I’m very pleased the New York Times names my novel NORA among the 10 best historical novels of 2021. ‘A lively fictional rendition of Nora Barnacle, the minimally educated, blue-collar woman who propped up one of literature’s most challenging highbrow writers.’ Huge thanks to Alida Becker. Lovely to be in there with personal faves Alison MacLeod and Colm Tóibín.
More here.
I had a fab time at Westival in Westport, this weekend gone by. My event was hosted by the magical Tertulia Books, run by Bríd and Neil, and they gave me such a warm welcome to their beautiful shop and town. They are up for a book award at the APIBAS (as is NORA!), and you can vote for them here. Big thanks to the Tertulia crew, to the yoga boys for the gorgeous venue, and to Caroline Healy for the interview on the night.
I’m genuinely delighted that NORA has been chosen as the One Dublin One Book for 2022. Big thanks to Dublin Libraries, Dublin City Council, and the stellar team at New Island. I’m looking forward to April and all the events we’ll hold to celebrate Nora Barnacle and James Joyce. More here.
The San Francisco Book Review has given NORA a lovely tiny review. A snip: ‘a truly impressive work of biographical fiction, Nuala O’Connor pens a powerful and incisive account of the life of Nora Joyce, who despite being remembered as “Irish literature’s greatest muse” was really a far more complex, commanding, and intriguing individual than her lasting reputation suggests.’ More here: https://sanfranciscobookreview.com/biographies-memoirs/
I will be talking about NORA, with Belfast writer Maureen Boyle, at the John Hewitt Summer School at the Marketplace Theatre, Armagh, 13:30 IST, Wednesday 28 July 2021. This event will stream too. More here.
Next Monday 19th July, Alice Miller and I will have a conversation about Georgie Hyde-Lees, Nora Barnacle, Yeats, Joyce, and biofiction for Solas Nua. Sign up here: https://solasnua.org/events/pp-live-nuala-oconnor-alice-miller-conversation
I had a gorgeous time talking with the Irish contingent in the Irish Embassy Berlin about NORA and James Joyce. You can watch back here: https://youtu.be/kSY8Zbdxbb8
NORA and I will be doing several events for Bloomsday 2021.
Ahead of Bloomsday I was interviewed by Chiara Liberio for Radio Dublino on 90.3FM. The piece is here at 16 minutes in.
For Bloomsday, Elisabetta D’Erme interviews me for Il Piccolo, the newspaper in Trieste, Italy, that Joyce wrote for, about Joyce, Nora, and my trip to Trieste. Link here.
13th June, 6pm IST: I will be reading for the Cercle littéraire irlandais and Irish Embassy in Paris. More here.
14th June, 10pm IST: I will in conversation with Kerri Maher on Instagram at 5pm EST/10pm IST. Kerri’s book about Sylvia Beach appears in 2022.
15th June, 5pm IST/6pm ECT: I will be discussing NORA with the Irish Embassy of Belgium Book Club.
* 16th June, Bloomsday *
3.15pm IST: I’ll be talking about Bloomsday on the Afternoon Show on BBC Radio Scotland.
6pm IST: I am taking part in the James Joyce Centre in Dublin’s annual Bloomsday flagship event for Ulysses: Readings and Songs which runs on Facebook Live from 6pm.
7pm IST/2pm ET: I will be discussing life writing and NORA with the University of Notre Dame & the Kylemore Book Club. More here.
7pm IST, RTÉ 1 television: I feature on Nationwide with Anne Cassin. We go to Galway city and explore Nora and James Joyce’s haunts there. We also go to Kennys book shop. You can watch the piece on the RTE Player.
7.30pm IST: I speak about NORA with the Consulate General of Ireland in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of their Bloomsday ‘In Praise of Women’ celebration. Watch the video here. My bit starts at 25 mins.
I am interviewed by founding editor & publisher of the The Stinging Fly literary magazine, Declan Meade, for The Stinging Fly podcast. It is available now here.
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17th June: I’ll be on the Wexford-based Red Books podcast talking with Álanna Hammel about NORA, James Joyce, and writing bio-fiction. Link to follow!
17th June, 7pm Berlin/6pm Ireland: I will be reading from and discussing NORA with Melanie Neumann of the Embassy of Ireland in Berlin. Sign up here.
Sue Leonard – ghostwriter and journalist – interviewed me for the Irish Examiner about NORA, writing, and life in general. You can read the result of our enjoyable chat here.
