Yay...copy edits are in!!!

YAY - Copy edits are in, and yes, I'm about THIS happy.....lovely feedback too from copy editor....so I may just treat myself to a chocolate donut!!

"Another stupendous novel….and what a tangled web of lies and deceit Louise has woven, and indeed, what a marvellous and talented storyteller she is - Gripping, compelling, absorbing, and so much more."

Phew!

WHO KILLED EDEN MULLIGAN?

A MASSIVE CONGRATS to Sharon Dempsey whose novel 'WHO TOOK EDEN MULLIGAN' is out today! It's been getting great reviews and I for one can't wait to get reading, especially with the amazing blurb below.....

 ‘A dark, disturbing and gripping read ... Sharon Dempsey will be one to watch!’ Claire Allan, USA Today bestselling author

‘They’re dead. They’re all dead. It’s my fault. I killed them.’

Those are the words of Iona Gardener, who stands bloodied and staring as she confesses to the murder of four people in a run-down cottage outside of Belfast.

Outside the cottage, five old dolls are hanging from a tree. Inside the cottage, the words “WHO TOOK EDEN MULLIGAN?” are graffitied on the wall, connecting the murder scene with the famous cold case of Eden Mulligan, a mother-of-five who went missing during The Troubles.

But this case is different. Right from the start.

Because no one in the community is willing to tell the truth, and the only thing DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey can be certain of is that Iona Gardener’s confession is false....

A creepy, gritty and very compelling crime novel, perfect for fans of Patricia Gibney, Angela Marsons and Jane Casey.

Mystery Writers of America Announces 2021 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominations!

Mystery Writers of America, as they celebrate the 212^th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe, announce the nominees for the 2021 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honouring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2020.

The 75^th Annual Edgar® Award Winners will be celebrated on April 29, 2021.

And of course I'm delighted to see "Guilt Rules All" - Irish Mystery, Detective, and Crime Fiction by Elizabeth Mannion & Brian Cliff being on the shortlist for Best Critical/Biographical, in which Rosemary Johnsen has written a critical piece on my fictional character Dr. Kate Pearson.

Congrats to all the nominees!

M.W.A. SHORTLIST

BEST NOVEL

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
Before She Was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
These Women by Ivy Pochoda
The Missing American by Kwei Quartey
The Distant Dead by Heather Young

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
 
Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March
Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel


BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
 
When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
The Deep, Deep Snow by Brian Freeman
Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey
The Keeper by Jessica Moor
East of Hounslow by Khurrum Rahman

BEST FACT CRIME

Blood Runs Coal: The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Workers of America by Mark A. Bradley

The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia by Emma Copley Eisenberg

Death in Mud Lick: A Coal Country Fight Against the Drug Companies that Delivered the Opioid Epidemic by Eric Eyre

Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country by Sierra Crane Murdoch

Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar
 

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
 
Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club edited by Martin Edwards
Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock by Christina Lane
Ian Rankin: A Companion to the Mystery & Fiction by Erin E. MacDonald
Guilt Rules All:  Irish Mystery, Detective, and Crime Fiction by Elizabeth Mannion & Brian Cliff 
This Time Next Year We'll be Laughing by Jacqueline Winspear
 

BEST SHORT STORY

"The Summer Uncle Cat Came to Stay," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine by Leslie Elman
"Dust, Ash, Flight," Addis Ababa Noir by Maaza Mengiste
"Fearless," California Schemin' by Walter Mosley
"Etta at the End of the World," Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Joseph S. Walker 
"The Twenty-Five Year Engagement," In League with Sherlock Holmes by James W. Ziskin

 

BEST JUVENILE

Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Me and Banksy by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor
Nessie Quest by Melissa Savage

Coop Knows the Scoop by Taryn Souders
 
 
BEST YOUNG ADULT
 
The Companion by Katie Alender
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
They Went Left by Monica Hesse
Silence of Bones by June Hur
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY

