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Stay tuned for a special online shopping deal for my readers, plus news about the third book in the Maeve Kenny series!!
Just wanted to let readers know that my new novel will be available soon. Here’s the description:
In this loose parody of Dante’s Inferno, four Irish traditional musicians get lost in the backwoods of upstate New York the week before St. Patrick’s Day. On the journey, the band descends through nine hellish circles of American-style 3/17 revelry: Step-dancing princesses. Bobbing shamrock headbangers. Green beer bacchanals. Shillelagh-wavin’ geezers. (WARNING: Abandon hope, all ye corned beef-allergic who enter here.)
This novel also has a list price of $20 and will be available at all of the same outlets as my first two.
I have created a web site for all of my writing.
It’s called marypathyland.com. Consider it a clearinghouse for all
of my works, including digital versions of my new and already
published novels. Stop by and let me know what you think.
Irish author Eddie Stack (who helped me give an accurate County Clare flavor to my novel) cuts the edge of literary technology today by launching his collection of terrific short stories, “The West,” as an iPhone app. The app includes Eddie reading his works and music by trad greats Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill. Learn more at the Apple iPhone app store. It’s an incredible bargain @ $1.99!
I recommend highly this book that captures vividly a certain time in the West of Ireland, with characters whose desperate, insular lives will haunt you.
A SUDDEN GIFT OF FATE has just made it through the first round — the story pitch — in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award. WOW! The novel joins 1,999 other works selected from a pool of 10,000 entries.
In the second round of judging, Amazon editors and Amazon Vine Reviewers will be reading an excerpt of the novel (roughly the first 5,000 words). They’ll narrow the field down to 500 quarterfinalists to be announced around March 23.
This moment is HUGE. Last year when I entered THE TERMINAL DINER in the contest, it failed at the pitch stage. That was so frustrating because no one read a word of my work. Not this year, buíochas le Dia!
So say a few prayers, light a candle or raise a glass of Finger Lakes wine and send good thoughts toward my novel.
On Tuesday, Feb. 16, Bill Jaker will interview me on his WSKG FM radio program, “Off The Page.” Bill interviewed me last year after I released “The Cyber Miracles.” We had a fun time. I look forward to returning to his show.
“Off The Page” airs at 1 p.m. and repeats at 7 p.m. that day. You can catch the live stream of the show here. Learn more about our planned interview here. The show will be archived on WSKG’s site 24 hours after broadcast.
The program call-in number is 888/359-9754 and they also take questions by e-mail to OffThePage@WSKG.org.
I found out today that another book club in Binghamton has selected A Sudden Gift of Fate to read.
I’m thrilled to hear this, and if any members of the group care to send me feedback on the group’s reaction to the novel, I’d love to hear from you.
You can send an e-mail here.
If you know of any other book clubs carrying the novel, or if you want to know how you can get your local bookstore to carry the novel, please send me an e-mail.
I entered A SUDDEN GIFT OF FATE into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest just now.
We had to submit a pitch, excerpt (from the first 5,000 words) and the complete manuscript.
The first round cut will come after reading the pitch. Say some prayers, light a few candles or keep your fingers crossed. Better yet, do all of the above!
Should I win, the book will be picked up by Penguin USA. Now THAT would be a sudden gift of fate…
Well things got off to a rocky start in 2010. My computer came down with a bad virus and I just got it back. $$$!!! I have some good news in the meantime, however, to share with you all.
- A Sudden Gift of Fate was the first featured story in Jim McDonough’s Irish News USA E-Missive, year-end edition. A review of the novel will be in the January issue of the Irish News & Entertainment newspaper coming out soon. If you’d like to subscribe to either, send an e-mail to Jim here.
- I will be interviewed by WSKG Radio’s Bill Jaker on the February edition of “Off the Page.” The show airs live on Tuesday, February 16 at 1 p.m. You can call in questions to the show. An archived edition of the show will be available on the WSKG web site for a year. More info to come.
- It has been suggested to me by a person in the book industry to enter A Sudden Gift of Fate in the Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award contest. I’ll let you know if I do that.
- Check out the latest review on my Reviews page.
- Very soon you will be able to order my book from all the chain, as well as indie, bookstores across the country. Watch here for an update.
- Many people who are new to my work are buying both books at once. Thanks for your support!
- NEEDED: input from my readers. Am thinking of writing one more book in what I’m dubbing the “Maeve Kenny Series.” Would you be interested? Send an e-mail here.
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