is frozen in time. The thoughts expressed linger long after the moment has passed.

At the same time, he is also able to bring forth the humorous side of life, and to write it all down. The reader is taken on a journey that, at its destination's end, will make you feel glad that you took the time to stop and stare.

Moments in Life by Patrick Gately

Patrick Gately is a retired electrician who lives in Dublin. Although he hails originally from Dún Laoghaire, he has found a home in Santry, on the northside of the city.  He had been writing for many years until he realised, one fine day, that he had produced enough to fill a book – or several. Now, two volumes of his poetry have been published simultaneously, with the promise of more to come. More recently, he has turned his attention to fiction writing.

Moments in Life and Moments in Time by Patrick Gately are published under the imprint of The Manuscript Publisher. The books will be formally launched at Ballymun Library in Dublin on Thursday, 25 April starting 6.30pm, as part of Poetry Day Ireland celebrations, an annual celebration, now in its tenth year, that takes place under the auspices of Poetry Ireland, where the nation is invited to read, write and share a poem.

Moments in Life and Moments of Time by Patrick Gately are published under the imprint of The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online. RRP €12.95 plus P&P.

New Books and Titles | Funny Incidents by Kay Morrison

Funny Incidents by Kay Morrison

– tales too good not to tell; too funny not to share –

Funny Incidents by Kay Morrison

Funny Incidents or, why no good deed goes unpunished! by Kay Morrison is the author's second book. In it, she draws together a collection of stories and anecdotes that serve to demonstrate just how much we miss when we fail to stop and take notice. Life is what happens when we are busy making other plans.

Of her first book, Patient Number 360993 (published by Original Writing, 2010), she says that it deals with

… a pretty sad story about my son, Darren's struggle to survive in a Dublin hospital after a dreadful mistake. So I needed to move on and write something funny. I decided to compile a few true stories of my own first. Then, I invited family and friends to send me their funny incidents. This took all of about five years and when we were all confined to our houses with the pandemic, I finally got it all written down and sent out for a publisher.

With stories that vary between the fun, the frivolous, the occasionally cringe-inducing, it speaks to the heart and soul of the human condition, in all of our interactions and our comings and our goings.

"What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?" as poet, W.H. Davies (1871-1940) acutely questioned and observed.

Kay Morrison is married mother of six children, all grown up, who lives in Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. She hopes that anyone who reads her book will get a laugh out of it. She certainly has form in this regard: Kay is also a member of a comedy-acting group called Raging Hormones, who write their own sketches that they have performed in and around Loughlinstown and Dún Laoghaire over the years.

Funny Incidents or, why no good deed goes unpunished! by Kay Morrison is published under the imprint of The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions.

New Books and Titles | Bádh B'fhéidir le Seán Ó Muireagáin

Bádh B'fhéidir

– cnuasach nua gearrscéalta le Seán Ó Muireagáin –

Tá leabhar úr amuigh ag Seán Ó Muireagáin, Bádh B'fhéidir. Is cnuasach gearrscéalta ficsean eolaíochta é. Tá sé ar fáil sna siopaí anois agus ón suíomh eabhloid.com.

Sa bhailiúchán úr seo de scéalta samhlaíocha ficsean eolaíochta, cuireann Ó Muireagáin saolta osréalacha os ár gcomhair, saolta diostóipeacha agus barbartha, saolta a mbíonn an fhírinne á ceistiú iontu agus a mbíonn rian maith den fhíorshaol le sonrú iontu i gcónaí. Ábhar maith léitheoireachta don léitheoir fásta agus don fhoghlaimeoir.

Léigh tuilleadh faoin leabhar anseo.

Bhuaigh an scéal An Chóir Chodlata Duais an Mhaolánaigh i gcomórtas liteartha an Oireachtais 2018.

New Books and Titles | Neon Hearts and the Angry Mob by Wayne Power | Book Launch

Neon Hearts and the Angry Mob by Wayne Power

– poetry at its unfiltered best with an unrivalled comedic edge –

Neon Hearts and the Angry Mob
by Wayne Power

Love in a time of lockdowns could be one way of describing the soon to be published Neon Hearts and the Angry Mob by Wayne Power, a worthy follow-up to his debut collection, Everyone's a Star after Midnight, published in 2020

Moreover, these poems go to the very essence of love, seeing it in terms of matters that concern both the heart and the mind. It is a love that is rooted in the communities to which we belong: those that we are born into and those that we seek out, often in search of refuge.

