Welcome to my news page. This will be regularly updated and you can check in here from time to time to find out what is going on in my writing world!
May 2007
Hi everyone,
The last few months seem to have grown wings and flown past at a ridiculous speed. We’ve had some truly glorious weather and I wish the long summery evenings would last forever. Who doesn’t…
So there’s lot of stuff to catch up with!
Things have been busy on the writing front. My second novel, All Things Perfect, is being published by Knaur in Germany later this year. I was delighted to receive a brilliant review of my first novel Absolutely Love from the German press, Harz-Kurier: "Die Neuentdeckung aus Irland - so gefühlvoll wie Maeve Binchy, so unwiderstehlich wie Marian Keyes." I have it on good authority that roughly translated it reads: “The new discovery from Ireland - empathetic like Maeve Binchy and irresistible like Marian Keyes.”
I’ve now finished Book 3 - If I Can’t Have You - and have begun to put Book 4 together. I’m delighted to say that I’ve also had the opportunity to contribute to two books in aid of charitable causes, which will be published this year.
Mum’s the Word is being compiled and partly edited by Sarah Webb. The book will shortly be published by New Island and all royalties will be donated to Cystic Fibrosis research in the National Children’s Hospital in Tallaght. The book is about mothering in all its forms. It will be full of true-life stories by some of our favourite Irish women writers, poets, and commentators, and will, I’m glad to say, include a piece donated by me, based on my experiences as a young mother.
Melissa Hill is busy compiling a collection of short stories and recollections donated by published authors and personalities. The book is called A Little Help From My Friends and it is being published in the autumn by Poolbeg Press in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation. I was really pleased to be part of this project, and to write a short story to include in the collection. My dear father passed away in Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, many years ago and the dignified and peaceful manner of his passing in that splendid establishment has been a constant consolation to all the family.
So both of those books should be a great read, and of course, they are in aid of very worthy causes!
Recently, I also had a very exciting day shopping for wedding dresses for my eldest daughter. My two daughters and I took Dublin city centre by storm, whirling around a selection of bridal boutiques, and yes, whether it was lace or satin, Jenny Packman or Vera Wang, she looked incredibly beautiful. We finished up with cocktails in the newly refurbished Shelbourne Hotel. Sitting in the gleaming bar, with its colourful murals, and picture windows framing a sunshiny St Stephen’s Green, was a fitting end to the wonderful day.
In between all the writing, I’ve finally managed to squeeze some time out to do a bit of painting and the neon pink of my writing room is now transformed to a softer, muted tone. Pink Whisper, it says on the tin, and a whisper of pink it surely is. Easy on the eye as well as being warm and relaxing, it’s a refreshing change. That’s as much progress as I’ve made to date on transforming what was the girls’ bedroom. Lots more work remains to be done, when I can prise myself away from the laptop. But I’m not going to tell you what happened the day I had someone out to give me a quote on shelving etc. I have to keep that little incident for inclusion in a book!! Book 4 or 5 maybe…
Hope you all enjoy the summer
Mary xx
December 2006
What a whirlwind this month is turning out to be!
The seasonal festivities got off to a flying start on Friday 1st with the Irish Girls’ Annual dinner in the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. It was carefully organised by Sarah and there were thirteen of us altogether, including Catherine, Clare, Anne-Marie, Marita, Tracey and Jacinta. It was great to catch up with everyone and have a laugh.
The following night was the party to celebrate my daughter’s engagement! Michelle and her boyfriend Dara are planning to marry in Spring 2008 and they recently landed home from a holiday in New York complete with Tiffany sparkler and beaming smiles! So there were terrific celebrations altogether. It was another great night, which began with a champagne reception for the family in their apartment in Ballsbridge and ended up (despite the lashing rain) with a large circle of friends and colleagues in a local hostelry.
Then on Sunday all the family (or as many as could make it) got together for the annual celebration to mark my dear dad’s anniversary. We had mass followed by a meal in a local Italian restaurant and it was lovely to see everyone and to celebrate his memory with grandchildren who arrived on the scene long after my father’s departure.
The following week, I flew over to London for the Author Party organised by Sheila, my agent, and AP Watt. Thankfully the evening was dry and mild so I arrived at Kettners in Romilly Street with my hair relatively unfrizzed. It was another lovely evening where the wine was flowing and the nibbles were delicious and Judy-Meg, Sheila’s assistant, made sure everyone was having a ball.
Then it was a Christmas get together in Dublin city centre with my pals Eileen and Anne. (Sorry you couldn’t make it, Mary O) Another night of wind and rain, but we had great fun anyway, with a meal followed by a visit to the Abbey Theatre to see the very well received School for Scandal.
And then there was the Office Party!!! And no, I’m not going to spill the beans on anyone! All I can say is that it was a cracking night!
