Hi everyone!
Happy St. Patrick’s day!! ☘️☘️
Today, I’ve put together a post with some Irish debut authors who are publishing their first books this year.
It’s not always easy for us debutante’s to get air time or trend on social media. And so, i thought today would be a great excuse to talk about new Irish writers rather than wax lyrical about Irish writers and books you will already know about.
If you want to help new and emerging writers then do think about:
- Pre-ordering
- Adding new books to your goodreads TBR
- Posting/sharing on social media
- Writing reviews
All of this can really improve visibility.
This group of authors are from my debut 22 group – and there are 7 of us to chose from – and we offer you a wide range of genres. Hopefully, one will suit.
I’ve kept the post short and sweet – something you can take a look at while you wait at the bar to order your drink 🍹 🍻 🍷
The Secrets Act by Alison Weatherby
GENRE – Historical fiction/YA/Mystery/Romance
PUBLICATION DATE: 6th January 2022
Written by Alison from Dun Loaghaire, this is wonderful YA historical fiction novel set during WWII.
THE BLURB
Wartime.
Pearl and Ellen work at top-secret codebreaking HQ, Bletchley Park.
Pearl is the youngest. A messenger at sixteen, she’s untidy, lively, bright, and half in love with the wrong boy, Richard. Her circle of friends overlaps with his – the dashing young men on their motorcycles who courier the secrets that Bletchley deciphers.
Ellen is a codebreaker. Reserved, analytical and beautiful. She never expected to get close to a girl like Pearl – or fall for a chap like Dennis.
But when tragedy strikes, their logical world is upended, with both friends caught in a spy plot that rocks the very heart of the war effort. Who can they turn to now? Who can they trust? And above all, can they unmask the traitor in their midst before it’s too late?
Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-secrets-act/alison-weatherby/9781913322991
The Butterfly Assassin by Finn Longman
GENRE – YA Fiction/thriller
PUBLICATION DATE – 26th May 2022
Finn Longman, is now living in London, but was previously a Cork City resident. Finn is a queer disabled writer and medievalist, originally from London. After graduating from Cambridge, Finn went on to study for an MA in Early and Medieval Irish.
THE BLURB
Innocent by day, killer by night: a dark, twisting thriller about a teen assassin’s attempt to live a normal life.
Trained and traumatised by a secret assassin programme for minors, Isabel Ryans wants nothing more than to be a normal civilian. After running away from home, she has a new name, a new life and a new friend, Emma, and for the first time, things are looking up.
But old habits die hard, and it’s not long until she blows her cover, drawing the attention of the guilds – the two rival organisations who control the city of Espera. An unaffiliated killer like Isabel is either a potential asset . . . or a threat to be eliminated.
Will the blood on her hands cost her everything?
Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-butterfly-assassin/finn-longman/9781398507340
The Truth Will Out by Rosemary Hennigan
GENRE – Literary Fiction/mystery
PUBLICATION DATE: 17th March 2022
Rosemary Hennigan is an Irish author who lives in Dublin. She was shortlisted for the Benedict Kiely Short Story Competition and longlisted for the Colm Toibin Short Story Competition.
THE BLURB
Dara Gaffney is fresh out of drama school when she lands the leading role in the revival of Eabha de Lacey’s hugely successful yet controversial play.
Based on the true story of the death of Cillian Butler, many claim that Eabha had an ulterior motive when she penned it. Cillian’s death remains a mystery to this day, and Eabha and her brother, Austin, the only witnesses.
As the media storm builds and the opening night draws closer, the cast find it harder and harder to separate themselves from the characters.
And as the truth of Cillian’s fate becomes clear, Dara’s loyalty to her role will be irrevocably questioned as the terrible history starts to repeat itself…
Amazon – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1398704792/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1647288144&sr=8-1
Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-truth-will-out/rosemary-hennigan/9781398704794
Looking for Emily by Fiona Longmuir
GENRE – Middle grade (for ages 8-12) mystery/friendships
PUBLICATION DATE – 2nd June 2022
Fiona Longmuir was born in Paisley, Scotland. Shortly after, she picked up a pencil and never really put it back down. She writes stories about stubborn, oddball kids, having had a lot of personal experience in this area. Fiona now lives in the Irish countryside with her brilliant partner and their very surly rabbit.
