There’s a sleepy village in Northern
Ireland waiting for you to come back…
I thought we were done with the Bannon children but apparently not…Erich had a story to tell.
Hello everyone,
How’s things in these Covid times? Dublin has gone into a more severe lockdown than the rest of Ireland in response to rising numbers, and I fear the same fate awaits the rest of our little island. It’s all very disheartening isn’t it?
That said, being an author of historical fiction does help to put things in perspective somewhat. Now, any of my family or friends reading this will tell you, my most hated phrase, the thing that sends me off the rails entirely, is ‘It could have been worse’ but in these trying times, I feel it is perhaps warranted.
My gran was born in 1906. Molly O’Sullivan, from Tarelton, Co Cork. So, in terms of her lifetime here in Ireland, she endured the First World War, The Spanish Flu, The Easter Rising, The Irish War of Independence, The Civil War, The economic hardship of the 30s, the Second World War, The economic disaster that was the 50s, The civil unrest of the 60’s the War in Northern Ireland of the 70s, the recession of the 80s, and she died in the late 90s, in her 90s.
She was, like many of her generation, resilient, hard working, and resourceful. She didn’t suffer fools gladly and sometimes lacked empathy, a characteristic often found in those who have seen too much suffering in their lives. She also had a wicked sense of humour, and an infectious laugh, something that was as necessary as air, water and food in the times she lived.
I have quoted GK Chesterton in one of my books when he says ‘The great Gaels of Ireland, are the men that God made mad, for all their wars are merry and all their songs are sad.‘ This is true. With our history, if we didn’t laugh we’d cry.
So, as I wrote this latest book, the fourth in The Star and the Shamrock series, I thought often about the fortitude and grit of that generation. This Corona virus is a dose, no doubt about it, and the sooner we have a vaccine the better, but in the light of what those people suffered, it’s ok. We have the resources and the education to know how to protect ourselves and those we love, and the rest is outside of our control.
So, back to Erich and the gang. Remember I told you a while back that he wasn’t happy? He had a story to tell and I had to write it? Well I did. (I had no choice 
) and so, it is going to copy edit this week and will hopefully be available in all the usual formats by early December.
If you would like to pre-order, have it delivered on launch day to your device to make sure you don’t miss it, you can do so HERE
I called it ‘The World Starts Anew, a phrase is taken from the Talmud, ‘With each new child, the world begins anew.’
So there’s a clue!
In case you are wondering why I changed ‘begins’ to ‘starts’ you will notice that each title in the series has an A in it which has been replaced by a Star of David. That’s why ‘starts’ worked better than ‘begins’
I love the sentiment of that, because it is so true. The babies born today, all over this lovely planet of ours, the world is theirs, new and fresh, full of endless possibilities. For the vast majority of them, they will live to see a future we cannot even dream of.
So this book is one of hope and trepidation for the future, we dive back into the lives of Ariella and Elizabeth, Daniel, Willi and the Rabbi, and see what’s become fo those two little children who were put on a train in Berlin in 1939. It’s hopefully going to be like catching up with old friends, as well as a few unexpected twist and turns to keep you guessing!
Have a good week, stay safe and distanced, wash your hands, and remember,
‘It could be worse!!” LOL!
Le grá agus buiochas,
Jean xxx