Lucy’s got talent
(as a children’s book author)
TV PRESENTER Lucy Kennedy is set to bring her impish sense of humour to her new role as a children’s author. The mother-of-three’s debut book, The Friendship Fairies, launches this Friday, October 11, along with a tour of primary schools nationwide. ‘I’ve been talking about this for five years,’ the 43-year-old says. ‘Literally every January I’d say, “Right, I’m going to lose weight, stop swearing and write a children’s book.” ‘It was quite emotional when Gill publishers sent me the cover. I almost cried, I felt overwhelmingly proud of myself for the first time in a long time, probably since I lay there in the Coombe with a newborn in my arms. ‘I’m already sitting down to write my second one.’ Picking the subject matter for her first children’s book was a no-brainer for the Radio Nova breakfast presenter.
She said: ‘I’m in the fairy zone – mine are nine, seven and two. We’re all about the fairies, we talk about fairies and our house is covered in fairy doors.’
Although it is not a big tome, she joked that her ‘cuticles were bleeding’ by the time she had typed out 8,000 words for her publishers.
‘I was saying can we maybe add more pictures,’ she says with a laugh.
Lucy, who is one of three sisters, based the storylines loosely around her family life.
‘It’s based on three sisters and their names are Emmy, my niece, and then Holly and Jess, who are my daughters. Every child in the book is related to me.
‘Charlie is my nephew, so they will always have something I included them in. My daughter Holly is seven, and she is kind of walking around the house with shades on because her name is in the book!
‘Once you strip me back, I’m all heart and all emotion and all about my babies – I love the idea they’ll always have this book.’
Her mischievous humour is evident throughout the book, but she tested it all out on her own children first.
‘I’ve kind of Lucy’ed it,’ the Living With Lucy star admitted. ‘I’ve kind of included words like “fart” and “burp” and I’ve made it very relatable to a child. It’s the innocence... they find that kind of thing funny. Hopefully, kids will find it funny.
‘There are lots of Irish references too. I’ve tried to make it as 2019 as possible as in they are not girly-girly fairies.’
And she jokes: ‘It’s a semi-educational funny book about farts really.
‘The subjects are Gentle Hands and Kind Feet and Flush Don’t Rush so they’re learning in a fun way.’
This month Lucy is touring schools around the country with her book and she couldn’t be happier.
‘I’m going to sit on my knees in my tracksuit and read the book to the children,’ she says.
‘It’s nice for kids to have something to believe in. And I love it because I’m the biggest child of all.’
Now that Ireland’s Got Talent has been cancelled, Lucy reveals she is taking a break from work in November to ‘decide what I want to do next’.