I wrote this little piece during the early days of the covid 19 lockdown however it is one that feels a little bit relevant again when I have a daughter struggling with school based anxiety and school non attendance. Sorry I have been so quiet lately… This place is hectic, Our house is far from… Continue reading Sorry I have been so quiet lately…
Tag: Parenthood
Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell
TW: This book and review discuss domestic abuse A heart breaking and beautifully written story, Nesting follows the journey of Ciara, a pregnant mum of two, who makes the quick decision one evening to leave her abusive husband. This debut novel from Roisín O’Donnell grew originally out of a short story, and I must admit… Continue reading Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell
Day trip to the seaside
“You’re too young. You don't understand.” But Tara understood more than they did. She lived it, day in day out. She pulls the door closed. The heat in the car is smothering. Stifling her own thoughts. Her heartbeat pulsing in her ears. Hot. Suffocating. Screaming reverberates through the car. Her sister kicks out, helpless. Her… Continue reading Day trip to the seaside
John Hewitt International Summer School 2025
The suitcases are unpacked, the new books neatly stacked on my shelf, and my mind has just started to settle and slow a little from the racing of new thoughts and ideas. First and foremost, for anyone considering attending the The John Hewitt Society International Summer School next year, either as a bursary student or… Continue reading John Hewitt International Summer School 2025
Almost time…
“𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚, 𝙞𝙛 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.” 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘵 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘺 The suitcase is almost packed… not sure if I have enough notebooks though? 😉 The countdown is officially on. Two more sleeps until I am off for 5 nights and 5 full days of thought-provoking writing, creative workshops and… Continue reading Almost time…
Forget Me Not by Claire Allan
I kid you not when I say I read this book in 24 hours!! This was a page turner right until the last sentence! I was at a recent book sale hosted by Libraries NI with my daughter and as she filled her bag with every book she had “always wanted to read”, I spied… Continue reading Forget Me Not by Claire Allan
It could be grief
“It could be grief” he said. “But without death?” she replied “And that’s ok” he said, “because grief is not just a friend of death” The curling of her lips drawing his hand closer to her chin, “but one that visits at different, sometimes unexpected, stages of our lives.” “It’s ok to cry,” his fingers… Continue reading It could be grief
Take my hand
Take my hand, I will hold you tight. That mask you hold is deep and thick, hiding your true self from all who look. I see it getting heavier, weighing down on your innocent mind and little body. Those tiny fingers drumming, hands and feet rhythmically moving, discarding the lights, the voices, the noises that… Continue reading Take my hand
The Nurse by Claire Allan
This book had me gripped - and for all the right reasons! Being from Ireland, I love books from local authors that embrace the local areas and character types. For me this book, really had it all - lovable characters, a challenging storyline and some twists and turns a long the way! When Nell Sweeney,… Continue reading The Nurse by Claire Allan
Wee Bubble of Books 