Review - Dance Lessons by Aine Greaney

It's Day Six of IRISH WEEK, and I hope you are enjoying the various selections I have picked that I feel represent some of the best of Irish writers and Irish-themed books today!

On Thursday, I featured Irish author Aine Greaney, and she was gracious enough to answer a few questions about her writing influences.  Today, I bring you a review of her amazing new book, "Dance Lessons," which is scheduled to be released from Syracuse University Press in April.

About The Book:

A year after her husband’s death in a sailing accident off Martha’s Vineyard, Ellen Boisvert bumps into an old friend. In this chance encounter, she discovers that her immigrant husband of almost fifteen years was not an orphan after all. Instead, his aged mother Jo is alive and residing on the family’s isolated farm in the west of Ireland.

Faced with news of her mother-in-law incarnate, the thirty-nine-year-old American prep school teacher decides to travel to Ireland to investigate the truth about her husband Fintan and why he kept his family’s existence a secret for so many years.

Between Jo’s hilltop farm and the lakeside village of Gowna, Ellen begins to uncover the mysteries of her Irish husband’s past and the cruelties and isolation of his rural childhood. Ellen also stumbles upon Fintan’s long-ago romance with a local village woman, with whom he had a daughter, Cat. Cat is now fourteen and living with her mother in London. As Ellen reconciles her troubled relationship with Fintan, she discovers a way to heal the wounds of the past.

Deeply rooted in the Irish landscape and sensibility, Dance Lessons is a powerful story of loss, regret, and transformation.

My Thoughts:

Long-held family secrets, and the damage and heartache they can bring, is at the heart of Aine Greaney's amazing novel "Dance Lessons." Featuring a diverse cast of strong women characters, Aine's story is a fascianting study of how each woman - Ellen, Jo, and Cat - reacts to and lives with the actions and consequences of Fintar Dowd, the one man that binds them all together.

Written in each woman's voice, Aine ties the tale together with trips to each of their past lives and how their seperate journeys ultimately bring them together to the lonely farm on Knockduff Hill in Gowna, Ireland.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Dance Lessons," and found myself drawn into the heart of the story through Aine's creative and imaginative writing.  They say the Irish are blessed with the gift of storytelling, and Aine Greaney obviously received an extra helping as is evident with this captivating novel.


About The Author:

An Irish native, Aine Greaney moved to the U.S. in 1986. She lives in the greater Boston area. Her short stories, personal essays and features have appeared in literary and consumer magazines. Her second novel, "Dance Lessons" will be released on April 1. In addition to writing, she teaches creative writing at various schools, arts and libraries. Her how-to writing book, "Writer with a Day Job" will be released in June, 2011.  Check out her website at http://www.ainegreaney.com/ for more information about her books and writing projects.


I was sent an advance copy of "Dance Lessons" by the author for review. I was not compensated for my opinions.

CHALLENGE FULFILLMENT: 100+ Books; Where Are You Reading?

Review - The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney

If Maeve Binchy is the Queen of the Irish novel, then that makes Frank Delaney the King.

Delaney’s newest novel, “The Matchmaker of Kenmare,” is a sequel to his bestselling book, “Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show,” and promises to be just as popular as its predecessor.

Ben McCarthy is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his beloved wife, Venetia Kelly. His work as a researcher for the Irish government's folklore department not only keeps him traveling throughout the country in search of myths and legends, but it provides him with the cover to make his own inquiries about Venetia's disappearance. His travels soon take him to the town of Kenmare to interview a matchmaker named Kate Begley.

Kate, who has recently married Captain Charles Miller, an American, on a secret mission behind enemy lines in war-torn Europe and who has been reported dead, believes that her husband is still alive. She convinces Ben to accompany her on a journey looking for their respective spouses, a journey that not only spans years, but takes them into the heart of German camps in Europe and across the ocean to America.