Written in the author's inimitable, racy style – reflecting the spoken-word, performance art that is his craft – these stories offer snapshots of the light and shade of city life, recollections of lost nights, love, mental health, also addressing social and political themes.

This is poetry at its unfiltered best, at times gritty but delivered with an unrivalled comedic edge, nourished by a sentiment steeped in fondness for where he is from, where he has been and where he hopes to go in life. We cannot have the good without the bad, so take time to enjoy all that the world has to offer, see both sides, enjoy the things that existence reveals or has yet to tell us about ourselves and the human condition.

Everyone's a Star after Midnight
by Wayne Power

Neon Hearts and the Angry Mob by Wayne Power is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to pre-order online, where his debut collection, Everyone’s a Star after Midnight is also on sale.

The book will be formally launched on Friday, 4 March at 7pm in St Patrick's Gateway Centre in Waterford by local and nationally known playwright, Jim Nolan. Music, entertainment and refreshment will be provided on the night, along with performances by the author of some of his poems, who will also be on hand to sign copies.

New Books and Titles | The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget

The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget

– a wisdom born of suffering and a boundless faith in miracles –

The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget
with Foreword by Mary McAleese

Three years following the death of her daughter, Tina, in 1999 at the tender age of just eight, Debbie Paget began writing about her experiences, as much to aid the grieving process as anything else. What emerges from that undertaking is a fascinating and heartfelt story.

Debbie was born into a family of fifteen in Dublin, in the 1960s. She talks about her earliest memories: from a very difficult childhood in the family home, amusing tales concerning neighbours and friends, her days in homeless hostels, school days, family tragedies, abuse, neglect, love and marriage, the birth of her children.

Death, life and love are intertwined in this unique story. It is the particularly sad and untimely death of her darling daughter and first baby girl, Tina that forms the focus. Tina’s short life was one of remarkable courage, strength and laughter in the face of tragedy. Mary McAleese, who got to know Tina well during her first term as President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann), recalls of those encounters that:

She had a wisdom born of suffering and a boundless faith in miracles. Her mother's book is one of those miracles.

Today, Debbie finds great comfort and solace in the spiritual world, where she keeps regular contact with Tina. Her story reveals a fighting spirit and a keen understanding of life in the face of adversity. Debbie is a survivor and her story will amaze, stun, sadden and inspire all who read it.

Although Debbie often had to endure the absence of love at crucial times in her life, she is such a loving person and she understands that love is at the core of life itself. Even through death and sadness, love conquers all.

The Stolen Years by Debbie Paget is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions.

Listen to a podcast of Debbie talking to Johnny Holmes of Near FM about her life and the book that her experiences has produced.

New Books and Titles | Introducing Sebastian Kevany, Surfer and Field Epidemiologist

The Moon, the Fire, the Fever and the Jungle

– Two New Books by Sebastian Kevany, Surfer and Field Epidemiologist –

If work, rest and play are to be considered the key ingredients of a healthy life that is balanced and fulfilled, then Sebastian Kevany has been there, seen that, done that and bought the t-shirt. His career as a field epidemiologist, combined with a passion for surfing, has brought him all over the world, to almost every continent and, not just off the beaten track but to places where there are no tracks at all. Stories from his life are eloquently described in two new books that are being published simultaneously.

In Between the Moon and the Fire: Life in Surfing Moments, he ponders the question of just why do surfers ride the waves anyway:

Surprisingly, it is not always just for the thrill, or the excitement: at a deeper level, surfing can imprint itself on consciousness, feeding the wave rider with intense images and sensations – thereby generating moments in memory that last a lifetime, via the ocean’s mirror.

Despite (or perhaps, due to) a hectic schedule of wave riding (with occasional full-moon parties), Sebastian also finds time for his work as a field epidemiologist, focusing on epidemic and infectious disease control.

