Caiseal Mor

What made you want to write this book?

I’ve had a long fascination with the life of Turlough O’Carolan, the renowned 17^th Century Irish harper. I love his music and I love the positive message of his life, the way he came to terms with hardship and learned to be grateful for whatever life offered him. I’d obsessively

collected a lot of folk tales about him that seemed to unfold as a story on their own. His life was fairly well documented but there was another side to him- a legendary side. I was very excited by that.

Where do you get your storylines from?

“King of the Blind” is based on historical records as well as folk tales I’ve been collecting for more than 30 years. The storylines came primarily from those sources. I also had a lot of personal insights I wanted to convey to the reader so I wove them into the narrative in the most interesting ways I could come up with. I love stories. I’ve been listening to storytellers for many years, collecting their tales and working them into my narratives. I’ve also had a lot of adventures myself. I’ve had a life travelling the world meeting interesting people and getting up to all sorts of mischief.

Was this book easier to write than others?

This novel was a joy to write. I love Irish humour and storytelling. I spent a lot of time laughing at my own sense of the ridiculous. It’s a book about gratitude but it’s also about alcohol. I don’t drink myself but I grew up in a family that were heavy drinkers. This novel gave me a chance to look back and laugh at some of their antics.

Do you only write one genre?

I write historical fiction, fantasy and Sci-Fi. Right now, I’m working on a science fiction graphic novel.

Do you have a specific place or setting where you write?

I like to write reclining, either on a sofa or in bed with a laptop. I find that sitting at a desk provides too many distractions. I also like to write in the dark. I get a lot more done when I don’t have any sense of time passing.

Describe what made you want to be a writer?

Well, I never really thought I’d be a writer. I failed English at high-school ans was told I’d never be a great communicator. The whole author thing happened completely by chance and I just sort of ran with it. Many years ago, I had a market stall selling my artworks. Through that business I met a literary agent who asked me to write eight chapters of a novel. I took three weeks to write the eight chapters. She was so impressed she sent them to the major publishers. Before I knew what had hit me I had a three-book deal with Random House. It was all agreed on the strength of those unfinished eight chapters. My first novel, “The Circle and The Cross” was a bestseller. I’ll be re-publishing it next month. I’ve had 18 books published. I still don’t think of myself as a writer. I’m more of a storyteller who struck it lucky.