Top authors to give readings at John Hewitt summer school

They will all read from and talk about their recent work.

Patrick Gale has published 15 novels, several collections of short stories, novellas and a biography of the writer Armistead Maupin. He recently wrote the screeenplay for BBC drama The Man In the Orange Shirt and his most recent works are the Costa-nominated A Placed Called Winter and the Richard and Judy Book Club bestseller A Perfectly Good Man.

The author will be in conversation with broadcaster and poet CL Dallat on Monday July 23.

Before becoming a full-time writer, Liz Nugent worked in Irish film, theatre and television. Her first novel, Unravelling Oliver, was a bestseller and won the Crime Fiction Prize in the 2014 Irish Book Awards. Second novel Lying in Wait went went straight to number one in the Irish bestseller charts and also won her a second Irish Book Award.

Liz will read from her new thriller, Skin Deep, and talk about her work with journalist and author Claire Allan at the summer school on Tuesday July 24.

Mary O’Donnell is one of Ireland’s most influential writers of the last three decades. Over her illustrious career she has produced 17 books, including four novels, two short story collections and seven collections of poetry. She is perhaps best known for her debut novel The Light Makers (1992).

For her lunchtime event on Wednesday July 25, Mary will read from Empire: A Novella and Six Stories, her new collection, and will be in conversation with local writer Jan Carson.

Sheila Llewellyn is an English author of Welsh heritage who has lived in Co Fermanagh for many years. She has been shortlisted twice for the Costa Short Story Prize. On Thursday July 26 she will talk to writer and broadcaster Malachi O’Doherty about her debut novel, Walking Wounded, which is set in a psychiatric hospital between the end of the Second World War and the founding of the NHS.

Co Armagh writer Michael Hughes will read from and talk about his powerful new novel on July 27, a vivid and brutal reimagining of Homer’s Illiad set during the Troubles.

Meanwhile distinguished Northern Irish novelist David Park, who has published striking fiction about the Troubles, will be in conversation with Malachi O’Doherty and photographer Sonya Whitefield on July 23.

Tickets for JHISS lunchtime readings are available from www.johnhewittsociety.org or call 02837 521 821.