Fever in the Jungle: Inside the World of an Epidemic Troubleshooter is an insider’s account, taking us from rattling convoys and ramshackle malaria clinics in South Sudan, to air-conditioned meetings with government officials in Sierra Leone. His adventures and travails (born out of over 100 treatment, prevention and outbreak missions) offer a window into the often bizarre challenges, the occasionally chaotic and unpredictable yet, always fulfilling way of life.

Sebastian Kevany has worked in the Middle East, the South Pacific, Eastern Europe and Asia, focusing on epidemic and infectious disease control and response, monitoring and evaluation, health security, international relations, human rights, conflict resolution, diplomacy and international relations. In addition, he has surfed for more than twenty years in California, Ireland, Hawaii, South Africa, Indonesia, Tanzania, Australia, Portugal and Sierra Leone. He has contributed to The Surfer’s Journal and Zig Zag surfing magazine, and has also published academic articles. He lives in Ireland and the USA.

Between the Moon and the Fire and Fever in the Jungle are published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions (RRP €14.95 for the print edition plus P&P). Proceeds from sales of both books will benefit charities that include: Alone; Bureh Beach Surf Club; Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Surfrider Foundation.

Extracts from Between the Moon and the Fire: Life in Surfing Moments by Sebastian Kevany can be read at Surfer Today website.

Children's Literature | Kazoo, the Singing Bird … and other stories by D.T. Ihaza

Open Your Mind to a World of Surprises in Kazoo, the Singing Bird by D.T. Ihaza

– a collection of illustrated tales told to children –

From the author D.T. Ihaza comes a charming collection of illustrated tales, suitable for children aged pre-school and up, that reveal a world of surprises and hidden delights to young readers (and, maybe, to adults too). A careful blend of subtlety and skill serves to educate in the broadest sense, as the lessons learned linger long after the story has been told.

Kazoo, the Singing Bird … and other stories introduce us to characters, each of whom is facing a predicament of one sort or another, which is casting a shadow of uncertainty and doubt over their lives. As their stories unfold however, we come to understand that by opening up; sharing our anxieties with family, friends – those whom we know and trust – and, by looking at problems afresh, we can rise to the challenges that life presents, seeing the obstacles in our way for what they really are.

A problem shared really is a problem halved. When it feels as if life is coming up short, it may just be that we do not appreciate all that it has to offer us.

Author, D.T. Ihaza continues to show a knack for reaching into the hearts and minds of young readers, as with his first book, Operation: Save Santa, published just last year, described as an "action-packed, adventure-based Christmas tale that is perfectly paced."

Kazoo, the Singing Bird … and other stories by D.T. Ihaza is published by The Manuscript Publisher and is available to buy online, along with other books by the author (with many more to come, we hope).

New Books and Titles | Introducing Wayne Power – author, poet, spoken-word artist

Everyone's a Star after Midnight by Wayne Power

– tales from the urban jungle, of Love's lost and found, midnight masquerades and a soul laid bare –

The debut collection
from Wayne Power

Wayne Power is a writer, poet and spoken-word artist based in Waterford, who has risen to prominence in his native city in recent years, through his work on the local arts scene. It is not surprising therefore, that his debut collection of poems, Everyone's a Star after Midnight, should be so eagerly anticipated by all who know him and are familiar with his work.

It is a book, he says, that is dedicated:

… to the underdogs, the dreamers, the mental health warriors, the unrequited, the shoulders we cry on and the torch songs we let heal us. The friends who become family and the family who become everything.

In 2019, Wayne burst onto the spoken-word scene, at a rapid pace, through his work with the Modwords collective. He quickly became a regular face at Waterford's various open mic nights, taking every opportunity to share his truths. In this video, Wayne performs his composition, My Town, which is just one of the many gems in this, his debut collection.

His poetry and writing are unfiltered, at times gritty, recalling lost nights, love, mental health and political themes coupled with a comedic edge, all of which celebrate the human condition. They are snapshots of the light and shade of city life, steeped in a fondness for where he is from, where he has been and where he hopes to go.

Love is underrated. Fear is overrated. I didn't dream it.

