The Good Son

The Good Son Chosen for Brighton’s City Reads

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A few years ago I moved to Brighton. To get to know the city and throw myself back into writing I volunteered for a project called City Reads. The city-wide celebration of My Policeman by Bethan Roberts was so much fun. I gave out fliers, asked shops to put up posters, collected tickets on city walks and even acted in a play!

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All those events were related to the book and I was struck by the inventiveness of City Reads and what an amazing job they did bringing the book to life.

Who would have thought that 4 years later it would be my book that would be chosen? You couldn’t write it. I’m overwhelmed. You can see the programme of events here. I can’t wait to get stuck in. There’s whiskey tasting, movie screenings, a quiz – and readings from me. That it will part of The Brighton Festival’s 50th anniversary is amazing.

Have a great day! I know I will.

City Reads

The Good Son Audio Book is Here

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Last year I went into a recording studio in north London to read The Good Son. I had to audition (well, do a sound/voice test) beforehand and the powers that be gave me the thumbs up. It wasn’t quite what I expected (me having a laugh reading my book!). It was hard work. I’d recommend trying anything once but I’d have a good long think before doing it again because…

 

Audio Book

Reading The Audio Book

There are definitely pros and cons to reading your own book – for you and the listener. I’d say the main pros are that you feel in control of the material- that you are giving the listener what you intended when you wrote it – and they are getting insights into the text they may not have picked up on.

I think the cons are that quite soon you realise your limitations – not being someone with experience/ability in this platform. If you have 5 characters speaking in one page, are you really good enough to differentiate between them? If not, the listener won’t know which character is speaking until the end of the dialogue when you’ve assigned a name. You don’t want them stumbling, you want them seduced by the story. Also, often an actor can bring something out of the text that you hadn’t seen (just like when you’ve written a play). As writers, we are not always aware of what we are doing. Actors can also add a layer of subtly that you, no matter how good you are as a reader of your work, don’t have the training or talent to do as a performer.

I enjoy reading my work and I think the audio book will really help to bring The Good Son to life. The added bonus for the listener is, as the story is set in Northern Ireland and has some of the vernacular, the delivery can help with the understanding. I can’t wait to hear some feedback. Be gentle. It’s my first time.

 

Audio Book Cover

The New Cover

You can buy the audio book over at Audible. You can even listen to a free sample. I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

The Good Son Best of 2015

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The Good Son makes another Best of 2015 list – this time from author and book blogger Lindsay Bamfield. Thanks Lindsay.

That makes 2015 quite a year from my debut novel which was…

Shortlisted for The Guardian’s ‘Not The Booker’ Prize.

An ELLE Magazine Best Books of 2015.

The Irish Independent Top Reads of 2015.

One of The Reading Agency Staff Picks Best of 2015.

Wales Arts Review – Fiction of the Year.

A Gransnet Best Christmas Read for 2015.

Savidge Reads and Pam Reader Blogs Books of the Year.

Here’s what Lindsay said: “I’d read about Paul’s debut novel on his blog as well as number of terrific reviews. I was attending the No The Booker event at Big Green Bookshop, so intended to buy a copy. After hearing Paul read an extract I was well and truly hooked. An original and authentic voice that took me there, to Belfast in the 80s, spending a troubled summer with Mickey – wanting him so very much to achieve what he hoped for.”

If you fancy a copy then about the only place with any first print editions left is Waterstones online. Alternatively, you can buy the e-reader edition at Salt. The new print will be available mid-March.

Thanks everyone and hope your new year is going well.

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The Good Son in Top 12 of 2015 Pam Reader Blog

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Thanks to Pam Reader for including The Good Son in her Top 12 Novels of 2015 list on her fantastic blog. A lovely way to start the year.

“If you choose to invest in The Good Son, you can do so in the knowledge that you are in the hands of an accomplished storyteller. Prepare to laugh and cry as Mickey Donnelly takes hold of your heart and never lets it go until the last page.”

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‘Those Killer First Chapters’ London, Feb 6

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I’m teaching a new class. Here’s the details. I hope to see some of you there.

Those Killer First Chapters – Getting the attention of agents and editors

Waterstones Piccadilly, Saturday, 6 February 2016 from 10:00 to 17:00.