Coming up is the Kris Kringle, the Cheese and Wine and annual Office Quiz – usually another great occasion, with plenty of fun and games. And when you might ask, am I going to get the Christmas shopping done? (Never mind Book 3)
I’m glad to say that Book 3 is shaping up nicely, and I’ll be busy with it over the holiday period when I’m not cooking in the kitchen, but last minute shopping panic has already set in and will no doubt continue until Christmas Eve. Although I don’t believe in doing mountains of grocery shopping lest a famine suddenly descend on St Stephen’s Day. My normal weekly shop with a few extras will do just fine. Any last minute worries are reserved for Santa Claus and the hope that everything has been correctly ordered and that the surprises are indeed a pleasant surprise and bring a big smile to everyone’s face!
Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and I hope all your dreams come true in 2007.
Mary xx
September 2006
Hi everyone,
Hope you all had a lovely summer. We had some really fantastic weather and I was lucky enough to be over in Galway for a few of those sparkling days! Between blue skies and golden sands, it was just magic.
I’ve had some great well wishes, support and feedback from fans of All Things Perfect. Glad you all enjoyed it so much and thanks to those concerned for the wonderful reviews. Once again I have to apologise for making so many of you reach for the box of tissues, never mind keeping you up past your bedtime. And from what I’ve heard, the book has been enjoyed on beaches the length and breadth of Ireland as well as holiday spots all around the globe. I’ve heard it is even enticing some of you to consider jetting out to Australia – go for it, it’s a wonderful experience.The good news for September is that my first novel, Absolutely Love, has just been published in Germany. The title is none other than “Und plotzlich war es Liebe”, which roughly translated means, “And suddenly there was Love.” I was thrilled when I received my author copies. If you’d like to take a peek at the cover, click here
I’m still trying to organise my “writing room” and it’s taking so long that I’d almost have an extension built as quick. Problem is, the laptop lures me and I just want to sit down at the desk and write. I’m not interested in pulling things asunder or putting up shelves and organising my files. Mind you, the bright day glo pink that is a legacy from my daughter is beginning to grow on me. (Have a look at the On Writing link and see it for yourself) Maybe something a little softer, she suggests, as I resist the very thoughts of wielding a paintbrush. So if you’ve any magical solutions that might work, please let me know…
Best wishes
Mary x
June 2006
Hi everyone,
I had a wonderful night at my book launch, thanks to all of those who turned up and helped to make it a great celebratory occasion! It was lovely to see so many family, friends, and colleagues there. Also Sinead and Dearbhaile from Gill and Macmillan. Cormac and the staff of Hughes and Hughes certainly pulled out all the stops, thank you so much. Sheila, my agent, was unable to be there but she most thoughtfully sent me a beautiful bouquet of summer flowers to mark the publication. As did my friends, Eileen, Mary and Anne. And Margaret from Skryne gave me a very pleasant surprise by having another bouquet of flowers delivered to Hughes and Hughes on the night. Much appreciated!
Kevin, my photographer brother, was on hand to capture the atmosphere and you can see a selection of photos here.
It was also wonderful this weekend to see All Things Perfect ranked among the top ten fiction bestsellers in Hughes and Hughes, St. Stephens Green. Thanks a million to everyone who supported me!
It was a pleasure to be welcomed so warmly in all the bookstores I visited. (See May 2006 news) I’d like to wish Sarah and Tom all the best for the success of the newly opened Easons in White Water, Newbridge, another lovely shop I popped into on route to Portlaoise.
If you can’t get to the shops, All Things Perfect is available on line from Hughes and Hughes, Easons, and Gill and Macmillan websites. And thanks again for all the emails and messages, it’s very heartening to hear that you are enjoying All Things Perfect!
Best wishes
Mary x
May 2006
Book launch time and things are hectic!!
It’s all happening in Hughes and Hughes, St Stephen’s Green SC on Tuesday 23rd at 6.30pm. The book is just out on the shelves and already I’ve had some good Reviews.
Now that All Things Perfect has hit the shelves, I’d like to pay tribute to the great support team I have around me - my family for unflagging encouragement, and all my relatives, friends and work colleagues for their valuable support and enthusiasm, Dara and Tony for maintaining this website, and all the readers who contact me with heartening emails. Thanks a million!
For those of you who can’t make the launch and are interested in getting a signed copy of All Things Perfect, I will be dropping around informally to the following shops:
Tue 23rd pm: Easons, Dundrum
Wed 24th pm: Easons, O’Connell St.and Dawson St.,
Dubray, Grafton St
Thur 25th am : Pavilions SC: Easons and Hughes + Hughes
Blanchardstown SC: Easons and Books Unlimited
Liffey Valley SC: Easons
Thur 25th pm: The Square, Tallaght: Easons and Books Unlimited
Fri 26th am: Portlaoise: All Books and Laois Educational Supplies
Naas: Barker and Jones
I’ll be just popping in and out, but if anyone wants to have a better idea of the time I’ll be in any particular shop, please email me.
