A Bit About The Other NI Crime Writers...

This is meant to be a blog that promotes writers from Northern Ireland. It hasn't been fulfilling that brief lately. That's mostly down to spending more time writing and promoting my own work, but I'm still a fan of Northern Irish crime fiction, and since my timetable is going to change dramatically in the next few weeks allowing me more time for the blog from October onwards, I should address this imbalance. And maybe look at editing that last sentence.

No time!

Okay, so, at long last I've started reading Anthony Quinn's DISAPPEARED. So far so good. I'll mention it again when I'm finished.

Earlier this year, I read and loved Claire McGowan's THE LOST. It's the first of a series featuring Paula Maguire. Get on it now.

I also read Stuart Neville's RATLINES. It's much different than the "Belfast Trilogy" (which I'm hoping will become a quadrilogy some day), but also a great read. It's Neville in James Ellroy mode.

And then there's Brian McGilloway. I read THE NAMELESS DEAD most recently, but I have to mention LITTLE GIRL LOST since it recently dominated the Kindle charts ahead of the release of HURT, a new Lucy Black novel, and one I'm very excited about.

And I never talk about NI crime fiction without mentioning Adrian McKinty. The last of his I read was I HEAR THE SIRENS IN THE STREET. Another Sean Duffy novel, and a step-up in cool for the character. Must be down to the "evidence" he smokes. Also looking forward to the third installation of the Duffy series.

So there. I still read and appreciate the contemporary crime clique. And I'm hungry for more. Bring it on.

The Point Returns

It's an oldie but a goodie. Following the unfortunate demise of Pulp Press, THE POINT is now available on Kindle once more, thanks to those Blasted Heathens, Al and Kyle. Really excited about this and chuffed by the new cover. Anybody who's read it should get the significance of the image right away. If you haven't read it, now's your chance for a measly 99p. You can't even get an ice cream with a flake in it for that these days.

 Anyway, said cover, a blurb and some nice things said by some rather splendid writers:

Paul Morgan is a bad influence on his brother, Brian. When Paul crosses one thug too many, the cider-fuelled duo flee Belfast for Warrenpoint, the sleepy seaside resort of their childhood memories. For Brian a new life in The Point means going straight and falling in love with Rachel while Paul graduates from carjacking by unusual means to low-level racketeering. Brian can't help being dragged into his brother's bungling schemes, but Rachel can be violently persuasive herself . . . and she isn't the only one who wants to see an end to Paul's criminal career.

THE POINT is a 27,000-word novella by the author of WEE ROCKETS and FIREPROOF.

What They're Saying About THE POINT

"The Point is the real deal — the writing is razor sharp, the characters engaging, the ending a blast. From start to finish it's true Northern Noir, crafted with style and wit." – Brian McGilloway 

"The Point is top stuff. Engaging from the start, the characters are loveable, the story is strong and the pace never lets up." – Adrian McKinty 

"…a Coen Brothers dream, via Belfast… Gerard Brennan grabs the mantle of the new mystery prince of Northern Ireland…" – Ken Bruen

"It needs to be said that Gerard Brennan's The Point is terrific. Scorchingly funny, black humour at its finest and the most inventive car theft ever!" – Arlene Hunt

"Noir from Norn Iron! A lean slice of grindhouse from Belfast's new crime hack." – Wayne Simmons

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Nook UK

It'll also be available on Nook US, Kobo and Apple in the next week or so. Get some!

By the way, have you signed up for the Blasted Heath newsletter? You really should.

Wee Danny -- Assorted Links

The good folk at Blasted Heath have got a web page dedicated to WEE DANNY and links to all the websites it's available from: Kindle, Kobo, Apple, etc. Click here and see if they can accomodate your e-reader/tablet of choice.

But if you need a little more convincing to part with your dollars (or a fifty pence coin in the cases of Amazon and Apple) have a look at these links to awesome blogs that have either interviewed me, reviewed WEE DANNY or both.

Just A Guy That Likes To Read -- interview and review.

Big Al's Books and Pals -- review.

Do Some Damage -- interview.

Been Caught Reading (Katy O'Dowd) -- interview.

I'll add to this list as and when, depending on luck and kindness.

Write Sober, Edit Sober

I know this isn't Hemmingway or King



Author Craig Wallwork posted an interesting article on his Facebook page today. It concerns creativity and addiction for the most part, and how the two seem to be connected. Read it here, if your interest is peeked.

