Twisted Agendas

THE second novel by Northern Irish writer Damian McNicholl is currently enjoying great critical acclaim.

 In Twisted Agendas, Danny who is desperate to escape his predetermined existence decides to break out from life in Northern Ireland, and move to London. He then meets Piper, a friendly and outgoing American girl on a quest of her own.

 Two very different worlds are thrown together as Danny is willingly absorbed into unfamiliar territory. However, the Hammersmith Bridge is then bombed, Piper disappears without a trace and Danny finds himself the centre of a police investigation, hounded by whispers of the IRA.

 Dark, yet humorous, Danny and Piper’s story is one of dysfunctional parenting, clashing motives and twenty- something’s negotiating love and big city life.

 ‘Fast-paced, poignant, often humorous and consistently un-put-downable, McNicholl’s latest novel is the work of a writer at the top of his game,’ says Alexander Fitzgerald, Editor, Irish Tatler Man

 ‘A compelling and entertaining romp through other people's inter-tangled lives… From terrorists to lovers to meddling fathers, Damian deftly weaves comic misunderstandings with a larger more ominous theme of authority going slightly mad… Author Patricia Wood, author of Lottery (shortlisted for the 2008 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction)

 ‘A thoroughly engrossing transatlantic adventure…' Irish World

 ‘Comic, courageous and often painful, this is a beautifully paced and balanced novel that will have an assured place in contemporary Irish writing,’ says Seamus Deane, shortlisted for Booker Prize

 Damian was born in Northern Ireland and attended law school at University College, Cardiff. His first novel, A Son Called Gabriel, was an American Booksellers Association Booksense Pick, Foreword Magazine, and Lambda Literary Awards finalist. Film rights for the novel have been acquired by award winning Director Tom Collins. In addition to other media, he’s appeared on National Public Radio’s The Marty Moss Coane Show, Irish Radio Network's The Adrian Flannelly Show and BBC Radio Ulster's Arts Extra to discuss his work.

He maintains a blog at www.damianm.blogspot.com and can be found on Twitter at @damianmcn. He lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is at work on his third novel.

New book by NI writer hailed as potential Bestseller!

The Whore and her Mother 

Raymond McCullough, from County Down, has been writing successfully for years. He began by publishing a magazine, Bread, which went to nearly every possible type of denomination in Ireland, and all over the island (from Catholic to Free Presbyterian and from Cork to Coleraine, and Galway to Dublin) at the height of the troubles.  The mediating influence of this magazine certainly contributed more than can be quantified to the eventual ceasefires.

Raymond then moved on to having numerous articles published in computer magazines, while earning a living as a college lecturer; to having his thoughts on Ireland published by the Irish Times and the Presbyterian Herald; and to self publishing a book, 'Ireland – Now the Good News', excerpts from Bread.

Since those days, he has mainly concentrated on radio and podcasts (Celtic Roots Radio currently has nearly 14,000 downloads a month) but recent developments in the world around us, together with the serious urging of various friends, have now decided him to complete, and publish, the book he has been putting together for some time, with the striking title, 'The Whore and her Mother.'

This book takes a long hard look at the forecasts of the Hebrew prophets (respected by at least three of the major world religions) and it attempts, in the light of current events, to work out how accurate they have been up until now, how far we can therefore trust their future predictions, and how we should interpret their meaning.

At a time when the devastating events of recent years are forcing even the completely unreligious to describe  them as 'apocalyptic,' and those who have some belief to ask urgent questions, here is a book which makes a serious effort to come to terms with the question of what will happen next, and how close we might be to the end of this world as we know it.

Unlike others, Raymond McCullough makes no attempt to prophecy himself, but lucidly, straightforwardly, with academic precision, but also with page turning excitement, puts the pieces of the jigsaw into some sort of order, and gives us his best guess as to what we should now expect, while inviting us not to swallow his ideas, but to read up his references and judge for ourselves.

This is a book which no one should miss. Buy it on Amazon Kindle for £2.99, or look out for the paperback, coming soon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whore-her-Mother-Babylon-ebook/dp/B005J0HL3U/
http://www.kingdomcome.org.uk/911
http://preciousoil.com/books/The_Whore.shtml

Everything Else We Must Endure

Author: Brian McGettrick

Publisher: Sunnyoutside, Buffalo, NY

Paperback, 52 pages

Category: Poetry

Available From:

www.sunnyoutside.com

www.spdbooks.org

In Belfast At:

No Alibis, Botanic Avenue

Bookfinders, University Road

Synopsis

Everything Else We Must Endure allows the reader to peep through domestic doors not fully closed and see the varied interiors of the lives being led, introducing us to memorable characters who re- mind us that not all action takes place in the spotlight. In these poems, even the mundane sparkles and sometimes it’s the young who have wisdom to spare.

Author

Brian McGettrick lives a half life in front of the typewriter and a full life with his wife and two daughters in the north of Ireland. This is his first collection.

Praise

“Brian’s rich talent allows him to say so much with so little, to craft emotion and meaning with such simple, gentle, everyday words. This is welcome, accessible poetry; honest, generous, warm and wise. This collection is a deep-dive exploration into the simple distractions of life, and one which reminds the reader of the joy— and the uneasiness—which surrounds us all.”

—Jason Johnson, author of Woundlicker and Alina

“Sharp, often funny, sometimes world weary, always interesting.”

—Tony O’Neill, author of Digging the Vein and Down and Out on Murder Mile

“Brian McGettrick’s poetry stands out because it combines a focus on the reality of everyday life situations with an ability to excite surprise or wonder in the reader...these poems deal with themes that are everywhere around us.”

—Eabhan Ní Shúileabháin, poetry editor, The Stinging Fly