Thanks again for continued support! It really means a lot to me,
Best wishes
Mary x
April 2006
I’m delighted to confirm that my next novel, All Things Perfect, is scheduled for release on 19th May. The book will be launched in Hughes and Hughes, St Stephens Green Shopping Centre, on 23rd May, at 6.30 pm.
All are most welcome to come along. If you want to have a look at the lovely cover and find out what All Things Perfect is about, check out my Books page. It can also be pre-ordered from www.gillmacmillan.ie.
We had a terrific evening in Hughes and Hughes for the launch of Absolutely Love, thanks to Liam and the staff, Alison, Sinead and Dearbhaile from Gill and Macmillan, and all the family and friends who turned out. (Scroll down here to see earlier News items including some photos). I’m sure May 23rd will be just as good, if not better! I’m certainly looking forward to it.
All Things Perfect is about friendship and love and having the courage to accept yourself and go after the life you truly want. It was partly inspired by a fabulous trip I made to Australia. All those golden beaches and the eternal sunshine, as well as the scenery and the sights, just had to find their way into a novel!
Thanks for all the encouraging emails, they really mean a lot to me. Believe me, putting a book together is a long slog, but it’s the ultimate magic to think that readers are enjoying something you created at your desk!
April is one of my favourite months of the year – and not just because of my birthday! Who can’t feel better with the start of the long, bright evenings and the prospect of summer on the way? Roll it on…
Best wishes
Mary x
January 2006
Hi there and welcome to the first news snippet of 2006. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year. It was a very special and enjoyable time in the Bond household, as the family was altogether for the first time in years. And of course, there was plenty of celebratory champagne!
The weeks leading up to Christmas were simply hectic. In addition to all those lovely parties that I just couldn’t afford to miss, not to mention the frenzied shopping (I’m definitely starting in July this year – no more last minute panic stricken moments!), I was busy checking copy edits of Book 2.
You’ll be glad to hear that All Things Perfect is scheduled for publication in May 2006. I’ll have more information on the web site nearer the time, including a picture of the final cover. At the moment my precious manuscript is gone for page make up, which is very exciting. All the hard work is done, and just the final proofs have to be checked. It should be out on the bookshelves in perfect time for the summer holiday season.
I’ve also had a most exciting holiday in Hong Kong. I left Dublin with my better half on a wet November morning and we touched down some sixteen hours later in the heat of the sunny Hong Kong island of Lantau. Thanks to our son’s carefully planned itinerary, we packed in a whirlwind week in what has to be one of the most vibrant cities in Asia. We shopped in Tsim Sha Tsui and ogled gargantuan shopping malls. We sipped champagne in Felix, and raved about the décor and the harbour view. We spent a buzzing Saturday night in Lang Kwai Fong, and relished the quiet sanctuary of Po Lin monastery. Hopefully I received some enlightenment as a result of my visit to the Temple! Then there are the beaches - yes, paradise beaches - and stunning mountainous vistas. Can’t wait to go back….
So after all that excitement and the whirl of Christmas and New Year, it’s back to visa bills and traffic jams; rain and dark January mornings. Is it surprising I’m feeling a little deflated? Time to start planning my Spring break! And get cracking on Book 3!
Best wishes
Mary x
October 2005
First of all, many thanks to everyone for all the lovely emails, texts and phone calls, which I’m still getting. It’s a really great privilege to hear from all of you. I used to think that having a book on the shelves was the be all and end all, but it’s not. The best bit by far is when readers are enjoying it and getting lost in the story. There is a proverb out there (I think it is Chinese) that says a book is but a block of wood until it is open. Too true. Once opened, of course, a book can transcend everything.
Thanks to all the staff in Easons, Hughes + Hughes and Dubray, including Sheena, Ciara, Rachel and Gary, who were all so nice when I dropped in – usually unannounced! – to sign copies of my book. I hope to be more organised next time out and I will definitely be travelling beyond the pale! One of my first dates will be in Dundalk, courtesy of Siobhan of Hughes + Hughes.
Some of you are looking for a sequel to Absolutely Love, to read more about your favourite characters, Alex and Daisy, but unfortunately I have to say that it is not on the drawing board right now. Publishers are not all that keen on putting out sequels for various reasons (unless of course you’re Helen Fielding or JK Rowling!) but I do have ideas around another book – possibly book 5 or 6 – which would include some of the characters in Absolutely Love.