I'll put my hand up and admit that I don't do the addiction myth in writers any favours (or I do it too many favours depending on your POV). Check my Twitter timeline and you'll see references to booze, the odd picture of a particular tipple that I'm just delighted to be enjoying and conversations with real-life friends about meeting up for a drink.

While I'm being honest, I do go through periods of drinking too much. And I have to correct my behaviour from time to time. I can do that, I'm lucky. But in the back of my mind I have an image of an elastic band. You can only stretch it so many times before it shows signs of wear. Eventually it'll snap. You heard of the saying, "The devil's greatest trick was to convince the world he didn't exist," right? And drink is the devil's vomit according to some.

Don't worry. All this talk of the devil isn't my way of turning to religion for guidance. I'm Irish. We talk about devils and fairies at the drop of a hat. A big green hat with a black band, gold buckle and shamrocks hanging off the brim.

But I do want to highlight another saying that is attributed to a writer of godlike status in many minds. Not mine, by the way, but that's more to do with a deficit in my reading. I mean, I've heard he can sling a word or two.

Ernest Hemmingway said, "Write drunk, edit sober."

A friend of mine knows far more about Hemmingway than I do. Has studied his work and his reputation. He reckons ol' Ernie was full of shit on that one. Granted, this friend no longer drinks, so that may have coloured his perception. On the other hand, I was delighted to hear him challenge it.

If you've read as much Stephen King as I have, you'll have encountered the legend that he doesn't remember writing CUJO due to drink and drugs. Something he regrets, naturally. My impish nature is tempted to suggest that that doesn't sound too bad to me. Go on a bender and still produce a book that became a movie? One that still gets referenced today when people see big, mean dogs? Have that little nugget of badassery in your past?

But then family man me thinks about the other stuff Mister King must have missed. And it makes me a bit sad.

Now, I don't talk for every writer out there. A lot of the time, I'm too distracted or busy to talk for me. Occaisionally, I'm way too drunk to talk for me, but that doesn't stop me if you bump into me. Apologies in advance and in hindsight to all those that suffered my booze-breath and disjointed conversations. But right here, right now, I'm sober, coffee-buzzed and looking forward to a couple of cold ones later. Because I don't plan to write tonight or tomorrow morning.

Yeah, writers should write every day. I don't.

There are plenty of things I should do that I don't.

There are only so many things I can't do when I decide I want to do them, though. I can't watch an adult eat a banana without giggling (I know, I'm suitably abashed, but bananas are for kids and monkeys, people) and I can't write when I'm drunk. Not won't, not don't, just can't.

And I thank the God that may or may not exist for that.

Writing is work. Work that I enjoy. Even so, work first, play later.

And consider the notion that the devil might actually exist.

Reflections on The Sweety Bottle

It’s a bittersweet thing when your play comes to the end of its run. I’ve felt it a number of times now for The Sweety Bottle. We were spoiled by that first outing (thanks again to ACNI) and yet I experienced a wee sense of loss after it finished up at The Roddie McCorley Club (where I saw it in all of its glory for the very first time). Then again at the end of its run at The Baby Grand. And once more after it finished its regional tour. I only caught the Downpatrick date (where it brought down the house), but it was really lovely to think about the play out and about on its own. Like the idiot teenage son you kicked out of home for his own good. Basically, the words I penned with my da were making people laugh while I chilled on my sofa. Mind-bending.

And then last week we had a dig at the big stage in The Grand Opera House. Let me repeat; The Sweety Bottle rocked the GOH auditorium…

I stopped writing this for ten minutes to really appreciate that. Thousands of people saw the play last week. THOUSANDS!

So, thank you to Tony Devlin and all the Brassneckers who brought it from the page to the stage. Niall Cullen told me it would happen after that first night at the Roddie’s. I believed him but didn’t appreciate the gravity of his promise. And thank you to the actors who put their hearts and souls into the performance, night after night. Marty Maguire, Katie Tumelty, Lalor Roddy, Ciaran Nolan, Gerard Jordan and Gordon Fulton… youse are buck-loop and utterly brilliant. I’ll be dropping your names like hot spuds for the rest of my writing career.

And Carolyn Stewart at U105… Your cheque’s in the post.

I’m confident my da, Joe Brennan, shares the same sentiment.

