Radio 4: Ten Part Short Story Series

Following on the footsteps of Northern Ireland’s finest like David Parks and Jan Carson (The Last Resort) I was commissioned to write a ten part series of linked short stories. The series is called The Circus and is centred around Cliftonville Circus where 5 roads meet in North Belfast.

“A former working men’s club in North Belfast called ‘The Circus’ has been refurbished and relaunched with an inaugural talent show – and a massive cash prize for the winner! – inspiring the locals to brush up on some old skills. The new owner, a successful London property developer, has promised to bring a bit of the West End to North Belfast. But can the area really change? Can the people? 
Cliftonville Circus is where five roads meet in North Belfast. It is situated in the most deprived part of the city; it is also the most divided. Each road leads to a different area – a different class – a different religion. ‘The Circus’ explores where old Belfast clashes with the new around acceptance, change, class and diversity.”

The first episode is on Jan 8th and is titled The Singer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gww8

THE CAST

Ian Beattie, Ruby Campbell, Maggie Cronin, Michael Condron, Leanne Devlin, Abigail Fitzgibbons, Tony Flynn, Louise Parker, Michael Patrick and Chris Robinson.

PS You can still listen to Daddy Christmas my Radio 4 short story that aired last Christmas Day which is available for the next few days.

The Good Son 3rd Editon
You can buy here

Winner of The Polari First Novel Prize

‘A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.’ Donal Ryan

Raw, funny and endlessly entertaining’. Jonathan Coe

My Writing Masterclass for BBC Radio

Writing Masterclass

‘Belfast writer Paul McVeigh tells us how to write a good story’

This is a short video I made for BBC Radio to help budding writers out there. It includes my advice on best writing books and where to begin. I hope you enjoy it.

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“The Good Son is a work of genius from a splendid writer.”
Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Olen Butler
“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.”
Donal Ryan

Listen to me on BBC’s ‘The Ticket’

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Listen to me on BBC’s ‘The Ticket’

Where I read from The Good Son, talk to Katy about books, World Book Day and The 32.

“On World Book Day, Kathy’s guests are writer Paul McVeigh, the cast of youth drama Crusaders and actor Matt Cavan. There’s music from Emma Horan, Johnny Fitch and the Leading Ladies, and Karishma Kusurkar has the pick of the podcasts.”

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“I devoured it in a day, but I’ve thought about it for many, many more.”
Bailey’s Prize-winner Lisa McInerney
“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.”
Donal Ryan

Number 1 in the Charts!

Stephen Nolan
Wow! What an honour. Thanks to The Stephen Nolan Show making The Good Son Book Club Choice of the Month on BBC Radio in conjunction with (and thanking especially for all their support) Libraries NI – it was the most borrowed adult fiction title from libraries across Northern Ireland in September. 

Enniskillen Library

This was an event I did for Libraries NI last month

Here’s to libraries!

Biggest Book Group in the Country Reads The Good Son

The Biggest Book Club in the Country is back with Paul McVeigh’s ‘The Good Son’

Stephen Nolan

So the Stephen Nolan in Ireland has chosen The Good Son as its latest read. I went into the BBC studio in Belfast to record a few minutes and you can head over and listen to it here.

Thanks to Pedro Hughes and Libraries NI too for recommending The Good Son.

This was me in Stephen Nolan’s chair recording the extract- I got a kick out of that.

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You can join in by getting one of the 300 copies of the book that are being sent around libraries in NI or buy it here…  or below.

The Good Son 3rd Editon

Buy Here

Winner of The Polari Prize

“Pungently funny and shot through with streaks of aching sadness.” Patrick Gale
“I devoured it in a day, but I’ve thought about it for many, many more.” Lisa McInerney
“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.” Donal Ryan

The Good Son reviewed on BBC Radio

You can listen back to the wonderful review of The Good Son on BBC Radio Ulster by Mike Philpott on the Kerry McLean Show at 42.15 mins in.

“Heart-rending… It has everything… the casual brutality of the Troubles seems worse because it’s seen through this child’s eyes. It’s so real, one the best protagonists I’ve read in a long, long time… The last time a character had stayed with me like that was Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye.

One of McVeigh’s talents is he takes you from sadness to humour to horror to a whole range of other emotions quite often even in the space of one page which is not an easy thing to do.”

Listeners:

“A bitter-sweet experience… One I’d reccomend to all.”

“Amazing, disturbing, sad and funny.”

“It’s the story of every child. I really enjoyed it but it did make me cry.”

“A cracking read. One I’d definitely recommend.”

Amazing! Thanks everyone.

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