Ink and Paper Hearts

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Heya, this is Lisa C.

So Mara and I went and studied for a Masters in Children’s Literature. We expect to graduate any time in the next few months. My thesis result turned out to be a pleasing H2.1, which was entitled The Inevitability of Childhood. It focussed on The Giver by Lois Lowry. If you haven’t read this book, you really should. See my review here. I learned a lot about kids’ books in the last two years, and I highly recommend going for the Masters in Children’s Lit. if you are in anyway interested in kids’ books.

Aside from bookselling, I write. I write mostly in my head. I do that annoying thing where I come up with the most marvellous idea when I am NOWHERE near paper, pen or phone. I store this idea carefully away in my brain. Only to find it has been mislaid by the time I get home. I never learn. Currently, I am working on a novel idea entitled A Missionary Position, and yes, it is what it sounds like, and no, you are not too young to read it.

I am in the middle of another novel entitled Grant Me Fear, (but I am not entirely sold on this title yet). I have other novel ideas in the pipeline that is my brain, but since the thesis year, I find myself out of practice…watch out for the ranty entries I shall be posting over the coming months as I attempt to ease myself back into the writing process once again.

Outside of writing, bookselling and reading, I dance. This is the only other outlet I would recommend if you’re feeling kind of insane. It dulls the voices in my head…

Heeeeeeeere’s Mara!

Forgive the Stephen King allusion. I’m actually a primary school teacher, not a psychopath… is there really a difference anymore? Well anyway, I’m a teacher Monday through Friday, a children’s bookseller for the weekends, and by night I’m a writer of YA fantasy. I have just completed a Masters in Children’s Literature. I haven’t slept for two years… Yes, I’m tired… No, I’m not a vampire … Why would a vampire study Children’s Literature?

Ahem… My thesis was entitled Irish Mythological Fantasy, in which I gushed about The Hounds of the Mórrígan and what a bloody shame it is that most Irish children have never read (now that it’s out of print) or will never read this beautiful, hilarious behemoth of a book. I also wrote in detail about fairies and witches, so, in many ways my academic writing isn’t really very different from my fiction writing.

My addiction is fantasy, whether I’m reading or writing it. Like with a lot of genres, there’s a lot of crap out there that contributes to fantasy’s bad reputation and leads some people to look upon it with a certain snobbishness. If you, like me, adore fantasy and want to see more attention given to the gems rather than the crap, this blog (at least one third of it) was made for you! I also plan to review collections of fairytales, 9-12’s fiction in general, and the odd poetry collection. The main subject I teach is creative writing, so once Lisa teaches me how to work this WordPress wonkykonky, I will upload some activities and powerpoints from my courses.

I also have a pretty writing desk! Look! 

Hi there, Lisa D here

I have to admit that I don’t have an MA in Children’s Literature, so please don’t hate me, I may decide to go and study for one you never know.

Anyway, I don’t mind admitting that I am the oldest of the three of us.I graduated sometime in the last century with a degree in English and History.  Because I’d spent the four years of my degree reading and devouring books, I needed to find a way to keep that up. So instead of doing an MA, I became a bookseller because it meant I got to spend all day talking about books. Also I got a staff discount whenever I wanted to buy them so it seemed like a win-win situation to me.

My bookselling career began in the late nineties, but I have taken a few breaks to do other things including getting married, having three children, working as an English language teacher, working in communications and publicity, studying eighteenth and nineteenth century literature (again) with the Open University and starting (but not yet finishing) a number of novels for adults, teens and children.

I also founded along with my two fellow writing buddies above The Saltwater Scribblers – a weekly writing workshop. I have now spent twelve years working in bookselling and during that time, I have worked in adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as many years of buying and selling in Children’s Books in three of Ireland’s top bookselling chains.

I have a passion for classics, historical fiction and ghost stories and I  love matching the right book to the right reader. I am also crazy about writing.  It is my passion, but it is also my escape. There is no better therapy than getting it all down on paper. I am currently working on a novel for adults which deals with the consequences of a tragic event which happened when the main characters were teenagers.

I am also working on a fantasy novel for teens. My writing desk is not as pretty as Mara’s but it is decidedly messier. I also write another book blog here, check it out if you like , it is about adult fiction and non fiction.