Wayne Power,
author and spoken word artist

Everyone's a Star after Midnight by Wayne Power is published by The Manuscript Publisher. It is available to buy online, in print and e-book editions. RRP €12 plus P&P.

New Books and Titles | Gaysa, the Spoiled Priest by Dennis McIntyre

Gaysa, the Spoiled Priest by Dennis McIntyre

– a treatise concerning the Irish family and its historical relationship with the Catholic Church –

Gaysa, the Spoiled Priest
by Dennis McIntyre

This latest offering from author and historian, Dennis McIntyre is concerned with an aspect of Irish social history that relates to aspirants for the priesthood who, for various reasons, were never ordained as Catholic priests. In the vernacular, they were known as spoiled priests, priesteens or, sagarts.

This treatise delves deep into the matter of how religion, priests and the Catholic Church infiltrated and wove itself into the very fabric of Irish society and Irish life. It relates the almost unbelievably sad story of the pathetic, fictitious, Gaysa (the principal character in this narrative and a spoilt priest) and the repercussions that his rejection had, for his life and the lives of those around him.

It is a book that is rich in social history and will be of interest to anyone curious about just how Ireland and Irish society, dominated by the Catholic Church, developed in the way that it did.

Dennis McIntyre is an author who really believes that we study history in order to learn from it: for the benefit of ours and future generations as well as for greater human betterment. Hence, while the author does not hold back in his pointed criticisms, the reader will not fail to see the purpose of his polemic:

There was and is little wrong with the church that Our Lord, Jesus left to us. It has stood and will continue to stand the test of time. There was and is no cause for anyone to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

As if to reinforce that view, he concludes, magnanimously, with 'an apology to all the good priests!'

Dennis McIntyre is an author, historian, tour guide, broadcaster and former teacher. Originally from Sligo, he has lived in the Clontarf area of Dublin for a number of years, where he has established a reputation as a local historian of the area, arising out of publications such as The Meadow of the Bull: A History of Clontarf ("You will probably find a well-worn copy of this book in every household in Clontarf!") and Bram Stoker and the Irishness of Dracula – a book that brings it all back home as far as the world's most enduring vampire story is concerned.

In Irish Nationalism, Irish Republicanism and the 1916 Easter Rising, he traces the course of events that culminated in Ireland's quest for independence. Elsewhere, in The Principal Brathadóir, he not just lifts the lid but also stirs the pot on the inner workings of the Irish educational system.

He treads a similar path in Gaysa, the Spoiled Priest, offering 'a treatise concerning the Irish family and its historic relationship with the Catholic Church'. Like much of the author's work that is told in this vein, while the characters may be fictional, the message it strives to convey is all too real.

In addition to his writing, Dennis McIntyre also serves as founder and director of Dublin North Bay Tourism and the Stoker Dracula Gothic Organisation.

Gaysa, the Spoiled Priest by Dennis McIntyre is published by The Shara Press and distributed by The Manuscript Publisher. It is on sale now and available to buy online, in both print and e-book editions (RRP €9.99 plus P&P for the paperback edition) along with other titles by the same author.

Operation: Save Santa by D.T. Ihaza

Operation: Save Santa by D.T. Ihaza

– action-packed, adventure-laden Christmas tale for children and young adults –

The just published, Operation: Save Santa by D.T. Ihaza delivers an action-packed, adventure-laden Christmas tale for children and young adults that is perfectly paced and doesn't disappoint. More so, it is a book that will be enjoyed by all ages (with special resonances those who are young at heart) for its universal story about childhood and growing up. Some may even detect echoes of J.M. Barrie's timeless classic.

It is the week before Christmas and Sheila O'Reilly is taking care of the house, bossing her brothers around while her parents are away. As she watches her younger brothers get onto the spirit of the season, she wonders if she ever truly enjoyed Christmas when she was a child.

That night, an unannounced visitor with an unexpected request arrives at the house. One way or another, Christmas is never going to be the same again for Sheila and, maybe not for anyone! The dark forces that have gathered are threatening the very spirit of Christmas itself. Sheila, along with her brothers and her newfound friends, must find a way to prevail.

Will Shelia be able to help save Santa or, will it be too late?

