Hello, and welcome to my new website. There may still be the occasional glitch here and there but we're getting there. There is so much more to the finishing touches of publishing a novel and designing a website than I'd remembered from the last time.
Country Girl at Heart, a romantic comedy.
I'm back. A new novel in tow too. Let me give you the blurb first.
What Inspired the Novel?
Farming women! And I've dedicated my novel to them. So many farming women are involved in farming, many of whom came from town backgrounds and they adapt so well into the lifestyle, which isn't always easy. They milk cows, feed calves, clean out sheds, drive big machinery, do the paperwork, feed contractors and much more. So many others work off-farm but are still involved. They might say they 'just stop a gap' or 'just do the books' but believe me, the stopping of a gap is crucial and as for doing the accounts, that's worth more than gold.
When Brian and I returned to farming in 2002, I didn't do much on the farm. We had a tiny baby and went on to have another. Even though I was brought up on this farm, it was still a huge adjustment to go from the anonymity of a reasonably sized city to the centre of a goldfish bowl. Even things like baking for fundraisers was a challenge. I wanted to write a novel that shows farming life from the perspective of a female character new to farming and to a small community. Yes, there are many funny moments but they're based in realism too.
Have I included much from my own life within the novel? The setting of the novel is a rural area a few miles from Castlecomer (also my nearest town) and yes, although I don't name it, Garrendenny Lane is very similar to the lane that Kelly strolls along. She also attends a local athletic club (I did attend once for a few weeks but gave up, deciding to stick to my motto of only running when the cattle break out). I once had a stubborn goat called Becky and yes, Kelly and Becky the goat have a few standoffs, not all are similar to mine I hasten to add. You'll have to read the novel and see if you can work out what else might be inspired from my own life experiences! (The wellies, definitely the wellies!)
I'm delighted to have received some early press for the novel - in Agriland, Leinster Express, Laois Today and the Kilkenny People. And I've a couple of radio interviews booked for Friday and next week.
If you would like to purchase Country Girl at Heart, those in the Republic of Ireland can do so from my books page. It's also available in ebook and paperback on Amazon. If you'd prefer to buy from a bookshop, they can order you a copy. Banner Books in Ennistymon and Kilrush will have it in stock next week.
I hope you enjoy reading it. I loved writing it.