Mary O'Donnell

At the bottom of this small biography I'm attaching the latest review of my reissued novel The Light Makers. It appeared in the Irish Times, Saturday 19th August, and I have to say I was really pleased -- no, delighted -- to read the commentator's response. You can check it out yourself as it does give a good idea about what this book is 'about'. Now here's a little info on me and my work, just to fill you in . . .

I was raised in Ireland, where I still live. Writing has been my work since around 1990. I'd published plenty of short fiction and poetry before that, but 1990 marks my first publication, a very popular collection back then called "Reading the Sunflowers in September". It's not listed among my books on the page but I believe there are a few copies of it still around! It was shortlisted for the Irish Times Literature Award back then. As indeed was my second poetry collection, "Spiderwpman's Third Avenue Rhapsody". But I digress. I began to write fiction pretty much at the same time as I began to work and put in the hours on my poetry. I've always been a multi-genre writer, moving from poetry, to novel, to short story, as the need struck me. Each genre requires different levels of creative stamina and technical approach. The book that's just come out again - "The Light Makers" - was my first novel and I still love this book. Its central character, photojournalist Hanna Troy reflects a lot about the younger woman I once was, something I couldn't see back then but which I do now. She is actually quite heroic in her way (that's where the invention of writing kicks in: I am not heroic!), inquisitive, frank, a 1980s feminist who wants to set the world to rights after she's set her relationship with Sam, her avant garde architect husband, to rights. The thing is, can it be set to rights? The young professional couple want to start a family but things aren't going to plan . . . there are disasters and passions in this novel, and a long look at Hanna's family background as well . . . and in the end? Well, reader, I hope you'll travel the journey and find that out for yourself. It's a good read, apparently compelling and 'erotic'. I'd be honoured if you were to read it, because I value readers as the diamond-precious other half of the creative act.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/mary-o-donnell-s-1992-debut-retains-its-awesome-word-power-25-years-on-1.3175788#.WZf5ABwjFq0.email