Author, D.T. Ihaza was born in Benin City in Nigeria but he has lived in Ireland for more than a decade. He says that he has always had a passion for creative writing. Operation: Save Santa is his first book but, judging by this tour de force, he surely has many more to come.

Operation: Save Santa by D.T. Ihaza is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, in print and e-book editions – RRP €12.95 (print edition). Further information is available from the publisher's website. It is suitable for readers aged 9 years and up.

Through the Pages of History by Michael Whelton – an art, music and medical miscellany

Through the Pages of History
by Michael Whelton

Was Mozart really buried in a pauper’s grave? What role did yellow fever play in the construction of the Panama Canal? How did the painter, Renoir cope with rheumatoid arthritis in his old age? Has history been overly harsh towards King Herod?

Just a few of the questions (from among a very broad range of subject matter) that are looked at from historical and medical perspectives in Michael Whelton’s engaging collection of essays. Through the Pages of History: an art music and medical miscellany is written in a lively style and a manner that will intrigue but also satisfy inquisitive minds. It is book that will appeal as much to the general reader as to those with specialist knowledge.

It is also a book that the reader will not find easy to put down, once started on a journey that trawls through medical annals, to probe popular misconceptions or shed new light on the personalities and events that have shaped history. Charles Darwin, Ignaz Semmelweis, Marie Curie, Alexander Fleming, Rosalind Franklin all get more than a mention but, the author also casts his trained medical eye over matters and phenomenon such as diseases and epidemics, medieval witch hunts, tattooing, embalming, 'humane' judicial killings. A firm grasp of the facts is exhibited but, always with an good eye for the story or amusing anecdote connected to landmarks in human history, scientific achievement, artistic excellence and so on.

Portraits of the Past
by Michael Whelton

Most importantly, he brings to bear his own scientific knowledge, as a retired medical doctor and in doing so, amply demonstrates how truth is all too often stranger than fiction. Not that he doesn’t have experience in this area too. His previous volume, Portraits of the Past, a collection of short stories and flash fiction published just last year, reads like Joycean narratives set in his native Cork during the post-war period.

Through the Pages of History: an art, music and medical miscellany by Michael Whelton is published by The Manuscript Publisher and is on sale now. RRP €12.99.

Portraits of the Past by Michael Whelton: a collection of bittersweet tales

Life, death and all things in between, including the decisions that we make or have thrust upon us; how we face the consequences and how we allow those consequences to shape our destinies. Such are the narratives that emerge in Portraits of the Past, a collection of short stories and flash fiction from Michael Whelton, which has just been published.

Poignant moments and personal epiphanies are skilfully captured in collection of bittersweet tales that are usually self-contained but often hinting at a larger story. The stories themselves are told with honesty, candour and a sense of humour that always shines through, even as the characters portrayed themselves seem to dwell in a certain twilight.

"She caressed the faded ribbon and thought of returning it to the secret drawer. Realising that this would only perpetuate the dream, she tenderly dropped it. The love knot burned, closing an unfulfilled chapter in her life."

Carefully crafted and written with keen observation and rare insight, the author's style is inviting. In the end, we are left with a powerful sense of the intensity of living in this world, coupled with an understanding of what it means to be alive within the context of it.

Michael Whelton is a retired medical doctor who has lived and worked in Cork for most of his life but, has also travelled extensively. Both of these circumstances are reflected in his writings. It could be said that, much like what Joyce did for Dublin, Michael Whelton does for his own native city, with his naturalistic depictions that allow for time to stand still just long enough to afford the reader a glimpse inside.

Portraits of the Past by Michael Whelton is published by The Manuscript Publisher. It is available to buy online. RRP €9.99 plus P&P.

Book Launch: Would You Believe? by Dezi Jay M

Would You Believe? by Dezi Jay M

– a collection of morality tales told with underlying comedic intent –

Would You Believe? by Dezi Jay M (the author's fourth published outing to date) will be formally launched on Thursday, 15 March at Parnell's GAA Club in Coolock Village, Dublin, starting 7.30pm.

The author's offering is a collection of morality tales, told mostly through verse and delivered with impeccable comedic judgement and effect. The author displays a craftsman-like knack for word play, colourfully illustrating the problems and predicaments drawn from everyday life, which are rarely black and white.