In a novel full of adventure and drama, and the always fascinating charm of the Irish, Frank Delaney once again proves why his books are so anxiously looked forward to. “The Matchmaker of Kenmare” can be read as a stand-alone story, but treat yourself to “Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show” for a wonderful experience as well.

About The Author:

The handsome Irishman himself - Photo by Jerry Bauer

In the current phase of his own work, Frank Delaney is writing a series of novels exploring his native Ireland's history in the twentieth century, one decade at a time. Like all his books, they are multi-layered and aim to be read (say those who teach them) on a number of levels.

Frank Delaney was born in Tipperary, Ireland, and after a fledgling career in banking became a broadcaster with RTE radio and television, the Irish state network, working on documentaries, music programmes and finally as a newsreader. In the mid 1970's he joined the Northern Ireland region of the BBC in Belfast as their current affairs man in Dublin and covered an intense period of the virtual war known as the Irish 'Troubles.' Later, after half a decade of reporting bombings, shootings kidnappings, sieges, he moved to London where, perhaps as an antidote, he began to work in arts broadcasting. Bookshelf, which he inaugurated for BBC Radio Four, became an award winner; on television he wrote films for Omnibus and other arts programmes and in the early 1980's hosted his own talk show, Frank Delaney, featuring an array of cultural and literary personalities.

In 1979, his first book, James Joyce's Odyssey was published to critical acclaim and best-seller status. Since then, Delaney has written six books of non-fiction, twelve novels, one novella, two anthologies, and a smattering of short stories published in both magazines and collections. He has edited compilations of essays and poetry, written theatrical plays for the stage, radio plays for broadcast screenplays for films, a number of which have been produced.

Frank Delaney has three sons, Francis, Bryan, and Owen and a granddaughter, Poppy Beatrice. He lives in Litchfield County, Connecticut, with his wife, Diane Meier. 
Check out his website at www.frankdelaney.com for more information on this charming author!

Check out this delightful trailer for the book!

Five Questions With ... Aine Greaney, author of "Dancing Lessons"

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm so pleased to introduce you to my new friend, Irish author Aine Greaney.  Aine was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her busy schedule to share a little bit about herself and her writing.

Sharon: At what age did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Aine:   I grew up on a remote farm in the west of Ireland. As idyllic and rustic as that sounds, I always had an eye on the horizon. So I read voraciously as a child. That was my escape. There were times when books were more real to me than the meadows or the house itself.  I always wanted to be a writer, but quite honestly, never really had the courage to try. Of course, I did the weepy teenage poem thing (the usual topics of gloom, doom, and self-pity), and I’ve always kept a journal.  Deep into the throws of a love affair (with James Joyce), I tried a few short stories while at college in Dublin (I had to walk past one of the houses he once lived in every day on my way to campus). But I never really wrote or sent anything out for publication until I moved to the U.S. in 1986.  Being away and across the sea gave me courage.

Sharon: At what point in your career did it finally sink in – “hey, I’m famous,” and did it make a difference in your writing?

Aine:  Oh, I’m not sure I will ever feel “famous,” even if I had 30 books and a huge blockbuster movie script and 20 personal servants at my beck and call (sigh).  If I were to get that famous, I know I would probably have all their servants put their feet up and I would be making them tea—and apologizing for the state of the house!  Seriously, I  would hope that fame doesn’t make a difference in the daily writing itself. I suppose having a few books published makes you place the bar a little higher for yourself, but honestly, every project is a whole new set of fears and joys and challenges.  Fame is only a good thing if it has made you a better person or earned you more money to donate to real causes and/or it has made you into a better artist.  Fame has no value in and of itself. Or it shouldn’t, right?

Sharon:  Who are some of your favorite authors? Who inspires you?

Aine:  I’m an eclectic reader. I love the British author Penelope Lively. I also like Joanna Trollope (here I go with British female authors again).  I like Colum McCann’s work (o.k., we’re edging toward the Irish here … this is promising …).  I also like an American novelist called Marcia Preston.  When I was young I was very influenced by Irish authors like John McGahern and Edna O’Brien.  I’m a big user of my local public library here in Massachusetts, so I often just pick up books at random, though I do tend to gravitate toward books by second-language or immigrant writers (file it under “birds of a feather” and all that).  

