Prestigious bursaryforlocal children’swriter

DROGHEDA-BASED chidren’s author Nicola Pierce has added another accolade to her already impressive array by being selected to receive a prestigious bursary to attend the Tyrone Guthrie Centre.

Nicola, who recently launched her latest book ‘Chasing Ghosts’, will join four other writers as recipients of the 2020 Children’s Books Ireland/ Tyrone Guthrie Centre bursaries, designed specifically for mid-career children’s books authors or illustrators

“I’m not sure I fully realised what an honour it was until people starting congratulating me,” says Nicola, with her customary modesty. “I am really delighted and honoured, but I also am very excited to be going somewhere having been cooped up for so long, so am looking forward to the week in December when we stay in the centre together.”

Of course, the week-long residency at the centre in Monaghan isn’t all recreational, and the object is to work on established ideas.

These bursaries support more experienced, published authors and illustrators who require time and space to focus on their craft to the benefit of their continuing careers, complemented with a focus on creative exchange and collaboration. Laureate na nÓg is an initiative of the Arts Council and will support Nichola’s residency.

“It’s all about arriving with a book idea, and supporting each other for the week,” she explains. “When I was applying, I told them how I had poured myself into writing ‘Chasing Ghosts’ and right before the launch, the rug was almost pulled out from under me as everything was postponed because of Covid 19. The idea of starting a new book was tough, and I needed some help and support.”

In fact, there was one awful moment during lockdown when she considered giving up writing altogther.

“I had worked so hard on my last book, and all the planned launched had to be cancelled, and I really thought, why bother writing another book?” she said. “But I chased those demons away and I hope we can get back to the planned launches and book signings as soon as we can.”

Chasing Ghosts’ is written for children of nine years of age and upwards, and concerns the doomed 1845 Sir John Franklin expedition to the Arctic. Franklin and his second-in-command Captain Francis Crozier took their two ships HMS Erebus and Terror - carrying over 130 men and enough food for three years - in search of the last 300 miles of the Northwest Passage. The ships were last seen in July 1845. It is available in Waterstones and Acadamy Books in Southgate (where you may be lucky to get one of the signed copies Nicola snuck in to do!