Interview with Ann O'Farrell

Ann O’Farrell lived most of her life in Dublin, Ireland, but her first job was as a laboratory technician in Bristol, England. Later, she returned to Dublin to work as a stewardess with Aer Lingus, Irish Airlines. After her marriage she was active in Community Theater for many years, particularly in Youth Theater. When her three sons, were grown she returned to college to study Theater and Sociology.

Ann’s writing career began after her retirement to Florida in the late 1990’s. ‘Letters home’ developed into humorous short stories, several of which have subsequently been published in newspapers, magazines and short story collections. Her first novel, Norah’s Children, was published in 2006. Michael, a sequel to Norah’s Children is in the publishing process and she is currently working on her third novel, Kitty’s Hive.

Tell us a little about your road to publication.

My experience is probably the opposite to everyone else’s. By luck/coincidence my manuscript for Norah’s Children was read by the owner of a small publishing company before the ink was even dry. He immediately offered me a contract, which I naturally accepted. Only subsequently did I realize that he neither had the resources, nor the interest, to produce the best book possible, but only hoped to make quick buck from a captive (Irish) market. The cost of the book was to be high, any editing was to be outsourced and at a superficial level. There was to be no marketing follow-up, or help. His design concept for the cover was totally inappropriate (a group of modern-day children in an assortment of period costumes, from early American to Russian, … and this for a book about five poor children, in Ireland, in the 1920’s!

My saving grace was that I had specified a date by which the book should be published (a big birthday!) and he was so preoccupied pursuing publication of a magazine that it didn’t happen by that date. I was out of the contract.

Having subsequently been tentatively offered a contract with an agent, who pretty much specified that she had sole rights to the book until she got it published, or died, I decided that self-publishing was the way to go, for now.

I did so, and received an excellent Kirkus review, plus great newspaper reviews, and am approaching my 1,000 sale in less than a year. Not exactly on the best seller’s list, but hopefully someone, somewhere, will notice and I will achieve a worthwhile contract, with a good agent and hit the ‘big time’ publisher’s desk. Meanwhile I have positively elected to self-publish my second book, Michael, a sequel to Norah’s Children, and not even consider all the query -letter agony.

I am now very cautious about agents, publishers and contracts, having realized it can be too easy to be flattered into a bad deal.

When you first entered the publishing world, what surprised you the most? Was there any aspect of the business that caught you off guard?

That you are at the mercy of so many people.

Why historical fiction?

It is a genre that has always fascinated me. In my case it also helped me to understand my own country, and people, a little better.

What are you working on now that you’d like us to know about?

I have, as I mentioned above, already completed the sequel to Norah’s Children, titled Michael, it will be out in the Spring, and now working on my third novel, Kitty’s Hive. It, too, is set in Ireland, but this time in the 1950’s. I think there is less sorrow and more humor this time, perhaps reflecting the differences in the periods.

Do you have a favorite historical novel?

An impossible question! I devoured the classics as a child, like the Bronte’s and Jane Austen, and continue to immerse myself in the wonderful writings of such great historical novelists as Edward Rutherfurd and Morgan Llywelyn.

Is there anything or anyone that inspires your writing?

Join us tomorrow for the second part of the interview with Irish born author, Ann O’Farrell. Be sure to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing to win an autographed copy of Norah’s Children.