Author Q&A with Sean Dunne
Q: Why did you decide to write this book?
Like most people you think about writing a book at some stage in particular when reading someone else’s work and think ‘Can I do this’, the simple answer is yes you can. It’s just about taking the time and space to give it and go and see where you go.
Q: Is the book based on you?
The book is based on a fictional character D’Arcy Blake who moves back to Galway from America and is trying to find a way to fit in. Having spent a year in college in Galway studying for my M.A in Journalism at NUI Galway, I always said I’d love to write a book based in Galway so the scene was set for creating D’Arcy’s world.
Q: What do you hope will come from others reading it?
I loved books like Goosebumps and Nancy Drew as a child as well as Harry Potter so hopefully a new generation of younger readers will be captivated by D’Arcy.
Friendship and diversity are two strong themes running through the book. Both D’Arcy and Fatima are outsiders at the start of the school year but the adventure in the book brings them closer together.
Q: What lessons have you learned so far in your writing?
I worked for several years as a news reporter for newspapers here in Ireland and I think sitting down to write a book for a younger audience is a totally different skill in itself. Being open to constructive criticism and advice along the way helps. I’d definitely like to write another book because I think learning the process of writing a book and where not to go wrong is half the battle.Q: Did writing this book change your life in any way?
I think working in the news all day, it’s nice to escape to a fictional world sometimes. Creating a set of characters is a lot of fun and tracking their own journeys.Q: Advice to anyone sitting at home, saying I would like to publish a book?
Give yourself a chance, even if you only write 250 words a day, do that and keep going until you have an initial draft.
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