Fionnuala Kearney

Fionnuala Kearney pronounced Finoola, lives in Ascot with her husband. They have two grown-up daughters. One of seven children, Fionnuala likes to write about the nuances and subtle layers of human relationships, peeling them away to see what’s really going on beneath.’You, Me and Other People’ is her first novel.

1. Can you tell us about your debut book ‘You, Me And Other People’
   It deals with love, betrayal, guilt, grief – some of those universal themes that we all battle with in normal daily life. Although it’s a story about a marriage in freefall and the ripple effects on Beth and Adam Hall’s family, it’s also about a lot more than that – like secrets and lies – is there ever a good reason to keep them or time to reveal them? It’s told from both parties’ points of view and it was a challenge to write; dealing with the topics and also writing from both the female and male perspective! (Though I have to confess I loved being in the head of an errant forty three year old man – who knew?!)
2. To the readers of the website, tell us about yourself and how you got into writing.
   Well, I used to have a whole other life! I had, for a long time, a career in property as a home-search agent. Imagine Phil and Kirsty without the cameras – that was me. I loved my job for many years but eventually the itch to write just had to be scratched. I had only ever had time to ‘dabble’ whilst working and being a mother to two daughters, but I just yearned to be able to write… I was eventually lucky enough (because of a very supportive husband) to be able to consider giving up work and concentrate on writing and so began the long journey to publication. I wrote lyrics, poems, short stories and three other novels en-route. All of this was during the time that the internet enabled me to meet and learn from other writers.
3. If you were starting your writing journey again, would you do anything differently?
   No. Every writer has their route, their own personal journey. Mine took a lot longer than I had originally hoped. A bit like starting a train ride, the train breaking down and having to change trains; that train going down the wrong track; you ending up somewhere you never planned; double back, start again! But despite the fact that it has taken a long time to get to this point, I wouldn’t change a thing. I truly believed I’ve learned something every step of the way.
4. What book did you read that made you decide to become an author?
   I have always loved reading and used to devour anything by Maeve Binchy or Marian Keyes, but I don’t think I could single out one book. As a young child I loved Enid Blyton and I think the ability to lose myself, as an early reader, in a world so totally different to my own was a joy that has never left me. At some point along the way, I did start to think “I wonder if I could do this”, but when it came to trying it wasn’t one book alone that pushed me, just the love of reading and writing.
5. Who is your favourite literary hero/heroine?
   Rebecca and the Bennett sisters were important heroines from my reading history but I do love to write about tortured men! So, my favourites are probably Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) and Dexter (One Day)
6. What authors do you admire?
   I love Marian Keyes, Anna McPartlin, Adele Parks, JoJo Moyes, David Nichols and Maggie O’Farrell. To be honest, they’re the ones I most admire, but I admire anyone who has managed to publish a book, be-it the traditional route or self-published.
7. If you were to start your own book club, what authors would you invite to join?
   All of the above names plus Khaled Hosseini, David Walliams, Billy Connolly, and recently passed away, but I would have wanted her there, the late, but great Nora Ephron.
8. What’s your favourite book of all time?
   AArgh! I dread this question! I really don’t have one favourite, but a few. I loved “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak and “One Day” by David Nicholls, but if really pushed a favourite would be, “After You’d Gone” by Maggie O’Farrell.
9. What area do you suggest a budding writer should concentrate on to further their abilities?
   Write – write as if you’re exercising a writing muscle. It needs to be stretched and tended to as often as possible. I really believe someone has to try and write every day – even if it’s only a few words. They’re words that didn’t exist in that form and pattern before and they’re your words… If time is limited, try writing flash fiction; a great way to learn how less is more and how even with say a fifty word limit, you can have the beginning, middle and end of a story. And read, read in the genre you want to be published in to help place your writing and read outside of genre just because you can!
10. If you were stranded on a desert island, which 3 books would you bring with you to pass the time?
    Is there one called “How to survive being stranded on a desert island” and would this stranding have left me at least with my reading glasses?! I would be so bad stranded on a desert island that I don’t think I’d survive long enough to read three books. Seriously, no amount of watching Bear Grylls over the years has helped. I think my bones would be found in a locked rocking position in the corner of a cave, my thumb planted firmly in my mouth.
11. When sitting down to write, what is the one item you need beside you?
    A notebook and pen because although I write into a keyboard, I need one beside me either to read from notes I’ve made, or make some as I go along. (And a diet coke. Yes, sorry, that’s three things)
12. And finally, do you have any projects or releases on the horizon that you would like to share with the readers of the website?
    I’m currently writing my second novel which has a working title of ‘It’s Who We Are’. Again I have two characters; female, Jess Powers and Theo Pope whose friendship is threatened when Jess suffers a personal tragedy and at the same time Theo’s marriage is disintegrating. It’s a story of friendship and love in all its guises of loss, grief and hope.

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