I signed 100 copies of Seaborne at Kennys Book Shop yesterday afternoon; and the visitors’ book! I also did my first ever reading from the novel, filmed by Dean Kelly for the Kennys YouTube channel (will link when it’s ready). It’s always a pleasure to visit this historical, storied place, teetering with books and stunning art. Thanks to the whole crew for the warm welcome 💚
Photos: Dean Kelly & Finbar McLoughlin
We’re having Galway and Dublin launches for SEABORNE. 23rd April and 1st May respectively. Edel Coffey will do the honours in Galway and Mia Gallagher in Dublin.
The Cúirt launch in Galway is sold out, but it might be worth trying for a cancellation ticket. See here.
For the Dublin launch on the 1st of May, RSVP to this email: rsvp@newisland.ie.
The first review of #Seaborne is in, from Mairéad Hearne at Swirl and Thread: ‘Seaborne is a superb novel, bursting with a buzzing vitality and sensuality. O’Connor has captured a time and place with an outstanding clarity. A powerful and remarkable portrayal … an exuberant and passionate novel…’
Delighted with that. Read more here.
April’s here and SEABORNE hits the shelves on the 19th, so I’m gearing up for events in Ireland and elsewhere. Hope to meet some of ye along the way. You can pre-order the novel here.
SEABORNE EVENTS:
19th April Publication day, SEABORNE
23rd April, 7.30pm Launch event, Cúirt Mick Lally Theatre, Galway
1st May Launch event Hodges Figgis, Dublin
19th May, 4pm ILFD Dublin
12th July, 8.30pm West Cork Lit Festival Marino Church, Bantry
26th July Hewitt School Armagh
4th to 6th Oct Kinsale Literary Festival Cork
OTHER EVENTS:
14th May Nuala interviewing Anne Enright NLI, Dublin
4th – 10th June Short Story Festival Croatia
15th June Bloomsday event Gallery X, Dublin
New Island Books Acquires Nuala O’Connor’s Sensational New Novel, SEABORNE, publishing April 2024.
New Island Books (Dublin) is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Nuala O’Connor’s new novel, SEABORNE. Aoife K. Walsh, commissioning editor at New Island, acquired English -language, Ireland, UK and Commonwealth rights from Gráinne Fox at United Talent Agency (New York). SEABORNE will be published by New Island in April 2024.
About:
After the huge success of her 2021 novel, Nora: A Love Story of Nora Barnacle and James Joyce (Irish bestseller, Vogue and New York Times recommended, One Dublin One Book), Nuala O’Connor’s sixth novel is her most ambitious yet. In crisp, shimmering prose, she conjures a completely unexpected portrayal of Anne Bonny, giving us so much more than just the 18th-century, Irish-born pirate of lore. In the hands of one of Ireland’s most brilliant fiction writers, Bonny is a young woman of privilege who is anything but comfortable, hell-bent on a voyage of self-realisation with or without the consent of those around her. Novelty-seeking, contrary, stubborn and bisexual, she is also neurodivergent, brave, and capable of deep and enduring love.
Records show that Anne Bonny spent all of two months actually being a pirate. SEABORNE is the thrilling and sensuous imagining of the loss, frustration and desires that steer this lonely daughter of a plantation owner towards elopement, two marriages, two pregnancies, violence, trial for piracy, and legendary status.
Comments:
Commenting on the acquisition, Nuala O’Connor says, ‘It’s a pleasure to once again publish with New Island – my sixth volume with them – they’ve always been great champions of mine and they take such warm, meticulous care with the books. I know the team will safely steer SEABORNE, my tribute to pirate Anne Bonny, into reader’s hands.’
New Island commissioning editor Aoife K. Walsh said, ‘Everyone at New Island Books is truly delighted to be working with the master storyteller Nuala. Obviously, we were hooked at the first mention of pirates but soon we were utterly captivated by Nuala’s rich, complex and sensual portrayal of the oft-mythologised Anne Bonny. As an independent Irish publisher, it feels right to be publishing this Irish origin story and we can’t wait for today’s readers (wherever they may be) to meet this fiercely independent, queer, neurodivergent, brave and passionate 18th-century pirate.’
NUALA O’CONNOR is a novelist, short story writer and poet, and lives in Co. Galway with her family. She is the author of five previous novels, including Nora (2021) and six short story collections. She has won many prizes for her short fiction including Short Story of the Year at the 2022 Irish Book Awards, the Francis MacManus Award, and the James Joyce Quarterly Fiction Contest. Her work has also been nominated for numerous prizes including the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award, the Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year and the International Dublin Literary Award.
For further information contact Des Doyle, Marketing and Publicity Manager, des.doyle@newisland.ie
I have a short essay in HEAL (Humanism Evolving through Arts and Literature) about what it’s like to have fibromyalgia. HEAL is a medical narratives journal from the Dept of Medicine at Florida State University, edited by Tana Jean Welch and Liz Ruelke.
‘Fibromyalgia is a joyless, ever-present, prismic garment, complex and invisible.’
Download the issue pdf here.
I’ll be on RTÉ Radio 1 on The County Measure, talking about colour in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, on 5th June – Bank Holiday Monday – between 11am and 12pm IST.
The County Measure is a much-loved radio programme presented by writer and broadcaster Vincent Woods, who travels across Ireland exploring county identity in terms of culture, music, sport, tradition, environment, and politics. Thanks to the lovely Regan Hutchins for the invitation to take part.
I have a new essay ‘Cailín Deas, Cailín Dána’ published in Trasna today. The essay is about many things, including Switzerland, sibling loss, autism, giving up alcohol, Maria Edgeworth, and photographs…it’s a braided/hybrid piece, a mixumgatherum. You can read the essay here. Hope you enjoy it!
NORA was the most borrowed adult fiction book from Dublin City Libraries in 2022! Huge thanks to all who borrowed, and espesh to Jackie Lynam & Anne Marie Kelly of One Dublin One Book, all at Dublin City Library and the stellar team at New Island Books. This is all such a thrill for a normally under-the-radar writer like myself ❤️ It was a hectic two years with NORA, all very much appreciated but also exhausting so I am re-setting at the moment, editing the next one, ruminating on the one after that, and playing catch-up with my real life kids, family, cats, and home.
I’m off to NYC next week for the last of my NORA events – it’s been a wild, action-packed two years.
Anyone NY-based can catch me at one (or all!) of the following events – I’d love to see you. Register early!
Thurs 8th Dec: On the 8th I’m at the Jefferson Library (where the trial for Ulysses took place) for a film, launch, and in-convo with Jane Applegate and Kerri Maher, and you can register here.
Fri. 9th Dec: I’m doing a Meet the Author lunch on Fri. Dec. 9th, with my agent Gráinne Fox, at the Irish Business Organization of New York. More here.
Fri. 9th Dec: Also on the 9th I’ll be at the Center for Fiction with the James Joyce Society and there is more at this link here.