I haven’t had a book launch yet and I’m hoping to create a little ‘show’ for the launch, like the one created for the latest book of the Shandon mystery series.

Though the theme of the book is set around Christmas time, it’s a story that can be read at anytime.
The story is set in Co. Cavan on a little farm, outside the town of Virginia.

Future stories by ‘Geronimo’ will be set in Cork – thus the connection with Cork inspired stories!

I’m including some great drawings by David Delahunty for you to look at.

This is Geronimo when, as a pup, she liked to jump out of the box with the other pups. Her owner then, called her Geronimo after the brave North American Indian Geronimo.

This is Geronimo’s mother with Geronimo and the other pups. The mother died when the pups were very young, which is why Geronimo came to live on a farm. The owner took her in and made her part of the family at four weeks old. Geronimo was a strong pup, though she had to be fed out of a baby’s bottle at first as she had not been weaned.

Her is the farm owner with Geronimo, who is still a pup. Geronimo really liked her owner and would like her owner’s face a lot. the owner carried her about at first, because Geronimo was too little to keep up with the owner as she went about the farm.

There were other animals on the farm for Geronimo to get to know – hens, turkeys, another dog, who acted like a mother to Geronimo, a horse who hated Geronimo at first but became good friends later.

This is a good picture of Prancer with Geronimo. Prancer took good care of Geronimo and treated like she was her own pup. Geronimo grew to think of her as her mother. and spent many happy days lying close to Prancer’s warm body during the winter in the first year of her life.

L=Listen with accuracy
I= Insight
S=Sensitivity
T=Taming the beast within
E= Empathy
N=Negotiation

Mindful of the great scientific work being conducted on behalf of all humanity by the Algalita Marine Research Insititute in California during the months of January and February 2010 across the Atlantic ocean to determine the amont of plastic floating about in the seas. Look up their website to view and know more – www.algalita.org. Donate to their growing needs, if you wish.

Inspired by this great scientific work I decided to write something for children and came up with the following – Plastic Monsters in the Sea.

Here’s a sample:

Page 1 from the text 'Plastic Monsters in the Sea'

The land monster gets fed daily.

Plastic floating sea!

Hardworking actors!Deirdre, Padraig, Kevin and Mirrren working hard on the dramatic excerpts from The Mystery of the Shandon Rainbow Trail Book Launch 2009 - The Mystery of the Shandon Rainbow Trail (available at www.choicepublishing.ie)Cllr Kieran McCarthy, actor Mirren, librarians Deirdre and Eileen, author Celine, actor Kevin at St. Mary's library 2009.Yum...yum

Students from local schools at book launch 2009, enjoy the festivities!

You’re very welcome to this site- hope you find something interesting.

During the recent cold spell of our winter here in Ireland, I spent the time writing and catching up on the editing of a new book, due out at the end of March.

It’s an illustrated story for 5-8 year olds about two dogs who live their lives on a farm in Co. Cavan in Ireland.

The working title, as yet not finalized – A Christmas Tale is taken from a series of stories about the life of one dog in partricular. Her name is ‘Geronimo’ and is based on the life of our family dog, with the same name, who passed away last summer.

It’s my tribute to these dogs who gave us lots of love and fun and games and who had many adventures on our little farm in Cavan!