Carlo speaks about his writing life
WICKLOW native Carlo Gebler is the first of many writers who is taking part in a series of interviews at The Mermaid Arts Centre next month.
Carlo, who is the elder son of Irish writers Ernest Gebler and Edna O’Brien, spent his early years in a house overlooking Lough Dan.
He will feature in conversation with local writer Philip St John and will explore the impact of place on his vision, the advantages and disadvantages of having two renowned writers for parents and how he has produced over the last 35 years one of the most impressive, maverick and wide-ranging bodies of work in Irish literature.
His first novel, ‘ The Eleventh Summer’, was published in 1985 and was soon succeeded by ‘August in July’ in 1986 and ‘Work and Play’ in 1987. The following year, his first nonfiction book, ‘Driving Through Cuba: An East-West Journey’ was published, followed by novels in 1990 and 1991. His many subsequent works include plays and screenplays, libretti, children’s books, short stories, novels and several memoirs. Several of his novels are based on historical murder cases and from 1991 to 1991 he worked with prisoners at the Maze Prison as a creative writing tutor. He teaches a course on ‘Writing for a Living’ at Trinity College’s Oscar Wilde Centre, where he is an assistant professor of creative writing. He also taught at Queen’s University, Belfast, where he was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow in 2009.
The talk, entitled ‘ The Writing Life: Carlo Gebler’ will take place on Saturday, July 15, at 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at €12/€10 concession.