Students Win Listowel Writers’ Week Literary Competitions!

Wonderful news for my students from the Listowel Writers’ Week Writing competitions! I’m so proud and excited! Sadhbh Cushen has won joint second place in the nine years and under category. Sadhbh attends classes in Skerries and wrote a very funny story (told mostly through dialogue) about a child who doesn’t want to go to sleep. She shares this prize with Grace Lenny, who is doing an online writing course …

New Online Writing Courses!

This January I am launching online writing course for children (7-12 year olds) / teenagers (11-16 yr olds) and adults: Each course consist of ten modules. For each module I email notes and an assignment to be completed. Once I receive an assignment, I will promptly reply with written feedback on the work and also set the next assignment. My tone will be positive and encouraging, praising what is good …

Children’s Ireland Book Conference

I was lucky enough to attend the Children’s Ireland Book Conference last weekend in the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield. What a super cool venue! John Boyne (one of my heroes) was interviewed by Robert Dunbar, and afterwards I asked John a question. How did he come up with the idea of a boy who floats for his children’s novel ‘The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket.’ He said that …

Summer Camps are Booking!

SUMMER CAMPS 2013!!! Below is a photo of blue sky and happy faces at last year’s creative writing camp in Skerries Mills. Here’s hoping that we have lovely sunshine in June, July and August. This year, I have lots of new dates and venues for summer camps and courses on both the North and Southside of Dublin. There are separate courses for teenagers, children and adults in Donabate, Skerries, Blackrock …