THE BLURB
When twelve-year-old Lily moves to the sleepy seaside town of Edge, she’s sure that nothing exciting is ever going to happen to her again. But when she stumbles upon a secret museum hidden in the middle of town, she realises that there might be more to her new home than meets the eye.
The Museum of Emily is filled with the belongings of one seemingly ordinary girl – a girl who, many years ago, disappeared from the town without a trace. With the help of her new friends Sam and Jay, Lily is determined to solve the mystery and find out who Emily was, why she disappeared and who has created the strange, hidden museum.
With a one-of-a-kind mystery, a brilliant trio of protagonists, and an action-filled story, Looking for Emily is the unmissable middle grade debut of 2022.
Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/looking-for-emily/fiona-longmuir/9781839942754
Small Miracles by Anne Booth
GENRE – Feel-good/women’s fiction/Spiritual
PUBLICATION DATE – 2nd August 2022
Irish National, Anne Booth, has written a charming book about a group of lottery winning nuns!
THE BLURB
The 1990s are proving tough for the convent. The order of the Sisters of Saint Philomena is down to its three last nuns. The place that Sisters Margaret, Bridget and Cecilia call home is in dire need of repairs and, with no savings and no new recruits, they are facing the prospect of having to sell up and leave behind the friends and neighbours in the parish community that they love.
That is, until ninety-year-old Cecilia decides to play the newly launched National Lottery and a series of small miracles begins to unfold.
Small Miracles takes the reader on a joyful and uplifting journey as these three unforgettable nuns learn more about life, love and friendship than they could ever have imagined.
Waterstones- https://www.waterstones.com/book/small-miracles/anne-booth/9781787302976
The Asparagus Bunch by Jessica Scott-whyte
GENRE – MG drama/friendships (aged 10+)
PUBLICATION DATE – 21st JULY 2022
Jessica Scott-Whyte was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. After freelancing as a fashion journalist for some years, she then crossed over to the press relations side of the fashion industry, a career move which saw her move to Paris, France in 2012, where she still lives today with her husband and children in a neurodiverse family.
THE BLURB
A fresh and funny novel for readers aged 10+, perfect for fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and The Boy at the Back of the Class.
Having been kicked out of six different schools, Leon is labelled as having an attitude problem by almost everyone he comes into contact with. Dr Snot (yes, his real name!) gives it a different label and diagnoses Leon as autistic. Leon doesn’t care for either label, in the same way that he doesn’t care for Tim Burton, supermarket trolleys, train fanatics or Bounty bars. How he manages to navigate school woes and family drama – and astonishingly ends up with not one but two friends – is nothing short of a miracle, or maybe just simply down to being different.
Amazon – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1801300461/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1647343885&sr=8-1
Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-asparagus-bunch/jessica-scott-whyte/9781801300469
The Children of Gods and Men by Shauna Lawless
GENRE – Adult Historical-Fantasy
PUBLICATION DATE – 1st September 2022
And finally it’s my book. If this is my first blog post that you’ve read, then let me introduce you to my historical-fantasy debut. I live in County Down with my family… and have a slight obsession with Irish mythology and history.
THE BLURB
They think they’ve killed the last of us…
981 AD. The Viking King of Dublin is dead. His young widow, Gormflaith, has ambitions for her son – and herself – but Ireland is a dangerous place and kings tend not to stay kings for long. Gormflaith also has a secret. She is one of the Fomorians, an immortal race who can do fire-magic. She has kept her powers hidden at all costs, for there are other immortals in this world – like the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of warriors who are sworn to kill Fomorians.
Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the gift of healing. Her kind dwell hidden in a fortress, forbidden to live amongst the mortals. Fódla agrees to help her kin by going to spy on Brian Boru, a powerful man who aims to be High King of Ireland. She finds a land on the brink of war – a war she is desperate to stop. However, preventing the loss of mortal lives is not easy with Ireland in turmoil and the Fomorians now on the rise…
Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-children-of-gods-and-fighting-men/shauna-lawless/9781803282626
That’s it for today!
I hope you all enjoy yourselves as much as you can. The world is going a little bit crazy at the moment, so please also take care wherever you are.
And if you want to follow my blog to hear more about my books, book reviews, or Irish mythology, please hit this button.
I love this!
Thanks so much!!
Hi Shauna
Did you get my comment? Happy St Patricks Day x
>
No – what comment?!