Swirl and Thread Book Corner

"I am a champion procrastinator and an Olympic level overthinker"

On Write Smarter this week I am delighted to welcome author Kerry Manning, who at 61 years old published her first book, Learning to Love Lucy and then six months later, the sequel, Rose has a Right to Happiness.

"I am often reminded that these characters I create have minds of their own and do their own thing sometimes.  They make me laugh and make me cry and surprise me always."

Kerry suffers from chronic illness. She has a number of autoimmune diseases which severely limit how much she can do at any time. This has meant that she needed to find workarounds for lots of things. Kerry always wanted to write books but she certainly wasn’t going to be the writer who woke up at five and wrote until seven. Neither was she going to be the successful author who was a night owl, writing into the small hours - so how did she do it?

Read here to find out:
https://www.swirlandthread.com/write-smarter-with-kerry-manning/

[If you click on my Linktree in my bio you can access all the fabulous posts featured in this series. My thanks to all the wonderful writers who have contributed to date 🙏 Do please get in touch if you are a writer & would like to be involved]

🦋 "We need to hunt down ideas like a nineteenth century lepidopterist with a butterfly net"

On Write Smarter this week I am delighted to welcome Dublin-based Irish author Gill Perdue.

"Writers love reading. It's our nourishment, our joy, our sustenance. The more you read, the more ideas yoy will come up with because it's the nature of the human brain to take something in and make it our own."

Gill worked as a primary school teacher for fifteen years and published four children's books. She is the bestselling author of the unflinching and psychologically rich Shaw & Dermody crime series published by Penguin.

Gill's first standalone thriller All of Them Lied, publishes June 11th

Read the full blog piece, IDEAS - HUNT THEM DOWN, with lots more words of wisdom at:
https://www.swirlandthread.com/write-smarter-with-gill-perdue/

[If you click on my Linktree in my bio you can access all the fabulous posts featured in this series. My thanks to all the wonderful writers who have contributed to date 🙏 Do please get in touch if you are a writer & would like to be involved]

A little recap from all these fabulous writers who generously shared their wonderful tips & tricks over on my 'Write Smarter with' blog series.

The link to the full 'Write Smarter with' posts/features (to date) is in my Linktree above where you will find lots more interesting words of wisdom.

[Or at:
https://www.swirlandthread.com/category/write-smarter/ ]

Thank you to all who have participated so far. I really do appreciate it 🙏

A photo dump from a fabulous evening in Leaf and Bower's first book festival (First of many we hope!)

I was given the honour of chatting to (quizzing) three Irish Times bestselling crime fiction authors Amy Jordan, Catherine Kirwan & Michelle McDonagh.

We were treated to three gorgeous bedtime readings later in the evening from Gráinne Murphy, Patrick Holloway & Lynda Marron

These were just two events from a very packed day. Fiona Farrell (owner) is so passionate about books & so very welcoming, with a heart of gold.

Congratulations Fiona 🎊 and thank you for having me ❤️