Special thanks to the extended Brennan family for all the support. The play honours my grandfather and grandmother, and by extension, their legendary brood. I couldn’t ask for more.

Actually… I wouldn’t say no to another run. Just saying.

WEE DANNY, OUT NOW!

Wee Danny

by Gerard Brennan

Incarcerated in a home for young offenders, Wee Danny Gibson has learned how to act in front of his teachers, his educational psychologist and the institute's supervisors. And if he continues to keep his nose clean, he could be rewarded with a day-trip to Castle Ward.

But good behaviour is no easy task when his fellow inmates are determined to get in his face. Then there’s Conan 'The Barbarian' Quinlan, a gentle giant who Danny feels compelled to look out for.

Friend or liability? Danny can't be sure, but he knows he needs to stay focussed on that little taste of freedom.

If you've read Wee Rockets, you'll love Wee Danny!

OUT NOW!
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Nook
Kobo
Coming to iBooks soon...

An Interview - Desmond J. Doherty

Left to right: Eamon McCann, Garbhan Downey, Desmond J. Doherty

Desmond J. Doherty was born in Derry and has worked there all his life. He is married with two daughters. Valberg is his debut novel. Visit his website here.

What are you writing at the minute?

A Valberg stand alone.Two pathologists are arguing about the ‘gold standard’ of the final exam a human being is involved in – their autopsy. Abigail Burns is on holiday and Valberg needs straight answers. He doesn’t like the two pathologists arguing but one has used the phrase ‘the whole gamut of a criminal investigation’. Valberg likes the word ‘gamut’. He’s focusing on that word to stop him losing his temper. He needs Abigail. I’m just wondering if I will bring her back or not.

Can you give us an idea of your typical up-to-the-armpits-in-ideas-and-time writing day?

Endlessly rocking. I’m always working things out, making notes and drawing diagrams. My drawing is terrible but my notebooks are full of them. In between the law, two kids and my beautiful wife I keep at it. Always drawing on ideas from people I meet and situations I’m in. I go to bed late and get up early. I write a lot early in the morning.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Thinking about what I’m going to write. I work out quite a bit in my head before I put pen to paper or fingers on a keyboard. Thought processes are endless. Someone could be talking to me and I’m thinking why the body of the deceased, in an idea I have, weighs more after death. What’s inside the body of the deceased? Or why does another body weigh less? I play guitar in my band Revivor. We are putting the finishing touches to our new album, The Diving Bell. That takes up a lot of any free time I can get. Then there’s the kids…

Any advice for a greenhorn trying to break into the genre fiction scene?

Don’t worry about style. Like Bruce Lee, be no style but all styles. Be formless and adapt. Get the story down. Get your plan solid. I can’t stress that enough. You must have a plan and for me, diagrams. Write about what you know about. Be truthful to yourself. It makes writing so bloody easy then. In fact, as bloody as you want. Give your characters quirks. All the usual stuff. Don’t make them boring. Make them human and vulnerable.

Which writers have impressed you this year?

Brian McGilloway impresses me every year. Dave Duggan, Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo and Lee Child. But how could you not be impressed by that list?

What are you reading right now?

Robert Bolt’s play ‘A Man For All Seasons’ not only for pleasure but research. That whole thing about the devil being entitled to due process of law is just fantastic. But I’m enveloped in Spanish criminal law books and visiting Malaga soon for research! It’s my second trip for a short conversation Valberg has with a Spanish counterpart in Malaga. I want to get the details perfect and have a holiday with my family at the same time. Everyone a winner!

I’m only really this year coming to terms with Human Chain by Seamus Heaney. I just read, read and read it again and every time I find something new.

Plans for the future?

To improve my writing and get better and to learn from others who I admire. I’d love to be able to learn to play La Villa Strangiato by Rush on the guitar. I wish I could write as well as Alex Lifeson plays the guitar. I really mean that.

With regards to your writing career to date, would you do anything differently?

No. No regrets. I believe this is the right time for me. I’ve amassed a career of experiences in the dark art of law but I feel youthful enough to realise I am still learning more every single second I am alive. I feel confident about my work and my writing now and I have the brilliant Guildhall Press in Derry and the Arts Council to thank for all their support.

Do you fancy sharing your worst writing experience?

That’s easy. I walked into Guildhall Press one day full of confidence for an edit meeting. Instead of a greeting the Managing Editor, Paul Hippsley, gently reminded me I could not have a character checking CCTV footage and photographs if he had already been murdered and buried. Yes, I thought, good point well made.