Focus:

How to launch your novel

What a first chapter tells us

Writing fiction with emotional impact

How to show AND tell

Talking to your reader

Using Dialogue

Getting the attention of agents & editors

About Paul

Paul McVeigh’s debut novel ‘The Good Son’ was shortlisted for The Guardian’s ‘Not the Booker Prize’. It was a Gransnet Christmas read, Wales Arts Review Pick of the Year and one of ELLE Magazine’s Books of 2015 alongside Anne Enright and Ali Smith. This debut novel is on its second print, the audio book is about to be released and rights have been sold to France and Germany.

Paul’s short fiction has been published in journals and anthologies and been commissioned by BBC Radio 4 and read on Radio 5. He is co-founder of London Short Story Festival and Associate Director at Word Factory, the UK’s leading short story literary salon. He is also been a reader and judge for national and international writing competitions. Currently, he’s judging The Penny Dreadful Novella Prize alongside Guardian First Book Award-winner Colin Barrett and Costa shortlisted Sara Baume,

Reviews:

“Heartbreaking, gripping” The Guardian – “Excellent” The Independent – “Funny, moving, poignant. Brilliant.” Metro

“Darkly hilarious. One of the most charming and edearing characters I’ve come across in a long while.” ELLE Magazine

“Funny, shot through with streaks of aching sadness.” Patrick Gale

“A work of genius from a splendid writer.” Pulizter Prize-winning short story writer Robert Olen Butler.

“Absolutely loved it. The voice of that story so arresting.” Jackie Kay

“Beautiful and very moving.” Booker shortlisted Alison Moore

“(one of) Ireland’s most exciting and talented writers.  Incredibly moving; poignant but utterly real, funny and beautifully observant.” BBC Radio

You can read more here.

Paul’s ‘That Killer First Page’ class on submitting short stories to journals and competitions has sold out in Bath, Belfast, Brighton, Cork, London and Melbourne.

Comments on Paul’s classes:

“Practical, insightful application of knowledge to writing.”
“Fantastic! Practical, targeted advice like this is wonderful!”
“This was my fav course yet! Informative, entertaining, and engaging. Hard to beat!”

Places are limited. Book here.

*For concessions please contact Paul paulmcveighwriter@live.co.uk

Paul McVeigh, author

17 August 2014, London

 

 

Reading in Kinvara, Co Galway, Jan 16

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I’m reading at a fundraising event in Kinvara, Co Galway, alongside some amazing writers. Hope to see some of your there. I’ll also be running  a class that day in Kinvara – check under my classes section 🙂

The line up…
SARAH CLANCY – The Truth & Other Stories (Poetry) shortlisted for the Patrick Kavanagh Award.
LISA McINERNEY – The Glorious Heresies shortlisted for Best Newcomer at the Irish Book Awards
PAUL McVEIGH  – The Good Son shortlisted for the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize
NUALA O’CONNOR – Miss Emily shortlisted for Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.
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KINVARA COURTHOUSE
SATURDAY 16th JANUARY, 2015
7.30 P.M. TO 9.30 P.M.
ADMISSION 10 EURO  (Complimentary glass of wine and tea/coffee)
All proceeds donated to KAVA

The Good Son makes SavidgeReads Best of Year List

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A lovely way to end the year by making it onto Simon Savidge’s Best of Year list; in some  mighty fine company too. Here’s what Simon had to say…

“If I told you that you should really read a book set during the Troubles in Ireland which throws in poverty, religion, sexuality and violence, both domestic and political, you would probably look at me in horror, which is why The Good Son is such a brilliant book. It has all of those elements in their unflinching rawness and yet with Mickey’s voice and cheeky sense of humour McVeigh gives us an image of an incredibly difficult and fractured time in some sort of rainbow technicolor whilst with a very black and white viewpoint. It is something I have not experienced before and I thought it was marvellous. It also gives us hope.”

Simon writes the influential Savidge Reads blog and is also the founder of The Green Carnation Prize. Head over here to read his other favourite books of the year.

 

‘The Good Son’ Best of Year in Independent

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“Paul McVeigh’s The Good Son gave us one of the most engaging protagonists of the year in 10-year-old Mickey Donnelly, who occupies a space between whimsy and horror in Troubles-era Ardoyne.”

The sensational Irish writer Lisa McInerney (The Glorious Heresies) choses ‘The Good Son’ as one of her picks of the year in the Irish Independent. Have a look at the top picks from the cream of Irish authors including Colm Tobin and John Boyne.

Hope you’ve had a great Christmas.