"Episode 1, The Stranger" – Harlan Coben's The Stranger
"Episode 1, Open Water" – The Sounds
"Episode 1, Photochemistry" – Dead Still
"Episode 1" - Des
"What I Know" – The Boys
 
 ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD

"The Bite," Tampa Bay Noir by Colette Bancroft

 

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD 

Death of an American Beauty by Mariah Fredericks

The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne by Elsa Hart
The Lucky One by Lori Rader-Day
The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Cold Wind by Paige Shelton

 

THE G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS SUE GRAFTON MEMORIAL AWARD
 
The Burn by Kathleen Kent
Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King
Vera Kelly is Not a Mystery by Rosalie Knecht
Dead Land by Sara Paretsky
The Sleeping Nymph by Ilaria Tuti
Turn to Stone by James W. Ziskin

SPECIAL AWARDS

GRAND MASTER
Jeffery Deaver
Charlaine Harris

ELLERY QUEEN AWARD
Reagan Arthur, Publisher – Alfred A. Knopf

The Edgar Awards, or "Edgars," as they are commonly known, are named after MWA's patron saint Edgar Allan Poe and are presented to authors of distinguished work in various categories. The organization encompasses some 3,000 members including authors of fiction and non-fiction books, screen and television writers, as well as publishers, editors, and literary agents.

GUILT RULES ALL!

Some of you may have noticed my lack of posting for a wee while. It's hasn't been because I've disappeared off the planet, more a twist and turn of life, so please forgive me.

However, today I'm delighted to share this Irish Crime Fiction gem with you. Edited by Elizabeth Mannion and Brian Cliff 'GUILT RULES ALL 'explores and celebrates Irish Crime Fiction. I feel honoured to be one of the writers featured in this work which conveys the breadth of the genre.

Within a piece by Rosemary Erickson Johnson on the Kate Pearson series, she says, "Phillips's series offers insight into contemporary Irish society, with a particular reference to women's lives and feminist issues, and helps us to define the parameters of domestic noir in the face of sometimes-competing demands of series fiction." 

Well, that will do me!

Hope you are all surviving these rather testing times!

Shortlist for the An Post Irish Book Award - a fantastic crime fiction line up!!

Shortlist unveiled for the An Post Irish Book Awards 2019, Ireland’s major literary event celebrating Irish writing across 16 categories, and I am super delighted that THE HIDING GAME is one of the shortlisted titles!!!

All votes are very much appreciated!! You can vote by clicking onto the link below!!

https://www.irishbookawards.irish/vote2019/

The shortlist features a diverse mix of exceptional writing from new and established writers across sixteen categories, including Novel of the Year, Children’s, Cookery, Crime Fiction, Popular Fiction, Nonfiction, Sports, Short Story, Poetry, Teen and Young Adult and Irish Language.

The An Post Irish Book Awards celebrate and promote Irish writing to the widest range of readers possible. Each year it brings together a huge community passionate about books – readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians – to recognise the very best of Irish writing talent.

To tie in with the announcement of the An Post Irish Book Awards shortlist, the public are now being asked to cast their votes online for the best books of the year on the An Post Irish Book Awards website anpostirishbookawards.ie. All voters will be entered into a draw to win one of four €100 National Book Tokens vouchers. Votes may be cast until 13^th November and the winners will be announced at the gala ceremony in the Convention Centre Dublin, Spencer Dock, on Wednesday 20^th November. Highlights of the awards event, presented by Miriam O’Callaghan, will be will be broadcast on RTÉ One television on Saturday 23rd November, immediately after the Ray D'Arcy Show.

Maria Dickenson, Chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, says: “This year’s shortlist is once again a terrific testament to the breadth and depth of Irish writing talent. The Irish Book Awards are proud to celebrate the diversity of Ireland’s rich literary culture, and the achievements of all that contribute to this success – including writers, readers, publishers, booksellers and librarians.
“It’s fantastic to see the continued growth of the Irish Book Awards, which reflects the deep love Irish people have for reading and literature, and it’s one of the major highlights of the literary calendar. Each and every category is packed with deserving authors, and we’re looking forward to announcing the winners on 20^th November.”