The good news is that my next book should be out in the spring of 2006 – you won’t have to wait until next summer after all! That means that I’m extra busy right now with edits and rewrites as I am up against a tight deadline. (No time for housework of any description – great!) I’ll have more news on this later on…
I was at the recent Readers and Writers Day held by Fingal County Council on October 1st in conjunction with Sarah Webb and the Irish Girls and it was truly a great day. Lovely to meet so many readers and writers and to hear what everyone had to say. And to meet the brilliant Library staff who looked after everything so well! My daughter came with me and was delighted to meet some of her favourite authors (after me, of course!).
News on the home front is that hubby and I celebrated thirty years of marriage recently! Yes, I was (practically) a child bride! So the champagne was well and truly popped and the family was all together, which was lovely. We’ll be heading off in due course for a special holiday to celebrate.
As I write this, it is somewhere in the region of 18 degrees out there – fabulous for October - so wherever you are, I hope you’re enjoying the fine weather and the bonus of this lovely autumn!
Best wishes
Mary x
July 2005
Hi to everyone,
I’m scheduled to appear on Ireland AM, TV3, on Thursday morning, 4th August, so set your video recorder if you’re out at work! Also, signed copies of Absolutely Love are available in Eason’s Dundrum and The Square, Books Unlimited, The Square and Dubray in Bray. Thanks to all the lovely staff for their help and enthusiasm! I hope to drop into some city centre stores later in the week and visit Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown SC next weekend, 6/7 August.
Things have been hectic since the book launch – life will never be the same.
I still get a great thrill every time I go into a bookshop and see Absolutely Love on the shelves. And my friends around Ireland have been delighted to spot it in their local bookstore. If you don’t happen to see it on the shelves, make sure to ask. I believe some shops sold out of their initial order fairly quickly, and have had to restock. It’s also available online from Gill and Macmillan with a 20% reduction or from Eason’s website.
Thanks for all the emails and cards. The support and reaction I’ve been getting is truly wonderful and much appreciated. It’s great to think that something I slaved over in a corner of the bedroom is out there now, keeping people engrossed until the wee small hours. That’s the only problem… it seems I’m depriving loads of people of their valuable beauty sleep as they stay up glued to the final chapters. Plenty of 1.00am and 2.00am finishes, but the record goes to Siobhan in Drumcondra for her 5.00am stint!! You can check out some of the reaction in my Reviews slot.
And there are some more pics of the book launch on the photos link below.
Best wishes,
Mary xx
The Launch
I’m delighted to say that the launch of Absolutely Love was a terrific success! The only blip was the (very) late arrival of our taxi, which made mush of my already jangled nerves. However, once we arrived at St Stephen’s Green shopping centre, where family and friends were already waiting, everything went so well. In no time at all, Hughes and Hughes was jammed. I was very busy signing books so I had no time to be nervous. The team from Tivoli were busy restocking my book display and looking after the wine. It was a great feeling to be autographing the finished book, after all the months of work behind the scenes. And when I stood up to say a few words, it was lovely to look around and see so many family, friends, colleagues and supporters gathered together on what was a very special night for me. Everybody was in a party mood (which merrily went on late into the night) and I was totally spoiled with flowers and champagne There were lots of photographs and even a couple of video clips, and you can catch some of the atmosphere if you have a look…
Best wishes, Mary
June 2005
I’ve just heard that supplies of Absolutely Love have safely arrived in the publisher’s stockroom and the book will be available in all good bookshops towards the end of June – around the same time as the U2 concerts. (Yes, I’ll be heading to Croker on 24th June after I meet Sheila, my agent, for a celebratory lunch!) For the next couple of weeks I’ll be getting ready for the launch and looking forward to finally seeing my novel on the shelves. You can also buy it directly from the publishers. www.gillmacmillan.ie
I’m also pleased to say that I’ve sold German translation rights for Absolutely Love and my next novel.
One of the good things about writing and being published is that I am now in contact with many of the Irish writers’ and their level of support and encouragement is great. Warm thanks in particular to Melissa Hill, Catherine Daly, Sarah Webb, Tracy Culleton, June Considine and Rose Doyle. Heartfelt apologies if I’ve left anyone out!
Best wishes, Mary
May 2005
First of all, thanks to Dara and Tony Dolan for all their work on my website! It is much appreciated and I think you’ll agree they’ve done a great job.
Right now the big news is that Absolutely Love, my first novel, is on schedule for a June publication. I have been closeted away, checking and rechecking what looks like a real book. It’s all very exciting, of course, especially for a first timer. Now I really feel it’s all going to happen and pretty soon my novel will be out in the big wide world!
News on the home front is that I had great birthday celebrations last month and this month my daughter and her boyfriend arrived home from Australia – so it’s been celebrations all around and plenty of excitement!
Best wishes, Mary
