It’s only taken 13 months for me to update my website with this news. In some ways it still doesn’t feel real. My debut novel NESTING will be published in January 2025 by Scribner in the UK and Algonquin in the US. Rights have also sold to Blessing (Penguin Random House) in Germany. Other news coming soon…
Shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2022
I’m stunned and very grateful to have made the shortlist for the Irish Book Awards, Short Story of the Year 2022. My deepest thanks to The Stinging Fly for publishing my story Sleep Watchers; for believing in the story and its author. You can read all the stories and vote for your favourite here.
Longlist for An Post Irish Book Awards Short Story of the Year 2022
Such a surprise to find one of my stories longlisted for the Short Story of the Year 2022, and in such great company. Many thanks to the judges, and to the journal who published this story. Here’s the longlist:
Present Perfect - podcast edition
‘Present Perfect, read by Siobhán McSweeney, is now available as an RTÉ Radio One podcast here.
Living in a Dublin hotel with her two children, young EFL teacher Ciara is facing a crisis in both her parenting and her confidence. As a single October day unfolds, Ciara faces unforeseen challenges - but will a seemingly impossible task hold the key to reclaiming her story?
As featured in the RTÉ Guide, The Meath Chronicle and The Sunday Business Post
Belfast International Arts Festival 2021
One of my stories is set to be dramatised this autumn. My short story ‘No Fury’ will feature in Big Telly Theatre Company’s production ‘Department Stories’ at the Belfast International Arts Festival in October 2021. This is a world premiere of a new production for physical and remote audiences by Jack Hardiker and Zoe Seaton. Department Stories is an exciting piece of blended in-person and virtual story-telling. More information and tickets are available here
“Department Story is a site-specific production which smashes together flash theatre and physical fiction in a killer spree through a department of stories, where everything returned has a tale to tell – a talking toaster, a dress with a past, accessories after the fact. Browse through classic brands like Gogol and Hemmingway or take a punt on our new collection of global writers. Take stock, grab your shopping list and be sure to ask the staff (?) for help. But wait! This is no ordinary Department Store. Customers have choice but alongside choice comes great responsibility and before long there are decisions to be made.”
VOICES - a new anthology
I’m thrilled to have contributed a story to ‘Voices,’ the latest in the Open-Door series, edited by Irish author Patricia Scanlan in association with the National Adult Literacy Association.
’Featuring stories from some of Ireland’s most beloved writers, this beautiful collection is designed to be accessible to readers of all levels. Among the writers who’ve contributed to ‘Voices’ are iconic Dubliner Roddy Doyle, TV personality Graham Norton, podcaster and comedian Blindboy, broadcaster turned author Rachael English, and travel writer Úna-Minh Kavanagh.’
A new workbook is now available to accompany Voices, and can be downloaded here
'Present Perfect' - a new commissioned story on RTÉ Radio One
Read by Siobhán McSweeney. A young mum and a teacher is living in emergency accommodation in a Dublin hotel. Considering herself a complete failure, things are about to take a turn one when her three-year-old daughter presents her with a seemingly impossible task.
‘Present Perfect’ was written as part of a new series commemorating 100 years since Irish Independence.
“Among the writers are Dublin Literary Prize winners, a Booker Prize winner, an IFTA award winner, an Oscar winning writer, authors whose work has been awarded Irish short story of the Year, as well as numerous other international awards and short-listings, along with major national and international publishing contracts.”
As featured in the Meath Chronicle, the RTÉ guide and the Sunday Business Post
Literature Bursary Award 2020-21
My debut novel has been awarded a Literature Bursary Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. This comes on top of news of another Bursary Award from Meath Arts Office, in conjunction with Creative Ireland. I’m beyond grateful for these votes of confidence - go raibh míle maith agat!
Online event for Short Story September 2020
I’m thrilled to be taking part in this year’s Short Story September, as part of the #HomeByTen Festival organised by Dahlia Books. I’ll be chatting to C.G Menon about all things related to the short story, focusing in particular on the transition to the novel form. The event takes place on Saturday October 10th from 10-11am. Tickets are available here
New short story on RTÉ Radio 1
‘No Fury’ was broadcast as part of a brand new series called Keywords. For this series, beautifully curated by the talented Zoe Comyns, writers recorded themselves reading from their homes during lockdown. My story featured alongside new work from Eimear McBride, in an episode on the theme of ‘Things Left Unsaid.’ Funnily enough, with a nice gentle theme like that, both Eimear McBride and myself managed to come up with: revenge narratives. Listen here:
Wild Quiet on the Transition Year Curriculum
Many thanks to the lovely Transition Year students at Coláiste Cois Lifé in Dublin West who kindly invited me to their school for a chat. I can’t tell you how happy I was when I found out that teenagers in Dublin West were reading Wild Quiet (and hopefully enjoying it!!). I was living in this part of the city when I wrote the collection, so it’s weirdly as if the book has found its way back home (now that sounds like a magical realist plot…)
Thanks to Rang Abhoca, Rang Bandon, Rang Beirú, Rang Coimín and Rang Eana, and to your fantastic teacher Ms Nig Uidhir for organising the visit. I hope to talk to you again sometime. In the meantime, keep writing those short stories and remember, writing ‘rules’ are made to be broken!
