Replacing Wayne Rooney in publishing terms

I’m currently publicising my latest book, “My Little Lighthouse”. It’s a self-published book – as are my previous two books. Not everyone is lucky enough to hook up with a publisher or an agent – in Ireland the number is down to about half a dozen of each species. You probably stand more chance of replacing Wayne Rooney on the Manchester United team, or winning the Euromillions or scoring the presenter’s job on the Late Late Show. But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. It also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go the self-publishing route. If it was okay for Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling and Roddy Doyle then - it’s alright by me.

pink tea and paper makes my day

delighted to have a guest post today on ellen brickley's blog www.ellenbrickley.blogspot.com (pink tea and paper). very nice of her to accept my piece. i've been reading her blogs for a short while now and must say they are enjoyable and a positive read. like all good writers, she has that persistance and determnation to get to the finish line, the ability to stick to the task. another fellow writer who has that stick-at-it-ness quality is mick rooney (www.mickrooney.net ). i was delighted to assist mick with the launch of his ninth book recently, "the memory of trees" which is published by book republic.
don't forget to visit ellen at pink tea and paper......

the girl in the bookstore

she said she knew me.
i looked up from the bestsellers' shelves.
she had those jennifer aniston bangs and black framed specs.
"i hope i don't owe you money!", i joked.
"aren't you suzanne's dad?", she asked.
i raised an eyebrow and nodded.
"yes... yes that's right. do you know her?"
"i did the same art class as her in ballyfermot college last year."
"oh, i see."
she held up the book she was holding in her hand and once it came into my peripheral vision i glanced away from her and foccused on the book.
"my little lighthouse", i read the title and immediately felt flushed wirth embarrasment.
she held out a pen for me to take.
"would you mind signing it for me?"
"no not at all. i'd be delighted."
i scrawled my name on the inside with a 'happy to meet' quote followed by a ham-fisted drawing of a smiley face.
"tell suzanne i was asing for her, mr. mccluskey."

when is a door not a door

old brother o'keeffe in my primary school used to pick his nose - violently.
"mccluskey", he would say, "mccluskey - ya have no soul".
i took this to mean that i wasn't very fond of fish, which - truth be told - was true.
and so i never challenged him on this point but merely nodded my head in that understanding manner that seemed to calm him down. he would rest his cane out of his hand on his desk and the moment would pass.
and so the the answer was always and still is "when it's ajar"...

can't get used to loosing ewe

the sheep on the curragh asked me to tell the joke about the polish guy who went into the optician. optician points to reading chart as says to polish guy - can you read any of that. polish guys says - read it!!!! - i went to scool with half of those guys!!!

happy as a sandboy..happy as a sunny day in limerick......that "Angela's Ashes" just sucked the life outta me...i'll never get the time back i spent reading that book. God loves a book with good weather in it!! Start writing stuff with good weather in it, please!!