Dezi Jay M says that he grew up in a world that seemed confusing. Neither he, his parents, his teachers, nor anyone else were aware that he was autistic. Today he has come to acknowledge his Asperger's as a gift. He looks at life from a clearer perspective, allowing him to express his sense of humour in a healthy environment.

"Some say life is a gamble. I would prefer to say that in life, one may take risks. Much of my work is about people going through difficult situations and turning it around. Each poem, each story has a meaning to it, has a consequence. It has vindication and most importantly, the essence of Love."

Dezi Jay M is an author, actor, performing poet (AAPP) who lives and works in Dublin, Ireland. His writing reflects themes and personal preoccupations with issues related to alcoholism and addiction, homelessness, church and state and the state of the world in general. Previous publications include, The Day the Poppy Met the Shamrock (2014), The Resurrection of Peter (2015), Legacies (2016). He is currently working on a volume of memoirs that he intends to have ready for publication shortly. Further information about his literary and other activities can be found at his website – DeziJayM.com

Would You Believe? by Dezi Jay M is on sale now and available to buy online (RRP €12.99 plus P&P), along with the author's other publications. It will also be on sale on the night of the launch (Thursday, 15 March) at Parnell's GAA Club, Coolock Village, Dublin. Entertainment and light refreshments will be provided. Doors open at 7.30pm and everyone is welcome.

A sample or teaser edition has already been published and is available to download for free.

Why Did They Lie? by Jack Kiernan. Shadowy Events of the Irish Civil War 1922-23

Why Did They Lie? by Jack Kiernan

– The Irish Civil War, The Truth, Where and When it all Began –

A new book about the Irish Civil War (1922-23) uncovers shadowy events that took place, shedding important light on the very origins of that conflict, where and when it began. It also offers an assessment that challenges certain assumptions about the course of events, the personalities and leadership dynamics involved.

Most people, with any knowledge of Irish history, know that hostilities in the Irish Civil War commenced with the move, by the Provisional Government, to take the Four Courts in Dublin (held by anti-Treaty forces) towards the end of June 1922. But, most people would be wrong! That is the view of Jack Kiernan, who sets out to investigate the roots of a tragic and bitter conflict, that proceeded apace with the emergence of independent Irish statehood.

Growing up in an Irish Midlands town, Jack Kiernan remembers being told by his teachers that "if anything of importance happened in Mullingar, it would have been recorded."

Bullet holes remnants in the walls of prominent local buildings seemed to give lie to these bland assertions, as did the recollections of older neighbours, alluding to "the shooting of unarmed prisoners during the Civil War."

What he only discovered, much later, was that events of, not just local but national significance had taken place in the town where he grew up. What's more, they had been recorded, only to be buried deep within the archives – almost as if they had been deliberately covered up!

The evidence that he reveals here, confirms that open hostilities between pro- and anti-treaty forces were already in place, throughout the country, early in 1922 and prior to the events in Dublin. Furthermore, gun battles took place in the town of Mullingar during the month of April 1922, resulting in deaths. Evidence also suggests that British forces, though officially withdrawn, may have fired the first shots.

The events of the Irish Civil War (1922-1923) have cast a long shadow over Irish life. This book sheds important light on a dark chapter in Irish history; a contribution towards the debate that surely must accompany the centenaries of these events, which are now just around the corner.

Why Did They Lie? by Jack Kiernan is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available to buy online, as well as from certain bookshops. For further information, visit the author's website.

The New World of Spike and Friends by Samantha Robinson

Prepare to be amazed, shocked and dragged along with one of the most original books written for our world of today. True messages of Divine are brought to us all in this book. Samantha's visions and dreams are all mixed into one of the most unique and clever story lines ever written. A mixed book of fictional and amazingly true events in one woman's life. In our modern of world today one woman brings to life old forgotten Biblical messages.

The New World of Spike and Friends by Samantha Robinson is available to buy online, in print and e-book editions. Further information (including synopsis, sample chapters) is available from the publisher's website.

