I’ve written three books of contemporary fiction in the last three years and each one, I hope, is simple in style and clear in direction. This is my style. This is the way I write. It’s down my alley, right up my street and bang down the avenue of things I like. Things like Trigger Bars, Talking Heads, cheesecake, Colin Bateman mystery books, trifle – uncomplicated-you-get-what-it-says-on-the tin stuff.I like reading books and writing books that both I and millions like me can understand without having to memorise a cast of thousands, without having to look up the dictionary for unpronounceable four syllable words (John Banville – I love your books but why so many obtuse and obscure words???), without having to read through pages of the traumatised lives of pauper-like creatures that are barely human, who live in the lashings of rain in Limerick (I tell you no word of a lie – Angela’s Ashes sucked the life out of me!!).
Give me a happy book, a book with sunshine, a book with some humour in it, a book with a happy ending. It doesn’t have to be “Little House on the Prairie” happy – just some smidgeon of happiness. Something to make you smile, something to brighten your day. Something pink, something with caffeine in it, something written on paper that makes you take your mind off the daily routine.
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.
“My Little Lighthouse” is about a man who gets struck by lightening (ouch!) and as a result looses his memory. He runs his software company nearly single-handedly and the company will go down the tubes if he doesn’t regain his memory. Will his wife – the only person he recognises - and his two grown-up kids be able to save him, his company and their family life?
Don’t worry – it’s not doom and gloom. Don’t worry – there aren’t any four syllable words to look up. Don’t worry – it doesn’t rain once after the first chapter! Happy ending??? Now that would be telling now, wouldn’t it. . .?Anyone who would like to buy a copy from my website will be helping Crumlin Children’s Hospital. All website sales up to the end of this year go directly to the hospital charity. Visit me at www.petermccluskey.com