Sharon: What do you have coming up in the future?

Aine:  After the launch of “Dance Lessons,” I’m looking forward to getting back to long writing projects.  I have a few non-fiction essays about my early years and immigration to America that I want to tidy up and consider sending out for publication. I’m also in the very early stages of my third novel, which, like “Dance Lessons,” will move back and forth in time between the contemporary and the past.  I like books that honor the fluidity of time and how the past always leeches into our present lives. This is a major theme of “Dance Lessons,” and I can’t seem to get away from it. Even in our personal lives, I think it’s hard to talk about our present without acknowledging our personal and shared histories.  

Sharon: What advice would you have for anyone wanting to break into the writing biz today?

Aine: First, keep your day job. Really, I mean it! I work four days per week for a non-profit, and I teach writing workshops and I write.  A part- or full-time job gives the writer the financial stability to make you less obsessed with and vulnerable to the trends and fads and whims of the publishing markets.  Second, you have to read in the genre in which you want to write. Third,  I advise all my adult writing students to keep a personal journal. It’s a great way to build your writing muscle and your writing voice. Just write for 10 minutes or a few pages per day. When I teach writing workshops, I can always tell who is a journal-keeper; they’re just much stronger writers.  And finally,  while it’s important to pay attention to the personal and the introspective, I encourage my students to simultaneously start looking for ways to get published and build clips and confidence. It can be as simple as writing something for the newsletter at your church or professional association or social group. Or an Op-Ed for the local newspaper.  Whatever it is, re-drafting and polishing one’s work for print and publication helps a writer to transition from writer into reader. Over the course of a writing career, we are asked to do this over and over: to objectively assess our own work and make tough cuts and edits along the way.

About The Author:

An Irish native, Aine Greaney moved to the U.S. in 1986. She lives in the greater Boston area. Her short stories, personal essays and features have appeared in literary and consumer magazines. Her second novel, "Dance Lessons" will be released on April 1. In addition to writing, she teaches creative writing at various schools, arts and libraries. Her how-to writing book, "Writer with a Day Job" will be released in June, 2011.  Check out her website at http://www.ainegreaney.com/ for more information about her books and writing projects.

 

About The Book:

 

 

A year after her husband’s death in a sailing accident off Martha’s Vineyard, Ellen Boisvert bumps into an old friend. In this chance encounter, she discovers that her immigrant husband of almost fifteen years was not an orphan after all. Instead, his aged mother Jo is alive and residing on the family’s isolated farm in the west of Ireland.

Faced with news of her mother-in-law incarnate, the thirty-nine-year-old American prep school teacher decides to travel to Ireland to investigate the truth about her husband Fintan and why he kept his family’s existence a secret for so many years.

Between Jo’s hilltop farm and the lakeside village of Gowna, Ellen begins to uncover the mysteries of her Irish husband’s past and the cruelties and isolation of his rural childhood. Ellen also stumbles upon Fintan’s long-ago romance with a local village woman, with whom he had a daughter, Cat. Cat is now fourteen and living with her mother in London. As Ellen reconciles her troubled relationship with Fintan, she discovers a way to heal the wounds of the past.

Deeply rooted in the Irish landscape and sensibility, Dance Lessons is a powerful story of loss, regret, and transformation.  (Watch for my review of Dance Lessons on Saturday!)

My sincere thanks to Aine Greaney for participating in this question-and-answer! 

Irish Week Review - Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

Here is the first of my week of Irish-themed reviews! I adore Maeve Binchy and have read everything she's written, and never have been disappointed! She is a true treasure to the writing world!

Queen of the Irish novel, Maeve Binchy, returns to the cozy neighborhood of St. Jarlath’s Crescent in Dublin to bring her readers another heartwarming story of family, love and faith with “Minding Frankie.”