David McRedmond, CEO at An Post, said: “One of the best things about the shorter, colder days and approaching winter is the An Post Irish Book Awards and having more time to get stuck into lots of books from this excellent shortlist of exciting and diverse authors. This year, we want even more people of all ages and interests to read more books, more often so you’ll be seeing our #ReadersWanted activity and events in all kinds of places over the coming weeks and months. Good luck to all the shortlisted authors.”
This year, as the official media partner of the An Post Irish Book Awards, RTÉ has introduced the RTÉ Radio 1 Listeners' Choice Award. Five of the station's biggest names - Miriam O'Callaghan, Joe Duffy, Sean O'Rourke, Ray D'Arcy and Ryan Tubridy - have each selected their favourite book of the year, which they want readers to vote for; and all five books are by Irish writers.

Head of RTÉ Radio 1, Tom McGuire, said: "We are delighted to involve five of our best known RTÉ Radio 1 presenters in this year's An Post Irish Book Awards. All five are big readers and all have chosen Irish books. We are privileged to have such a strong pool of incredible Irish writers right now who continue to do great things and make us proud. RTÉ is thrilled to continue to provide a platform to further celebrate our great writers and storytellers and we’d encourage all our listeners to take some time to explore this excellent list and vote for their favourite.”

The An Post Irish Book Awards 2019 Shortlist for Irish Crime Fiction is as follows:

Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year

• Rewind – Catherine Ryan Howard (Corvus)
• Cruel Acts – Jane Casey (HarperFiction)
• The Chain – Adrian McKinty (Orion)
• Twisted – Steve Cavanagh (Orion)
• The Wych Elm – Tana French (Viking)
• The Hiding Game – Louise Phillips (Hachette Ireland)

For further information, please log on to the An Post Irish Book Awards website or social media channels:
anpostirishbookawards.ie
Facebook: @AnPostIBAS
Instagram: @anpost_irishbookawards
Twitter: @AnPostIBAS

Writer's Block ....THE GLOSS MAGAZINE!

Thank you so much Sophie Grenham, of THE GLOSS magazine,for this lovely feature today 'Writer's Block with Louise Phillips', and her absolutely stunning review of THE HIDING GAME!
“With sleek, effortless transitions, including heartfelt vignettes from Elizabeth, The Hiding Game is a page-turner right from the start. The narrative is taut as a drum, with an abundance of gripping dialogue and genuinely chilling moments. Phillips’s unique ability to pull the reader inside her head and absorb the emotions she pours onto the page is just one of her many powers.”

You can read full article HERE, but this is a short extract.....

"I have beautiful memories too. I loved watching the throngs of seagulls swoop down early morning in the washing yard, and how later, the washing yard was still a magical place, as I ran through the lines and lines of large white sheets. I think it’s partly why I became a writer, that early escape to fantasy in order to survive reality."   

Colin Farrell's Adaptation of THE RUIN by Dervla Mc Tiernan!

Colin Farrell is teaming up with Lee Magiday and Hopscotch Features on a screen adaptation of Irish crime novel THE RUIN by Dervla McTiernan.

This will be the first project for Farrell’s new production company Chapel Place Productions.

Irish writer Dervla McTiernan’s well-received thriller, set in Galway, follows detective Cormac Reilly as he is thrown back into a case from 20 years before involving two children whose mother died of an overdose. Through the eyes of the detective we see into dark corners of Ireland including police corruption and abuses in the church.
Colin Farrell will play detective Cormac Reilly.

"The Ruin" is Dervla McTiernan's debut novel and the first in the series of books about Reilly, which means it could be a franchise for the star.

The latest novel in the series, "The Good Turn," will be published in 2020.

Fantastic Line Up for BRAY LITERARY FESTIVAL 2019!!

There is an utterly fantastic line up for this year's Bray Literary Festival.....

You can find out all the details HERE

And this is the info on the workshop I'll be doing...

Big Happy Smile Today!!

