PAGETURNER
THE Masters in Fine Art in UCD really does seem to do what it says on the tin. News reaches me of yet another exciting writer emerging from this programme. Don Sheehan, now based in New York with his wife Tea Obreht (she won the Orange Prize for her debut novel the Tiger Wife) has just signed with Weidenfeld & Nicholson. Described as a propulsive, mordant road trip about the horrors of PTSD and set between Sarajevo, California and Dublin, Sheehan’s first novel is slated for publication next spring. “The whole team fell truly, madly and deeply for Restless Souls. We’re exceptionally proud to be publishing this book,” enthused senior commissioning editor at W&N, Sophie Buchan. Sheehan is one of a talented pool graduating recently from UCD’s MFA — other alumni include Colin Barrett, Henrietta McKervey, Andrea Carter and Dave Rudden, all published and highly praised.
***** A century has passed since Hercule Poirot first appeared but he has never solved a case in Ireland, until now. Best-selling crime writer Sophie Hannah, with the blessing of the Agatha Christie estate, has written a new Poirot mystery called Closed Casket, set in Clonakilty in Co Cork. Sophie will be at Cork City Library on September 19 to talk about it and meet Christie fans. Meanwhile, I’ve a date for dinner on Thursday in Stoneybatter with another happening crime writer from the HarperCollins stable — Alex Barclay — to celebrate the publication of her latest Special Agent Ren Bryce novel The Drowning Child.
***** While many Helen Fielding fans are looking forward to the film of Bridget Jones’s Baby which opens in a couple of weeks, I was much more excited to hear that producer Scott Rudin and director Joe Mantello have bought the rights to last year’s big (in every sense) book A Little Life. Hanya Yanagihara, who penned the great tome, says the duo are shopping the adaptation to networks as a limited series. The novel’s legions of fans have already started casting the tortured Jude with Robert Sheehan, Ben Wishaw and Rami Malek leading the wish lists.
******* Finally, a reminder to writers, editors and publishers about Writing. ie’s Short Story of the Year Award. I was delighted to be asked, along with leading literary agent Simon Trewin and Bob Johnston of the great Gutter Bookshop, to judge this competition which is open to short stories of up to 700 words published in the last year, as part of a single collection or in an anthology, or from a journal or magazine, digital or print. The winner will be announced at the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards in November and will join a stellar trinity of previous winners — Billy O’Callaghan, John Boyne and Donal Ryan. When the six finalists are shortlisted, the public will also be able to cast their vote. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, September 7 and stories need to be submitted via the form on writing.ie