When Noel Lynch discovers that a girl he vaguely remembers hooking up with has named him as the father of her unborn child, his life is turned upside down. And when he finds out that she is dying of cancer, won’t survive the baby’s birth, and wants him to care for the baby, Noel must do some fast growing up to do right by baby Frankie. But as a single father battling demons of his own, Noel can’t do it alone. Luckily he has a caring network of friends, family and neighbors to help him out.

But not everyone is pleased with the unconventional arrangement, especially a nosy social worker, Moira, who is convinced that baby Frankie would be better off in a foster home. Now it’s up to Noel to persuade her that everyone in town has something special to offer when it comes to minding Frankie.

As is her style, Binchy includes a charming large cast of characters that add to the lively story, and includes small updates on characters who have appeared in her previous books. Reading a Maeve Binchy novel is like taking quick trip to the old country where you are always welcomed home with open arms.

 

About The Author:

Maeve Binchy is the author of numerous best-selling books, including Nights of Rain and Stars, Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends, and Tara Road, which was an Oprah's Book Club selection. She has written for Gourmet; O, The Oprah Magazine; Modern Maturity; and Good Housekeeping, among other publications. She and her husband, Gordon Snell, live in Dalkey, Ireland, and London.

Check out her website at http://www.maevebinchy.com/

I love this piece by Maeve on Ireland -

CHALLENGE FULFILLMENT: 100+ Books; Where Are You Reading?

Alexandra, Gone by Anna McPartlin - Book Blog Tour

I was pleased to be asked to participate in the book blog tour promoting Irish author Anna McPartlin's new book, "Alexandra, Gone." This is a powerful novel about the friendship of three women, and how an intense search to find someone leads the three to find something inside themselves as well.

About The Book:

Once, Jane Moore and Alexandra Walsh were inseparable, sharing secrets and stolen candy, plotting their futures together. But when Jane became pregnant at seventeen, they drifted slowly apart. Jane has spent the years since raising her son, now seventeen himself, on her own, running a gallery, managing her sister’s art career, and looking after their volatile mother—all the while trying not to resent the limited choices life has given her.

Then a quirk of fate and a faulty elevator bring Jane into contact with Tom, Alexandra’s husband, who has some shocking news. Alexandra disappeared from a south Dublin suburb months ago, and Tom has been searching fruitlessly for her. Jane offers to help, as do the elevator’s other passengers—Jane’s brilliant but self-absorbed sister, Elle, and Leslie Sheehan, a reclusive web designer who’s ready to step back into the world again. And as Jane quickly realizes, Tom isn’t the only one among them who’s looking for something . . . or traveling toward unexpected revelations about love, life, and what it means to let go, in every sense.

In this insightful and irresistible novel, by turns profound, poignant, and laugh- out-loud funny, acclaimed Irish writer Anna McPartlin tells a story of friendship and love, of the families we are born into and the ones we create for ourselves, and of the hope and strength that remain when we find the courage to leave the past behind at last.

My Thoughts:

I love books written by Irish authors, and I was not disappointed with Anna McPartlin’s “Alexandra, Gone.” I love how the story of the three women intertwined, and how their desire to help Tom find his missing wife brings out their talents and personalities in ways they might never had experienced had they not come together that fateful night in the nightclub elevator.

“Alexandra, Gone” is a powerful and emotional story, with sparks of levity and humor. I look for McPartlin to continue to become a popular voice in women’s literature in the years to come.

About The Author

Anna McPartlin, who was shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year in the 2007 Irish Book Awards, was formerly a stand-up comedian and a cabaret performer. She lives in Dublin with her husband, Donal.

Other Books by Anna McPartlin:

Pack Up The Moon

Apart From The Crowd

As Sure As The Sun

I received a review copy of this book from Sarah Reidy of Simon and Schuster. I was not compensated for this review.