Category: Media & Blog

What’s these days called ‘some personal news’ – I was delighted to have been chosen for a Mayo County Council Arts Service Artist Bursary Award for 2023.

This bursary allowed me to avail of some mentoring from the Irish Writers Centre. The mentor I chose – Mary-Jane Holmes – proved to be a real gem as she got to the heart of some of the things that most challenge me as a writer.

Publishing my debut collection of short stories – Second Chance & Other Stories (Mayo Books Press) – last year brought many benefits, not least of which was observations, feedbacks, comparisons, challenges and so forth.

I have been working for some time on what I call ‘expanding the scope’ of my writing – adding a second voice or thread to give a story an additional layer without compromising the brevity and clarity that I believe to be essential elements of the short story / novella medium.

Mary-Jane’s mentoring is helping greatly with this, as does the continued support of my existing, much-put-upon support / therapy / keep-a-man-half-right group of readers. I have also started a Creative Writing Masters (part-time, two years) at Univeristy of Limerick, where Donal Ryan and Fí Scarlett are tutors – more on this anon.

Read from ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’, by Liam Horan, published by Mayo Books Press, HERE

Buy ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’ HERE

Thanks to Joan Geraghty and the team at The Mayo Advertiser for featuring me – and plugging my book-signings on Dec. 22 and 23 – in this week’s edition.

“One theme commonly recurs through this fine collection of work: that of seeing beyond the present and into the weeks and years ahead. We all suffer knockdowns, none more than through the last few difficult years. At times it takes courage to stand straight. In Second Chance and Other Stories we have real, believable heroes who set out not to save the world, but to save themselves and their friends and to make a distinctly human connection even with total strangers” – Michael Kingdon, Connaught Telegraph. Read full review HERE

“Each story is a delightful read that immerses you and leaves you wanting more, before plunging you into the next one. The book deals with loss to central figures in your life, nostalgia, battles with existential crisis and our mortality” – Tomás Keating, Western People. Read full review and interview HERE

I’m doing two book signings in the run-up to Christmas 2022:

Castle Books, Main St (i.e., not their sister store on Castle St), Castlebar, Co. Mayo – Thursday, December 22, 2-4pm

Martin Murphy’s Newsagency & Book Shop, Main St, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo – Friday, December 23, 2-4pm

Might see you on one of those days.

 

Read the full review and interview HERE

Read from ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’, by Liam Horan, published by Mayo Books Press, HERE

Buy ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’ HERE

Mayo Arts Service hosted a talk on publishing in Breaffy House Resort on Saturday last (November 26). There was a good turnout including would-be and already-are novelists, poets, short story writers, memoirists.

The four speakers were Mariel Deegan of New Island Books,  Matthew Parkinson-Bennett of Little Island and Lisa Frank and John Walsh of Doire Press. All four were remarkably open and honest in their contributions. Orlagh Heverin and her colleagues in the Mayo Arts Service deserve great credit for organising the event – saved us all travelling to the larger urban centres.

Continue reading “Getting published” →

“Writing his own book has been an itch Liam Horan has longed to scratch, and we should all be grateful he has. The Ballinrobe man’s debut book is an engaging collection of short stories that bring tales and, particularly, characters from the west of Ireland vividly to life within its pages” – Edwin McGreal’s intro to his review and interview in this week’s Mayo News.

Read the full review and interview HERE

Read from ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’, by Liam Horan, published by Mayo Books Press, HERE

Buy ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’ HERE

 

Ceol Agus Ealaion with Joe Byrne is a quirky Tuesday night radio show on Midwest Radio.

Joe is an accomplished musician, folklorist and historian and his shows reflect his diverse interests and talents.

I enjoyed visiting Joe at his home in Aghamore to record a slot about Second Chance & Other Stories that was broadcast on Tuesday, October 25.

Listen below…apart from anything else, you’ll find the style and format entertaining if you haven’t heard Joe’s show before.

Read from ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’ HERE

Buy ‘Second Chance & Other Stories’ HERE