Towards the end of 2024 I decided to write a short novel, aimed at the 6-8 year old, especially for my grandchildren. I wanted it to be steeped in history, and to be an easy read. I chose Christmas Eve 1601 to be the time and the location – Kinsale and the failed landing of Spanish troops to aid the Irish in the overthrow of the English at the battle of Kinsale. The book doesn’t deal with the battle itself, rather it deals with the life of the Ó Laoire family and I wondered how their lives would be affected by a battle happening just a couple of hills – or would it impinge on them at all?
Then in 2025, after having such great fun with the original novel, I toyed with extending it into a series, but found the location and era it was set in, caused me some difficulties. So, I moved everyone to a different part of Ireland and also changed the era rom 1601 to 1232 – and so was born the Ó Fearghusa Family and the Normans of Eochaill. This is now becoming a series where the target age group is now Young Adult, and the plots reflect that change in audience.
It is now 2026 and, after about 8 months of writing I am now ‘over in Bristol’ with a new series. These will be Medieval Cosy Murder Mysteries’ and I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying the writing process. Far more engaging than the previous Ó Laoire series. I feel that I am, finally, getting my voice in terms of style of writing and characters. In truth, I should have started Murder Mysteries a long time ago, because that is basically what I read most. This new series is based on a young window called Emma Fenwick who lives in Bristol circa 1395. The first novel – working title is Emma’s Quest – starts with a stranger knocking on the shop door, when the door is opened he falls in on the manservant and … you’ll have to read the rest 🙂
Ciaran Leamy - Author 