Go raibh míle maith agat!
By the way thanks also for the lovely card. I love how you interpreted the symbolism of each of the short stories in Wild Quiet.
Writer's Block in The Gloss Magazine
Here’s my interview with the lovely Sophie Grenham for her Writer’s Block column earlier this year. I talked about multi-generational living, winning an Irish Book Award, and the best places in rural Meath to unleash your toddlers…
“O’Donnell’s astute observance of an ever-changing Ireland through the eyes of the foreigner has caught the attention of many literary commentators. She has the mind of a visual artist, due to her powerful use of colour and the sheer clarity of her images. Her wit and effortless realism gives her work an addictive quality”
New Anthology - The Danger and the Glory
‘The Danger and the Glory, Irish Writers on the Art of Writing’ has just been published by Arlen Press. Originally conceived of as a web-based project, this fascinating anthology is the brainchild of academic Hedwig Schwall and the team at the University of Leuven, and has been supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and The European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies. Featuring essays by the likes of Anne Enright, Kevin Barry, Evelyn Conlon and Roddy Doyle, it’s an intriguing read and is sure to open up interesting debate around the nature of inspiration and the mystery of the writing process. I have a story in here titled ‘My Patron Saint.’
Irish Book Award for Short Story of the Year 2018
Here I am, in total shock, being interviewed by Evelyn O’Rourke after winning the Irish Book Award for Short Story of the Year 2018.
Vanessa Fox-O’Loughlin was also kind enough to write an article about How to Build a Space Rocket (the story is at the end of this page).
Winner of the Writing.ie Short Story of the Year Award 2018 at the An Post Book Awards!
We did it!!!!… Against what felt like impossible odds, my wee story ‘How to Build a Space Rocket’ and my brave little narrator Keshika have won the award for Short Story of the Year 2018. The announcement was made at the An Post Irish Book Awards on Tuesday 27th November. I got the shock of my life! It was such a strong shortlist, featuring talented best-selling authors. As far as I can remember, I think I said something like this:
‘I can’t believe this... I didn’t think I’d even be able to attend the awards because I’m due a baby NOW! Earlier in the week, when my editor RM Clarke had asked me if I had a few words I wanted her to read out in case I won, my reply was ‘ah sure, I don’t think we need to worry about that!’ The other stories were all so good. I could never have imagined this…
I’m even more thrilled because my story was published in a really important anthology called The Broken Spiral, which was published last year in aid of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. It’s an anthology about the power of words and the power of stories as a force for healing.
Thanks to my editor Remie Purtill-Clarke for nominating my story for this award, and to our publisher New Island. Also, thanks to my family for their love and support. I’d like to dedicate this award to my little daughter Mary, and to my new baby who is due to arrive very soon (but hopefully not just too soon!). Thank you so much.’
2018 An Post Irish Book Awards - the shortlist!
My story ‘How to Build a Space Rocket’ has made the shortlist for the Short Story of the Year Award at the 2018 An Post Book Awards. I really can’t believe it. The story featured in The Broken Spiral (ed R.M Clarke), an anthology published in aid of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. I’m hopeful that this shortlisting will help to promote the anthology and to raise awareness of this incredibly important cause. You can read and vote for your favourite story here.
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year long list announced
6am, amidst the morning mayhem today, I received an email with some exciting news. One of my stories has made the long list for the Writing.ie Short Story of the Year. I’m in good company on the long list, alongside well-known and up-and-coming Irish writers. Here’s the long list of 12 selected writers…
New Voices in The Long Gaze Back
Here's an article I wrote for The Irish Times about my experience of being published in The Long Gaze Back, a ground-breaking, award-winning anthology of Irish women's writing...
Dublin One City: One Book - April 2018
Back in 2015 one of my stories 'Infinite Landscapes' was selected for inclusion in a very special anthology... This year, The Long Gaze Back, an anthology of short stories by Irish women writers, has been chosen as the book choice for the Dublin One City: One Book festival. I couldn't be happier for all the fantastic women writers involved in this groundbreaking literary project, and for New Island Books.
Throughout the month of April there will be readings and other events to celebrate The Long Gaze Back. The book has been selected as the choice for the Irish Times Book Club, and the Book on One for RTE radio. The event listings are now live on the Dublin One City: One Book website. Here are a few photos from the launch...
Reading the Future
I'm delighted to have a short story extract in 'Reading the Future' a new anthology from Hodges & Figgis bookstore in Dublin, which is being published to celebrate their 250th anniversary. Featuring 250 Irish poets, novelists, short story writers and essayists, the book is edited by Alan Hayes and published by Arlen House. Details of the launch to follow in January 2018...