A Journey Through the Heart of Haunted Ireland

The Rising of Haunted Ireland by GhostÉire.
On Sale Now in print and e-book editions

An e-book edition of The Rising of Haunted Ireland by Anthony Kerrigan, Sinead Houlihan, Jenifer Kerrigan has just been published, in time for the Halloween season now virtually upon us. It is available to buy through all the major online distributors – see below.

The book takes the reader on a journey through Irish haunted locations on and off the beaten track, providing a comprehensive overview of the world of paranormal investigations, offering something to the skeptic as well as the believer and those who simply wish to form their own conclusions. Since the initial publication, this time last year, of the print edition, the book has proven very popular with the reading public, selling well at bookshops and venues across Ireland and further afield.

The authors are members of GhostÉire, a team of paranormal investigators based in the south-west of Ireland, who describe their goal as being "to find spiritual and scientific reasons for the paranormal, the supernatural and similarly unexplained phenomena." Their pursuit of this objective has taken them to locations all over Ireland, investigating possible hauntings and supernatural occurrences, accumulating volumes of recorded and independently verifiable source material in the process. Theirs is a world of whispering lighthouses, misty islands, mind-bending gaols, vanished forts and public houses where the spirits flow a little too unaccountably. Tales of sailors, smugglers, pirate queens, Irish rebels, Vikings and spies crop up along the way.

The bulk of the presentation comprises precise, detailed, often graphic descriptions of paranormal investigations, typically undertaken during the dark and eery hours in some of very remote and inhospitable places. It should be noted that the book does come with a parental advisory warning (not suitable for anyone under 16 years) containing as it does, some strong language and possibly disturbing themes.

The Rising of Haunted Ireland by Anthony Kerrigan, Sinead Houlihan, Jenifer Kerrigan, already available in print editions (hardback and paperback), is on sale now as an e-book edition through global distributors such as Amazon, Smashwords, Apple (iTunes), Barnes & Noble, Kobo, amongst others.

Further information about the book (print and e-book editions), where and how to buy can be obtained from the websites of GhostÉire and The Manuscript Publisher.

A Cornish Fisherman’s Irish Diary - follow up to a bestselling memoir

A Cornish Fisherman's Irish Diary by Trevor Simpson.
Volume II in the Cornish Fisherman's Diaries series.

On this day 50 years ago, just after 7pm, a Cornish fishing trawler pulled into the harbour of Dunmore East, the famous fishing village on the south-east coast of Ireland. It carried a crew of two, who had just completed a marathon journey across the Irish Sea. Their adventure would be recounted many years later, in all of its heart-stopping detail, in the concluding chapter of a memoir entitled Diary of a Cornish Fisherman: Newquay, 1962-1967. At the time however, author, Trevor Simpson and his crewmate, Martin, would have felt only relief:

I had been staring into a white wall of fog for many hours. I steered my boat, the 35ft M.F.V. Reaper, by her compass. The fog was doing my head in and I fought the pressing urge to sleep. Knowing that I should have made landfall quite a while back proved to me that I was lost, lost in unfamiliar waters. I desperately needed to find a safe harbour before dark …

What awaited the author upon disembarking; what he made of this strange new world called Ireland (and what Ireland made of him) is the subject of a memoir that is as warm and engaging as the first. The years that followed would prove challenging, perplexing, refreshing and ultimately rewarding. The fact that he found himself in a place that he was pleased to call home for the next fifty years (and beyond) probably speaks for itself. There is more to the story than that, however.

Diary of a Cornish Fisherman: Newquay, 1962-1967 by Trevor Simpson was an instant success upon publication in 2014. Among the glowing reviews, there was a virtual consensus among readers that a sequel would be in order:

Excellent, only wish he had followed it up with how he got on in Ireland. – Peter McGuinness

I would love to know if there is a follow up book about Trevor's time in Ireland, I bet that would be just as interesting! – Simon Neve

That call has been answered and readers now have the chance to judge whether it was worth the wait. Volume II takes up the narrative exactly where the first left off.

A Cornish Fisherman's Irish Diary by Trevor Simpson is published by The Manuscript Publisher and is on sale from today. Both volumes in the Cornish Fisherman's Diaries series are available to buy online and all good bookshops. They each retail at €14.99 plus P&P where applicable.