Big Happy Smile on my face today to let you know that the utterly amazing, all round great guy, and friend, COLM HAYES will be launching THE HIDING GAME at THE GUTTER BOOKSHOP on the 10th September 2019 at 6.30 p.m.

Many of you will know Colm very well, but below is a small flavour of the man, with some fab questions via Radio Nova and a small intro…..

Q. Someone or something that strikes you as beautiful?

A. I’m an early bird, so the miracle of sunrise always gets me.It’s like we get re-invented every day.

Q. You’re on Death Row, what’s your last meal?

A. Chicken wing with blue cheese dressing from Elephant and Castle and chips.

Q. Which words do you overuse?

A. “Stay where you are”. I use it a lot on-air.

Q. The worst job you’ve ever done?

A. While in college I worked as a part-time grave digger.

Q. What keeps you awake at night?

A. The whispering voices of doubt and the stifled screams of lost opportunity. Well, you did ask!

Q. Your idea of hell on earth?

A. Trumpland, The Theme Park.

Q. What do some people think about you that isn’t true?

A. That I don’t care, but I do, I really do and that I’m French – which I’m not.

Colm Hayes, co-presents the Colm & Lucy show with Lucy Kennedy on Radio Nova weekdays 6am to 10am. He had a 10-year partnership with James ‘Jim-Jim’ Nugent on the FM104’s Strawberry Alarm Clock and on the 2fm breakfast show. He officially joined Radio Nova in 2017 as programme director.

(PLEASE PUT DATE AND TIME IN DIARY, AS YE ARE ALL INVITED TO PARTAKE IN THE FREE VINO/BOOK FUN etc)

Advance Review Copies of The Hiding Game DOWNLOAD FOR FREE

Lovely Bloggers/Reviewers/Netgalley folk...

If you're on NetGalley....You can NOW download THE HIDING GAME Pre-Publication via this link -  Here


Yes, you can...

PLEASE do...

Crossing fingers, toes, eyes, and everything else that you like it!! 😎##

Sprinkled with Fairy Dust!!

What a lovely sight... 

Beautiful early copies for booksellers...

All signed and sprinkled with fairy dust!!...

#Magic

Drum Roll...Cover Reveal!!!

DRUM ROLL...

Or something like that....

SO EXCITED to REVEAL the cover of THE HIDING GAME...Publication Date September 5th....

Now off to light candles, bite fingernails, or generally panic that you like it!!...

#TheHidingGame

"A young girl on trial, a twenty-five-year-old murder, and a small town willing to do anything to keep its secrets safe..."

LIZ NUGENT

“Phillips is back with a most intriguing and compelling story of grief, loss, memory and the quest for the truth. With rich characterisation and a lively setting, this story will enthral you to the end.”

PATRICIA GIBNEY

“The Hiding Game is filled with characters who will grab you by the throat from beginning to end. Absolutely gripping storyline, expertly crafted, an addictive page turner. I loved it.”

KAREN PERRY

“The Hiding Game has everything you would expect from a Phillips novel – a pacy crime procedural full of twists and turns, with poignant insights into the emotional bond between mother and child. A cracking good read.” 

CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD

“A riveting, ripped-from-the-headlines legal thriller set in A Small Town in the USA with dark secrets and murky lies…which Phillips has pulled it off not only with authenticity, but aplomb.

ARLENE HUNT

“Phillips is at the top of her game. The Hiding Game is riveting, thought provoking and compulsive. A five-star read.”

ANDREA CARTER

“A gripping courtroom drama with a courageous new heroine in Heather Baxter. Pacy, tightly plotted and full of suspense. The Hiding Game was worth the wait!”

CORMAC O KEEFFE

“Phillips sends us down into a rabbit hole of buried trauma, disjointed memories, fractured relationships and ruptured lives in the search for justice and redemption. An undoubted master of the psychological thriller.”

SINEAD CROWLEY

“Phillips makes a very successful trip Stateside with ‘The Hiding Game’. The oppressive nature of life in a small town adds tension as Phillips draws together the strands of this tightly plotted family thriller.”