Anything you want to say that I haven’t asked you about?

A colleague was asked that question once at the end of an interview for a judicial appointment. He got the job but has told me he’s still trying to think of a more detailed answer to the one he gave. I will give the same answer he gave and it is no. But I will think about it if we can agree on that and I will get back to you.

Well just one last thing.There is no truth in the rumour that when I returned William Peter Blatty’s ‘The Exorcist’ to the library in Brooke Park Derry that it caused it to burn to the ground. Wasn’t my fault. I’m not apologising.

Thank you, Desmond J Doherty!

Toilet Humour

At one of the Grand Opera House performances of The Sweety Bottle, a lady remarked, "This is all bad language and toilet humour!"

Unbeknownst to her, she relayed this discovery to one of the co-writer's sisters who then relayed it to the co-writer sitting beside her. Rumour has it that this particular co-writer* smiled as if he'd read the remark in a five-star review.

Toilet humour, like? From such a sophisticated mind? Really?

Go away and shite.

Enjoy this randomly selected snippet from The Sweety Bottle.



*The co-writer was me.

We Need to Talk About...?

I had bookmarked David Mitchell's article in The Guardian about his son's autism earlier in the week. Finally got around to checking it out today. It really moved me. I highly recommend reading it. I imagine you'll identify with a lot of it if you know somebody who is dealing with autism. And even if you don't, a little empathy wouldn't hurt ahead of any possible future encounters.

One of my sons (fondly referred to as the mancubs on Twitter) has special needs. He isn't autistic. His diagnosis has been recorded as Global Developmental Delay (GDD) in the absence of a more accurate description. He does display some behaviours consistent with autism and attends a special school with a number of other autistic children, however.

I wrote about my son for a Life Writing assignment during my MA in creative writing. It was a therapeutic experience and I've toyed with the idea of working on a non-fiction book about him. But I'm not sure how fair it would be. He didn't choose to have a father that happens to be a writer. Is it ethical to write about somebody who hasn't given you permission to do so, and if he did, might not understand the consequences of such a book going to publication?

Perhaps I could change names to protect the innocent and try to sell it under a pseudonym. It might not help to have a crime fiction writer attached to the project anyway. Could even be detrimental.

But this is a book that keeps asking to be written.

What to do?

All suggestions/opinions welcome.

Val and Pals

Left to right: Eamonn MCann, Garbhan Downey and Desmond J. Doherty

Derry lawyer launches debut crime novel

Desmond J. Doherty, one of Ireland’s leading human rights lawyers, has turned to crime – crime writing, that is.

The Derry solicitor’s fast-paced debut novel ‘Valberg’, which is published by Guildhall Press and supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, will be launched by the veteran journalist Eamonn McCann on Thursday 27 June.

Set in contemporary Derry, it features damaged detective Jon Valberg and his colleagues on the trail of a brutal assassin, who is creating mayhem around the historic city-centre.

“This is a particularly atmospheric city to set crime fiction,” said Doherty. “There are so many fascinating locations that can serve as a backdrop for the action – the city walls, the old Elizabethan churches and many other historic landmarks.

“In all, eight murders take place in the city in the space of a week, committed by a man who is seeking revenge on various individuals he believes have inflicted a serious wrong on him.

“There’s a challenge for the reader here to get inside the mind of a killer and see if you could agree with what he’s done – or have any type of empathy at all with him.”

‘Valberg’ is the first of a trilogy. The sequel is already completed, and Doherty is currently putting the finishing touches to book three.

Fiction-writing, however, is a considerable departure from the author’s busy work schedule, which includes running his own law firm and serving as a member of international courts, such as the Special Tribunal for the Lebanon and the International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia. Doherty has previously been a representative at high-profile inquests and at the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. He also was involved in the Iraqi Special Tribunal and the inquiry into the Dublin/Monaghan bombings.

‘Valberg’ is also be available in eBook form for Kindle.

Guildhall Press are releasing a number of video trailers, developed at the new Digital Arts Studio in Rath Mor, as part of the book's promotional package. These include interviews with the author and can be viewed on the new book's bespoke website http://www.jonvalberg.com

‘Valberg’ by Desmond J. Doherty is published by Guildhall Press – http://www.ghpress.com

END 24 June 2013