Bailieborough, Me, and my Characters

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This short production was written, directed and filmed by Film Revolution.

I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to talk to Noel about myself and my book, Secrets in the Babby House, and the upcoming sequel.

It’s a fantastic feeling watching my main characters come to life on screen, even if it is only YouTube. I think they all did an amazing job portraying my fictional darlings!

Secrets in the Babby House is available on Amazon. Paperback and eBook.

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Set in a gossipy small town in Ireland at a time when marriage is for keeps and sexuality is repressed, Secrets in the Babby House is a family saga over three decades that starts in 1956. It is a story of love, deception, and stolen diaries filled with sins and secrets.

Flossie Lynch is heartbroken when her only love, Frank Connolly, marries another. So when John O’Malley—the well-off catch of the parish—proposes to her, she resigns herself to a marriage of convenience, hoping to learn to love him.
For John, Flossie is mostly a respectable wife and caring mother to their son—and the perfect façade for his dark secret. But bloody Frank Connolly and his blackmailing wife are making things difficult for him.
Another victim of his jealous wife’s abusive behaviour, Frank stays in his loveless marriage for the sake of his two wee girls. He turns his childhood fort into a babby house to give them a refuge from their cruel mother. But for Frank, there is no refuge.
When Flossie rekindles her friendship with Frank, she tries desperately to save him from a life of misery and promises to always look out for his daughters. As the two star-crossed lovers near a second chance, tragedy strikes, forcing Flossie to make good on her promise—while attempting to protect her husband and son.
But as long as there’s a Connolly with a score to settle, there is no escape from the past and no promises for the future.

Thank you!

Book Club Discussion – Secrets in the Babby House

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Are you a member of a book club? If so, do you meet virtually or in-person?

I attend a book club run by Pangur Bán Bookshop in conjunction with Craoibhín Ballina. We meet in-person once a month.

The book up for discussion last month was none other than Secrets in the Babby House written by me! I was absolutely thrilled when my book by chosen, a little bit nervous too. Will they like it? Will I be able for the criticism? Book club critiques aren’t necessarily constructive. These readers know what they like and they’re not shy about voicing their opinions.

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Six Years of Living in the Past

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The day that I get to write a blog post about my published novel ‘Secrets in the Babby House’, has finally arrived.

In 2016 I took pen to paper and started putting together ideas I had for a book. Little notes here and there developed into pages and pages of babble and unrealistic scenarios.

Eventually, things started to take shape and I wrote my first draft during NanoWriMo that same year. Very little from that draft ended up in the completed book.

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My New Old Coat #100DaysOfOldDays

Day 77 #100DaysOfOldDays

A short and sweet post today. (No typo excuses🧐)

This is my mam’s 55-year-old vintage coat. Her Aunt Teresa brought it home to her from England in the late 1960’s. I didn’t know until a few days ago that she still had it. She probably kept it because it’s red; her favourite colour.

Well, it’s mine now and it fits me just fine. Thanks Mammy; I love it! I’m looking forward to wearing it next winter!

A couple of buttons got lost along the way so I just need to find new ones.

“I probably took them off to put them on something else,” Mam said.

I excused Lucy from drawing today. She’s busy making jewellery for charity.